Now that i give it thought, this has happened before to Sonic (albeit different circumstances)

Everyone criticises Episode 1, but when the sequel comes out, suddenly it is the better game, even though everything everyone complained about is fixed.

My example: Sonic Heroes!

Eveyone praised it back when it came out for being less serious and more akin to the classics and FUN!

Out comes Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), suddenly Sonic Heroes is a bad game.

Faith in humanity: Lost

I honestly enjoyed Episode 2 more than Episode 1!

Now hear me out.

Episode 1 had "dying cats" (i honestly didn't notice), very floaty physics, and bosses were... like the originals in style but plain out re-hased bosses that have been fought before.

Episode 2 has a better soundtrack, very good stage motifs, excellent co-op potential and i really never listen to companies or big name reviewers anyway.

For me (and lots of other people) Episode 2 feels like Sonic the Hedgehog 4 as it should be, and frankly Episode 3 would be a nice place to end it off, so i can hope for a third in the series.