I don't know about you, but I've been waiting for a good Sonic the Hedgehog game for quite awhile. Not since back on the Sega Genesis have we gotten a top quality Sonic game. Every single new Sonic game is usually accompanied by a press statement claiming it is the breath of fresh air for the series. "This is what Sonic fans have been waiting for!", or something to that effect.
Well, with the announcement of the first numbered Sonic since the Sega Genesis, we finally thought those statements could be justified… until today. New details have come out about Sonic 4, and they aren't exciting. A slew of new information just puts one nail after another into the coffin that is the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.
According to leaked details obtained by
The Existant Game Site, it seems that Act 2 of every Zone of the upcoming downloadable, episodic, 2D Sonic will feature "Tank Sonic". So, while we may get what we finally wanted out of a Sonic game in Act 1, the momentum will come to a crashing halt after Sonic transforms into a tank, sans turret — Sega isn't about to go back into "Mature" territory, only to watch their Wii sales plummet.
But wait! Before you Blue Blur Devout leap into a stirring defense about only one of every three Acts in a Zone being lame, there's more. The informant — which appears to be a disgruntled Sonic Team programmer — also clearly states that Act 3 of every Zone will be one of those water levels. You know, the ones where you have to constantly get to little bubble spouts in order to breath, or else you'll die? The ones that feel like you're trying to run through molasses? Yeah, those levels.
Oh, Sega. Why can't you ever figure it out? Sonic the Hedgehog games just aren't meant to be made.
You can find more of my writing on music, movies, and more — as well as those of other contributors like Bitmob's own Chris "Cosmo" Ross, Chris Whitehead, and Ultan O'Connell — at Cerebral Pop.