Sonic Frontiers is here and, while I got my copy on release day and haven’t made it to the end yet, I can tell you already that I love it.
It’s a perfect ten game for me.
Well, it is and it isn’t. See, while it is easily my game of the year, it's not without its foibles, its issues or its drawbacks.
Even playing it on Xbox Series X (“the most powerfullest console in the world” – Microsoft... probably) the pop-in would give Saturn Daytona USA a run for its money.
There are parts that certainly feel scrappy, some of Sonic’s new moves can feel imprecise occasionally, and being a 3D Sonic game means there’s the sort of bugs and glitches that have crept in since the Adventure games. We’re not talking Bethesda levels of jank here, and I certainly didn’t run to many at all in my initial play sessions, but they are there, just below the surface.
The story too is an acquired taste. For many, the dark, edgy atmosphere surrounding this tale of brightly coloured anthropomorphic critters is likely to be a turn off.
However, if you have a fondness for Saturday morning cartoon epic melodrama, if you – like me – relish episodes in 80s TV cartoons like The Ghost Warrior in Thundercats or War Dawn in Transformers that veer from the silly to the sublime, then this yarn spun by Sonic veteran Ian Flynn will be right up your alley.
And that’s where we have to set the stall out. Sonic Frontiers isn’t for everyone, but everyone should try it.
In many ways, it resembles many other well received games over the years. I’ve already spoken about Elden Ring when discussing frame rates on this blog. The Souls series in general has many performance and bug issues, the same for the aforementioned Elder Scrolls games, and Fallout, and even the recent Cyberpunk 2077. Not everyone loves them, but all should experience them.
At their cores games are meant to be fun. And if it is fun you are looking for, Sonic Frontiers delivers it in abundance in a way the series arguably hasn’t since the 16-bit days.
And this isn’t a jibe at 3D Sonic games, most of which I have loved and feel are underrated (Generations, Colours and Unleashed especially must be sitting saying “Am I a joke to you” as reviewers say they haven’t enjoyed a 3D Sonic game since Adventure 2), but Frontiers feels more true to the Mega Drive era of delivering speed while providing a playground to explore.
Sonic controls like a dream, he’s fast and responsive without a hint of the slipperiness that was so divisive in other Sonic games. Mapping the boost to the shoulder button was a simple but genius move that feels like a natural fit, allowing you to pick up a more traditional lick of speed from the deliberate platforming and exploration.
It’s not right to say Sonic Frontiers is slower, but it does feel more precise than the previous 3D entries. Part of this design choice is surely down to the open zone sections of the game, where numerous tasks and collectables await, and when picking up something like the tiny Breath-of-the-Wild-like Kocos, that precision is a must.
Exploring the enormous “open-zones” feels like the natural progression from the vast stages in Sonic 3 and Sonic CD, all games where you can speed through if you like, but where the devil really is in the detail of the vast playgrounds in which you find yourself.
But if you are more of a Sonic 2 lover (like I am) or a fan of the modern boost formula (also me) then the slipspace sections allow you to blast through at Sonic speed.
These bite sized states typically are just a few minutes long and feature all the tropes you’d expect in a post Unleashed Sonic game. The red star rings, cinematic loops, multiple paths and a ranking system, it's all here and it feels pretty much perfect.
Again, the controls lend themselves impeccably to the linear stages, that extra sense of deliberate precision feels right at home, and it feels like a very good traditional platformer. Part of me misses the white-knuckle greased lightning sense of prior 3D Sonic games, but this is the perfect alternative.
The combat is interesting. Sonic has a homing attack that feels more impatful than before, but follows this up with kicks and punches, a concept I was aghast at until I realised Sonic has been slapping fools since Sonic Battle and Smash Bros Brawl over a decade ago.
This is all enhanced by a robust moveset, with things such as the bounce and light speed dash available from the very start (no special shoes or bracelets required) while new abilities like Sonic’s cyloop come soon after. This is where the control starts to stutter as it really does feel like Sonic Team’s first shot at proper combat at times, and where my comments about scrappy new moves come to the fore.
Again though, it isn’t enough to ruin the experience or even remotely dent the fun, but it’s an issue nonetheless.
Then you have the boss fights, which are surprisingly frequent. You’ll constantly come up against gargantuan machinations that you’ll need to scale to attack their weak point. It feels like Shadow of the Colossus but with less puzzle, more action. And these build up to a epic showdown at the end of each island ad you face off against a titan in your Super Sonic form.
A special mention has to go with the music, it is incredible. From the atmospheric open world themes that make you feel like you’re living in a world crafted by the parents of Breath of the Wild and NieR Automata, to dance heavy, hard slapping vibes of the slip space sections, the soundtrack delivers in every conceivable way.
The game frequently looks stunning too, with a gorgeous use of colour evocative of that sacred blue sky Sega feel, and large stunning vistas that i frequently stopped and beheld in awe. Look close enough and you see the issues with textures and details while the aforementioned pop-in is also distracting, but all in all this is still a very good looking game.
I’m conscious that I’ve only scratched the surface of what you can do in Sonic Frontiers, I haven’t each touched on the upgrades, the Mini puzzles or even the deeper elements of the story. All I can say is that you really must try it yourself.
I had concerns with Sonic Frontiers, chiefly with the open world and nature of the combat, but those fears were unfounded. Every time I pick up the pad for this game I’m grinning from ear to ear.
For me, Sonic Frontiers is pretty much the perfect 3D Sonic game, though as I mentioned it has its share of issues. But they don’t detract from a fun factor that in and of itself is flawless.
So many games are revered masterpieces despite their flaws, for me Sonic Frontiers is already up there with the very best. If you can look past the superficial, you may find yourself, like I did, having the most fun in a platform game for several years.
The perfect game doesn't exist, but a game can always be perfect for someone, and Sonic Frontiers is that game for me, the flawed ruby, the rough diamond, the perfectly imperfect gem.
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