Megathread Sonic Frontiers (2022) | MT | General Discussion (DO NOT discuss leaks here please)

[Kuzu]

Yea, I've got no reason to assume anyone but Sonic will be playable or have a major role in some form. But having him interact with his friends can alleviate some of the fan complaints at least.

 

I don't think the "Ghost girl" is inherently a bad idea though. Going to a new island, it makes sense to have some inhabitants there.

[Iko]

I wonder if Sonic Rift was real as well and it was one of the experiments they did before starting to work on this project. After all, teleporting into the cyberspace levels is a bit like jumping from one dimension to another like the Rift rumor said.

[Coz483]

I actually have a small theory on that purple blue energy we saw. When we saw Sonic running from all that stuff suddenly that mysterious energy came right? I think this energy could actually have negative effects since it nearly pushed Sonic off the cliff.

 

[CertifiedNobody]

1 hour ago, Iko said:

As someone who didn't like Breath of the Wild, I'm not particularily happy with this game being basically a clone... but I'm sure I'll like this way more than the Zelda game for a couple of reasons:

-Platforming based Sonic levels/mini-challenges instead of shrines

-Sonic can move fast and has a fun set of abilities, so exploration is way less boring

I really liked BOTW, but this game doesn't seem like it'll be a clone in anything other than the theme of exploring ancient ruins, but even then, this is only one of the islands that Sonic is going to explore, and it could go completely in it's own direction. Other than that, I agree. If there's one thing Sonic games always do well, it's making Sonic fun to control. Even in a worst-case scenario with Boost/Lost World gameplay, you have a lot of versatility and control.

1 hour ago, Iko said:

I don't know, but I hope it's not just Tails, Knuckles and Amy once again.

Once again? Outside of Mania when has Knuckles been used at all?

23 minutes ago, Kuzu said:

Yea, I've got no reason to assume anyone but Sonic will be playable or have a major role in some form. But having him interact with his friends can alleviate some of the fan complaints at least.

Even if you're right, I think we can agree that Tails/Knuckles DLC would be pretty likely.

[Enesephus]

Just now, CertifiedNobody said:

I really liked BOTW, but this game doesn't seem like it'll be a clone in anything other than the theme of exploring ancient ruins, but even then, this is only one of the islands that Sonic is going to explore, and it could go completely in it's own direction. Other than that, I agree. If there's one thing Sonic games always do well, it's making Sonic fun to control. Even in a worst-case scenario with Boost/Lost World gameplay, you have a lot of versatility and control.

Once again? Outside of Mania when has Knuckles been used at all?

He was one of the more prominent characters in Forces, I guess. He and Amy were also the only characters present in Lost World besides Sonic, Tails and Eggman (oh, and Orbot & Cubot). There was also just Sonic Boom in its entirety, which I know Sonic Team had nothing to do with, but it was major Sonic content for a few years, so it counts.

[Kuzu]

4 minutes ago, CertifiedNobody said:

Even if you're right, I think we can agree that Tails/Knuckles DLC would be pretty likely.

Fans say this literally every game and every time it never happens. I have no reason to assume its just going to happen right now.

[Wraith]

4 minutes ago, CertifiedNobody said:

I really liked BOTW, but this game doesn't seem like it'll be a clone in anything other than the theme of exploring ancient ruins, but even then, this is only one of the islands that Sonic is going to explore, and it could go completely in it's own direction. Other than that, I agree. If there's one thing Sonic games always do well, it's making Sonic fun to control. Even in a worst-case scenario with Boost/Lost World gameplay, you have a lot of versatility and control.

They have taken the premise, including the nature/technology mix and the theme of corruption, wholesale from BOTW. Sonic's only guide is a mysterious voice that calls out to him and gives him some sense of direction, but not too much. He's saving his friends just as Link freed the spirits of his former allies.

The inspiration is....flattering. We'll say flattering.

 

[expansivelovestories]

12 hours ago, herefor1reason said:

I'm wondering what information we can glean about the actual gameplay (how Sonic moves) by looking at the environment. I want to say the hills point to momentum and rolling but there's also a lot that just looks like flat ground, and nothing in the way of Sonic specific terrain like loops and half pipes. Like I've been saying since the open world thing came out, nothing else matters unless Sonic feels good to control, and Kishimoto does NOT have a good track record on that front.

Yes   there was a part of me that was confused until i realized sometime this morning, the screenshots and videos are most likely from the first one or two zones..!!!     The earliest few zones have to be easier to navigate and also fun to replay!!  

[Blue Blood]

3 minutes ago, Wraith said:

They have taken the premise, including the nature/technology mix and the theme of corruption, wholesale from BOTW. Sonic's only guide is a mysterious voice that calls out to him and gives him some sense of direction, but not too much. He's saving his friends just as Link freed the spirits of his former allies.

The inspiration is....flattering. We'll say flattering.

 

Got to admit, I'm getting less BotW vibes from the trailer than I was expecting based on the leaks. I can definitely see it (and hear it with that music lol) but I dunno. It's just not as blatant as I expected. 

[expansivelovestories]

18 minutes ago, CertifiedNobody said:

Even if you're right, I think we can agree that Tails/Knuckles DLC would be pretty likely.

Yes, somewhere this year many of us read this press release, i think it was about Sonic's 30th, that, i wish i could remember the exact wording, but it was about how the games they were developing were going to be like platforms that they could keep adding onto. 

The base game is the Starfall Islands, and they could easily add on new islands or previously visited islands in the future.  

 

Just now, Blue Blood said:

Got to admit, I'm getting less BotW vibes from the trailer than I was expecting based on the leaks. I can definitely see it (and hear it with that music lol) but I dunno. It's just not as blatant as I expected. 

Yes, i also think the inspiration might be most prominent in these zone(s) that are presented so far! 

[Wraith]

1 minute ago, Blue Blood said:

Got to admit, I'm getting less BotW vibes from the trailer than I was expecting based on the leaks. I can definitely see it (and hear it with that music lol) but I dunno. It's just not as blatant as I expected. 

I'm sorry to be a cynic, but imo it's only "Not as bad as expected" because some of BOTW's most notable features are things they cannot really implement that easily. A robust physics engine? Intractable nature and wildlife? A unique artstyle that makes the game out and serves to ease any technical issues they might run into? They literally just don't have the time or the manpower for any of that stuff.


I'm...thinking of making a longer post about this honestly lool. The inspiration is so blatant that I can see what kind of issues they're going to run into because of the stuff they decided to do differently.

[Indigo Rush]

Alright, thoughts on Sonic Frontiers after seeing the trailer and getting caught up on the (now vindicated) leaks on the game.

Open world (Open Zone?) Sonic is a welcome... but risky, risky idea. Sonic Team have wasted a lot of time dragging their feet in properly evolving the Sonic series for 3D ever since they zeroed in on the hyper-linear boost gameplay mechanic. Don't get me wrong, I liked Generations and Colors, and Unleashed's day levels go hard, but in hindsight it felt less like a victorious revelation and more of a defeated resignation; the idea of an actual full 3D Sonic is refreshing, but I'm equally wary of it. The building blocks for proper 3D Sonic were there WAY BACK, LIKE DECADES AGO in Adventure 1&2 (heck, Sonic R had some good ideas there, too) so to see them suddenly snap from just a rung above a 3-hour playable QTE to a full-stop open world experience (with the same old hats that brought us the aforementioned monotony) is a bit of a red flag for me. I'm not sure they can pull it off.

Sonic isn't guaranteed to work in this sort of gameplay environment. A lot of what we take for granted about Sonic games are going to need to be reconsidered and changed; a lot of us are probably expecting something along the likes of the recent glut of (impressive but limited) 3D fangames. I don't think that's what we're going to be getting. If you're hoping to spin and roll along those hills and curved mountainsides with your momentum being taken into consideration, it might be time to take a chill pill and lower your expectations. Now, this doesn't have to be a bad thing. Based off of what we've heard from leaked impressions of Frontiers, it's going to be action heavy with a combat system and the like: this could be fun and cathartic in its own right if they can get the feel down, but they can also easily turn it into a brainless button-masher if they're not careful. 

Graphically, this game looks gorgeous. Not quite what I'd consider peak "Sonic" (that'd be Colors, Generations, Mania, CD, etc) but it's a far better look than the hyper-realistic take from Sonic 06. Sonic himself looks fine. I don't get the aversion to him having slightly shorter quills. Anyway, the lack of proper corkscrews and loops is a bit suspect, but going back to those leaks, the more proper Sonic level design is going to be sectioned off into their own levels, similar to how Breath of the Wild handles shrines, so I'm not that worried. It seems like a necessary compromise as linear speedy platforming and open world exploration isn't an easy combo to pull off. 

Ian Flynn being on board is a big win, for sure. He obviously knows his lore and has made some great stuff in the latter life of the Archie comics and is continuing to break the mold for the series with the IDW series, so having him work on a game is nothing but good news. Sonic games never really hooked me with their stories to be honest, but maybe Flynn is what the series needs to turn the tide there. Hoping for something that'll actually leave an impression on me or once. 

And... that's all I've got for now. Consider me cautiously optimistic. There's a lot that can go wrong here, but I'm tired of being a cynical wet blanket whenever a new "3D" game is announced, so it's time to sit back and watch the chaos unfold. There's always chaos.

[Kuzu]

I'll just repost my impressions from retro.

 

I literally have no particular feelings on anything shown besides Flynn being confirmed as the writer.

This series literally cannot do anything that doesn't veer too far in either direction can it? After a decade of indulging in nostalgic areas, now we're in an environment that literally doesn't resemble anything Sonic related at all lmao. It's either one thing or the other it seems like.

Sonic's friends being captured makes me think that Sonic is once again the only playable character.

I just do not have faith in Morio Kishimoto as Director. His games aren't bad, but they miss the mark so hard on what makes Sonic games appealing and he always feels like he does the bare minimum of work.

And on top of all of that...no gameplay. Now granted, the game leaked so I won't fault them too much on that, but still you'd think they would have shown at least how Sonic moves...


There's just so many mixed things about this trailer: there's enough to know the general direction but not enough to know how it really comes together....in other words, its a Sonic reveal. Sonic teasers somehow tell you a lot and tell you nothing at the same fucking time. I dunno.


Obviously with such a mixed result of a trailer, reactions are going to vary from either pessimism from being burned before or optimism at exploring new ground. I'm too old for fandom discourse now, so I'm probably just gonna tune this game out until we get some gameplay and I have more to judge. I got plenty of distractions from Sonic fortunately 

[Blue Blood]

18 minutes ago, Wraith said:

I'm sorry to be a cynic, but imo it's only "Not as bad as expected" because some of BOTW's most notable features are things they cannot really implement that easily. A robust physics engine? Intractable nature and wildlife? A unique artstyle that makes the game out and serves to ease any technical issues they might run into? They literally just don't have the time or the manpower for any of that stuff.

I'm...thinking of making a longer post about this honestly lool. The inspiration is so blatant that I can see what kind of issues they're going to run into because of the stuff they decided to do differently.

I don't disagree with you. This is The Legend of Sonic: Breath of a Hedgehog. But I guess the leaks had given me an image of BotW with a Sonic skin slapped over Link. The reality here is that the artstyle doesn't match up, even though everything else does. And that's just what's thrown me off.

I said it's not as blatant as I expected, because the art covers a lot of things up. I didn't say it's not as bad as I expected. I can't really comment on that until I've seen the gameplay, but going on what we can glean do far, the gameplay is going to be very un-Sonic. It's not going to be a platformer, and it's probably going to be drawing even more from BotW there. 

[Kuzu]

I mean, its gonna be hard not to draw Breath of the Wild comparisons because that's clearly what they're going for.

 

Especially when there's a Breath of the Wild sequel literally next year probably around the same time.

 

They set themselves up for these comparisons.

[azoo]

I feel like the best case scenario is that this is gonna play like PSO2: New Genesis with a Sonic skin and Forces smashed together. Fast paced, floaty combat combined with a Sonic that accelerates and decelerates at a really uneven pace (as expected after LW/Forces) and is unaffected by any change in terrain (as there is hardly any slopes). Maybe a boost will be there. Maybe.

In other words, I’m not particularly hopeful. Haha

[Coz483]

As risky as this game is, I can definitely say I'm glad Sonic team is taking risk again and not just playing it safe after all these years.

One of my big worries is one we all have. We need to know how this game will play out.

[NoKaine]

I don't know why people say there's no slopes. There's clearly a lot of elevation in the map. Sure, no loop-de-loops (but I hazard to see how loops even benefit from being open world, they are largely just setpieces) but there is a lot of spaces that clearly change up terrain.

[azoo]

The most I see are hills or inclines no more present or exaggerated than in any other open world game, and at best those blue areas on the walls that may be a context-specific move locked behind upgrading Sonic to be able to wall run. Worth remembering skill-trees come into this..

[Coz483]

28 minutes ago, Kuzu said:

 

Sonic's friends being captured makes me think that Sonic is once again the only playable character.

I don't really care since I feel like they've missed the mark on friends before anyway. I enjoyed Adventure 1s friends, but if they come back I hope they just have a different moveset and not a completely different gameplay styles to pad out the game because 3d Sonic can't work on his own. 

[NoKaine]

Those open world games don't have Sonic's type of gameplay (i.e., whatever Frontiers chooses to do). 

Ideally, if the game revolves around exploration, then the gameplay would be designed so even the smallest hill or incline can be used as ramps or ways to build up momentum. In this game, you're trying to get somewhere. 

Obviously I'm not saying that's exactly what the gameplay is, but that if it is what they're going for, then these maps are still suited for that type of gameplay. 

Assuming just the bare minimum of being able to run on water or inclines, this scenario:

can take good advantage of an Adventure / Lost World style gameplay.

[Matt98]

I will have to say I'm interested in how they are going to implement this open world and I don't think we have seen everything yet. I saw on steam they have deserts in there too hopefully this game isn't bogged down by the switches graphics capabilities.

The voice in the trailer is Amy which it did sound like her. https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/12/that-mysterious-voice-in-the-sonic-frontiers-trailer-turns-out-its-a-familiar-friend

[azoo]

49 minutes ago, NoKaine said:

Those open world games don't have Sonic's type of gameplay (i.e., whatever Frontiers chooses to do). 

Ideally, if the game revolves around exploration, then the gameplay would be designed so even the smallest hill or incline can be used as ramps or ways to build up momentum. In this game, you're trying to get somewhere. 

Obviously I'm not saying that's exactly what the gameplay is, but that if it is what they're going for, then these maps are still suited for that type of gameplay. 

Assuming just the bare minimum of being able to run on water or inclines, this scenario:

can take good advantage of an Adventure / Lost World style gameplay.

Sonic games tend to have slopes much stronger or stylized than this, where the idea of using it is made much clearer. Again, this just kinda looks like any old open world map, so it’s hard to really envision it.

And this game will most certainly be boost gameplay, or at least feature it, if anything. Imagine trying to make it across a map of that scale at the pace of SA2 or dare I say SLW. You’d be going for ages before getting to the other end.

[CertifiedNobody]

1 hour ago, Enesephus said:

He was one of the more prominent characters in Forces, I guess. He and Amy were also the only characters present in Lost World besides Sonic, Tails and Eggman (oh, and Orbot & Cubot). There was also just Sonic Boom in its entirety, which I know Sonic Team had nothing to do with, but it was major Sonic content for a few years, so it counts.

Pretty much all of those got Knuckles wrong and made him a side character.

1 hour ago, Kuzu said:

Fans say this literally every game and every time it never happens. I have no reason to assume its just going to happen right now.

Sega's leaning into DLC more with Episode Shadow, Mighty And Ray in Mania Plus, and the Movie Sonic customization options in Colors Ultimate. So in what way does it "never happen"? They've been open about how much the movie has impacted the franchise and how they want to get more movie fans interested in the games. That combined with the unprecedented amount of hype for Tails and especially Knuckles in Sonic 2 make me certain the Sega will want to capitalize on it in some form.

[Eurisko]

I had this sent on the mailing list. Same description as Steam pretty much I think.