Poll: What Review Score Would You Give Sonic Frontiers?

I think you guys gave the game here on NLife WAYYY too harsh of a score... it isn't even mediocre, it is a legit great game and it feels awesome to say that about a Sonic game.

I give it a strong 7 of 10 for now, might go higher depending on the "100 procent" route I'm currently going for, and future DLC.
Could have been better in a couple areas but I do enjoy it overall.
I also agree that NL's review is quite harsh, though I'm playing the PS4 version so I can't judge fairly.

I'm only on the 2nd island so I haven't gotten too far yet but I honestly love it so far. I'm at least an 8 at the moment but I could easily see myself at a 9 if I continue to like it as much as I do currently.

It's rough around the edges but overall I'm having a blast with it!

I'd definitely say it's in the 7-8 range thus far.

The Switch version gets a solid 5 from me. It needs a lot of tweaking and ironing before it can be a decent version on the Switch. Regarding the game concept itself, its something new that Sega dared to implement. I do hope that they continue the trend to stray more away from the 2D scrolling formula and invent new forms to be able to give Sonic a more playable paths than being stuck in the 90's sideways scrollers.

My quick review of the Switch version based an hour of play:

YAY!

• graphics
• minimalist music
• open world exploration
• cool 3D stages design
• open world boss fights

NAY...

• clunky platforming controls
• pop-in
• camera during boss fights

FINAL SCORE:
8 out of 10

I had to do this because everyone on my discord community was unsure if this was a worthwhile endeavour since well... 3D Sonics have a potty reputation. I also warned everyone that the Switch would surely suffer from performance issues when faced up to the other versions and adjust score to hardware. Will I score the game lower after I'm done with it? Possibly. While I had a lot of fun with the initial moments of the game, this is 2022 and I can't accept SEGA still can't handle 3D camera controls and proper 3D platforming? This game like rather large part of other AAA titles simply need more time in the oven, its like the industry leaned nothing from "Cyberpunk 2077" and for this I blame shareholders and publisher administrators who understand very little on how long it takes to make a proper good game.

For reference, this is what I played before writing the review.

Please note: In absolute NO WAY should my review score be deemed more valid than Ollies since he played the whole thing to completion.

Tbf looks pretty good for an unfinished game

Missed opportunity. The top five ranks should have been
6 Good
7 Great
8 Awesome
9 Outstanding
10 AMAZING!!!
I give it an 8. Best game in the series? I don't think so, but I'm definitely happy with what I'm playing.

I've been checking the website for over two years.
You got me to register just to leave my vote there.
Agreed, the review was waaaaaaaaaay too harsh.
Greetings from PT!

Can't say about the Switch version because I didn't buy that one. On Series X, despite some of its flaws (mainly controls at times), I'd still give a solid 8.5, rounded up to a 9/10 on the NLife scale.

Pretty much a 7/10. It's not bad but it definitely needs more work. They need to fix the pop-ins, add more to the open zone stuff, and stop relying on the past old zones to sell on speed. If all failed they could easily turn this formula into an RPG for Sonic going forward as the game is heading that direction anyways, I don't think I had ever play a mainline Sonic game where I need to level up Sonic this much.

A solid 7 from me.

The reason your review is so harshly treated is the fact your review makes the equivalence that "this is a bad port of a bad game", when the actual only conclusive part is "this is a bad port". Quite honestly, this game does nothing much different to differentiate itself in the open-world genre, but is instead an actual proof of a whole new formula for a game (which is one of the very points that NL brings up in the Legends Arceus review). Ye're harshly punishing a game for reasons ye've previously commended other titles (Zelda and Pokémon, like Sonic both previously linear games that convert to OW, got higher scores than Frontiers implies they should've. Maybe this opens up the channel to rereviews of games that were praised by NL for their OW concept more than the game).

Also the old adage that a Nintendo fan will take any opportunity to demerit Sonic is clearly applicable /s

Can't say for sure after 2 hours. But so far I would give it a 6/10.
That's less than my rating for Balan Wonderworld.

@Nikhogan It is subjective. Imo the game is bad and I don't like any of the 3D sonic games. But hey. Why does this score thing even matter. If you like it, like it. 💪👍😊

The fumiest thing about the game is, that to emphasize the story narrative the game has the screen and characters glitching out all the time. So perhaps those abundant pop-ups are just story related

Yeah, the reviewer didn't do the game justice. It's averaging around a 7/10 or an 8/10, elsewhere. That's pretty damn good!

I am really at a loss on the score here at NL. I own a PS5, but picked it up on Switch so I could play handheld and so my kids can play it on their Lite. Now, don't get me wrong, the pop-in is atrocious and everything looks washed out. That being said, I find the moment-to-moment gameplay extremely satisfying. The exploration and combat is a lot of fun. I will probably play it again on PS5 if it drops via PSN or for a $10.00 USD sale. But right now, I'm addicted.

The problem Sega has is that they find something that works or at least "nearly" works, like Generations or Colors & instead of refining it, building on it and providing what gamers are looking for.. they immediately throw it away for something new.

Frontiers may not be perfect, but it IS a great base to refine, build on and turn into an amazing series in the future. Will Sega do this? Almost certainly not.. but the potential for a successful Sonic series is there.

The definition of a 7 or 7.5 game, but in the context of Sonic games among themselves, this is arguably the best product Sonic Team has put out since generations, and for some who miss the Adventure-era specifically, probably even surpasses it.

This game takes a lot of shifts and risks with the gameplay, the variety, the story... it really does feel like the team was trying to reach back in time, look back at the old Dreamcast/Gamecube works and see if they can use this game as a practice run before attempting a proper continuation. On top of that, it certainly delivers on a lot of jank anyone should come to expect from Sonic, but in the conceptual sense I think the formula for "how to make Sonic open-world" was basically nailed here.

Sonic Team's #1 enemy has always been themselves and their insistence on not sticking to one Sonic formula for their 3D entries, so every game for the longest time has felt like a sloppy "first-time" entry. I hope this is the start of them trying to iterate and polish things up!

Haven't played it but I'm 100% certain it'll be more than a 4/10

On Switch (5 average). On XBOX Series S (7 good)

I've only reached the 3rd island so I can't judge the whole game but what I'd rank so far is 7/10. Really like the soundtrack, the gameplay, the Cyber Space levels being a callback to past games (though I wish they used more visual styles than just 4) and the game in general goes more in the Odyssey/Bowser's Fury direction than BotW.

However the performance is rough, the downgrade is not enough to make me play on Series X instead but it can get frustrating at times like it feels the performance issues causes the time window for parrying attacks to be even more harsh than with Viola in Bayonetta 3 (the latter is probably a design choice).

Overall, Sonic Frontiers does feel like one of those games that suggests we need a more powerful Switch.

Just want to point out that Sonic '06, a game that featured human/hedgehog romance & in many parts was COMPLETELY unplayable, is rated 4.4 on average.. higher that NLife's review of Sonic Frontiers.

Definitely doesn't smell right.

Switch = 3
PS5 = 7
The pop in, the graphics, the framerate, the stuttering is way too much on the Switch (keep in mind it's actually more expensive on Switch than other platforms). People saying the graphics are good clearly have low expectations. Dont get me wrong, I'm not all about graphics but it looks so dull, even on the OLED

@Schizor88 Scores matter as many people consider review scores before buying a game.. if sales tank because of unfair reviews then Sega is less likely to stick to this gameplay style.

Sega has historically found great gameplay styles for Sonic that just needed a little work to turn them from average games into amazing games.. but thrown out all their work for something new. If Frontiers is good, it needs good reviews and sales to make Sega build on it for the next game.

with al the horrendous popin 5 at best

The Arceus comparison is pretty spot on imo. Something different to build off of...but it's Sonic Team. Just like Gamefreak, I don't expect much iteration or improvement going forward. Why? Well...why should they? Sonic fans and Pokémon fans will buy anything. Why try?
To be clear, I haven't been a Sonic fan since they started talking and went 3D, but I'm enjoying this well enough.

First of all I've got to say the review on here is ridiculously harsh, granted I've not played the Switch port but short of it being broken I can't come close to seeing where the reviewer is coming from

For me its around an 8 at the moment, the controls are pretty good and just running around as Sonic in the open world is great fun. Some of the dialogue can be a bit dull but quite a bit of it is intriguing and I like what they've done with Robotnik here. So far I'm about half way through the second island and loving it so far

Bad. I didn't play it, but from what I have seen, it is a game, where you run around in a lifeless, uninspired overworld, have to solve similar puzzles, do similar tricks, and have to do rehashed 2D-levels from Generations. The story is also boring and complicated. I guess, only Sonic fans can appreciate this game.

So the Switch version, due to hardware limitations. Is the worst version?

Cause I'm getting it for PS5. I want my trophies 🤣

@RareFan What made the game "lifeless" and "uninspired"? What would you do to have it change your mind?

@Dog They haven't even played it, so I wouldn't pay much mind to their opinion on it.

@Dog
Fill the world with NPCs. Didn't people leaked a concept art of a pink haired lady that was planned to be an NPC in this world?

I am not sure if it should be more than a 4. Therefore I should buy the game and try it out for myself, but I was never interested in the 3D Sonic games. The people who buy 3D Sonic games anyway will say it is an 8. But if you bought the game before the reviews are out what does it matter?

I'm playing it on PC and it's not bad but terrible on Switch

i gave it an 8, but i play it on PC, dunno how bad the switch port is, i guess i would go lower for switch, but on pc a solid 8 to me, havin lots of fun with it and time flies by while playing it

@Shiryu hmm forget sonic lets play - from space instead im loving that game (i didnt buy sonic) im playing it solo and on currently starting the 5th node and last one i think before final boss

What’s the other Nintendo life sonic 3D game reviews been like in the past.?
Is a 4 out of character?

I give it a 3.. it is just a bad tech demo of same stuff placed on some landscapes that all look the same with ZERO personality in the whole world.
This is no Breath of the Hedgehog
I guess if you love fidget spinners this could be your nirvana

I am on the third island, and so far I think it is great. (So I guess 8/10.) It's been really fun and addicting exploring and messing around in the open worlds, and getting S ranks in the cyberspace levels has been a blast. The writing has also been really solid. It's the best the characters have been written in years.

I heavily disagree with a "poor" score. IDK what else to say.

@Nikhogan I assume you're playing on Switch? Playable? NLife made it seem like its just trash and unplayable.

@Gamer83 Thanks for chiming in as an Xbox user. If I don't buy this on Switch (seems like I probably won't) it will be Xbox.

Haven’t played it so I cannot justifiably give it a score. What I can say is that I genuinely do not think it’s worth £50

Well I obviously can't give it a score since I haven't played the game. But in most review sites I see it's been given 7-8/10, not to mention my friends who also have the game are enjoying it a lot, so I guess that good for Frontiers.

If you're on the fence about this game or wanna wait for this game to be on sale, get it from the Mexican eshop. For some reason it's about 40 US dollars only.

I agree with the general consensus that the NL review is harsh and the game is closer to a 6 or 7.

That said, the Switch version does look bad so I can see why they gave it a "Poor" even though the numerical equivalent "4" does seem harsh.

I'll pick it up when SEGA drop it to a tenner next year. Unless they release a demo sooner that convinces me it's worth a punt.

Overall it seems to me this is a step in the right direction for 3D Sonic, but it's still a long way short of even coming close to realising the potential. It's been decades of trying to get it right and this is all they've accomplished. How is that even possible?

i'd give sonic frontiers a 10/10

6 or 7. Feels more like an alpha test, honestly, but I definitely look forward to the next game when they get a chance to fully explore and polish these concepts. I'm sorry, Sonic fans ...Though, it's certainly a step in a great direction.

I feel bad for Heart Machine being kind of ripped off. Solar Ash barely got any attention and here we have Sega doing the exact same thing and getting tons of press for doing something ‘different’. Makes me want to replay Solar Ash. Everyone who likes this should consider it.

Just here to say I gave the game a 8/10 after beating the first island, it's mysterious, Good story, open, no continues, hard Titan bosses, and probably going to get patches for the worst bugs, glitches.

@funkyplasma not gonna lie, that one came out of nowhere and its utterly brilliant. I want to try it online but I just have very little time right now between current and retro games I'm currently tackling. Wish publishers would not release so much stuff during this period, but here we are evert year and I'm many other indie gems like "From Space" will slip unnoticed by most folks.

The fact you’ve created this poll you realise now that your score was way off base and the people are correcting it for you

Solid 8/10
The story is great and makes call backs to previous games to expand lore, the dialogue and interactions are great and not cringe anymore, I’ve noticed no frame dips or pauses, it looks great on my big screen tv, all the different moves are fun, the music is all bangers, speedrunning the stages in fun, and each island boss feels like a final boss of any other games with epic action and a banger vocal track.
The poll will definitely get filled with trolls who haven’t even played. No game that took actual effort to make deserves a 1 or 2.

@Jamessmooth
No problem. The game still does have some issues like pop in on the Series X but the performance and overall experience is much better. Having a 60 frames per second mode is cool, too, Sonic should be played at a higher framerate. I'd say unless you really value portability, Series X, PS5 or PC is the way to go.

This is a very subtle way of attempting to allay the backlash of your own review. Well played, Team NL 😉

Won’t play it for a looooong time, but popping needlessly into this thread to say that I’m happy Sonic fans seem to be enjoying it!

Maybe a 7-8, depending on the ending. I'm very close to finishing it.

Conservatively, I'd give it a 7. Some platforming isn't great, but the overall package is way better than any other 3D Sonic game we've had since Sonic Heroes. 06, Unleashed, Generations (sorry, wasn't huge on the 3D portions of this), Boom, and Forces definitely can't compare, and it sits comfortably with the better Colors and Lost World. This is the foundation they need to have for future Sonic games. I just wish the overworld was more vibrant with more traditionally Sonic-like textures and not pseudo-realistic ones. I've enjoyed my time with this so far and definitely, respectfully, but adamantly, disagree with your guys' review.

easy 10 outa 10, this sonic game has over taken sa2b as the generally most favorited 3D sonic game, GG

I haven’t finished it yet, but with one island 100% and five hours in, I give it 8/10 so far. It’s fun, the music is amazing, the story is actually trying, sonic team wanted this to be good, they wanted to actually make a game, and they did. It’s not perfect, but it’s fun, and it can only improve from here.

Coming from both the traditional and Adventure games, I appreciate Sonic Team’s effort to figure out a solution, of providing a sense of freedom. Based on what I played so far, it is interesting how it transitions to battles seamlessly.

Even though I have a PS4 Pro, I prefer playing on handheld mode and decided to get the Nintendo Switch version. Plays and runs great on Switch which is impressive.

If I where to play it I reckon I give it a 7. Bad frame rate and pop in would be downers plus not as good as adventure 1 and 2,colours,generations or lost rings god I loved that one but way to hard on lost rings though

Or is it secret rings point is it was really good use of Wii mote but I also remember it being stupidly hard.

One of the things I appreciated when I first started reading Nintendo Life was that your scoring policy was made public and established very specific criteria to receive specific scores. The NL review of Sonic is highly biased and fails to meet the standards that your team has set forth for reviewing games. Based on your public scoring philosophy, Sonic should be at least a 6?

I'll keep an eye on this one to see if it a) goes on sale and b) gets patched. Otherwise I may buy it for PS4.

I was watching a video by Jake Baldino the other day about Sonic Frontiers and I think he summed up why I'm going to pass on this game. Sonic fans, specifically 3D Sonic fans, are built differently. I have a really low tolerance for jankiness and bugginess in games and a game's story makes or breaks the experience for me. This game is not for me and I commend NintendoLife for their honesty in how they really felt about their experience with the game.

How about "What review score would you give Sonic Frontiers if it wasn't a Sonic game?"

The switch version needs more polish, just blurry, muddy, fuzzy, washed out graphics. The presentation in general is very basic and lacking character - the HUD is simply crap.

There is a good fun game behind these problems though

Sonic in 3D is a concept that hasn’t successfully been achieved in my opinion. How can you recreate an authentic sonic experience in 3D? Creating a 3D environment for you to explore, then putting speed rails everywhere to give you the loop the loop is not convincing.

Maybe sonic just needs to be a 2D game. Or at least 2.5D.

Maybe the real problem is sega. I would love Nintendo making a sonic game

Reviews are flawed, remember cyberpunk, some reviews stated it was a broken mess but still scored it 8 and above.

Sometimes you just need to try the game yourself

I guess the main issue only appears when you compare it with the PS5 version.

I watched some PS5 footage and it looked really nice. Later I saw Switch footage and it looked kind of boring. I am sure when I would have only seen the Switch version it would probably be ok.

Knowing both versions look would make me buy the PS5 version of course.

I'd give it a 7 or 8 right now, but I'm only halfway through and more importantly not playing on Switch.

I'd give it a 4. I'm a massive Sonic fan myself. Grew up playing every game way back since the Genesis days as it was my first console when I was 8 years old.

The 3d games save for maybe a couple just always seem to never rise above mediocre.

@smeggysmeg A score is just a number at the bottom of a review, and a review is a just a very fleshed-out opinion. And you can’t really ‘correct’ an opinion. In fact, the idea that there is one ‘correct’ opinion on this game is rather insidious.

That said, you’re right that this the poll does put NL’s review in context, and that context reveals that the general feeling towards the game is certainly more positive that of NL’s reviewer. This is acknowledged in the body of the article.

Our review went live earlier, and as you can see, we tend to fall on the latter end of the spectrum

Having a range of opinions on a product is not unhealthy and the idea that we as consumers should be demanding absolutely homogeneity from those who review games is weird and self-destructive. ‘Game quality’ is hugely subjective, and especially so for game like Frontiers which is both ambitious (heralding a genuinely new direction for the Sonic series) and undeniably flawed (due to a cocktail of bugs, glitches, iffy camera/platforming controls, and imperfect optimisation for the Switch).

For some, those flaws will be minor distractions from a fresh and compelling new experience. For others, they will be utterly gamebreaking and impossible to ignore. Hence the wildly varying review scores.

None of these opinions is ‘wrong’, and to write off reviews at either end of the (very wide) spectrum is to ultimately narrow your own ability to look at the game critically.

The fact that Nintendo Life is putting their own review into the context of the game’s the wider reception is, if anything, laudable.

I’d say 7 at the most. Sonic feels and controls ok for the most part but the game seems like a marriage of obstacles, puzzles and charm and just as many divorces of bad ideas. Plenty of vague bad ideas: it just feels like a concept: a lot of the obstacles are poorly made too. The game is also a buggy mess and playing on ps5.

ooo, seeing a lot of 7-9's. I have held off but I might have to get it. I am a sucker for a good sonic game, sonic CD & Adventure are two of my favorite games.

@DanteSolablood "if the game is good" Which it isn't. I think Nintendolife have great points in this review. And if the platforming is broken. Then the game is broken. It's an adventure platformer. I don't see it your way dude and that's okay.

The average of the review scores on Switch have it at around 73%. That's not too different from the PS5 version. NL to have their score three whole marks down on the average is very unusual. I have changed my mind on purchasing it now after watching some thoughts and reviews online as well (from other generally reliable reviewers like NL). I will buy it when on sale. I'd much rather play Sonic portably personally.

@Shiryu just so your aware Multiplayer your character is linked to the host players save not your own so it wouldnt be the current one your using but a fresh one but when the host saves it saves yours as well , i did check on steam to see upcoming suggestions and patch notes as a lot of people didnt like the current save function and it looks like they are making a save anytime function for PC which ports you back to the last base

I watch someone live stream on Sonic frontiers and to me looks underwhelming maybe I feel like the music this time around sounds really meh in comparsion to pervious Sonic games and open world space just looks empty. No issue as say story this time around if I am honest the level designs are okay not great. If I was give it a 3 not best Sonic game because I don't like the fact Sonic is in open world doesn't really fit.

It recycles assets frequently (sometimes even from other games). The overworlds in general are pretty damn bland and generic. I remember people comparing it to an UE4 tech demo and Frontiers really does give that kind of vibe aesthetically. Not exactly the kind of environmental art direction I used to like from the Sonic series.

The level design is so poor (huge amounts of low-gameplay gimmicks like spring chains/dash chains/rails/etc) that the game practically plays itself much of the time. There's none of the momentum physics that the Sonic series used to be loved for. It feels more like a Sonic action RPG-ish spin off rather than an actual mainline Sonic game.

The story and its tone take itself way too seriously, and to some extent this extends to the characters as well, because for the most part they felt utterly bland and lifeless especially compared to usual.

Genuinely feels like something only modern day Sonic fans could enjoy. It's a total flop for me I'm afraid, this has absolutely nothing that made me fall in love with the Sonic series to begin with, as is typical of modern day Sonic Team games.

Well, it's not the same playing the Series X version than the Switch version. That said, I'm surprised at this 4/10 because most ambitious games run poorly on Switch, including Nintendo games such as Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Sega rushed this a little bit and that's unbelievable after what has happened before.

I've ranted plenty about this game already so I'll keep it short. If you like Breath of the Wild style open world games you'll probably enjoy it. As a day one Sonic fan that's not what I'm looking for, I want fast and simple gameplay. I don't think Sega made this game for Sonic fans, they want to capture a new audience, which is okay but feeling kind of hurt about it. 😕😞

@Jamessmooth switch version is more than playable. im not defending it, it could be omptimized way better but it runs much better than colors ultimate, which got an 8. do with that info what you will

@Schizor88 i just want some adventure rereleases on modern platforms, man

I have only played an hour or so but I wish they made it more... Sonicy. When I look back on sonic adventure, the game was bursting with light and joy, it was so alive. This game is so subdued, moody even. who wants a depressed sonic?

Maybe later stages are more what we are accustomed to in a sonic world, but I would like sonic to bring that light. There are so many glum and gloomy games already. Maybe they wanted it to appeal to a more mature audience

played this after only having played the mega drive games and honestly it's like someone cross-bred tony hawks pro skater with breath of the wild but put a hedgehog in it. madness

Haven’t played on Switch, but so far on Xbox, I’d give it a 7.5/10. I’ve been having a ton of fun with it!

I'm on board with all the people saying that Nintendo Life gave a terrible score to this game. I haven't played it on Switch (I own one, love it, but the hardware for these types of games is just subpar), i've playing it for more than 6 hours on the base PS4 and I'm having fun with the platforming controls and open-world. So yeas, a solid 7!

@Pikki
Except if that were really true, then it wouldn't be such a sticking point for a lot of people.

Sure it isn't to you, but you must realise many people see the score and decide whether to completely disregard it, bin it after being hyped, or potentially buy due to how high it has scored.

Reviews like this for a popular site should at least have a couple of reviewers for the bigger games to come to a balanced conclusion, it's as if they don't realise how much sway their review scores have, which I feel is negligence to the gaming community & fans/followers they have.

I understand we all like different thinks, but this site isn't acting as an individual, it's speaking for the website itself and putting their opinion.