It’d probably be better to use a flipbook for your 2D Characters, or at least a sprite.
The Unreal community tends away from sugarcoating things. Yes you can learn animation, however you shouldn’t count on being your project’s sole animator- nor could it be said that you have animation. Well then again, you are making a game which is sure to attract legal attention should it ever get noticed. Only true die-hard fans will be joining you. You don’t necessarily need C++, but it’d run smoother and be more efficient than BP.
You’re making a Sonic game with Sonic characters, Sonic mechanics, and Sonic assets. If it’s not a Sonic clone (most literally ), then what is it? Do keep in mind [GameName]-clone generally means a game with the same/similar mechanics as [GameName]. For a while, any FPS game would have been called a ‘Doom clone’. , at least according to what’s been said, you’re making a game not only with the same/similar mechanics but with the entire IP of the original game. Calling it a clone is not necessarily an attack.