4.5/5 ★ – TheWolvesDen's review of Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

So I booted this up to lose some time, and was marveled at the impeccable feel. I had played the first and didn’t like the controls, but this? The momentum based level design the tiered up and down pathways? Its well executed. Lets talk about beautiful levels like Oil Ocean Zone, with some real neat details like the hovering fans and working with and around those. The vines in Mystic Cave Zone are a great gimmick that highlights the vines that emphasize verticality. Whats neat is how well that you innately figure out stuff in this game. Like the momentum jumps near the end of Metropolis Zone 1 where you have to use the barrel to build momentum to wall run and then time it perfectly to get to the moving platform. Up until that point the way those barrels were used/designed didn’t seem to really make a difference in the gamplay but because there no other way to hit that platform using the spin dash to a wall jump, it only made me curious as to why that element of the stage was there, and it felt like I figured out how this level works. I think the testament to this game is how things feels when you are on the wrong path, it’s more arduous but it’s like you are peeking for moments when you can break through to a more fun path. But it’s just visually appealing consistently that it doesn’t matter. I will admit my weak skills were an issue for the final few zones and did have to use save states. I do think the moment on Wing Fortress Zone with that sequence of times 5 jumps? Awfully treacherous. In addition I would even say the boss laser was probably even worse than metal Sonic in the next level. I also want to give props for some of the transitions at the end of this level and the previous to really build up to the end level! Each battle with Robotnik at the end of a zone is fantastic, they feel really great to figure out, and the leniency through the reclaiming lost rings allows you so room for mess ups. That battle with the arrows is just FUN. It was also great to hear tunes I heard throughout my life in the proper context of the levels, I won’t say that they blew me away in the contexts but they deserved a mention, particularly Sky Chase Zone, that’s some real music. Seriously this game SMOKES the original, even when they do the evil enemy placement in Metropolis zone, it still felt impressively designed. It feels that if I am more patient and do multiple play throughs that there will be more for me to enjoy. It is a remarkable game.