Sonic Frontiers

Sonic has been kicked around for years for having lack of interesting gameplay towards his games, overall story, non existent character arcs and development in more modern times.

I've been a Sonic fan ever since I was 6 years old with my favourite game being Adventure. I'm 16 now.

I know a lot more fans out there have been there since the beginning, but Sonic means everything to me, and it almost brought tears in my eyes while I was playing this game.

Sonic Frontiers changes everything people thought about Modern Sonic, it changed what I thought about Modern Sonic and for the better. I always loved Sonic but it always hurt to see him drop in audience due to his games just being lacklustre.

The cutscenes, the overall expression within Sonic, the deeper tone and more serious story is exactly what they needed all along, with also beautiful stunning graphics and a fantastic OST, although that's no surprise of course.

This year was the year of Sonic The Hedgehog. Im so proud to be a Sonic fan, thank you so much for taking the time with this one, it was so worth it. 💙

Sonic Frontiers is the best 3D Sonic game in recent years. While it may have some issues with a predictable story and some of the glitches, well doesn't affect the difficulties like Sonic 06 had, can make the game a little too easy, it has a lot to make this a game that's actually worth playing with some touching moments with characters that stand out from the previous games, great graphics, some neat gameplay where we get to explore the island, level gameplay that tributes to the classic games, exciting power-ups we would unlock, and as Sonic games would usually go, has offered an awesome soundtrack that perfectly makes the boss levels intense. This is worth playing for Sonic fans. I know some will often criticize the previous 3D games like Sonic 06. But I can guarantee this one is something I think you will have fun with. 2022 has been a pretty great year for Sonic. We got the movie and the TV series. And we have gotten this 3D game that was a great step-up.

When the teaser trailer for this game was out, I had somewhat very high and somewhat mainly low expectations. All the acclaimed rumors that this would be a "Sonic Ranger" game was thrown out the window on the game's release date. Sonic Frontiers is THE Sonic Game to play, and to be honest- Open World, Combat, Skill Tree are things I've wanted to see in a Sonic game for so long. The story they went with for this game really felt impactful, these characters have been a part of my childhood and it feels as if they all matured like I have. But beside that, the Super Sonic boss battles are breathtaking to play. The whole Super Sonic VS Titans gimmick had to stuck to this game for so long just for its gameplay and amazing OST. It even made it more better when Update 1 came out with the Boss Rush levels knowing I could replay these bosses and experience what I thought would be the end of a franchise after so many mediocre games, turned into an Ultimate Sonic Experience. Just when I thought my love for the series was dying, this game brought me back into the fanbase in a heartbeat.

Sonic Frontiers is a game of interesting but ultimately unfulfilling ideas. While it represents a functional experience, unlike some of its more infamous predecessors, it ultimately left me with a feeling of ambivalence. The game presents a series of ambitious concepts-from its open-world structure to its complex combat-but these elements never quite coalesce into a compelling whole, resulting in a dull and tonally inconsistent adventure.

The most jarring aspect of Sonic Frontiers is its visual design. For a franchise built on vibrant, cartoonish characters, the game's world feels lifeless and bland. The so-called "hub worlds" are abstract, nonsensical landscapes that lack any sense of personality or purpose, often populated with distracting environmental pop-in. This stark contrast between the cheerful, anthropomorphic protagonists and the desolate, realistic-looking environments creates a strange tonal dissonance that permeates the entire experience. While the developers seem to have attempted to liven things up with a few scattered colorful assets, they only serve to highlight the overall visual dullness of the world.

From a gameplay perspective, Sonic Frontiers is an experiment in new directions that may not resonate with the core fanbase. The game introduces a Devil May Cry-inspired combat system, but one has to wonder who was asking for such a dramatic departure from Sonic's traditional "jump on enemies" formula. Similarly, the open-world structure, complete with its Shadow of the Colossus-style monsters and massive boss fights, feels at odds with the fast-paced, linear platforming the series is known for. This desire to introduce new mechanics and genres, while commendable in theory, leaves the game feeling like it has an identity crisis.

Ultimately, Sonic Frontiers struggles to stand out as a modern, next-generation experience. The feeling of being underwhelmed was so strong that it led me to seek out a contrasting experience. Playing Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart alongside it only highlighted the disparities. Rift Apart is a true showcase of ninth-generation console power, with stunning graphics and a cohesive, fast-paced gameplay loop that feels both familiar and fresh. It is an example of what Sonic Frontiers could have been if it had a stronger, more focused vision for its place in the modern gaming landscape.

A grind that goes off the rails, literally while you are grinding on the rails.

You have to unlock towers to play the original game style by collecting things in a desolate rainy open world.

Infuriating camera angles, horribly impossible first enemy giganto & unrewarding efforts after winning. The game doesnt even acknowledge your victory after you win the game, & rolls back to before the final boss.

For some reason, the best graphics are when you go fishing, which is the only way to speed up the progress quickly.

If you do play, just go fishing to level up quickly & use rewards to collect keys in order to skip to the end.

The good parts include moving quickly across the map & the original gameplay levels were decent.