Sonic Frontiers is the next mainline Sonic game, currently scheduled to come out during 2022's holiday season. The title quickly caught the attention of fans due to its semi-open-world gameplay. After not showing off gameplay for over a year, today Sega shared seven minutes of gameplay that finally gives players a taste of what they'll experience once the game is in their hands.
It's understandable why Sonic the Hedgehog loyalists would be eager to see Sonic Frontiers in action after so long without any idea as to what it would include. Sega has managed to make this game stand out in various ways, such as publicly saying it was held back for quality assurance, as well as openly stating that it is seeking high review scores. Now, players have just enough gameplay footage to know what the future of the blue blur looks like.
The Open-World Nature of Sonic Frontiers
It seems the first area of Sonic Frontiers is just as vast and full of surprises as one would expect from a possible open-world Sonic game. There seems to be a fair deal of platforming and speed-based puzzles scattered across the islands, such as a "hamster wheel" contraption that Sonic can run on to power up. Completing these challenges, even small ones such as getting on top of hard-to-reach platforms, nets players heart-shaped crystals, one of two different types of "coins" that may end up being different forms of currency, and some odd fruits.
There are also familiar Sonic staples such as springs, dash panels, and rails for the player to reach top-speeds. While the dash panels seem to only be used in places where it's clear fans only want to go in one direction, rails are found everywhere and seem to act as the game's "fast travel" method, as grinding along them can get Sonic to the next area in seconds. There are also curious illuminated walls that act almost like parkour areas where Sonic can run with ease - either to scale high towers or dash across a particularly tall cliff.
How Sonic Plays in Sonic Frontiers
Sonic's characteristic speed seems to be adjusted based on how much players tilt the control stick, and the blue blur seems responsive to both player actions and his environment. In Sonic Frontiers, the hedgehog can traverse almost any terrain, including short cliffsides. For those wishing to see Sonic break the sound barrier, a Boost system comes in so that players can increase their speed for a limited time. Momentum mechanics make it so speed can be built up and kept after boosting.
Players familiar with Sonic's Boost mechanics may also be excited to learn that Sonic Frontiers brings back the homing attack, an aerial stomp, and side-step maneuvers for easy dodging. Sonic can even perform tricks in the air, though what purpose they serve is not yet clear. The latest move in Sonic's repertoire allows players to create a path of light behind them. When fans manage to make the path form into a circle, a gust of wind interacts with whatever is trapped inside the shape. This appears to be the "spin-cycle" move that previous Sonic Frontiers leaks were referring to.
Many fans who enjoyed Sonic Unleashed had hoped for more open-ended levels in a similar style, and it seems that with Frontiers, these players are finally getting their wish. The current gameplay trailer seems promising, and fans can expect more news about the game throughout June. However, it's important to note that Frontiers is still in development, so everything shown is subject to change.
There is also a fair amount that players have yet to see, such as the game's combat, user interface, and what exactly its heart-shaped crystals and fruits do. It seems Sega may be aiming to split these topics into different releases throughout the month, so fans might not have to wait long to have the full picture.
Sonic Frontiers is currently in development for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
