Sega released the action adventure game Sonic Frontier on November 8. Compatible platforms are PC (Steam) and PS4/ PS5/ Xbox One/ Xbox Series X | S/ Nintendo Switch. Immediately after its release, this work has gained a lot of success on Steam and distribution sites.
Sonic Frontier is a Super Condition action adventure game that will be the latest work of Sonic series. The protagonist is Sonic the Hedgehog (hereinafter Sonic), a hedgehog at the speed of sound. Sonic, who arrives at the unknown islands of the unknown islands, where the ancient civilization sleeps, runs on a mysterious archeological site and an eerie enemy wandering to save friends.
In this work, the play element itself has been extended to the world map itself used when selecting a stage in Sonic Force and evolving it as an open z1. The open zone is an open world-style field, making it possible to move freely without being bound by the concept of course.
And gimmicks are scattered around the open z1. There are plenty of gimmicks, such as battle, mystery solving, side quests, and cyber spaces. These elements can be proceeded by each player in a free order. For example, the cyberspace, one of the gimmicks, is an area where you can enjoy conventional speed runs. In addition to the depth 3D stage, you can also enjoy gameplay like the Sonic series such as horizontal scrolling stages. This cyberspace is said to have been created by Super Science from Sonic’s memory, and it will be lined with familiar landscapes for series fans.
After the release, this work has a great start. The number of simultaneous connection players at Steam was about 19,000 at the peak. It has maintained the number of players of about 10,000 people recently (Steam db). The distribution site was also successful on Twitch, and at the peak, the number of viewers was recorded. I also want to pay attention to the fact that distributors around the world are broadcasting. In the 3D action game of the Sonic series, this work will be a completely new work for the first time in about 5 years. The evolution of the game system called open zone has also been pushed out, and the fact that there are expectations around the world may be one of the reasons for the start.
Such a work is also well evaluated by users. At the time of this writing, Steam User Review gathered about 2400 reviews, of which 93 % of them gained a very popular status. Open zones are mostly popular. The speedy feeling of the series is alive, and the game play that runs through a vast field has been evaluated. The battle that was concerned before the release has been well blended into the game play, and it has been well received with exhilaration. Above all, you can fully enjoy Sonic’s speed, and you can enjoy the charm of the core of the series. In recent years, the Sonic series has not been evaluated well, including Sonic Force. In terms of stable and fun, it may be relatively evaluated.
However, it is not acclaimed. Although the concept of running around the vast world has been realized, there are many parts of the micro-level, such as operability and open world design. In particular, in Japanese, there are also issues, such as the direct expression of English, such as the direct translation of English, and the coarse fonts. Despite such dissatisfaction, the concept of this work may have been supported. I would like to expect improvements in updates.
Sonic Frontier is on sale for PS5/PS4/Nintendo Switch/Xbox One/Xbox Series X | S and PC (Steam).
