Sonic Frontiers had a bit of a wild ride ahead of its release. Since the initial announcement and subsequent trailer reveals, public opinion of the blue blur’s latest outing has been all over the place, going from lingering dread to a more optimistic “hey, maybe this will actually be okay, after all”. Well, after sinking over 20 hours into Sonic Frontiers on Switch and exploring everything the game has to offer, we have just two words that can adequately describe our feelings for this game: oh dear.
The game starts off with a brief introduction to our heroes Sonic, Tails, and Amy (don't worry, Knuckles shows up too). After some digital hocus pocus, Sonic mysteriously winds up in one of the game’s ‘Cyberspace’ levels which, surprise surprise, is based on Green Hill Zone. This linear stage acts as a tutorial for Sonic’s basic moveset, but you’ll be able to revisit it later on to complete the optional objectives and gain extra items, if you wish. After you’re done, you’re dropped into the first of five “open-zone” locations: Kronos Island. It turns out that Sonic’s friends are missing and it’s up to you to find and rescue them.
The plot for Frontiers is about as bonkers as you can reasonably expect from a 3D Sonic title, but the overall tone of the game has been, well, toned down when compared to previous titles; it’s a lot less bombastic and in-your-face. That said, it also makes for some pretty boring cutscenes: 90% of these are made up of two-way conversations between Sonic and one of his chums, with very little action in between to add some much-needed variety. The story ramps up nicely towards the end, however, and the game even makes some pretty satisfying callbacks to earlier titles in the franchise.
Once you’re on Kronos Island, the game takes you down a brief, linear path and introduces various gameplay aspects like combat and the ‘Cyloop’ ability. Cyloop effectively lets you run circles around objects and enemies, leaving behind a trail which, when reconnected to form a loop, will either deal damage, activate switches, or grant you a sizeable dose of rings. You can more or less cheat the game into giving you infinite numbers of rings by just running around in tiny circles at any point; each completed circle gives you about 15 or so rings, and there’s no limit to how many times you can do it.
Before too long, the game opens up and you're given free rein to go wherever you want. The sheer size of each island is genuinely quite impressive, though it's not so large as to become overwhelming. It's tempting, of course, to liken the overall approach to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and we've no doubt that while Sonic Team has taken inspiration from Nintendo, its own approach is a bit more restrained and you can quite easily go from one end of the map to the other in just a minute or two. Having said that, the game requires you to unlock the map bit by bit by completing minigames, opening up random sections that will eventually fill in to form a complete image. Although the islands aren't overly big, it's still possible to get a bit lost if you haven't unlocked much of the map.
As for how Sonic controls, it’s all a bit hit-and-miss. Running around the world feels pretty good for the most part; Sonic will turn fairly accurately even at high speeds, and hitting ‘ZR’ will result in an immediate speed boost that feels immensely satisfying in practice. The issues arise when the game expects you to complete any kind of precise platforming. Sonic’s jumping has always been pretty 'floaty', for lack of a better word, but here it’s been taken to the extreme. Trying to navigate certain routes can often feel infuriatingly sluggish; you can try to course-correct by hitting ‘ZR’ to give yourself a bit of a boost, but the game will frequently overcompensate, sending you flying off into the abyss. To exacerbate the matter, glitches occur more often than we’d like, sending Sonic tearing through platforms or getting caught up in the camera.
It’s almost like the game is actively aware that its own platforming controls are poor, because most of the sections that require you to grind on rails or bounce between springboards are almost entirely automatic. You’ll start off by running or jumping onto a boost pad and then you can just sit back and watch as Sonic gracefully grinds through loops, bounces back and forth, before flying back onto the ground to continue on his way. The game countlessly wrenches control away from the player, because it knows that if it hands complete control over, then that’s where the mechanics start to fall apart.
Now, while there's absolutely no doubt that this has been the case since Sonic joined the 3D realm with Sonic Adventure back in 1998, its prevalence here is taken to the absolute extreme and it's arguably antithetical to the freedom that Frontiers supposedly offers. With this in mind, while you can absolutely go anywhere and do anything while exploring each of the five islands, it never quite feels like the sandbox elements ever reach their true potential, because the game doggedly refuses to give you total control during its many, many platforming segments.
As for what you’ll be doing during your time on Starfall Islands, Sonic Frontiers is basically one giant collectathon from start to finish. You’ll have two main goals on each island: locate and obtain the Chaos Emeralds and collect memory tokens to unlock story cutscenes with Sonic’s allies. Collecting memory tokens is quite enough as it is, because there are absolutely loads of the beggers; pretty much every miniature platforming segment will result in a memory token, so you’ll be piling up dozens of them before long.
When it comes to the Chaos Emeralds, it’s not just a case of finding these and scooping them up. First, you’ll need to gather gears which can be obtained by defeating enemies and solving puzzles. Then you’ll need to use these gears to unlock the various Cyberspace levels, within which you’ll have five specific objectives to complete. When they're ticked off, you’ll be rewarded with a vault key. Gather up enough vault keys and then you’ll finally be able to collect a Chaos Emerald. Now do that several more times over. Per island. To say that Sonic Frontiers can get quite repetitive would be somewhat of an understatement.
The aforementioned Cyberspace levels are your more traditional, linear '2D' and 3D Sonic stages and are accessed by locating portals dotted around each of the five islands. Although there are quite a few dotted about each island, they’re only based on four key themes: Green Hill Zone, Chemical Plant, Sky Sanctuary, and a City theme (based loosely on another game, which we won't spoil here). What’s more, the actual layouts of these stages have been lifted straight out of previous games; some might call this a loving homage to Sonic’s past, but we’re a bit baffled that Team Sonic didn’t put make some original levels based around the theme.
Visually, they’re pretty flashy and look quite nice for the most part, but there’s an odd CRT filter applied, which we assume is to indicate that you’re in some sort of digital space; it's pretty subtle and not offensively intrusive, but it just makes everything look a bit washed out in a version of the game which already looks fuzzy — more on that later. As for the controls, it’s frequently messy since there’s an increased focus on platforming in these Cyberspace levels; move even slightly in the wrong direction and you’ll likely need to start over from the last checkpoint, wiping out any hope of clearing the stage in a decent time.
One major thing that Sonic Frontiers introduces is a new combat system that’s utilised pretty frequently throughout. Unfortunately, it’s a lot more shallow than the game would have you believe. Most of the time, defeating enemies is a simple case of button mashing your way to victory, as tapping ‘Y’ will unleash a flurry of automatic combos that will do the job quite nicely. You’ll be introduced to new moves as your progress, but actually using them isn’t necessary for the most part. Glitches rear their heads during combat, too, particularly when you’re flying about as Super Sonic during boss battles. The camera simply can’t keep up with what’s going on, so you’ll tear through enemy assets and end up punching at thin air; it’s quite infuriating and we sincerely wish this aspect of the game was more polished.
Aside from that core collection-combat loop, Sonic Frontiers features a whole bunch of side missions and minigames. Some of these are decent, such as having to walk across a patterned set of tiles without stepping on one twice or walking diagonally, but sadly there are more misses than hits. One particularly egregious minigame involves herding a bunch of Kocos — the islands’ natives — from point A to point B, like a sheepdog (sheep 'hog..?). Sonic Team clearly thought that this on its own would be too easy, so thought it prudent to have the very same creatures you’re supposed to be saving fart out a bunch of bombs to stop you in your tracks. It’s completely nonsensical from both a narrative and gameplay perspective.
One minigame that we did quite enjoy, however, was fishing (come on, when is fishing in a video game ever a bad thing?). You’ll access this the same way as the Cyberspace levels and wind up at a pleasant fishing hole with Big the Cat. Although mechanically quite simplistic — you simply need to press ‘A’ when an inner circle meets with an outer circle — catching the wide variety of fish is pretty satisfying, and it’s a great way of gaining additional memory tokens and vault keys.
In terms of how Sonic Frontiers looks and performs on the Switch, it can really only be described as disappointing. On the plus side, the frame rate is serviceably smooth and solid, with a 30FPS target which it hits for the most part. However, the compromises made to achieve that decent frame rate on Nintendo’s platform are frankly mind-blowing. You’ll notice from the very moment that you set foot on Kronos Island that the game’s assets pop in and out all the time; we’re not just talking about small bits of foliage or rocks, either, but huge platforms, grind rails, enemies, and even entire cliff sides. Tufts of grass snap out of existence not only as you run away but also, inexplicably, as you approach them, apparently only visible briefly when Sonic is neither too close nor too far away. It’s genuinely quite nauseating to run through the environment only to see everything jitter and warp around you as the game tries to keep up. Gaze across the landscape from a distance and you'll see nothing but plain textures; no trees, no rocks, just a flat surface. It's only until you move closer that details start to seep into view.
Aside from the pop-in, the visuals just simply look incredibly grainy and muddy; weather effects like rain look more like static than actual raindrops on Switch, and character models look arguably worse than the likes of Sonic Forces. It’s a real shame how poor everything looks and it begs the question as to whether Sega should have bothered with a Switch release at all.
All in all, while there’s definitely potential for a good game to eventually arise from Sonic Frontiers’ bold shift into a semi-open world, this first attempt isn't it. Maybe next time, though.
Conclusion
Sonic Frontiers is a brave new direction for the series, but this first ‘open-zone’ entry misses the mark by quite a margin. Traversal and combat annoyances plague the experience from start to finish, while structurally the game offers up very little variety, instead leaning on repetitive fetch quests that get exasperating after the first island. As far as the Switch version goes, it’s quite comfortably the worst option available to fans, with graphical compromises that make it impossible to recommend if you're able to play it anywhere else at all. If you’re going to get this game, we implore you to try it out elsewhere.
Comments 329
Funny, I just played like the first hour (On Switch no less) Other than looking kinda fuzzy. I was very surprised just how it kept things moving. Obviously I don't know if it's able to keep that up through the game but, intrigued to play more.
SEGA don't what Nintendoes.
Is anyone even surprised by this?
Can't fault them for effort I guess but they really have no idea what direction to go with for 3D Sonic games. I always just expect the worst until proven otherwise. I've seen some fairly positive impressions for this one around but I suspect that's partly due to the bar being set so low over the years more than anything. I never saw anything that made me interested in playing it.
Wow. Best Sonic I've played since Colors and Generations. Its mostly performance probs on Switch for me. Still fun!
Agree with most of the criticisms tbh, but also somewhat surprised this scored so low. Personally I would give this a 7, but I'm maybe early enough in the game that the gameplay hasn't got tiresome. Most of my issues with the game are on a technical level rather than on a design level, although I think they dropped the ball with the Cyber Space stages.
I will admit this game looked downright ugly when I first started it up on Switch, but I soon got used to it and think of it more as an early 7th gen title. That said, am I the only one not bothered by the pop-in? I've not really noticed it tbh...maybe my eyes just get used to this sorta thing.
I have to note the huuuuuuge contrast between this review's conclusion and the hordes of player reviews on Metacritic praising this game to death (average score: 9.0). Don't you think a second opinion is in order?
https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-5/sonic-frontiers/user-reviews?page=1
It really sounds like any other 3D Sonic game, which I know get a bad rap, but I still generally enjoy them. The glitches/performance issues are a little concerning, but hopefully they can smooth that out with an update. I'm not scared away yet, though I am not in a hurry to get this due to backlog.
@Buizel i dont have the game yet but i really dont mind the pop ins, if its like major that takes 7 seconds for the stuff to load then thats a different story.
Ouch, from what I've seen 4 is a bit harsh, but guessing it got more on your other platform websites (Ah PS5 version got 8/10 they didnt even bother with PS4 or Xbox versions), its just the performance on switch which is the problem, ah well its still the next game on my list after I complete Bayo 3, hopefully there will be some patch by the time i get to it
Guessing a previous article:
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2022/11/sonic-frontiers-on-switch-will-be-the-same-experience-as-other-platforms
saying its the same experience is stretching the truth a bit
Or is it just someone who doesnt like Sonic (or likes sonic too much) who reviewed it?
@Benjamin_K This is definitely the ONLY poor review of the game I've seen thus far. People seem to be praising it quite a bit. My best friend who's a huge Sonic fan, but doesn't shy about saying how awful most of the 3D games are, says he's loving it thus far (playing on Switch) and hasn't complained about bugs thus far (and again, he won't shy away from pointing them out just because he's a Sonic fan. If anything, he'd be more willing to complain).
Sega never quite figured out what to do with Sonic after the 2D era. Sonic Adventure games were massively overrated back in the day too, there isn't a single great Sonic 3D game.
The only thing I was looking for in this review was how it ran on Switch. I've read and listened to enough reviews from other places to know that I'll probably enjoy it. Push Square gave it an 8, IGN a 7, Kinda Funny gave it 3 out of 5. I think I'll still get it but maybe not on Switch.
I always feel with Sonic games (especially the 3D titles), it is more a fact that people desire to like these games from a kind of good-will toward the Sonic franchise, then they are actually good. Something about flying at hyper fast speeds is inherently incompatible with a 3D platforming world in an engaging and meaningful way. Even 2D Sonic titles are over-rated, and although had a great vibe, were never on the level of Mario titles. Sad to see this is another mis-direction of the franchise.
What are these glitches you had during platforming and combat? I haven't run into any in my playthrough of the Switch version so far. I will admit that the enemy lock on is a bit crap, but I'm still able to adjust the camera to keep track of the enemies. I do sometimes fall off of platforms or miss a rail, but that's on me.
I just got this for switch yesterday - only played up to three of the VR levels so far but I dont think its "poor"
In a month full of GOW, Scarlet/Violet and Tactics Ogre among others, scores like this just ended any chance it had for me
we need a modern switch to handle such games!!
@TheDragonDAFan From what I found, because Sonic's attacks are pretty fast, he often overshoots his mark and clips through enemies. It's perhaps most noticable when dealing with bigger targets or one of the Titans.
As for the platforming, the camera often gets in the way, or tries to lock you into a specific viewing angle, sometimes causing Sonic to clip through platforms and walls.
@Mach_Rider truly! I mean, just look at these reviews (which are clearly real folks, not bots)
"KaiDaiSai - Nov 9, 2022
This game reminded me of why I love Sonic. While it’s not perfect with issues like pop-in and cyberspace controls, it manages to tell a really cool story with the open world and Super Sonic boss battles being some of the big highlights… Sonic is finally back"
Higoshi88 - Nov 9, 2022
"This is my first ever review of a video game on a website....Overall this is a step in the right direction and I would be lying to say Sonic in an open space isn't fun, It's EXTREMELY fun! Though not a perfect game, this formula with some revisions and add-ons could create an even better game!"
sonicpal - Nov 9, 2022
"I haven't had so much fun with a sonic game till now. They've got a winning formula and building upon it will bring sonic back to the top."
NL staff should really ask themselves why their review was so out of step...
Think the reviewer was a bit harsh. Does it run as good as a home base console with better specs? No.
Can I play Sonic Frontiers on my PS5 while on the train to work? No
Only seen minor issues in my play through so far and like mentioned earlier it’s usually user error for me like tapping the wrong button for homing
@Switch_Pro Thats not true in my opinion.
I’m very disappointed in you Nintendo Life. I really love this game.
Removed - unconstructive
Sheesh a 4? Like I know I’m playing on a ps5, but still, is the game perfect? No, does it deserve a four? I don’t think so. I also completely disagree with the points on the story, the story is easily one of the best things about this game, cool knuckles is back, Amy whole personality no longer revolve around sonic, we get character growth. This game is what sonic needed, in terms of gameplay and story, I think this is the one, and I want them to continue in this format for the foreseeable future.
(I have nothing against the reviewer if that’s what it sounds like, just disagree)
@MatoFilipovic I am! I was really hoping this site would break out of the “3D Sonic games getting negative reception” thing and really enjoy this game for what it is, but apparently not. It really bothers me.
@MythTgr No, NO!! I will not handle comments such as this! Please stop discouraging people from being Sonic fans.
Mixed opinion is better than universally panned
Big oof on this one. It's not the best game by a long shot, but a 4 is way too harsh.
@smithyo No. i think this is a GREAT direction for the franchise.
The only real complaint I have about Sonic Frontiers is the Titans bosses I found to be quite difficult. The Ares Island one you have to REALLY time your parrys or else you’ll be knocked back and lose time. Other than that, I love this game and think it’s a great step forward for future games.
@Mauzuri It makes you wonder if they would have opted to pass on the switch if the current gen versions would have been improved that much more.
It's (really) rough around the edges, but not 4/10, I tried it on PC too, the switch is really not the hardware I'd use for a multiplatform open-world and sadly that switch 2/pro/whatever is not around the corners to change that.
I'd put 6.5/10, there are qualities and it's the best 3D sonic I've seen in a loong time
4/10 is absolutely harsh. While I’m playing the game on PS5, I’m absolutely loving it so far. The game is a brave and bold direction for Sonic that has been really fun so far. I’m wrapping up on the first zone and I’m massively impressed so far. Easily my favorite 3D Sonic game yet. I don’t understand why this game is getting the criticism it’s getting. It’s one of the better AAA titles this year, for sure. Goty? No. But it’s definitely interesting and solid and most importantly fun!
Basically don't get the game on the switch.
@Olliemar28 I’ve had no problems with controlling Sonic, he responds super well to my inputs.
@somnambulance @somnambulance Yes, indeed.
Removed - unconstructive
@benmalsky198 Excellent! I'm really pleased that you're enjoying the game; don't let someone else's opinion try to convince you otherwise.
@Bunkerneath "saying its the same experience is stretching the truth a bit"
When they say "same experience" they mean more or less the same "game", not the same "graphics". Companies get to say this now b/c companies like EA put out soccer games on Switch that are missing entire modes, and Switch gets FFXV chibi mobile edition rather than FFXV home console edition.
So 30fps vs 60fps, 720p vs 4k, HDR vs no HDR, it's still the same "game". They basically only mean PS5 isn't 3D open world and Switch is 2D.
Nintendo basically did this when they released Hyrule Warriors on 3DS and New 3DS. Same game, but the difference is glaringly obvious.
They just need to make Super Sonic RPG: Legend of the Seven Rings, already.
The criticism that the game takes control away from the player is valid. However, I think it's important if someone wants to make that criticism to also play spark the electric jester 2. Where in my opinion it gives wayyy to much control to the player, to the point that sometimes it's pretty difficult to maneuver.
It's an incredibly tough balancing act in these games.
@Buizel It’s not just you, I don’t really care, I thought it would be way worse since everyone was making a big deal about it, but unless your looking up into the sky, your not even going to notice it all that much.
@Olliemar28 Sorry Ollie, I just think you were way, WAY too harsh on this game.
Playing on PC and I love it. It is an incredibly fun experience.
But being a Sonic game, it will always be divisive. If you want an open game that has excellent platforming mechanics and movement controls and a great sense of flow, this is perfect. If you want a perfectly crafted polished masterpiece this is not your bag. :L
After playing for a couple of hours I have to say this is the most accurate review. I love Sonic (can't you tell from my avatar lol) but I HATE open world games. Too much random bullcrap to collect and no real sense of where to go or what to do. (I'm lost trying to find vault keys right now, which are needed to progress). Thankfully two great Sonic fan games were released this year which I highly recommend instead: Sonic Triple Trouble 16-bit and Sonic Omens.
A four seems incredibly harsh here. No offense, but this definitely deserves a second opinion before this publication. As others have noted, with the general user experience being very positive, a four seems way too low.
When Cyberpunk was released as a broken game, I don't even think that received as low of a score.
@veesonic I’m quite the opposite my friend, I LOVE open-world games and this game is perfect for players like me.
Looks like I can stick to 2D Sonics still. What a big letdown...
@veesonic No sense of direction? Dude, there’s a MAP that you can access at any time and it gets more revealed the more you complete the puzzles on those markers! And what’s more, you can PIN locations on the map and there’s a beam of light showing you where to go.
@Pillowpants Don’t let this guy convince you to stay away from the 3D games. Give this one a chance.
I have to disagree with this review, a 4 is way too harsh as other people have said. Pretty sure other games on Switch have had more severe visual downgrades and other issues and still have been given the benefit of the doubt.
Still getting it for switch. It's getting epic reviews everywhere else and from what I've seen from the game without allowing myself spoilers, 4/10 is definitely super harsh. This may just be me, but whenever I get a switch game that reportedly has crap graphics, 30fps and such, I play it and it looks absolutely fine? Do I just have lower standards? XD haha
The game looks very lifeless and boring from the videos I have seen. I wonder why so many folks from this fanbase praise this game.
@aromain150 I don’t get the whole “button-mashing” thing as a buzzword for combat people don’t like. Isn’t the idea of fighting enemies tapping the button several times commonplace in games? What is the satisfactory alternative?!
@ScribbleDot No, don’t be discouraged by what this guy says, play the game and have a blast. It’s not low standards, not at all. It’s just that this guy is super harsh.
I also think this is a game you should take your time with, wile yes sonic is known for his speed, talking to all the characters, listening to the eggman memos wouldn’t hurt, I mean just from them alone sage is my new favorite character, she is too precious! plus so far 100% the islands are fun! And aren’t hard to do at all.
@Shredderlovespizza “No good Sonic games?” Dude, I’m deeply offended.
@RareFan It’s fun, enjoyable, addictive, just some of the many words people have used to why they like this game.
@RareFan Because running at high speeds is fun.
That's a shame it has a lot of issues. It definitely has a lot of positive reviews among users.
Although I got a feeling there really are a lot of issues with the visuals performance on the switch.
Well, I'm leaving it for now anyway, but will check over reviews again sometime and probably try it out if things are still overall positive.
Sounds like the right review but the wrong score but can't say as idk.
@UltimateOtaku91 @Bunkerneath Other than the graphics and pop-in (which, c'mon, was expected; you know what you get if you play a demanding multiplat on Switch), all of the criticisms here seem reserved for the design of the game itself. Less "bad Switch port," and more "bad Sonic game." According to this reviewer, anyway.
@Snatcher That’s one of the biggest things I love about Frontiers, is that it’s a game where you can take your time.
I see tremendous appeal in sandbox games where there is an objective, but you don’t have to go do that objectively immediately. You can choose to just explore and collect and interact. That’s something I think those accustomed to Sonic games have to get used to to see what this game goes for.
@Olliemar28 I think there's a slight mistake in Paragraph 5, saying Team Sonic instead of Sonic Team.
@benmalsky198 Button mashing in a negative context usually refers to not knowing what you are doing, but hitting all of the buttons and it working out, compared to repeatedly hitting A because you know your punch will eventually win, even if it would be faster to use different attacks or strings.
Wow a game that looked bad from the start and needed their company to tell us "we don't understand it" only for it to be ass in the end anyway. Not surprised at all.
Hahaha... not super surprised.
Sonic fans.... you have to let him go. Need to sign a DNR.
Sonic and his fans have one of the most abusive relationships in the gaming world.
@benmalsky198 Definitely and it isn’t just useless stuff ether, it’s lore bits that just add to the games already enjoyable story!
Might skip this one, I was looking forward to it beforehand.
I only hate it when I fall off a hard to reach platform or lose to the squid thing. Also Sonic Colors was Great on Wii, but it fumbled on switch, but it was good before it was bad. The game played great for me!
@Nua The thing is with Sonic Frontiers, you KNOW the combo moves and special attacks. Every time you upgrade Sonic, it takes you to a training room where you can try out and get accustomed to the special attacks. IMO it’s not “button mashing” because you know the imputs, especially as you get used to them throughout the game.
@NoLife DON’T skip this one. Ollie doesn’t really see what everyone else sees in this game.
I have too much on my backlog as is (and when KRtDD comes out I've gotta stop everything and play it to 100%), and I've never been a big fan of Sonic, so I'll probably skip this one. I will say, a 4/10 is a bit surprising, but then again, the Switch version was obviously going to have the most graphical issues.
@NintendoJunkie Are you saying we can no longer be Sonic fans?! I want this series to continue to be successful and loved! PLEASE don’t leave, please don’t hate the games, please let the series go on!
@BenAV It's simple for me, just polish the formula from the first Sonic Adventure game.
The 3D Sonic games all tend to be like this. They look really nice but play awful. That's other than Adventure and Colours (for me anyway).
What a disappointment. I thought that they may have learned and considering they were making an open world Sonic, the effort would have had to be there. It seems I was wrong.
Cheers for the review. Thank heaven I held of this time unlike with the disastrous GTA ports.
Anyone buying a third party game on switch is shooting themselves in the foot, the system simply cannot run these games at an acceptable standard, especially in 2022. For me the switch is solely an Indie and exclusive machine
@benmalsky198 It's okay man, you don't have to do damage control. Sonic's going to be just fine
@Aerona I mean I can’t believe he has even survived this long with all the game he got, sure he got nearly malled every time but, survived.
@LEGEND_MARIOID No, you are not wrong, This game IS VERY GOOD. They DID learn, it IS fun to play! It DOES have the effort put into it! Why do you guys keep saying stuff like that?
@benmalsky198 I was replying to button mashing being viewed as negatively as a whole, not how attacks are handled in Frontiers, which I haven't played enough of to form a solid opinion yet. Another reason why people may not enjoy mashing A is that the game doesn't provide enough "oomph" behind the repetitive attack, whether that be visual flair in the animation, or the damage dealt. Sonic himself being fast would probably lead to more speedy, less powerful attacks at the start of the game, and by the end of it with the skill tree, you would have stronger attacks that require less repeated inputs.
Yeah, I'll nab it at a sale. While I am glad that it didn't completely crash and burn, I honestly wish it could've been so much better. I guess 3D Sonic just isn't really for me anymore. Shame.
@NinjaNicky No, I’m telling you, it’s NOT A BAD GAME. NOT AT ALL.
Not surprised......
@Benjamin_K I mean, to be fair, user reviews on Metacritic with series like Sonic have quite a bit of bias, especially in the first few days of release. Most of the people who want to give a genuine review would post it once they finish, so in a few days that score could go down.
I think Metacritic is a lot more helpful than some people on this site do, but that’s mostly for critic scores, not user reviews.
I haven’t played the game (nor do I plan to), but based on the review it seems like it should be a 6, not a 4…
@benmalsky198 I know you don't agree with the reviewer and like the game, but going to every comment with a tinge of negativity and telling them they're wrong or to just buy the game anyway is not helping. It's not going to make the game any better than it is or isn't and it makes you look immature. I don't agree with this score as with a fair amount of people here and on other sites, but instead of attacking people who don't like it, try having a constructive conversation instead of whatever you're doing.
Removed - harassment
A bit low but I do regret downloading it. Should’ve waited, but you know, payday.
Well Push Square gave it a 8, so this time for Sonic, it seems to a Switch exclusively poor score. Perhaps (and not holding my breath) they will give the Switch version a performance update to bring it more in line with other platforms. I have too much to play already, so that should give them enough time.
On another note, Sonic Team must consist entirely of entry level programmers, and Sega must be completely ok with letting them trot Sonic out with game development ideals that have been PERFECTED by various devs in 2022, such as pop in, camera issues, etc-- There really is not excuse that this game isn't a 9 or 10 after all these many years of 3D Sonic.
@benmalsky198 If they made all their employees play every game, then whoever had the most positive opinion wrote it, this would be a very poor site… people are allowed to have opinions, just like you.
Also, you’re the only one who’s “fired up”.
@benmalsky198 Dude you seriously need to chill, it's not worth your time or effort to defend a game you enjoy. Just enjoy the game for yourself and don't pay attention to what other people are saying. The internet isn't the end all be all of opinions. Take it from someone who enjoys all things Star Wars, it's not a hill worth dying on.
Sonic has been a punching bag for a lot of people on the internet. Many will come to this review to confirm their bias that Sonic can't be good and they'll be happy with that. You WILL NOT be able to change their opinions. On the other hand, there is you and countless other people that I've seen enjoying the game already! Fantastic! Don't let the internet's existence sully your experience.
Also, please don't attack the reviewer. It's one person with their opinion of the game. One. It's okay for him to have disliked it while others shower the game with praise. As "harsh" as it may seem, it's just Ollie's opinion, not a fact.
@BabyYoda71 Different opinions I don’t mind, but with some of my favorite things like Sonic, DC, Marvel, Harry Potter, Nintendo, Star Wars, etc, I always worry that any bad review would mean people would not like them anymore, and I want to ensure that people still like them so that I don’t feel alone when express that I’m a huge fan.
@benmalsky198 Okay so if you’re goal here is to convince people to play the game, why do you have a comment directly attacking the writer of the review? He did nothing wrong, he just shared his opinion, same as you.
@UsurperKing Thanks UK! I just feel more inclined to be more defensive about Sonic more than ever as the IDW comics, the live-action movies and the upcoming animated series Sonic Prime have helped solidified Sonic’s place as a legitimate pop culture icon again and not just an IP for the internet to make fun of. The more people who I see love Sonic genuinely the more comfortable I feel.
@BabyYoda71 I wasn’t really “attacking” but if I did, it was out of instinct or force of habit. I am autistic after all.
I haven't played this game so I can't defend it, but I think that the people saying that "there hasn't been a good Sonic game in 3D" are just repeating something popular they just heard as they usually do and don't understand it. It's true that there's many mediocre Sonic entries and that the formula needs more polish, but the core gameplay of those games is really fun. It's simply a matter of Sega not understanding that polishing their games is really important and that every aspect will impact in the final results. Sonic games still feel like products of the PS2/PS3 era instead of modern games.
No idea why si many people are so inclined to mob mentality and sure, of course there's people that sincerely feel this way, but for the most part if you discuss this with one of them you can notice that they are just repeating things and can't offer their actual take. You can see this with the irrational Fortnite hate, Gotham Knights reception, modern Assassin's Creed games and the critique of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, which are finally doing what fans asked.
Welp, glad I bought my son sonic colors for his birthday instead.
Honestly, I avoided the Switch version due to fears that it might run worse than the other platforms I have as options (I went with the PS4 version for this case). Seems like I made the right call, although even on PS4, the game isn't necessarily the most impressive graphically and still has popin regardless of the platform of your choice.
That said, I'm not sure if I'd rate this a 4; that seems pretty harsh from what I've played so far. It does have problems and issues that I can agree with, which includes the camera, enemy lockon, level design reuse, constant popin, simplistic combat, and the repetitive structure. However, I appreciate how the Open Zones aren't too big which makes collecting items less of a chore and more enjoyable to explore imo and how the combat itself is a bit more involved than the usual "wait/approach the boss/enemy/weakspot and spam the homing attack" combat that a majority of 3D Sonics have. I would at least rate this a 6 or 7 from my current experience; by no means a bad game but not a great one either. Perfectly average but still enjoyable for what it is. I can recommend it when it goes on sale at the very least.
@NintendoByNature Don’t feel regret getting this game for him. Trust me, he’ll really like this game.
Yikes thats harsh then again I just been seeing mixed reviews some are praising it as sonic comeback but me personally this one didn't grab me the whole open world concept in sonic doesn't fit if you guys like it fine I respect your opinion but nope I'll skip this one.
It’s a 7/10 to me, rough in areas but a solid template for Sonic going forward if they tweak things. I really enjoyed the combat personally.
It isn’t worth getting worked up over a review from a person that completed and didn’t enjoy it, if you like it, be happy with that. This is the first Sonic since Unleashed that really resonated with me on a story front too.
Well playing on Switch is your first mistake. I didn't expect this game to be perfect, so I'm waiting until Christmas to pick it up. No doubt a patch or two will come out to fix some bugs
Well at least this is a negative review that doesn't make an obligatory 'Sonic 06' comparison. Just a watered down port of an otherwise solid game.
That sounds more like my experience with the PS5 version, but reading this, the Switch version is even worse.
From what I've seen/read its a decent game that runs poorly on Switch.
Basically if I ever get it get it somewhere else.
I'll probably be branded as a Nintendo worshipper for even saying this, but I don't feel that this is the fault of the Switch's modest specs. It seems like Sonic Team just didn't want to bother with optimization.
The so-called "impossible ports" come to mind here for good reason, as they ran when they supposedly shouldn't because they were optimized for the platform.
And yes, that's exactly what should should have been done if Sonic Team wanted to get Switch sales. Not doing so is like wanting a book you wrote to be read by those of a different language but doing absolutely nothing to have the book translated. If you want Switch players to play your game, you optimize it for their system, not give them a half-arsed effort and implying (albeit not explicitly) that's alright since you can play it elsewhere anyway.
There is a lot of talk about the horrific performance on Switch. But let's pretend the performance was excellent for a second. Yeah, even then... the game looks awfully boring. Sonic died many many years ago. It's time to let him go.
It's no surprise of course the Switch is the worst in terms of performance so I went with the PS5 version. I must say though I disagree with a lot of the other issues. It's definitely a collectathon but I've had a blast figuring out the routes to get the collectables and have discovered many unique ways that I know were not the intended method to get many of them.
Plus I don't really know how else Sonic could work without some degree of autopilot for platforming. I think they found a good balance with it though especially for the Cyberspace levels as your not going to get S ranks on many of the stages without getting creative.
To each their own though. Personally I haven't enjoyed a Sonic game this much since Adventure 2 and I also think it's surprising better than Mario Odyssey if I dare say so myself.
@roy130390 I definitely agree that there is a lot of mob mentality hatred all over the internet, including for Sonic. I think on the flipside, there are a lot of Sonic fans who refuse to believe that not everyone is a Sonic fan or that anyone who doesn't like Sonic just hates Sonic for no reason. I fall into the "3D Sonic was never great" camp. I would argue that Adventure 1 and Generations are the only times it ever was good from what I've played, and I'd have a hard time calling either great. I've seen an attitude online that if you say you don't really like Adventure 2, for example, people will just refuse to accept that you're speaking your mind.
I also am not super pleased with what I've seen of Scarlet and Violet so far personally. I'm not regurgitating hatred I've seen from other people but just giving my opinion.
I didn't expected NintendoLife to have one of the lowest review scores for the game I've seen.
Oh well, I already pre ordered on ps4 and I'm still excited to try the game. It's always hard to take reviews as a whole when they tend to contradict each other. Different strokes for different folks, I guess?
Oh dear, looks like I was a good judge by not pre ordering this one, same old 3D Sonic, entices you in with all the visual trickery, then leaves you with nothing but a nasty taste in your mouth when the game comes out.
I mean, the game has issues on other platforms as well. While the graphic fidelity might not match the PS5, it looks like it hold its own pretty well. SEGA could probably patch out the experience over time. I think a 4 out of 10 was a bit drastic, a 6 or 7 would've been good enough, especially with these issues.
Either way, I'm not getting it at all. Haven't really enjoyed any 3D Sonic games since Adventure 2, so I'm passing period.
Well, that's that then.
Overall reviews for Sonic, independent on the platform, are all over the place. I guess it just depends on what aspects a reviewer prioritizes in making their opinion. And that is fine.
Wow I'm 15 hours in on the switch version and I would say a 4 is a terrible score. But I respect your opinion. I personally would give it a 8. It's a ton of fun to play! I really think with how mixed people are, it needs a short demo for people to try out.
People complain that so many franchises become stale, that franchise got boring because it's always the same thing, not only people get sick of playing the same game again and again, but also the franchise refuses to evolve and use the advancements of the videogame industry to its benefit, the franchise declined because it never changes.
Sonic is a rare case where the franchise declined because it changes too much, every game has to reinvent the wheel, every game needs to have new stuff, that often no one asked, instead of just getting the stuff that worked on previous games and just improving and expanding on them, they need to make a completely different game, they could take risks if the franchise was doing well on 3D, but it isn't, they can't even do corridor stages properly, and they are already trying to make an open world.
I'm playing on PS5, but Switch-specifics aside, this is a great game. I think this is a super harsh score.
Also, there are people who liked Sonic Frontiers, so all that Sega needs to do, is make a sequel to Sonic Frontiers that fixes most of its issues, it's still open-world, but they will get what worked and improve on it, get what didn't work and either fix or throw it away, polish the game more next time, a since they have a template, they can make the game bigger while also making it deeper, but no, get ready for Sonic Team to start everything from scratch next time and come up with a bunch of different gimmicks, don't get surprised if Sega even gives up on open-world Sonic games for years.
So the game needed another year in the oven and the switch version needed another 6 months after that. Ya know what unless it's 2d sonic I think I'm quite done with this series.
Gonna play it on my new laptop once it's discounted a bit. 20 bux sounds about right to me. I'll wait it out. My backlog will make that easy to do.
Sadly this falls right in line with what I expected from Sonic. I honestly don't know if it's even possible for a great 3D Sonic game to be developed. And no, none of the previous 3D Sonic games have been great. Neither of the Adventure games, not Generations, none of them. Average is the best they've ever gotten with 3D Sonic.
I see not everyone enjoy the open world aspect but I do see their perspective on the matter. A lot of the technical issues we saw in the prototype phase still weren't fix. While the gameplay is fun it's also janky at times and the whole open world zones while fun to run around just aren't too interesting to explore since there really isn't much to discover.
The cyberspace levels are just meh at best and reuse too many old levels, at this point it's getting lame. Running through Green Hill Zone for the 100th freaking time is just overdoing it. I don't think this game could be save even if it took another 5 years in development. Those who want to give this new direction a chance will like it but those who simply had enough of the reuse assets, lack of momentum, lack of new ideas and over-reliance on older levels will be disappointed with the direction.
That’s why I said sega is not capable of making triple A titles anymore, they sucks, they can’t even make a remastered title perfect.
I'm playing it atm on my OLED. Is it the prettiest? No. Is the game any good? Yes. The retro "cyberspace" levels are actually really nice, and visually look great - very similar to the other consoles. Would I have gathered they made the Switch version more appropriate to the hardware? Of course. Does it ruin the game? Not really. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 ran at 360p and it got 9/10.
I was already feeling "meh" about this game, but this review was the final nail in the coffin so to speak. Maybe I'll look for it used down the line. Here's hoping Pokemon reviews well at least
When I walked into the store, I hadn't made up my mind if I was going to get Frontiers for Switch or PS4. The reviews I read/watch up to that point didn't say anything about issues on the Switch beyond the expected resolution downgrade. At the last minute, I went with PS4 and now I'm so glad I did. I've played about three hours so far and I don't see any issues with the Playstation vs apart from occasional framerate stutters, but nothing too bad. Three hours isn't enough to have a solid opinion, but I'm enjoying it so far. I doubt I'll be raving about it being a 10/10, but it is way better than the last two Sonic games I bought (Lost World and Forces). Maybe 4/10 is valid for the Switch version, but the PS4 version is definitely much better than that.
Are...are we even playing the same game? Maybe it all falls apart after the first world, but so far, this could be my game of the year. And I'm playing on Switch.
I wanted this game to be good, Will buy colors instead
Metacritic user score for switch ver: 8.9
So is this IGN?
And to think I had comments removed for predicting this
I've been very vocal with my criticisms about Frontiers basically ever since the reveal. So let me be the first to say that I am absolutely stunned....that I'd like to defend it. Now keep in mind: this is from someone who has absolutely zero interest in playing 3D Sonic right now. However, from what I've seen online, the game seems to be very fun yet if very unpolished romp (the quintessential 7/10 game if you will) so a score that low seems like a bit of an over-extension.
The Switch version is absolutely the worst (not helped out by the fact that SEGA themselves claimed it would be 'on par' with PS and Xbox >:l) but 4/10 worthy? That's probably a bit much for me.
Also I saw the user score for this at 9.1 earlier and nearly spat out my drink at the disparity (it's now at 7.6 but even still, that's such a stark contrast).
@Benjamin_K
Those reviews were given PS5 Review codes, this was most likely purchased by Nintendo Life so they don't have to review it based on any agreement with Sega. I have eyes, ears and a mind and everything I have seen (hours worth of gameplay) it looks seriously flawed.
This might be yet another game where journalists are very split...
@Fizza
Games are subjective and so the reviewer here could have just had a horrible time and not been as forgiving about the pop in, generic gameplay and repetitive elements. If I had to review this I would have scored it even lower. Sega needs to stop getting a pass, even games like Sonic Frontiers and Forces got higher than they deserved.
@piecez seriously! People upset over the fact that people like us saw this a mile away.
Sonic games are like an abusive and toxic relationship. You get abused and then you’re promised that things will change. You somehow manage to lie to yourself and believe the lies but it just keeps happening over and over again. A vicious cycle. Your friends warn you and they tell you to leave, but you fight them and tell them that this time it will be different because they promised to change and they really meant it this time. 🙄 Sonic fans in a nutshell.
I've played an hour or so and I will read the review later, but it doesn't feel like a 4. 7 maybe 8? Seems like if I waited for this review before buying I would've been put off. Will check back with my thoughts after I've played a lot more of it
Nintendo Life gave Sonic Forces a 6/10. Just thought that should be thrown out there. Sonic Forces > Sonic Frontiers?
I still can understand why someone would make a Sonic game with so much emphasis on combat and a skill tree -_-
Why can't they just make a game with only high-speed plataforming? Why cant they just stick to one thing?
@JoeyTS That sounds like a fair score? Maybe should it have been lower?
@fenlix I’m just pointing out that they think Sonic Forces is technically a better game than Sonic Frontiers.
A lot of people saying this game warrants a second opinion, but it has a second opinion — many second opinions — in the form of every other review on every other gaming site.
There’s no reason why NL’s review needs to conform to the ‘average opinion’ on the game. It’s part of a spectrum of opinions, and anyone interested in buying the game would be wise to check out multiple reviews from multiple sources.
No doubt this is at the lower end of that spectrum, but it’s better to let reviewers give their honest opinions — even if they deviate from the average — rather than trying to force everyone to have the same homogenised point of view.
I'm going to have to say, I don't think it looks awful. I'm sure a PS5 version looks better, but this isn't awful by any means for Switch.
I can't believe we live in a world where someone already thinks Forces is better than Frontier (Forces got a 6)
I love how people read one review, then immediately come to conclusions. I highly recommend reading and watching other reviews. If you are especially on the fence, watch some long-plays and you'll see that some of the things pointed out in this review aren't apparent for every user.
I don't know, looks to me that you just made a bad review and gave it a low score to contrast pretty much what other websites and outlets are saying, so you can stand out more. Hope it was worth it.
That said, five hours in, and I am really enjoying it. Perhaps not an excellent game, but it's quite fun. Zero glitches on my end, by the way. Graphics are a tad blurry, but I've played FAR worse, like No More Heroes 3, Deadly Premonition 2, Ys IX... I'd say it's fine, since performance is pretty consistent.
@JoeyTS The Forces and Frontiers reviews were written by different people.
@TheDragonDAFan It’s still on the same site, they’re in the same franchise so there still is an expectation of consistency
@SonOfDracula Alex seemed impressed during his stream of the game on Nintendolife's YouTube channel, itll be interesting to see the video review
@SonOfDracula Even a 7 isn’t that great of a score. People are just being apologists for a series that continues to make the same mistakes over and over. Just because this got a 7 elsewhere doesn’t mean it’s good. Stop being an apologist for a team that doesn’t know what the heck they been doing for the 20 years. I’m starting to think that the “good games” have likely been a result of a Frankenstein mistake. They didn’t know what they were doing but somehow it worked. The reason I say this is because the “good games” are very few and don’t come very often, sometimes years! Lucky mistakes.
While some of these critiques are totally fair and justified, I really think among Sonic fans, this review may go down in history similarly to IGN's Unleashed review. I just can't take this too seriously when there's two paragraphs about Frontier's looking muddy while NL bend over backwards to sugarcoat the graininess of Sword/Shield, Legends Arceus, DOOM, Wolfenstein...
Obligatory "already hated Sonic" review, Sonic fans can just throw it in the pile; if anything, I think this review is a great illustration that this isn't converting anyone into a Sonic fan, which is a pretty worthy perspective to share I think. That score though, pfffft...!
@Mauzuri This is all written, so tone can be difficult to ascertain. I imply no offense nor do I take any. I am a fan of Nintendo because their games are quality. If they dropped in quality I wouldn't be their fan.
Sonic fans on the other hand hold out hope eternal (which is admirable), that a great Sonic game will come along. I am not sure at this point if the track record will pan out. The release of this game points to a pattern. Which is sad, Sonic is a great IP.
@SonOfDracula One review? There are several reviews calling it Mid or bad.
Welp, I'm out. Previews didn't do much for me to begin with so I'm not surprised but even on the positive reviews it sounds really undercooked. I hope the sonic fans enjoy. Back to waiting on Tactics Ogre to show up in the mail.
@benmalsky198 Not in the slightest. I think you can definitely be fans and I find the loyalty admirable. I was a diehard Sega fan back in the Genesis days.
I think Sonic is a fantastic IP but hasn't proven to be a great game series, particularly when it comes to their 3D entries. I have watched from afar, fans who get their hopes up with every release, only to see disappointment. This might be the wrong analogy but it kind of like watching a puppy walk into a road.
You deserve better.
@Tendogamerxxx A lot of people online, including myself, are having fun with this game. I'm not enjoying it because I have to as a Sonic fan, I'm enjoying it because I think it's a good game. I know Sonic Team can and has made good 3D Sonic games and I want them to know that this is the right direction for the franchise to head toward.
I'm loving it, even though the switch version does indeed look quite ugly at times. I'm just having too much fun playing the actual game to care much about pop in and the like, and it runs consistently enough for me. Also haven't had many of these glitches happen so far, so I dunno, maybe I'm just lucky. I got it on pc first but random bouts of slowdown made me go to the switch because well, I just generally hate how pc gaming always feels like mixmaxing things because of my rather weak hardware. At that point the switch is a lot less of a headache even if it does look less pretty. A review is just one person's opinion anyway, and in this case, my opinion differs quite a lot. Sure, it's far from a 10 or even a 9, but a 4? Nah.
Though for people who aren't fans, definitely more of a 6 or 7 at best, it does a lot of amazing things I've wanted to see for a while now as a sonic fan writing-wise, the vibes are great, the gameplay is pretty dang fun, but it is generally rather unpolished and needs some more time in the oven.
Yeah, def getting this on PS4. The game just looks incredible in action so I want to give it a try for myself. I really wish this would have scored better on this site for all the people that just show up to kick Sonic while he’s down, but what are you going to do?
@Benjamin_K
1 that's the ps5 version and not the switch version (8.9)
2 anything above bad is a 9/10 sonic game to the die hard sonic fans
@Switch_Pro as someone who loved the adventure games growing up I totally agree with you. They have aged very poorly.
You guys gave sword and shield a 10 and rendering Ranger r2 a 9 on top of saying Balan Wonderworld is better than bowsers fury, this unreasonably low score is not stopping me from buying the game lmao
Nice review. I appreciate the honesty and detail.
@veesonic Your hatred of open world games is greater than your love of Sonic? That's a shame.
@Shredderlovespizza this is objectively wrong but to each their own I guess
Highly disagree with this review. And this is why I don't like scored reviews. They are so individualistic. Moral of the story: try games for yourself.
@Tendogamerxxx That's classic anti-Sonic diatribe there. It isn't true and user reviews of Sonic Frontiers demonstrate that.
@Benjamin_K Doesn't make sense to compare this review with PS5 reviews on metacritic?
@NinjaNicky The price is the same on all consoles. You are spreading misinformation.
I'm playing on PS5 on 60FPS mode and while the gameplay itself is okay, I'm already sick and tired of fighting with the camera. The shoddy, wonky camera is the leading cause of my deaths in this game. Trying to swap between platforms or rails, camera goes stupid, dead.
The texture pop in and world draw distance is equally awful. I hate to think how infuriating these elements would be on the Switch at half the FPS and lower visual quality.
Ouch. What a low blow. You can't blame the game for looking bad on Switch, I mean, that's not something you code into the game purposefully... I don't think its fair to considerate that in the score so much...
In my opinion once I tweaked the control adjustments the game suddenly became much more enjoyable-- stating this in case it helps someone else out there. If it doesn't "feel" too good at first, try different configurations.
Wow...can't say I saw this review coming...
Yeah you guys gave Pokemon Sword & Shield a 8/10 I call bull on this.
Your cousin site gave it an 8 on PS5. It's not a game I'd pay AAA prices for and they could have picked a better release timing. I'm working my way through Mario Sparks so I can crack open GOWR. Sonic was gonna wait but would have to even if it was a 9/10.
Reviews elsewhere have been fairly solid, surprised this one was so bad. Will still consider in sales.
@Benjamin_K Sonic fans gon Sonic fan, bro. These are probably the same people that say "Unleashed was great, actually." I'm guessing some Sonic YouTuber said so, cause that BS is everywhere. These people own Forces digitally and physically across three platforms. Can't trust em.
@Pikki no. It's best to stick to your guns and let the whiners whine.
This game desperately needs a demo. The reviews are all over the place so I really need to be able to play it myself to judge if it’s worth it.
I’ve never liked the 3D Sonic games, they always seem rushed and unpolished and that goes right back to the first one on the Dreamcast. The new direction is enough to intrigue me to give 3D Sonic another chance, but after all the middling reviews it needs a demo.
I predicted the game would be terrible but bought the game anyway because it had a great review on another site I respect reviews from. I have played an hour or so and the gameplay is quite fun, the graphics are really awful though, I spent a lot of my time playing with the tv brightness/contrast/sharpness trying to improve the image but it’s just so bad.
I think high speed mode feels better than action mode. I think the sliders may be why reviews are inconsistent.
I purchased based on this review
https://metro.co.uk/2022/11/07/sonic-frontiers-review-breaking-the-cycle-of-failure-17711708/
@Greatluigi it's at 71 rn with 4 reviews. Sonic fans are insane, so I'm not considering the user scores. Especially since you were comparing this critical review to something you'd see from another pro outlet.
@NintendoJunkie I for one really enjoy the games and don’t see it in the same light as you do.
@victordamazio Is there a way how we can prove to Sonic Team that we DO want this sort of game to be improved and expanded on for years to come?
Sega started off 2022 with a survey asking fans which legacy IPs we would like to see brought back. Since then, it's been an endless parade of Sonic; Sonic games, Sonic films, Sonic hype, Sega's higher-ups talking about how we "need" another Sonic of this or that type...and absolute silence for ANY other legacy IP. Of all the Sonic games slated for the past year, Frontiers was easily the most hyped, and I'm sure it will sell lots of copies, but at the end of the day it will be another mediocre entry for a WAY overdone franchise. Sega's insistence on such a myopic focus on Sonic has sucked the lifeblood out of what used to be arguably the most prolific and creative company in the entire industry...and Frontiers is proof that even that focus on a single IP is no guarantee of quality, at least not to the standards that the Sega of old was known for.
I'm so hard on Sega because of how much their company meant to me as a hobbyist during the era of the Genesis, Sega CD, Saturn, and Dreamcast; they were at the pinnacle of the hobby back then in terms of quality, even if sales figures didn't always reflect that. Often it was Sega corporate themselves who were directly responsible for such sales disasters; some examples are localizing only the first of three interlocking Scenarios for Shining Force III and only releasing 3,000 copies of Panzer Dragoon Saga for the entire North American market. In short, they treated Western gamers like we didn't matter in comparison to our Japanese counterparts. Just as Square Enix has recently admitted to doing, Sega has always been a Japan market-first corporation and largely ignored or dismissed the global market, which led to disastrous relationships with third-parties (example: Working Designs, whose departure for PlayStation was the final nail in the coffin of not only the Saturn but Sega's entire console future; yes, their localizations...of first-party IPs that Sega didn't deem worthy to do the honors themselves for... were THAT crucial).
Even since then we've seen flashes of their former brilliance in titles like Valkyria Chronicles, but such labors of love are exceptions nowadays for a company that's become far too accustomed to playing it safe and seemingly NEVER actually listening to their fans. I wouldn't have come to hate Sonic so much if they would only give those iconic legacy franchises, especially their amazing RPG staples like Shining Force, Skies of Arcadia, Dragon Force and old school, offline Phantasy Star, another fair shot. Hey, it's only been 20-30 years in most cases; they may as well be entirely new IPs where many gamers are concerned at this point. Where with Sonic we've been talking in terms of months, with countless articles here on Nintendo Life and elsewhere in between, for how long now?
Seeing this review only underscores the need for a sea change at Sega, especially after the empty promises offered by that survey earlier this year (something to consider by the way regarding the recent mini-console survey; it's likely they've already decided what they're going to do regardless of fan feedback). It's time for Sonic to be set aside, at least for long enough to give some of Sega's other IPs that chance.
@NintendoJunkie I see greatness and fun gators in Sonic games that you don’t.
@johnvboy No, not to me. Not to many other people, mostly people like you.
@piecez
The Metro Newspaper owned by DMG Media a subsidiary of Daily Mail. 🤮
"The game simply looks awful on the Switch"
And this is the reason I avoid the Switch version of most 3rd party games when I found a bad performance to play.
I don't value the portability if the performance got sacrificed like that.
I just being realistic when I see the situation like that.
When the Switch version have bad performance but the PS5 version have better performance, I will pick the PS5 version instead.
I don't want to waste my money again for half baked products from Switch version if I found the flaw like that.
@Tendogamerxxx I'm not being an apologist. I haven't played a Sonic game since 1992 (Sonic 2.) But, I was interested in this game based on demo footage and such because it looked interesting. 7/10 is a great score for a game, not everything has to be 10/10 to be playable.
@fenlix I'm referencing the review on this site, based against the comments that are going off of it.
@Pikki I think it's just a general issue with game reviews: people spend more time arguing the number a game is assigned at the end of a review than the actual content of the review.
it is terrible - you have to really put on the blinders to say this is good..
It has no personality at all in the game design.. just throw a bunch of game assets all around and feels like a tech demo
Does Target take returns?
@FatWormBlowsASparky
Ha I didn’t know that. All I know is they used to be gamecentral
I'm starting to wonder how Pokemon Arceus managed to get away with a 9 when it looks about equal to this game on the switch, and they both look like they had random assets dropped on a map. I know its different reviewers and all that, but I still find it funny. To be fair though I enjoy both this and Arceus so this is just another reason why reviews are to be taken as a soft baseline of what to expect. No disrespect to the reviewer, different strokes and all that.
@MatoFilipovic I am! Sure, there were many questions during this last year about the game from those that saw it, but there were also some bright spots that came out indicating this could at least be a decent game. A 4/10 was something I was not expecting.
Man, this is devastating. I was seriously considering picking this up as the reviews weren't ALL bad. But you guys hitting it was a 4/10 I'm really reconsidering buying this. Sure would like a demo on the eshop!
Is the performance on switch that bad, or is the score due to Nintendolife having heavy bias towards any platformer that isn't Mario?
Honestly frontiers is very legend arceus like, in they are new directions, have some jank, and there is a case for beating the living daylights out of them.
But there is also a case for the exact opposite. Many people who have played are having a great time. The fact that you can customise sonics controls is great (if it feels to glitchy for your play style, tweak em a bit)
Yes, the switch version looks ugly, but considering it launched on the same day as the ps5, and it maintained its frame rate the entire time, that’s moderately impressive.
Anyways, look around, see what the general audience is saying. I get the feeling this game is like modern politics, when people talk about it, they go from one extreme to another
@Jamessmooth This review was unfairly harsh. I have this version and the PS4 version (which got an 8 on PushSquare) and other than graphics, it's the same fun game. Blows BotW out of the water!
wow, didn't expect that score... also... game looks aweful on Switch. Looks the same as the new Pokemon to me haha
Oh wow this comments section. If the goal of the score was to get people to interact with the comments and make SEO go BOOM it certainly worked.
i played Frontiers myself, I am almost done just on the last island right now and while I agree with almost all the points, I would still give it a 7 or an 8. When its not annoying, its really really good. Also, you can skip almost all the grinding in a level by just fishing for 10 minutes.
A speedrun strat will probably be just instantly going to fishing, getting like 500 marks which is achieved very quickly and then just buy everything you need to unlock the boss of that zone.
@Levantine
I agree with you that Arceus didn't look much better than this. Actually I really didn't like Arceus and never could understand why so many people gave it 9s and 10s
I think this is an editorial mistake. A review like this, that is such a severe mismatch with a vast majority of player and reviewer experiences should probably have gone through a more thorough vetting before going live. I hope they take it down and bring a more nuanced review onto the site.
A 4 ain’t right, but it’s only one review so what’cha gonna do. At least the people are enjoying it, any way they can.
I’ve played over 15 hours on Nintendo Switch and have had experienced no frame drops or pauses in gameplay, and while handheld looks kinda rough it’s still completely playable. I’ve also had no platforming or combat glitch’s, I haven’t seen anyone else bring it up either.
I hope Alex does the video review since he was enjoying himself on stream.
@iLikeUrAttitude
It honesty runs very well on Nintendo Switch, I’ve had no performance issues within my 15+ hours.
This review is going to emotionally damage some people here...you guys might want to re-evaluate this one...🤔
I've had much more fun with this game than ANYTHING nintendo has release this year.
@Mauzuri Call it a hot take if it helps you sleep at night, but you know it to be true.
@NintendoJunkie Sonic, Pokémon, and Paper Mario.
I feel like this game was never going to get a fair chance. Even if I don’t think the gameplay is revolutionary, it’s still a bold move to tackle something so ambitious. They really wanted to make this game good, but the internet already decided that it was going to be trash. I hope that doesn’t discourage them because there are some great ideas and designs here. Just a bit derivative and clunky sometimes.
I still need to give it another try, but as much as I dont care about graphics it looks really bad. Like really really bad. This might be the first switch game Ill return
@Mach_Rider The PS5 version got three negative reviews, two 4/10 reviews and one 2/10.
I feel like it is no surprise that this didn’t excite anyone. I’m not sure why they just don’t try to tighten up the original Sonic. Every time they’ve done that, it’s come off fine.
I know I will probably get roasted for this, but I am deathly afraid the upcoming Kirby maybe the same thing.
Is it just me or does the rails & speed ramps Auto-lock Sonic to lock-on despite me not actually moving him directly on it? All I got to do is land near it & the game takes liberties & puts Sonic on them.
@Buizel I've noticed it, but it's not a big deal to me
Arceus legends presentation is rough around the edges but the game is solid and enjoyable. It just lacks polish.
From what I’ve played of frontiers, the presentation severely lacks the sonic style, for example the HUD icons/graphics- I don’t like it at all
i got it early on ps5 almost a week ago. Definitely a better game then is described here. If you're a multi-console owner that is the version I would recommend. I'm nearly done with it and I had a blast. ( even though the amount of pop in is still crazy for a game running on an M.2 drive) I'd say 8/10 easy. Then again I gave Bayonetta3 a 10/10 so perhaps I'm to kind a reviewer.
Nice to read the early preview of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet here. Poor graphics, repetitive samey gameplay, wishing it was grander than it is. Oh wait..
@Kilamanjaro that one will get a 9. it's first party after all
4/10? That's pretty generous, considering that, to these eyes, it very much looked like a very bare-bones, broken tech demo. And that doesn't bode well for SonicTeam if I'm gonna be honest; This goes to show me that SonicTeam is beyond exhausted and way fresh out of ideas on what to do. I definitely think that maybe it's time for Sonic as a series to be shelved because Sega/SonicTeam definitely has way better series/franchises to give love and attention to! What about giving NiGHTS some love? And yes, I can hear many in the crowd saying that NiGHTS was somewhat Naka's idea, but with his current... Whatever he's got going on, and not even being there and such, I definitely think series like that should be given another chance at life, regardless of all these various circumstances. It'd be a good, clean break from the shoveled monotony of all these Sonic games!
@benmalsky198,
I am a big Sonic fan and will still get this game when the price comes down, on the Series X most likely.
Eh, I actually enjoyed it. It's far from being a flawless experience nor my GOTY, but I longed for an open world Switch game that retains the legacy traditions of its own series and building upon it without putting in anything to hold it back (i.e. durability system), and Sonic Frontiers delivered on that for me.
"A Bold But Ultimately Failed Attempt At Something New"
That's exactly how I felt with WarioWare: Get It Together!. The multiple characters gimmick had some promise, but in the end it completely destroyed the focus and skill-based nature of the series' gameplay for me. It wouldn't surprise me to say if it's my least favorite entry in the series (though I haven't played Mega Party Game$, Smooth Moves, Snapped, or Gold).
How can it be “a Bold But Ultimately Failed Attempt At Something New" when most Sonic fans (who are VERY critical on mediocre & bad Sonic games) loved it after playing, some who have hated the series for 10 years even LOVED it; you don’t just go from love to hate over a mediocre entry. Plus a majority of critic reviews actual did give the game good-amazing scores… Failed attempt? Not at all, it’s just your opinion.
Honestly, Alex’s 3 hour stream was a better review then this, especially cause you can SEE his reactions to the game.
never had any high expectations of this game
“ City theme (based loosely on another game, which we won't spoil here)”
Gee I wonder what that could be. You might as well have just spoiled it. lol
@Pandy-the-Panda "Failed attempt? Not at all, it’s just your opinion"
It's a review, so you can expect there to be opinion in it. Also, Sonic fans are definitely not the most critical people when it comes to Sonic games, and I don't know why I keep seeing Sonic fans say this everywhere recently.
@KingDunsparce
Sonic fans argue with each other over things in the series that don’t even matter (shoe design, quill size, shade of blue, art style). When they see something they don’t like they blow it out of the water, so if anything they’re too critical about things. Most Sonic fans have HATED the direction the series has been going in for the last 10+ years, and it’s finally going in a direction that most of them can agree on.
What the hell i thought everybody was liking this? All that praise and the voice actors thanking everyone for supporting the game. This review comes off as a troll review to stir up Sonic fans. I was almost thinking of picking up a copy. Now I'm not so sure.
Funny how people will still insist the sonic adventure games were good but they somehow forget how broken and sloppy they were.
I opted to get this on my series x (my switch is basically for exclusives etc) and after having nearly finished the second island and all its challenges, its a solid 8 out of 10.
Seems like switch version is terrible going by this review.
I never really got into sonic or any of the 3d games, but decided to give this a try, and really enjoying it.
Sure, it's no botw or mario, but I can't put it down.
@TruthisRare
Switch version isn’t terrible at all, I’ve played 15 hours without any noticeable performance issues.
But don’t believe me, Alex did a 3 hour stream on the game, he seemed very impressed and was having lots of fun. Zion also has an impression video now.
I'm playing on PS5 so I don't know what Switch-exclusive issues could potentially bring this down, but I really do feel like a 4 is extremely harsh.
Not against the game not clicking with the reviewer though.
@Pandy-the-Panda I have to admit, I forgot about the whole Sonic Boom thing and how mad Sonic fans were about that. I would argue when it comes to most other games, most Sonic fans seem to be the most forgiving towards them by far and generally praise a game like crazy until after the hype cycle dies (as most fanbases generally do). You mention that Sonic fans hated the direction the games have been going recently, but it wasn't just Sonic fans that hated it. I often see any actual criticism of these games dismissed as "haters". Even with all of the reviews coming out, I have been seeing fans say that the reviews (which are opinion) are not good enough and need to be rewritten by Sonic fans.
@Pandy-the-Panda
So, would you say this review was overly harsh?
Again, I'm no big sonic fan, but this game is alot of fun
I think somebody was just trying to fill their Negative 3D sonic review quota for the week. Either that or Sonic zoomed past this reviewers house and accidentally trampled his dog. No game deserves a 4 unless it's a horrible unplayable broken mess. I bet this same reviewer thinks Sonic adventure is awesome.
Sounds like the reviewer just couldn't get to grips with the controls, which is strange, as Sonic controls if you put a little time in to learn. Just sounds like they're bad at the game. And I've genuinely no idea what they're on about with glitches, unless they suddenly start appearing out of nowhere from the third island. Haven't encountered a single one so far.
So this review is just baffling to me. Seems like we've been playing different games.
As someone who enjoys the Sonic series, I am loving the game. Takes getting used to, but I appreciate the team doing something different. I think Sega wanted to use this style or direction, as a way to bring in the people who watched the success of the films. As the game so far, seems to have good cinematic scenes and voice acting. But Sonic’s voice does sound kinda deep. Prefer the previous VA.
@TruthisRare
The review is definitely overly harsh. The game controls great, story is great throughout (one of the best in the series), interactions may be simple but they’re really fun for fans, and the combat isn’t shallow; all that isn’t even to do with the port.
The game looks great in docked, and not necessarily bad in handheld (it is noticeable difference). It’s 30fls but has no noticeable frame drops in either mode and never stutters. If I have had any glitches they’re not memorable. It’s the exact same game except for graphics, so it deserves at least a 6.5.
I swear reviewers hate this game just because it's Sonic. They expect it to be bad so they only see the bad.
Doesn’t it look awful on every console, though?
Love some of the old Sonics but this one is not for me. I got a PS5 and God of War has just dropped.
Reminds me of the time IGN assigned a reviewer who was known to dislike beat em ups to review Double dragon Neon and he shat all over it. Big surprise. How bout you guys get a reviewer who doesn't have it out for sonic next time?
Did you play the same game I did?
Graphics are not as bad as the reviewer makes out.
Compare to No more heroes 3 for example. No more heroes 3 looks like a PS2 game visually. Graphics are shockingly bad
If I were In charge of sega I'd never give you lot a review copy ever again!
Removed - unconstructive; user is banned
Wow! The Switch version must be TERRIBLE, otherwise I don t understand this score, all the reviews I've seen so far say it's a really good game (considering it's Sonic, I mean).
Oh well, I'll have to get it somewhere else, then. A pity.
@Thwomp_Stomper or maybe even a 10.
@Eagly but then sites like pushsquare should ask themselves, if this game really is a 8 if GOW is a 10.
Because 8 still means it's a really really good game rating...
4/10 is impressively low for a game like this. Some of the complaints are things I think I wouldn't even have noticed, but the game still doesn't seem great. Even the 265-person user score on NintendoLife is only 6.5/10. Looks like I get to save some money.
Well, I haven't played this on Switch yet, but I'm loving it so far on the PS4. I didn't go into it thinking it was going to be a masterpiece, I just love the Sonic games. Other than that, Sonic Adventure was not the first 3D sonic game. Sonic 3D Blast was around way before. Also, Breath of the Wild is not the first open-world game...there's been many more, so just because someone else does an open world game, that doesn't necessarily mean that they got the ideas from Breath of The Wild. Other than that, how comes when a title made by nintendo, no matter how bad it is, always gets a high review. You guys gave Wii Play a great review and that was a horrid game with barely any play time and bad graphics.
Kinda of figured NL would give it a low score. Following the trends of Sonic bad hurr durr cause my standards are too high for Sonic.
Lol what a joke
@JLPick the moment he mentioned BoTW pretty sealed it for me. Already knew the review was doomed because of that.
@Eagly true, I haven't played sonic, yet, neither did I play GOW.
Just tried to draw a comparison between an 8 and a 10
Yeah...I don't know what some people are on but the Switch version is not great. Yeah...it runs. But when people criticized Bayonetta 3 for going from 45fps to 60fps and this game can go well below 30fps something is wrong. The pop in is absolutely atrocious. The foliage looks terrible, etc.
And I know games aren't about graphics. But good performance and visuals are part of what makes a game great. The world itself is very dull and un-inspired. They took the somberness of Breath of the Wild and said "let's do that" but didn't also take what BOTW did to balance the somber tone.
There's many other inhabitants, settlements, interesting side characters, etc. in BOTW that helped bring life into the world. While the Koco are a nice addition to Frontiers the other characters that are in the game are very muted and overall not very interesting.
Adding Skill trees to an action based Sonic game to me is just strange. And with how fast you obtain the skills it seems like it was even an afterthought for the devs.
My perfect 3D Sonic game is an open world Sonic game much like Frontiers but instead has multiple playable characters/gameplay styles, memorable lively areas to explore like Mystic Ruins or Station Square (but on a grander scale), a killer soundtrack, tight gameplay that exploits why it's fun just to play as Sonic or Knuckles, etc. My perfect 3D Sonic has a Chao garden, 3D Stages that exploit the gameplay of each character, a story that actually makes me care ...etc.
I think Frontiers was a good idea that was once again marred by poor execution. I am however happy if you enjoy the game. Don't let Nintendo Life or my thoughts deter you from enjoying Sonic Frontiers. I don't think it deserves a 4 necessary but I also just think 3D Sonic is not what it should be today and is probably no longer for me. 3D Sonic can be so much more. I said the same thing about Pokémon since Gen 7. Pokémon just isn't for me anymore. It's okay to move on from franchises that don't catch your interest anymore.
But anyways I digress...once again I've written a freaking short story in the comments. My bad.
@ManaOwls You're trying to compare SEGA of today with Nintendo of today to make your argument. This is not the same SEGA that existed from the 80s to the early 2000s, who blew away anything Nintendo did easily.
Removed - trolling/baiting; user is banned
@victordamazio but they won't do that. If anything, Sonic Team will get it greenlit and SEGA will tell them they have like a year and a half, so Sonic Team will have to eschew all of those ideas. Again I say, why not? People will buy it and say it's amazing and all the negative reviews are BS no matter what. This game is exactly Arceus.
Playing the game now and I will agree with a 4
Wow. This is got to be one of the most worst takes I've read . The game is good its no where near bad.
Removed - flaming/arguing
Removed - flaming/arguing
Removed - flaming/arguing
Haha this brings to mind the disaster that was NintendoLife's review of Snow Bros Special. In that one, they brought in a reviewer who admittedly hated the original game to complain about the fact that they faithfully recreated the original with a new coat of paint, even adding three times the content. At least this review fleshed out its criticisms, though, rather than rely on AVGNesque "comedy" to insult the game.
Thought it seems like sometimes NintendoLife is contrarian just for the sake of it, or due to a lone reviewer's bad take.
It makes it all the worse that they don't do the whole "this reviewer believes" thing and instead stick with the "we" perspective. It feels disingenuous to suggest that everyone on staff is in lockstep agreement with the review, especially when that final score is so wildly out of sync with the aggregate opinions of all of the other outlets.
@BenAV Basically, after the Adventures games, it all went downhill. Sonic '06 wasn't so much an aberration, but a harbinger of things to come.
@Truegamer79 I have loathed nearly every 3D Sonic game. I got this. It's fine. I'd go 6-7 out of 10. I can't imagine being angry or accusing the reviewer of conspiring against the furry communi- I MEAN Sonic.
Again, Sonic fans gon Sonic fan.
@AstroTheGamosian yup
@Truegamer79 Actually a 4 is just below average.
@Switch_Pro Generations? Colors? Unleashed? You're objectively wrong.
@Thwomp_Stomper I was talking to the guy who has a...squints...Ty the Tazmanian Tiger Avatar???
The one who said if he were SEGA he'd take all his toys and go home cause these Meanies did a mean to SEGA.
(yes I know his avatar is from Banjo)
Seems like this game was really hyped. Every little detail or minor blip of information leak was covered extensively.
Why? Does this happen with every Sonic game?
@KingDunsparce I will never understand why people praise Adventure 2 like it's the only 3D Sonic game worth playing. Honestly, I always held the opinion that it's a decent game, but it's a massive step back from Adventure 1.
The Field Stages were removed, and you have fewer gameplay styles since Tails' SA1, Amy's, and Big's gameplay was removed, it felt like Sonic got fewer levels overall, the levels just did not feel as fun to play as Adventure 1's levels, and I honestly thought Adventure 1 had a more interesting story and Chaos a more interesting villain.
That's the thing, there have been good 3D Sonic games over the years. Adventure 1, Adventure 2, Unleashed, Colors, and Generations prove it.
I don't know how good Frontiers is because I have not played it, but I have enjoyed many of Sonic's 3D adventures.
Are they as good as the 2D games? Not quite, but I think Sonic as a concept is just harder to make work in 3D compared to Mario, Zelda, or Castlevania.
A game built on speed and split-second reaction time is always going to play better on a 2D plane than on a 3D plane.
Isn't the first review where I was like WTH ? Unfortunately websites and audiences are becoming my increasingly disconnected.
I took my kid see Black Adam we had a blast watching it where critics said it was horrible, and so many other examples one way or another.
Anyways hope everyone is enjoying it who is playing it and look forward to having time get it myself !
@LikelySatan ahh gotcha. Yeah I can see that as an overreaction statement for sure. A lot of back and forth opinions with this game where many simply need to experience it themselves to see if it’s up to their standards. Also I never pay close attention to avatars and assumed it was Ty the Tasmanian Tiger. And I played banjo 😂
The number of comments on here that don't seem to recognize a review is one person's opinion is pretty eye opening. It's also a 4/10, which says it's a little below average, not god awful.
I'm pretty curious to try it myself as a sort of tepid 3D Sonic fan - I love Generations, and that's basically it. I'll wait for a great deal or when it's on PS Plus Extra for PS5 though.
https://metro.co.uk/2022/11/07/sonic-frontiers-review-breaking-the-cycle-of-failure-17711708/
That's interesting, as Metro/GameCentral gave it 8/10.
I ALWAYS go by their reviews.
@Switch_Pro
I don't know what you're on. 2D sonic games are real bad.
Anything past the first stage is just pain.
I didnt like sonic very much either way I don't like mario either but sonic in general is just cheesy "punk" trash they tried I guess...?
@Thaswizz I wish people would stop with idea that critics are a collective hive mind who are out to ruin your favorite media. Really I do.
All i see is people say listen to users and not the critics, yet ironically the difference between the two is one gets paid. Both are essentially just giving their honest opinions.
If you enjoy Black Adam and Sonic that's fine! But just like you, there many like me who agree with the critics that both Black Adam, and Sonic Frontiers is bad.
If the audience opinion is more valid than critics, then those who dislike the game and the movie, are just as equal to those who enjoy both.
Clearly sega forgot to give nintendolife the bribe this time....
@Controller-Drift I've been thoroughly enjoying the game on switch. I've always loved 2d sonic and have never really enjoyed 3d sonic let alone the boost formula. Something about this just clicks for me. If you are still hesitant I urge you to get it on a sale my personal rating is a 8/10. Although if you have other consoles get it on there instead of switch
@Caryslan Yeah I completely agree about Adventure 2. I actually thought Sonic and Shadow stages were more fun than Adventure 1 Sonic stages, but everything else was a major step down imo. I don't remember why, but Knuckles stages even felt like a big downgrade after I liked them in 1. Tails/Eggman stages in 2 were very unfun for me.
And I agree that 3D Sonic as a concept is just really hard to pull off. Hard to make a fun game where you move that fast and hard to design environments big enough to accomadate for how fast you move through them. I honestly think they could make a really interesting game out of just Knuckles gameplay, but I doubt they would do that.
@benmalsky198 Why are you shilling so hard for Sonic? It's okay, a multi billion dollar corporation isn't going to stop making Sonic games because people on a comments section of a game don't like the game. They also aren't going to give you extra brownie points or do anything special for you defending them. Calm down.
This site gives mediocre indie darlings 9/10 but then a legit Sonic game comes along and its 4!? I don't think this review will age well.
Sooo now how about making Sonic Adventure 3 then? I really want to play as Knuckles & Rouge in those exploratory stages with awesome jazzy/ambient/rap music again!
"Wanna help me find the Emeralds?!"
... Wun can only hope.
Is this one of the clown notes where you need to stand out/be different? 4 for this is simply clowning, nothing more. Played this for 6 hours already and I love it. 8/10
@Thwomp_Stomper I thought you had my back man. 😔 I'm disappointed
@LikelySatan I'm all grown up thanks. But seriously I wouldn't give them the time of day these folks at NL it's such an insult. I've seen way worse games getting much higher scores. For example affordable space adventures. And they still bring that rubbish game up now and again, it's as if someone pays them to do so. 🤔
@Baler
Joking aside, Trust me when I understand where you come from with the initial comment. I can see someone at sega thinking that lol. I got everyone’s back here and hope we all get along, even with different opinions 😎
@Thwomp_Stomper 😄
@Baler I'm certain that's what is going on. This reviewer took a bribe and staked their entire reputation...on a review of Sonic Frontiers.
@Thwomp_Stomper NEVERRRRRR
I had another look at the ps5 and 1X gameplay and honestly, the game looks muddy on those consoles too. The switch game was always going to look poor when the flagship consoles don't look that much better.
on the subject of sonic adventure 1 v 2, I agree 2 was a step down from the first. It was stripped back and more 'on rails' than the first. 1 was actually a very good/ambitious attempt at a 3D sonic.
The only way to know if this review is in the same extreme line as others who gave 8s and 9s to games that proved to be 6s and 7s at most is to wait. Only time will tell. I know we should always take review scores with a pinch of salt but I'd say we need a spoonful sometimes
all i want to know is whether there's a big capsule full of animals with a button on top of it at the end of each level. if so... COUNT ME IN
A score of 4 out of 10? Ha, what an absolute JOKE!
I played the game in its entirety on Switch. And while it may be 720p, it looks fine on my TV.
I’ll admit the pop-in was noticeable at times while running around the open-zone environment, but it didn’t ruin my experience.
But the main thing is: I had a lot of FUN – and that’s why I play games. I’m not going to waste time on a game that I find boring!
At least a 6 (bare minimum) out of 10 would have been a more deserving rating.
A low 4/10 from NL and a divisive comment section agreeing or disagreeing on the review is why review scores should be abandoned and why there's gotta be better management with who plays what game and if they like the genre or not.
@Mach_Rider GamesRadar went 2/5, which is level with 4/10 here, but that was for the PS5 version - so I wonder how they would rate the Switch version, if the performance gulf is more of a chasm.
I would apply a bunch of those cons for BOTW and yet you guys gave it 10/10 masterpiece.
Yeah I give this review a 4 out of 10. Don't listen to reviews just please play it yourself. It's flawed but a 4 is ridiculous. Even if the game isn't for you, a 4 is insanely harsh. Sonic Team put their heart and soul into this for 5 years and there's a lot of wonderful things about the game. Most of us are having a great time. P.S. the cutscenes aren't boring. There's some great interactions, Sonic's voice is better and there's no cringy lines.
Can we please stop with the trolling? Let's be real for a second- The switch hardware SUCKS. It's a handheld/portable that has been out since 2017. And it was underpowered then. The fact that Sega cared enough to even release this game on this hardware and the PS4 and PS5 is amazing.
I'm also sick of the praise for MK11, Doom, and everything else that plays THE EXACT SAME WAY.
This game is fun, and nostalgic, and challenging, and has all the glitches that everything else has. Enough with the hate. Enjoy it or don't. But someone on this website clearly expected a miracle and was given a video game, which left them with a bitter taste in their mouth. This isn't the garbage that was Forces (which has a higher review?!?)... have fun taking your time and trying to beat this with all the speed, fun controls, and challenges this game has. Also the 90's SuperSonic music is pretty bad ass let's be real. Mario could never...
I’ve played for about 7 hours on Xbox Series S, and I’ve gotta say, I have really been enjoying this game. Initially I wasn’t really feeling it, but as I played more (especially in smaller play sessions), I began wanting to continue playing more and more. The game is not without its problems, but it has the potential to become one of my favorite sonic games by the time I’m finished with it. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.
@DripDropCop146 And likewise my opinion is my own based off seeing multiple websites grow to predictable scores depending on other variables. It can be wrong in some instances while right in others .
I'm not a FF7 fan, but I've played through it enough know it's still excellent game; Point being we can dislike something while respecting it is indeed decent. Sorry my observations bother you, but continue to make your own my man, but hard not notice certain patterns.
@Switch_Pro yeah there is… this game. I’m playing it on PS5 and loving it
Several times Nintendolife has proved unable to professionally analyze a video game. In this case the editor is only partially wrong, but he went too hard. The Switch version deserves a 6/10, but it's nowhere near the ideal way to play Sonic Frontiers.
The best way to describe this version should be:
"If you have ONLY the Switch, it's "okay-ish" to play it. Otherwise, play it somewhere else."
Honestly I saw live stream someone playing to me looks so underwhelming the open world looks so bland and seeing gameplay as its boring and repetitive and the story looks okay alot saying its better than Sonic adventure and I disagree that's why I'm skipping this gameplay looks meh.
I don’t understand why this game is getting the criticism it’s. Great game.
if nintendo made it, score would be a 9 atleast xd
@Outlander99 truly think that sites succumb to things they never thought they would......
I also think it's fine and perhaps needed to be called out when seen because we all are targets to bias
I wonder if they will judge Pokémon as hard on a technical level as this game when that gets reviewed, but I doubt it. If Nintendo made the game then the reviews always seem to be far more positive.
@benmalsky198 On exploring other reviews I have changed my mind on purchasing and giving it a go. I appreciate the Switch version is a bit messy frankly but I'd much rather play it portably. Also, the othe reviews seemed to have contextually taken into account the Switch's limitations using this specific engine. This review makes it sound unplayable at times which doesn't seem true elsewhere.
9/10. A fun game that isn't perfect, but is very close. It's good to see Sonic actually doing something fresh and new for once.
I’ve heard a ton of great stuff about this on switch. How did it manage to get a 4/10 on here? I guess I’ll just buy it and decide for myself.
And this is the problem with most review sites, unless its a group of people reviewing the product and giving a average your either going to get scores that are low or high depending on one persons tastes. I have played some of the game and thought it a fine entry in the series. yes some jumps and camera angles are annoying.
but I for one thought it a fine game.
Clearly this reviewer cant handle the game and dislikes it.
maybe they shouldnt put scores up on sites like these. just review the game and say if you enjoyed it or not.
If you like 3D SONIC then this is def worth a go.
Whether its worth the full asking price is up to each individual.
We all have our tastes, hey I dislike GTA , but millions love it. I thought The Last of us was OK , but would not praise it as the next best thing back in the day.
Most games will appeal to someone. many rarely give certain games a chance. You like Sonic , your like this, you like 3D Sonic than your love this. And I for one could never inderstand the craze for God of War, played it and thought ,mmm . see where all different.
Reviews should try and cater to a audience and a varied one.
This reviewer is clearly thinking of himself.
Crap game! 2/10 Its just a bunch of Sonic fans complaining for a higher score. The game is garbage, and looks like ***** on Switch. Only stupid Sonic nerds will buy this one on Switch.
This game is pretty much Mario Odyssey, with a focus on speed. Even though the Switch version was the worst, it's still a game that deserved a decent review.
I saw very positive reviews on Steam, shocked to see a 4/10 here.
Just going to drop in the link to the 8/10 review on the PushSquare sister site of NL.... https://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/ps5/sonic-frontiers
@Mince Dude if these are the worst controls you've ever experienced, you must actually suck exponentially at the game. Open world does not have any control issues outside of maybe slow platforming being a bit awkward
everything else is literally your fault, you can actually tweak the controls for yourself in this game.
I’ve been playing this a lot. Is it a great game, maybe not. But it’s definitely a good one-even on Switch. Again, 4 is much too low here
I'm having huge fun with the Xbox One version, this game is just a little too advanced to run well on the Switch. I'd rate the Xbox One version 8/10
Just finished the game. So good! Nintendo Life really missed this one, and I can’t say that often at all. Awesome game!
4 feels harsh, comically biased somehow. Probably a 7 on the Switch, 8 or 9 elsewhere. Sonic Frontiers isn't perfect, but it is a good game. The exploration is enjoyable and I actually like the combat, cos it wasn't just limited to homing attack.
Finally finished the game… and yeah, I disagree on the score.
A lot of things said I do agree with though: the game is absolutely hideous in motion, it feels ridiculously unpolished, pop-in makes collectible hunting nigh-impossible, and Sonic tends to control either like a feather or a tank.
But idk, this game hits everything a Sonic game needs to hit. The music is the best since 06 (probably the only time you can use that phrase), the story is really intriguing, and while not everything lands, the stuff that does really does, and the Super Sonic boss fights are probably the highest amount of hype I’ve ever played in a video game.
It has so many glaring problems that I don’t doubt this was an honest review, but it’ll always be a great game in my heart, and I’m super hyped for the free DLC.
This review is terrible. You should be ashamed of yourself for giving this game a 4.
Removed - advertising; user is banned
Removed - offensive remarks; user is banned
Not to pile on, but can we get either Alex or Zion to do an official review? They both had a much better experience, and it'd be a nice contrast so as not to immediately turn folks off to this game. Heck, even Felix has had his problems but found some enjoyment.
Bottom line: this is an unquestionably harsh review. Maybe you had a bad time with it, but the vast majority of players - even on Switch - apparently had better experiences. From what I've both observed online and personally played, this game merits at least a 6.5, honestly closer to an 8.
A second opinion is definitely needed here.
Why would you let someone review this game when they’ve never played a 3D Sonic game before? Doesn’t seem like an accurate score.
Ok, started playing this and, hmmm the platforming is a bit dodgy and the camera angles can be a bit mental, but after a few hours, I'm kind of used to it.
Played the demo, I was not impressed. Very ugly looking and also very lineair (but I know its just the first area. After that it might open up). Might still try it someday, but the graphics are a huuuuge turn-off.
im glad this website got a negative review because this game sucks unlike sonic origins plus.
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...