Sonic Frontiers developer says it isn’t an open-world game

Image: Sega

Fans immediately compared Sonic Frontiers to Breath of the Wild when it was released. It wasn't difficult to do. Sonic explored stone artifacts that dotted the landscape as he raced through realistic, natural looking environments. There was no timer, no counter to measure the number of rings, just Sonic.

To some fans, the game looks like a late-hour attempt to duplicate the success of BOTW, but that is not the case. Iizuka said that they were starting a design perspective that was different from what other open-world games were. We don't think of ourselves as an open world game.

The idea for Frontiers came after Sonic Forces, according to Iizuka. He said that for the past 10 years, 3D Sonic games had fallen into a pattern and that the team was at the limit of what they could create that would appeal to the fans. Sonic would not be bound by a track or a forced perspective typical of his games at that point in the game, which is why they decided to revisit an idea they had but couldn't execute with the technology at the time.

He said they tried to expand on the 3D platform action from previous games in the Sonic series and make it a platform action game across this large expanse of 3D environments.

I was able to see that vision in my hands-on with the demo. I get why Iizuka doesn't think that Frontiers is an open-world game, it still speaks the same open-world language of "if you see it, you can go there" Sonic games past have a menu screen where you can select from a variety of tracks. It is up to you to find the platforming sections. With the variety of new moves in Sonic's kit, how you travel through the world is as diverse as the puzzles you can find.

Sonic's standard formula has been breathed new life by taking Sonic's wall climb or homing attack and removing it from an on-rails obstacle course. You can get to the finish in previous Sonic games. You had to press a button to see the platforming sections. I really liked the way that Frontiers inverted that formula, presenting me with a finish line and requiring me to work backwards to figure out how to get there. I can create one out of the landscape instead of giving me a stage.

The new formula for Sonic is fun, but it's slow. Sonic's appeal is based on its speed. The old was added with the new. Sonic unlocked portals to Cyber Space when he was on the island. Sonic Frontiers abandons the slow, puzzle-platforming of the open zone environment in favor of some good, old fashioned on-rails Sonic speed running.

Sonic's daytime levels are reviled by most Sonic fans. The daytime levels of Sonic Unleashed are similar to the Cyber Space levels. Sonic will be rewarded with items he needs to progress if he finishes the stage and completes the challenges.

Sega

I was able to play a demo of Sonic Frontiers for 25 minutes, and I think it can be good for 3D Sonic games. The open zones with the in-depth puzzle platforming and the monster battles that require Sonic to fight harder and more strategically than just unleashing a couple of homing attacks brings to the franchise the exact kind of novelty Iizuka and his team were looking for. The Cyber Space levels incorporate an older style of game play.

The first looks at Frontiers have been criticized. The game is incomplete and sparse, but he hopes fans will see his vision when they get their hands on it.

He said that people will understand that the game has Sonic essence when they play it. It will feel strange as you play the game. Things will happen that will bring you on this adventure as you begin to explore. People should really enjoy that experience.

Sonic Frontiers launches on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC holiday 2022.