Sonic Frontiers releases November 8th on PlayStation 4, 5, Xbox One, Series S/X, Nintendo Switch and PC. It’s been a while since I’ve done a review but Sonic Frontiers called for it!
Sonic is back in Sonic Frontiers, an open-world hybrid title and I’m all here for it. Why you ask? Well, I’ve been a Sonic The Hedgehog fan since I can remember, it was the first game I played on the SEGA Megadrive and it has stuck with me ever since. Sonic’s past is a bit up and down sadly though, we all know it, I have a huge love of the retro titles, Sonic 1, 2, 3, Knuckles, and Mania but sadly the 3d titles are often not the best of Sonic, while Sonic Adventure and Generations were so good, others were not, and as a Sonic fan it always felt like one step forward, then two steps back in the next game. Finally, after spending the weekend playing Sonic Frontiers, I can confidently say that Sonic might have just found his footing in a 3D entry title and if Sonic Team can expand on its formula and keep it fresh, it might be the start of something great.
What is Sonic Frontiers? Sonic, friends and Robotnick (I will never call him Eggman) find themselves stuck in a mysterious world shrouded in mystery, full of ancient beings, relics and an unknown enemy. You’re thrown into a Cyberspace level reminiscent of Green Hill Zone, you speed through the level which offers a really good tutorial on how to play, and I have to say, the way you can really tailor Sonics movement with the movement settings that are offered is fantastic and might help with a lot of newcomers. Once you’ve completed the stage you’re introduced to the open world levels, at first glance on the first images and gameplay leaked months ago I was slightly worried it felt empty, however, I was gladly wrong, the open world is really fun to navigate. There are so many ways to traverse the levels, tackle challenges and take on the interesting new enemies and side bosses, and those who have gone vs the Squid will know how intense and fun it can get, it really makes you feel like Sonic The Hedgehog with all his really cool abilities, this truly gives you the full freedom on how you tackle it all. Each level offers a lot of challenges to unlock new Cyberspace levels which are old levels but seemingly shrouded in this strange digital glitched-out world it’s really quite interesting. I really enjoyed finding the little creatures that help you upgrade Sonic, the hearts to give to Amy to advance the story and collecting the chaos emeralds of course! The bosses are back as always in Sonic games but each has variety and I truly enjoyed taking them all on. Each has really interesting ways to utilise Sonics abilities.
The gameplay loop is really fun here, I enjoyed speeding around the island at the speed of sound tackling the multiple challenges you face, while some do feel cheap, others don’t and it makes sure that there is a variety and not too much rinse and repeat, though some sections can feel a little repetitive. In Sonic Frontiers players will level Sonics abilities up from speed, ring capacity, defence, attack and new abilities, obviously, the most fun one is levelling up Sonics speed, traversing the environment at those speeds is just incredible.
The game looks fantastic, from the Cyberspace levels to the open worlds, it’s all a joy to explore in more detail. I especially enjoyed following the rivers in the first section and running fast in the water creating awesome speedboat effects behind you, the attention to detail in that respect is great. In Sonic Frontiers there is weather and a day/night cycle that change the way the game looks, a lot of detail has gone into the level design and while it does look odd with rails sprawled about in the air, there is logic behind the odd placements of rails and loops and it is fun to tackle even if it looks slightly strange. The music is on point this time as well, with some really good tracks and while I don’t think Sonic 3 and Knuckles can ever be beaten in the sound department, well, Sonic Frontiers does a good job with its music choice. The voice acting is also great again with some original cast coming back and voicing them, though Sonic does sound a lot older this time? I wonder if it’s a more mature Sonic kind of thing because this game isn’t the usual type of Sonic game we’re used to.
Verdict
Overall I am having a blast with Sonic Frontiers, for too long it felt that Sonic games had fallen flat when it comes to the 3D conversion but in Sonic Frontiers it seems like they’re definitely on the right path. While the game isn’t perfect, it is a ton of fun and truly it rests in the Sonic Hall Of Fame as a solid entry into the Sonic Universe, I hope Sonic Team learns from this going forward. For die-hard Sonic fans, it is worth getting and for newcomers, it’s a perfect entry, it feels standalone, and you’re not missing anything by skipping previous titles. The reason for an 8 is some sections can be a little frustrating, but overall it never derives from the overall experience.
8/10
Nerdy Bird Games 