Well, it’s here, EGX 2022 is upon us! If you aren’t familiar with the convention, check out this post, which breaks it down for you!
One of the first things I checked out was Sonic Frontiers, showcasing a demo of the yet-to-be-released next-gen game. Sonic Frontiers is a Sonic platformer like nothing we’ve seen before in the franchise. Promising an open-world platforming experience you take Sonic on an amazing adventure across five overworld islands. In search of the Chaos emeralds, Sonic is stranded on a mysterious island and must use the power of the ancients to stop mysterious new foes.
In Sonic Frontiers you get unparalleled high-speed freedom as you roam the world encountering enemies, puzzles, and bosses alike. You can also teleport yourself to Cyber Space where your reflexes will be pushed to the next level as you race your way through more traditional 3D platforming experiences. The combination of open world and signature platformer is bound to entice new players to the franchise. Not to mention those of us who still remember the originals.
My Experience Playing Sonic Frontiers
Taking my seat in the demo booth I booted up and was straight into a cutscene setting up the story. The visuals were fantastic as were the music and voice acting. I won’t go into any story details to avoid spoilers, but I am intrigued to find out more!
Once the short cutscene was over I arrived in a beautiful forest landscape and took control of Sonic in a free-roam capacity. All the moves were there – spinning, speed boosting, jumping, attacking as they should be and there are plenty of interactions on the map to perform cool tricks, gain insane levels of speed and collect those gold rings. The controls felt natural, and I didn’t have any issues remembering what does what. What I particularly thought was very well implemented was the tutorial elements. As you progress or rather roam, you encounter new scenarios, and you’ll jump out of the game world to practice a move before putting it to the test. This is a nice feature, especially when new combos are introduced.
By far, hands down, this game is stunning to look at. Like seriously stunning. The visual artwork is a wonder. I already know I want to play the full game on a next-gen console or on a high-end gaming PC. I’m not sure at the time of writing if the game will be Steam Deck approved… but if so, PC may just personally win out for me for that additional option of portability.
Upon completing some puzzles, fighting some monsters, and a mini-boss you unlock a portal to Cyber Space, and this is where things got high-octane. I was already impressed with the visual spectacle of the blue blur performing loop-the-loops, but I wasn’t necessarily prepared for the speed of Cyber Space levels. These feel like traditional Sonic but with much more impressive visuals. I’m glad to say I just about held in there leaping from rails, jumping over things, and generally trying to get all the coins!
Final Thoughts on Sonic Frontiers
If you love Sonic, I just can’t see you being disappointed by this game at all. If you’re in the market for a fast-paced, part open-world, part traditional 3D action platformer – this could be the game for you. One thing is certain, I can’t wait to get my hands on the final game! Also, have I mentioned it’s beautiful?
Release Information
Sonic Frontiers is set to release on November 8 2022. Available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Available to pre-order now!
