Although parrying is nothing new in video games, it does seem to be increasingly popular. Perhaps this is a general trend in game development, perhaps it has something to do with the popularity of Soulsborne games, or perhaps it has something to do with some other unknown factor. However, Sonic Frontiers is proof that not every game needs a parry mechanic.
Translating Sonic's speed to combat and gameplay is definitely not easy, but Sonic Frontiers gives it the old college try. As players build up combos, they are able to perform rush abilities, strike from multiple places at once, and more. Going Super Sonic against the various bosses in Sonic Frontiers gives a real sense of strength, but more importantly, speed. And then the parry mechanic comes along to mess that up.
Sonic Frontiers: Parrying Hurts the Game More Than It Helps It
It should be noted that the parry mechanic isn't always bad. There are a few redeeming moments where it leads to incredible moments during set pieces, where it adds some needed variety to combat, and so forth, but most of the time, parrying just isn't fun. Dodging, blocking, and parrying are all important skills in a game, but more often than not, parrying relies on timing to turn a bad or neutral situation into a positive one. There's nothing quite like parrying an enemy in a game like God of War Ragnarok and then proceeding to punish them. However, Sonic Frontiers' parry mechanic doesn't rely on timing. Players just need to hold the bumpers and wait to be hit, and that's a big problem.
Arguably, this could be because introducing a time-based mechanic in a game that's "gotta go fast" would make parrying even harder than normal. While that makes sense, just not including it as a result does too. Because to parry in Sonic Frontiers, players have to stop and wait for an enemy to hit them. It's an odd interruption in an otherwise fun game. Fact is, some of Sonic Frontiers' boss battles rely on this mechanic too, and so while Super Sonic may be flying through the sky, players are just holding the bumpers and waiting to be hit. Waiting to be hit is not a fun way to look at a game's combat.
Furthermore, outside of combat, Sonic Frontiers players must complete various challenges to uncover the maps of the Starfall Islands. Some of these puzzles are fun, others are too simplistic to be taken seriously. Watching Sonic run on a treadmill is one thing, but then sitting and waiting (holding those bumpers) to hit a ball back once, or twice, or three times feels like a waste of time. Indeed, while Sonic Frontiers has its pros and cons, its parry mechanic isn't something fans are likely to remember fondly.
Sonic Frontiers is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.