Sonic Frontiers takes the iconic SEGA franchise to an open world setting for the very first time, and fans have been waiting patiently for a proper look at how that translates to gameplay. After a brief teaser yesterday, IGN's video is now here, and you can watch it above.
Featuring about five or six minutes of footage, the video shows off exploration of the open world landscape, with Sonic zipping across grassy plains. He also scales large towers, grinds on numerous rails, and speeds up walls. The wide open areas give the character some space to move fast, which is quite nice, but we're not completely convinced just yet.
Of course, the game's got plenty of time left in development, but this footage is full of janky animations, movement, and technical hitches — it just doesn't give a very good first impression. The rails sat suspended in the air don't look good, and the pop-in is pretty nuts. Again, we need to give the benefit of the doubt as it's not finished, but there's still some cause for concern.
Here's hoping the final game can pull it out of the bag, because Sonic could really do with a decent modern game to his name. What do you make of this new gameplay from Sonic Frontiers? Spin into the comments section below.
[source youtube.com]
Comments 59
Tbh I still have no clue what this game is about beside running around in the open world and appearently some puzzles. Hope it doesn't get boring fast
Sonic Stranding? Seems weird to see him in such a realistic world. I'll have to see more before I'll be convinced to buy this.
I was cautiously optimistic after the short teaser, but this looked absolutely diabolical. The rails and floating platforms, which pop-in right in front of your face, are an eyesore.
There's no cohesion to the art, which I maybe could have accepted if the traversal looked incredible, but it just looks bad.
I'll reserve full judgment because I know it's a work in progress, but I'm supremely disappointed.
That looks....... AMAZING!!!!
The thumbnail that is. The gameplay looks terrible.
It looks like a tech demo using Death Stranding as a playground. The game is full of this then this calls for a long delay and add the Chao Gardens if it's not already in it
Not. Everything. Needs. To. Be. Open. World.
It looks like a fan made game at the moment.
Oh god. The teaser was alright as well. This is shambolic even for an early build, it’s like a Dreams game.
Looks pretty good to me. I'm not the biggest Sonic fan but this looks more appealing than most of the franchise's new games over the last decade or so. However, it does need some technical polishing and I wouldn't be mad at a bit (or even a lot) more color.
This is what I feared I know it's still early but the gameplay is the same old archaic 3d sonic. Absolutely no innovation here if it ain't ready don't show it this is just bad PR.
Not really impressed with this showing but who knows what the final product can end up looking like.
How SEGA keeps getting away with selling 3D Sonic games is one of life's greatest mysteries.
This looks like someone modded Sonic into an Unreal Engine template. It kind of looks like fun, but the fact that I got bored just watching this much is a bad sign.
That's so cute. SEGA allowed a team of amateurs to make a Kickstarter Sonic game.
Long time Sonic and Zelda: Breath of the Wilds fan. This looks like the most boring, straight to GP, game ever...
Just let sonic die, jesus
I actually really liked what I saw for the most part! Though it does look pretty rough around the edges. I wonder which version they were showing. If this is the Switch/last gen version the pop-in and choppy frame rate is understandable. If this is the current gen/PC build, it might need a delay.
I dig the more chill vibe they are going for though. Running fast through a flowery field and next to waterfalls and stuff sounds delightfully meditative.
This looks good and all but while I get that Sega and ST wants to show off the "openess" of the open-world here, tbh this is one of the issues I have with most open-worlds in general, near emptiness of "life" besides the player character.
Also, am I the only one who thinks they should have used some other kind of music? Not saying the actual music here is bad, I like it but I would have prefered something that actually makes you feel like that this is a Sonic game.
This would have been great in 2006. Having said that it doesn’t look totally awful by any stretch, I am interested.
It looks alright aside from some technical issues. I just hope there's more to do besides run around and do little puzzles. Is there any kind of civilization? Are there more environments? What do these rumoured cyberspace levels look like? What's the story? Any other playable characters? I guess they've decided to space out their announcements across the month, but I would have preferred a little bit more information.
Like I get that it’s easier and cheaper to rehash retro games and characters rather than creating new IP but Jesus Christ
Another fail for Sonic. LMAO
I hate to be a pessimist because I love Sonic but it just looks so bland and empty as others have said it really does look like one of those Unreal fan demos. I'm not sure why they thought a few minutes of Sonic running around an empty, boring field for a few minutes with bland stock music and no enemies would be a good way to show off the game
This was made in Dreams right?
Sonic and hideo kojima in sonic stranding.haha.word up son
@get2sammyb it's weird because the teaser looks further along in development then this does, hopefully this build is a long way from where it is now
@naruball An open world sonic does…
OMFG, what was that??? This game looks lifeless inc Sonic himself. If you compare sonic to the movies he doesn't shut up. You don't hear a peep from this sonic even riding them huge silly floating rails. This is diabolical.
I have no problem with the game being open world but it needs doing right and from what I've seen so far it's clear Sonic Team are just not up to it
Internet is thrashing this game but I bet pre orders will be off the chart once they announce an Ugly Sonic skin as a pre-order bonus
How difficult is it to create Green Hill island that is thriving with all the creatures that have graced the franchise. You can run across the ocean to other islands or Tails can fly in or something. This island just looks depressing and Halo like with its monuments
They should have called it Elden (collect 100) Ring(s)
Well if they clearly can't be bothered, why should I?
The world is way to realistic. What's wrong with a green hills style open world? Why the urge to make him run around in a real life world. Just let Sonic and co have their own cartoon world. Mania, origins and the short Mania episodes proof that works the best.
The world is pretty but empty with no real rhyme or reason to it. I am left quite confused by the whole thing
Still looks like it's gonna be janky like every 3D Sonic. It's crazy really that they can't make decent 3D Sonics, Crash Bandicoot was literally Naughty Dog making what they thought a 3D Sonic game would be, and that first game is probably still better than every 3D Sonic.
I am a huge Sonic fan. Could careless what nitpicky gamers or nostalgia-blinded gamers/Sonic fans have to say. I will forever love Sonic and you can't tell me otherwise! Born with Sonic and proudly will die with Sonic!
Run Forest! er..., I mean Sonic!
I've never played a Sonic game in over 30 years of gaming, but this may be the first. Has me interested.
30fps.... nice job Sonic Team. This looks incredibly dull. All we want is fast paced linear levels with a banging soundtrack, not languid open world sections with BotW serene atmosphere. Honestly I don't get what they're going for here.
I mean, I literally fell asleep about four minutes in.
It looks like they dropped Sonic into a phantasy star world but added random ramps and loops with no cohesion to the world and Sonic's artsyle.
@nessisonett saying this looks like a Dreams game is an insult to Dreams
i’m convinced nobody on this site is sonic fans , seems like everyone is just trolling even the mods
i said “seems” btw
@AdamNovice i’m really confused on how people think this game looks graphically bad for sonic ??
literally unleashed , and the adventure games , 06 , sonic riders , had this art style . it’s not new
@streetzman i agree , boomers just hate everything after 1999 unless it’s a sony exclusive .
It looks fine i dont get the hate is the release next week or something? Its work in progress i like the setting and the sound lets hope it will get some more polish. Showing a game that is in development is always tricky.
Atleast they dont pull a Cyberpunk and drop a broken mess and try to keep it from the customers untill the sale is Cyberpunk already fixed on the PS4 or does every PS4 copy get a free PS5 upgrade?
If i look at the 2D games which i played for the first time with Mania which im sorry to say hate. Its boring and i have no idea what to do besides running from the start to the end i think to put that in 3D is quite a challenge. Ill give them a chance to see what they will make of it looks like early development so who knows.
@nomither6 I dont hate it and im the biggest Sony fan around probably has to do with the fact they release a lot of games i love.
It needs a lot of work thats for sure but i think it looks nice as a start.
@Flaming_Kaiser the game is still half a year or so away , it’s still plenty of time left . this little tech demo they showed is better than forces and any crap they released after generations
It looks fine. I want it to be good, but we all know Sonic's track record. I think that is clouding most people's judgement.
I say this as someone that hasn't enjoyed a sonic game since Adventure 2. Yes, that includes Generations, Colors, and whatever else (Rush?).
God I want this to be good but it just looks like they added sonic and all his clunkiness from most of his 3d games like forces into an open world
This looks...TERRIBLE to me lol
I am sad for Sonic, but this is so weird. Barren wasteland, pointless gameplay (run and stop for a puzzle), CRAZY pop-in (it feels like a PS3 era thing), Sonic doesn't match the world visually, there seems to be no point in it being open world...
Holy heck, what a bad first impression!
This is very much the impression i got from the teaser, aka, the game looked buggy and there is a disconnect between the art of Sonic and the realistic graphics.
I don't mind that things are hovering. My main and brutal issue i see on this gameplay footage are the controls. This simply looks to control like the boost version of Sonic rather than the smooth Sonic adventure 2 style. Turning around or moving with precision in this game is going to be a pain.
My secondary issues are the music or lack therefore and frankly, what is the objective of the game? What is this open world for? What is Sonic supposed to do? There must be an end goal.
Sonic Utopia had a goal post at one point in the level and you were free to explore and find secrets. Is it that? No idea at this point.
@KundaliniRising333 No. Sonic is good, in particular classic sonic is still great. It's boost Sonic that is bad.
@Nem “ there is a disconnect between the art of Sonic and the realistic graphics.”
what about mario odyssey ?
Why the hate? Yes it looks a bit rough but other then that the gameplay looks pretty chill.
Also why are people comparing this to Death Stranding? Looks nothing like that, clearly BotW but with Sonic is the idea here.
@nomither6 In Odyssey it was one world and the visual style still fit with Mario's model and colouring.
Here it looks like Sonic has been put into another game.
@DualWielding Ugly Sonic skin would be perfect for this ugly Sonic game.
@HeeHo still looks better than forces
@nomither6 What about it? It is weird cause Mario is like a dwarf human, but the locales do not look realistic. They look stylized. Much like Sonic adventure.
I wasn't excited after watching...no combat and no story.
Hopefully the next trailer shows both.
Feels like a WiiU game presentation.
So, a bland Unreal engine game based on Sonic? Take my money!!
The fact they are aiming for high review scores is a worry. The footage looks generic.
But, it's in development and I will wait till release to come to a conclusion.
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