So here are my thoughts
The whole game is a struggle with the heavy acceleration and wonky physics. Either you play careful and get stressed everytime you release the d-pad(where normally you would just slow down but here go to a straight halt) or you spam the homing attack and get hit everytime.
But even when you adept to the controls, the controls still feel like a struggle and they stop me from wanting to replay the stages again. While the level design is top notch, the physics and the slow accel just kill the game. Honestly I was against the homing attack from the start, but in this game it feels like a gift. Yeah you can choose not to use it at occations where it's better not to, but s4e1 without a homing attack (forget the enemy bridges) would make the game even worse.
I think the reason for the speed boosters are the physics. I can see the game be even more of a struggle without them. The game would feel slow. Everything in the game where we had been complaining about( homing attack, speed boosters etc) are all there to compensate the bad physics, and you know what? It works, without them this game would feel even worse so there you have it.
I just finished the game and got all the emeralds. The most polished thing in the game are the bonus stages, I loved the bonus stages, they were challenging but also a LOT OF fun, so I give them props for that. What they also nailed in this game is the "classic feel". Immediately when you start at splash hill zone you feel that it is a sonic 4. The visuals are really good, the leveldesign is excellent, my only gripe is that the game is zoomed in too much. I would like to see an overhaul in visuals, keep the detail, but make it look less flat and more alive.
I don't think i'm ever gonna replay the game again. Just thinking about the controls stops me from wanting to play more, but the leaderboard system is pretty solid so for those who have no problem with the controls, I say enjoy.
Overall 6.0
Honestly I don't get the 8's and 9's i'm seeing but i'm also happy at the same time that this game might be a bigger succes because of the scores.
Episode 2 can't come soon enough.
Edit: And I think Shadi is right. Yesterday I played the iphone version and I remember there was a lot more momentum in that game. I remember not pressing the directional keys at all and have sonic go down slopes and through loops easily. In this console version he slows down even before getting to the loop when not pressing direction keys. Rolling in general slows you down. I am not sure because I played the iphone version very briefdly but if someone could confirm this, please do.
