Sonic Frontiers is looking to be one of the biggest shake-ups to the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise yet, as it will be implementing an open-world format. The game will still feature linear stages like past entries in the form of Cyberspace levels that can be found in the overworld. Sonic Team has even stated that the Cyberspace levels are One-Third of Sonic Frontiers' content, with much of the focus being on the open-world environments. Players have been getting to grips with both of these gameplay styles thanks to a recent demo at Gamescom.
After a rough first look at the game, overall impressions of Sonic Frontiers after Gamescom have been more on the positive side. Many fans were able to try out an early build of the game and see how the combat, open world, and cyberspace stages all tied together. Alongside this demo that was open to the public, others were able to try out a section that was further in the game known as Ares Island. Portuguese gaming website The Enemy gave some insights into what to expect, with this area being where players will find one of Sonic's friends: Knuckles.
According to a rough translation on the website, Sonic Frontiers' Ares Island consists of a desert with an oasis, along with ancient ruins lying around. With Sonic and his friends separated at the start of the game, he is tasked with rescuing them from this Cyberspace dimension. Much like how Amy can be found on the first island, Sonic's red rival Knuckles can be found on this second Island, only being freed once players have collected enough Memory Tokens. Reportedly, Knuckles' appearance in the upcoming animated short will explain how he ended up on Starfall Islands.
The article also describes a boss fight in Sonic Frontiers that players will encounter when searching for Knuckles' Memory Tokens. They describe the boss as being shaped like a shark, where Sonic can grip its tail and ride it, with Quick-Time Events used in order to stay attached. This boss can be fought in a variety of ways, like utilizing Sonic's Cyloop ability or physical attacks to damage it. A portal gear is also rewarded upon its defeat.
The article also describes a phenomenon that happens at random points, known as Starfall. It's described as a meteor shower minigame where Sonic must collect star fragments of a specific color before they changed. Each one collected would contribute to a slot machine mechanic in the top right of the screen, though there were no wins during the early playthrough. This event can also cause enemies to be revived and restore collected items, similar to Breath of the Wild's Blood Moon.
Sonic Frontiers will launch on November 8 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Source: The Enemy
