Although Sega and Sonic Team haven't released many concrete details on it yet, it's clear that Sonic Frontiers will be a very different game from its predecessors. Its emphasis on "open zones," for instance, suggests that Sonic fans will have far more liberty to explore and capitalize on Sonic's powers than ever. Sonic Team has also teased plans for new combat mechanics, and one possible plot synopsis for Sonic Frontiers could suggest that it'll have a very different narrative from what fans know. Innovation seems to be at the heart of Sonic Frontiers, and that sounds great for the franchise's future.
Those innovations aren't just important because of how they could change future Sonic mechanics. They could also have a major impact on the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise's public image. The ideas that Sonic Frontiers brings to the table could put a lot of new eyes on the franchise, allowing it to grow beyond its current audience. Another Sega franchise recently experienced something similar: Persona, Atlus' longstanding RPG franchise, which has grown rapidly thanks to Persona 5. Even though Sonic the Hedgehog is already a world-renowned franchise, Sonic Frontiers has the opportunity to boost Sonic's reputation and fanbase through creative new design.
Following in Persona 5's Footsteps
Persona 5 was a major success for a lot of reasons, but the value of its mechanical upgrades can't be understated. Persona 5 overhauled the Social Link system from Persona 3 and 4; P5's Confidant system made befriending NPCs far more mechanically rewarding.
Persona 5's dungeons are also notably more robust than some of its predecessors. Whereas some Persona games simply have simple, maze-like dungeons that mostly challenge the player through combat, the many Palaces of Persona 5 used their individual themes to offer players puzzles and unique terrain to navigate. These upgrades and many other new features gripped the attention of Persona veterans and franchise newcomers alike.
Sonic Team has the chance to do something similar with Sonic Frontiers. Ideally, Sonic Frontiers will try to expand in every department, rather than focusing on its open zone design at all. The Starfall Islands give Sonic Frontiers a great opportunity to introduce new characters and lore to the Sonic universe that ultimately give it a distinct story from most Sonic games. It'd be great to see unique uses of familiar Sonic characters and Sonic's famous powers as well. By innovating in every department possible, Sonic Team can give potential players lots of reasons to try Sonic Frontiers, just like how Persona 5 grew through robust development on franchise concepts.
Why Sonic Needs to Grow
Sonic Frontiers should make an effort to attract as many players as possible because the Sonic games are in something of an odd place right now. While there have certainly been good Sonic games in the last several years, the franchise's reputation is marred by lackluster titles like Sonic Boom. Sonic the Hedgehog may already be a household name, but it can still grow in the same way as Persona by bringing back old fans, while convincing new fans to give the franchise a chance. Sonic Frontiers is the perfect opportunity to shore up the franchise's reputation.
The Sonic the Hedgehog movie sequel certainly suggests that there's still a lot of love for Sonic out there, but that doesn't mean Sonic Team can rest on its laurels when making Sonic Frontiers. On the contrary, Sonic Team needs to capitalize on that excitement to usher in a new age of well-loved Sonic games. Sonic Frontiers is a great opportunity to change negative opinions about Sonic through high-quality combat, exploration, storytelling, and more.
Improvements in all areas of Sonic will create optimism for the franchise's future, which is invaluable. Atlus' growth in the last few years should inspire Sonic Team to push its boundaries and deliver the sharpest Sonic experience yet.
Sonic Frontiers releases in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
