Sonic is undoubtedly one of the most emblematic licenses of video games. After making the heyday of SEGA in the 90s, the famous blue hedgehog continues to explore new horizons in game after game. Since 2017, fans have nevertheless had to make do with remasters, spin-offs and a movie. It was without counting on the 30e anniversary of the mascot, marked by the announcement of a new iteration: sonic frontiers.
Since then, the one we knew as Sonic 2022 has proven to be in good and due form with a CGI trailer, although it has been particularly discreet. We are sure of one thing, Sonic Frontiers will mark a very big shift for the franchise, which has for some time been showing the symptoms of a license in slow motion. While waiting to find out if this new version will really revolutionize the formula and to have new information, here is everything we know about Sonic Frontiers.
A producer who divides the community
We almost waited! Since the release of Sonic Forces in 2017, the return with great fanfare of the blue hedgehog has been hoped for for many years. However, the Sonic Team has not been idle, and the one now stamped Sonic Frontiers has been in pre-production since the same year. However, the game only entered development in 2019 with the aim of releasing it in 2021 to mark the 30th anniversary of the license. SEGA unfortunately missed the boat, and the appointment is now given in 2022 on PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
At the helm of the project, Morio Kishimoto, known for having orchestrated other games in the franchise of frankly unequal quality such as Sonic Forces, Sonic Colors or even Sonic Lost World. This name therefore did not fail to divide the community of fans as soon as it was announced, the man being considered capable of the best as well as the worst. However, the situation could be different this time. It is indeed the first time that a Sonic game has benefited from such a long development cycle. The other productions have the reputation of having been finished in a hurry. This is enough to give Kishimoto the cards in hand to avoid repeating past failures. To support him in his mission, the director of Sonic Frontiers will be able to rely on Sachiko Kawamura, artistic director of Forces and Generations, who will officiate this time as co-producer alongside Takashi Iizuka, guardian of the Sonic Team temple.
The author of the Sonic comics at the controls of the scenario
There is, however, a name that delights fans: Ian Flynn, already at the helm of the best Sonic stories. The man made a reputation by writing for comics around the blue hedgehog (in particular the Archie series), thanks to his ability to marry comedy and drama while taking up sharp elements of lore. The affect of the fans is such that some had launched the movement "Flynn4Sonic" after the departure of the two former authors of the franchise so that the scriptwriter will lend his pen to the next Sonic games. Their wish has been granted, and Flynn's presence at the helm of the story bodes well for storytelling.
Question scenario, the action will take place on Starfall Islands, a kind of archipelago composed of several biomes, where Dr. Robotnik discovers an ancient technology that he pirates using his artificial intelligence, SAGE. The hedgehog enemy will quickly realize his mistake as unintended consequences manifest. What if it was more than just technology? Then begins a real race against time for Sonic, who will have to discover the truth, save his friends, and perhaps himself at the same time. Beyond this information, several serious leaks had scoured the forums long before the announcement of the game and mention a mysterious "ghost girl" who would help Sonic in his quest. Without knowing more for the moment, she could nevertheless play a crucial role in the story.
A game that will define Sonic for generations to come
The ambitions around this project are great. With Sonic Frontiers, development teams want to try a new approach and think outside the box. The goal is clear: to define what a modern Sonic game would be and use it as a model for future generations. The main challenge being to create something "new and stimulating", Takashi Iizuka said in an interview.
Ultimately, the team therefore wishes to concoct a title that will influence future games for years to come and on which it can rely, as was the case with the first Sonic Adventure in its time, which laid the foundations for 20 years. Sonic Frontiers therefore looks very different from previous Sonic Team productions such as Forces and Generations. It will however keep the essence of the blue hedgehog, namely high speed levels, but the formula will change drastically.
A Sonic game with BOTW sauce
Let's start with the playing field. Described as a Sonic in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sauce by some testers, Sonic Frontiers will not however be an open world game, contrary to what they claimed. If the details around the title and the gameplay are very meager for the time being, SEGA has already confirmed that it would rather opt for a structure with open areas. The semi-open-world should be divided into several biomes where we will find forests, ancient ruins, flower fields, waterfalls or even deserts. Players could move freely there at full speed before moving on to the next point, blocked by a strange cloud of smoke. To dispel it, you would have to face the various robotic bosses scattered here and there on the map in order to recover enough Chaos Emeralds, necessary to progress. Sonic Frontiers would also take on some RPG elements, like an experience system and a skill tree for the blue hedgehog to learn new moves and abilities.
According to these same testimonies, the semi-open world of Sonic Frontiers would be strewn with puzzles to be solved to obtain orbs which would open portals scattered all over Starfall Islands. Behind them would be the levels based on speed, which would be close to what Sonic Unleashed offered according to some of these testers. Players should be able to spot them using Ubisoft-style towers and viewpoints that will gradually reveal the map and points of interest. We can also see it in the trailer, which gives credence to these rumors. All this information around the gameplay nevertheless remains in the state of simple rumors for the moment, especially since SEGA may have made several changes since the test sessions intended to gauge the interest of a sample of players on several mechanics. .
