BlazeHedgehog
Member
What ezodagrom is showing is just that they're beta testing a future update. The incremented number doesn't mean the update was finished, just that they're doing further testing.
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Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II |OT| Let's Go, Friend of Friends!
- Thread starter Azure Dream
- Start date
What ezodagrom is showing is just that they're beta testing a future update. The incremented number doesn't mean the update was finished, just that they're doing further testing.
Rewrite
Not as deep as he thinks
fuck this special last zone man. I had 470 something rings for the last part, but I can't fucking do it because I can't collect those stupid required co-op rings. God. This is frustrating. :|
Edit:
I FINALLY DID it!! 505 rings. That's right, FUCK YOU SPECIAL STAGE 7.
Edit:
I FINALLY DID it!! 505 rings. That's right, FUCK YOU SPECIAL STAGE 7.
The Xtortionist
Member
Damn. I somehow beat it with exactly 500 rings :lol
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
Congrats. Special Stage 7 takes a lot of practice. I had to step away and take a break because I was getting frustrated.
And every time I read this thread's title I keep reading it in Goldman's voice.
And every time I read this thread's title I keep reading it in Goldman's voice.
So after getting the Steam version I have to say that I really should have gotten it on the PS3. There's probably some huge nostalgic bias due to playing the Sonic games on consoles growing up, but it just feels better in front of my TV with a controller.
Where as Episode I was well designed around its physics (in fact it's very hard to argue otherwise due to the extremely easy and wide platforms etc), annoying as they were and excluding the bonus levels, Episode II starts off very promising but quickly turns into an entirely suitable attempt to be Sonic Rush. That isn't too bad because Rush was ez physics auto pilot, so the improved physics in II don't get in the ay of endless booster chains and slopes. The issue is that the level density really suffers after the first Zone. It's a really a shame to, because the intro Zone in Episode II features some of the best use of the homing attack I've ever seen. I can only wonder if the jump to full 3D ate up too much time and money and it may play a part in why we might not see Episode III, sadly.
It is nice to have a recovery option via Tails, even though the way the two characters interact is the complete inverse of Sonic 3. Tails exists as a Metroid like upgrade to the player over Sonic's core abilities, and one that is actually meant for one person alone. Traditionally, the two player Sonic Tails mechanics from Sonic 3) were meant to allow two people to work together, and any added exploration with Tails holding up Sonic was entirely optional. That sort of idea is an afterthought here, as Tails is mandatory to advance through the game.
He suffers from a problem that post golden era Sonic games have generally had, and that is designing level progression around a new ability. Tails less often an interesting mechanic for exploration as he is a mandatory mechanic to advance with no other alternatives, similar to the bridges of enemies and the homing attack over bottomless pits.
All said the game is not worthy to be called Sonic 4, but it IS fun. The music is generally quite good aside from a few tracks.
I'd give it like a 7.5/10. Fun times and yet another ever frustratingly small step in the right direction. If we do get III, I'd buy it without hesitation.
Where as Episode I was well designed around its physics (in fact it's very hard to argue otherwise due to the extremely easy and wide platforms etc), annoying as they were and excluding the bonus levels, Episode II starts off very promising but quickly turns into an entirely suitable attempt to be Sonic Rush. That isn't too bad because Rush was ez physics auto pilot, so the improved physics in II don't get in the ay of endless booster chains and slopes. The issue is that the level density really suffers after the first Zone. It's a really a shame to, because the intro Zone in Episode II features some of the best use of the homing attack I've ever seen. I can only wonder if the jump to full 3D ate up too much time and money and it may play a part in why we might not see Episode III, sadly.
It is nice to have a recovery option via Tails, even though the way the two characters interact is the complete inverse of Sonic 3. Tails exists as a Metroid like upgrade to the player over Sonic's core abilities, and one that is actually meant for one person alone. Traditionally, the two player Sonic Tails mechanics from Sonic 3) were meant to allow two people to work together, and any added exploration with Tails holding up Sonic was entirely optional. That sort of idea is an afterthought here, as Tails is mandatory to advance through the game.
He suffers from a problem that post golden era Sonic games have generally had, and that is designing level progression around a new ability. Tails less often an interesting mechanic for exploration as he is a mandatory mechanic to advance with no other alternatives, similar to the bridges of enemies and the homing attack over bottomless pits.
All said the game is not worthy to be called Sonic 4, but it IS fun. The music is generally quite good aside from a few tracks.
I'd give it like a 7.5/10. Fun times and yet another ever frustratingly small step in the right direction. If we do get III, I'd buy it without hesitation.
DeVeAn
Member
I see.What ezodagrom is showing is just that they're beta testing a future update. The incremented number doesn't mean the update was finished, just that they're doing further testing.
Edit:
So since time has past and the game has sunk in more I wanted to share some thoughts. Overall I think its a great package and a step up from Episode 1. I am one of the few that enjoyed the first game though. My only real complaint is some of the music is annoying especially the Boss theme. Mainly because the fights can last a while and it loops every 10 seconds. The game looks better feels better and has just enough of a story through pantomime which I liked. The ending was bad mainly because there is no "secret end" like past games. The only change I would like is for the spindash to have umph like it's suppose to and rolling should speed you up not slow you down.
The version of the game that is being tested has been updated a few more times, now being version ID 15 (the release version, which is what we can play now, is version ID 11).
It has gone through quite a few test versions, that makes me wonder what the patch will do whenever it is released.
It has gone through quite a few test versions, that makes me wonder what the patch will do whenever it is released.
A patch was just released for Episode 2 on Steam, now the game runs at either 1280x720 or 1920x1080 (possibly a few other resolutions too). EDIT: 1600x900 works too.
Unfortunately most other resolutions are still either upscaled or downscaled (like 1440x900, 1366x768), but at least it does support 1920x1080.
Here are a few 1920x1080 comparison pictures.
Before the patch:
http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/542930348506325084/8472AF3B9C68EBBD9D6EDDDB819E77A1AC0FF750/
After the patch:
http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/542930348506224720/315EEA7FC731810A41C65EEF46721DDC045746B6/
After the patch with 8xMSAA forced through the graphics drivers:
http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/542930348506275314/32CFDE2ECBDB01E36D3C8D27DA5211F47545B94C/
I would have also taken a picture with SSAA, but I don't have a 1920x1080 monitor, the pictures were taken in my brother's PC (his card can only force MSAA through the drivers, there's no option for SSAA).
EDIT 2: Me and someone else have been trying a few things, the game seems to render properly at any 16:9 resolution. Editing the UserConfig.cfg file we tried a bunch of custom 16:9 resolutions, they all seem to work fine (resolutions like 640x360, 800x450, 1440x810, 1680x945, custom resolutions should only be played in window mode though).
EDIT 3: I was wrong when I said that resolutions other than 1280x720 were still upscaled or downscaled, apparently they're not. It's just forcing anti-aliasing that doesn't work at any non 16:9 resolution.
EDIT 4: Other than the image quality improvements, the patch also improved performance at lower resolutions.
This was tested in my almost 6 years old laptop, with a Core 2 Duo T7200 (2.0GHz) and a Mobility Radeon X1600, in the early part of Sylvania Castle Act 1:
Unfortunately most other resolutions are still either upscaled or downscaled (like 1440x900, 1366x768), but at least it does support 1920x1080.
Here are a few 1920x1080 comparison pictures.
Before the patch:
http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/542930348506325084/8472AF3B9C68EBBD9D6EDDDB819E77A1AC0FF750/
After the patch:
http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/542930348506224720/315EEA7FC731810A41C65EEF46721DDC045746B6/
After the patch with 8xMSAA forced through the graphics drivers:
http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/542930348506275314/32CFDE2ECBDB01E36D3C8D27DA5211F47545B94C/
I would have also taken a picture with SSAA, but I don't have a 1920x1080 monitor, the pictures were taken in my brother's PC (his card can only force MSAA through the drivers, there's no option for SSAA).
EDIT 2: Me and someone else have been trying a few things, the game seems to render properly at any 16:9 resolution. Editing the UserConfig.cfg file we tried a bunch of custom 16:9 resolutions, they all seem to work fine (resolutions like 640x360, 800x450, 1440x810, 1680x945, custom resolutions should only be played in window mode though).
EDIT 3: I was wrong when I said that resolutions other than 1280x720 were still upscaled or downscaled, apparently they're not. It's just forcing anti-aliasing that doesn't work at any non 16:9 resolution.
EDIT 4: Other than the image quality improvements, the patch also improved performance at lower resolutions.
This was tested in my almost 6 years old laptop, with a Core 2 Duo T7200 (2.0GHz) and a Mobility Radeon X1600, in the early part of Sylvania Castle Act 1:
Alpha_Tango
Neo Member
Thanks for keeping us up-to-date on the patch ezodagrom. I also wanted to point out that the patch fixes the map screen. With the fan made native resolution patch, the map screen was still rendered in 720p and the menus were sort of messed up. Now with the official patch, the map screen runs in native resolution (1080p for me) and the menus are fixed. Now I can say that the PC version is perfect!
I really like them in theory, they just tend to take too long to complete. The Oil ocean Boss is something you'd see in Sonic CD. But the entire sequence after you get out of the silo is completely unnecessary
Am I the only one that absolutely loves Sky Fortress Act 1? It's way better than previous Sky Plane Zones.
Am I the only one that absolutely loves Sky Fortress Act 1? It's way better than previous Sky Plane Zones.
Rewrite
Not as deep as he thinks
It's funny that you mentioned the Oil Ocean boss, because it's that boss that pissed me off during its "second" phase. Fuck that. I've died so many times in its second stage. I have to REPLAY the whole first part over and over again, making it incredibly tedious. They're too long for their own good.
The Metal Sonic fight in the carnival level had this moment where he starts breaking the floor, which takes you by complete surprise making you die. I don't think there's a single person that saw that attack coming and survived their first time playing.
The Metal Sonic fight in the carnival level had this moment where he starts breaking the floor, which takes you by complete surprise making you die. I don't think there's a single person that saw that attack coming and survived their first time playing.
Heart Attack
Member
Wow, game was released 2 months ago and no one cares anymore. It wasn't even playable at Sonic Boom.
A Huge Battleship
Member
Finished this recently. Nothing particularly positive to say about it, other than that I approve of the fleshing out of bosses until they're practically stages themselves.
Mr. Bubble
Member
If you are a iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch owner, check out your nearest Starbucks. Sonic 4 Episode 2 is this week's App Pick of the Week meaning you can grab a free download code for this game. You do not need to buy anything in Starbucks to grab a card.
I don't own any Apple products, but I grabbed a couple cards to share.
The codes here are up for grabs to anyone. Get one while you can.
I don't own any Apple products, but I grabbed a couple cards to share.
The codes here are up for grabs to anyone. Get one while you can.
Lord British
Member
If you are a iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch owner, check out your nearest Starbucks. Sonic 4 Episode 2 is this week's App Pick of the Week meaning you can grab a free download code for this game. You do not need to buy anything in Starbucks to grab a card.
I don't own any Apple products, but I grabbed a couple cards to share.
The codes here are up for grabs to anyone. Get one while you can.
I'd like one, if that's OK? I'm in the UK (obviously).
Azure Dream
Member
All four of the above codes have been redeemed already, for anybody just viewing the topic.