Sonic Frontiers

91%
Game Brain Score Based on 16,511 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
Sonic Frontiers Game Cover
Not only does Sonic Frontiers succeed in introducing compelling open-world elements, it also serves as one of the most refreshingly unique entries in the series.
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"Sonic Frontiers" is a single-player game with stunning graphics and approximately 30 hours of playtime. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog as he explores an ancient island to find the missing Chaos Emeralds and battles powerful enemies in this high-speed adventure. The game offers action-packed platforming challenges across five massive islands, delivering unparalleled high-speed freedom and hidden secrets to discover.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 16,511 reviews
story1,515 positive mentions
grinding337 negative mentions
  • story4,698 mentions

    The story of "Sonic Frontiers" has been widely praised for its depth and character development, marking a significant improvement over previous titles in the franchise. Written primarily by Ian Flynn, the narrative explores themes of friendship, loss, and the origins of the Chaos Emeralds, while also incorporating callbacks to earlier games, which resonates well with long-time fans. However, some players noted pacing issues and a somewhat anticlimactic ending, suggesting that while the story is engaging, it could benefit from further refinement and expansion in future updates.

    • “The story is engaging, with Sonic embarking on a quest to rescue his friends and uncover the mysteries of the new world.”
    • “The narrative gradually becomes more compelling, exploring Sonic's universe in greater depth and introducing Sage, a well-received new character.”
    • “The story is surprisingly touching and the gameplay feels very fun, with a soundtrack that makes you feel like a badass during boss battles.”
    • “The gameplay is boring, the world is ugly and uninspired, and the story was just plain awful.”
    • “The story is a huge step-up compared to sonic forces, but it still feels like a collection of fetch quests with little narrative depth.”
    • “The story is pretty bland and it spends a lot of time with characters just standing around and making references to older games, then some stuff happens that I struggle to care about.”
  • music3,650 mentions

    The music in "Sonic Frontiers" has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its diverse and high-quality soundtrack that includes a mix of orchestral, electronic, and heavy metal tracks. The boss fight themes, in particular, are highlighted as standout moments, often compared to the intensity of music from games like "Metal Gear Rising." While some ambient tracks in the open world are described as melancholic, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack elevates the gameplay experience, making it a significant highlight of the game.

    • “The soundtrack is fantastic, but there are some visual bugs like v-sync issues.”
    • “The music during these fights is top tier as well.”
    • “The soundtrack is the best part though.”
    • “The music is lackluster compared to Sonic’s iconic tracks, except for a few standout moments in boss fights.”
    • “The overworld music is definitely the weakest, being pretty generic orchestral music.”
    • “The soundtrack is a strange mix of generic-sounding piano and anime music, with no clear unifying themes or characteristics.”
  • gameplay3,074 mentions

    The gameplay in "Sonic Frontiers" has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players appreciating the new open-world format that allows for exploration and a variety of mechanics. While the core gameplay loop of collecting items and battling mini-bosses is engaging, some players find it repetitive, particularly as the game progresses through its multiple islands. The combat system, featuring new mechanics and combos, is seen as a significant improvement, although some aspects, like the cyberspace levels and certain boss mechanics, have been criticized for lacking depth and polish. Overall, the game is viewed as a promising step forward for the franchise, blending classic elements with innovative gameplay, despite some technical issues and a need for further refinement.

    • “The gameplay is fantastic, the story is fun (albeit the pacing gets a bit rubbish later on), and the musical score is to die for.”
    • “The gameplay loop is very solid, the controls are very smooth on the ground, but still need a bit of work in the air.”
    • “The open zone gameplay is really fun, sonic controls really well, and you can pull off some crazy stuff once you master the movement.”
    • “The gameplay is boring, the world is ugly and uninspired, and the story was just plain awful.”
    • “The main issue I have with the gameplay loop is actually getting the collectibles.”
    • “The gameplay loop gets repetitive after the first island, the story's kind of meh, there's a fair amount of jank and a lack of polish, the combat could've been better, and so on.”
  • graphics1,200 mentions

    The graphics of Sonic Frontiers have received mixed reviews, with many praising the overall visual quality and artistic direction, particularly in the open-world environments and character designs. However, criticisms include inconsistent art styles, significant pop-in issues, and a lack of advanced graphical options, which detract from the experience. While some players find the graphics stunning, especially on higher settings, others feel they fall short of modern AAA standards, often comparing them unfavorably to previous titles in the franchise.

    • “The graphics are unbelievable with stunning views and challenging platforming.”
    • “Visually, Sonic Frontiers is a tour de force, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in gaming graphics.”
    • “The graphics are gorgeous, the environments look realistic and pretty, and the style clash of terrain and 'prop', while existent, I find charming and not a hindrance.”
    • “The graphics are surprisingly terrible.”
    • “Graphically, Sonic Frontiers looks outdated, with low-resolution textures and stiff animations that fail to impress, especially in the context of modern open-world games.”
    • “The graphics feel like they were designed for a PS3.”
  • grinding381 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly in the open-world segments where collecting items and completing side missions can feel like a chore. While some enjoy the freedom of exploration and the unique movement mechanics, others criticize the excessive grinding required for upgrades and collectibles, often leading to frustration. The fishing mini-game is frequently mentioned as a welcome alternative to alleviate some of the grind, allowing players to bypass more tedious tasks.

    • “Exploring isn't as tedious as some other reviews I see saying, or at least it isn't to me.”
    • “Open world (or 'open zone' for this game) that isn't tedious when collecting items, fun fights, bosses, and a good story.”
    • “The map and grind rails are much appreciated to allow for navigation of the island, which isn't that tedious.”
    • “The game itself is oddly satisfying to play, I've occasionally caught myself just fishing for fun instead of grinding for in-game items.”
    • “The open world can be tedious if I'm being honest and doesn't serve an important role in the game like Breath of the Wild or the Elder Scrolls to list some examples.”
    • “Collecting character hearts/fragments/whatever is obnoxiously grindy, especially on worlds 3 and 5, and it's usually both faster and more fun to just get them from the fishing minigame.”
  • optimization281 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and pop-in effects, particularly on PC. While some users experienced smooth gameplay on high-end systems, others found the game poorly optimized for various hardware configurations, often attributing these issues to the Denuvo DRM and a lack of graphical settings. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the game has potential, it requires further optimization to enhance the player experience.

    • “The cyberspace segments are a neat idea too since they fit Sonic's chaotic speed really well while bringing a lot of emphasis on ranking and performance.”
    • “Character models are well-animated, and the game's performance is generally smooth.”
    • “Despite the fact that I spent 90% of the time navigating the menus trying to constantly adjust settings to get good performance out of the game, I do think Sonic Frontiers is a good game.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized.”
    • “This game is almost unplayable with the amount of stuttering and fps drops, fix the fucking game.”
    • “The frustration of the stuttering performance is really the biggest issue.”
  • stability279 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly disrupt gameplay. Issues include erratic controls, freezing during cutscenes, and inconsistent physics, particularly in platforming sections. While some players find the glitches amusing or manageable, many agree that the game's overall stability is a major drawback, detracting from an otherwise enjoyable experience.

    • “After figuring out hardware issues on my end, this game runs great.”
    • “Best Sonic game in decades and surprisingly bug free.”
    • “Outstanding game feel, very performant (runs great on a 1070ti), Sonic in an open world like we've been asking for.”
    • “It's unpolished, buggy, weirdly designed... yet still one of the best 3D Sonic games we've gotten in a really long time.”
    • “The ambitious open world concept, while promising, crumbled under the weight of technical shortcomings from pervasive glitches to frustrating frame rate drops.”
    • “The game is a buggy mess, at the time of this review; I've experienced the following bugs: constant freezes, glitches that make gameplay frustrating, and a lack of polish that detracts from the overall experience.”
  • emotional240 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game has garnered a wide range of responses, with many players expressing deep emotional connections to the characters and story, often leading to tears during pivotal moments. While some reviews highlight the game's heartfelt character development and mature themes, others criticize the narrative for being generic or lacking emotional resonance in certain areas. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to evoke nostalgia and genuine feelings, marking a significant emotional return for the Sonic franchise.

    • “Sage’s themes, 'dear father' and the vocal version of 'I’m with you,' hit me hard emotionally—they even made me cry.”
    • “The story is beautiful and made me cry a little at the end, the enemy design is incredibly cool and gameplay is smooth!”
    • “The story was fantastic and it made me cry at the end.”
    • “Vast open world of nothing, repetitive gameplay and boring story.”
    • “Other than that, you just run around collecting items while you're constantly distracted by the horrible pop-in and the weird floating rails and springs, along with amateur-looking platforms copy-pasted in the form of a platforming challenge, until you can progress in a boring story that's mostly told through two characters standing motionless talking to each other, occasionally broken up by a reference to another Sonic game like some sort of Family Guy cutaway gag.”
  • humor161 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a mix of clever writing and slapstick moments, with many players finding joy in the character interactions and comedic situations, such as Sonic's snarky remarks and the absurdity of certain gameplay mechanics. While some humor is appreciated for its maturity compared to previous titles, others note that it can occasionally veer into unintentional hilarity due to bugs and awkward animations. Overall, the humor strikes a balance between being entertaining and occasionally cringe-worthy, appealing to both long-time fans and newcomers.

    • “Excuse me as I take it on easy mode and bust out laughing whenever I get one-stomped by a large boi.”
    • “The writing balances humor and drama, staying true to the Sonic series' tone.”
    • “It's funny they let you fine-tune your controls which really don't help much frankly due to the fact they themselves can't actually do it so they try to give you free range on it.”
    • “Besides that, the story seems like a huge improvement over the previous games, where all they did were unfunny kid jokes.”
    • “[story] - they got the legendary Ian Flynn to help write the story, and it shows; character interactions no longer feel painfully lifeless or utterly unfunny.”
  • replayability129 mentions

    Overall, "Sonic Frontiers" offers a mixed bag of replayability. While the cyberspace levels provide enjoyable, bite-sized challenges that encourage players to improve their times and complete various objectives, many reviewers noted a lack of engaging endgame content and replayable boss fights. The addition of mods and updates has enhanced replay value for some, but the game still falls short compared to other titles in the franchise, leaving players wanting more in terms of diverse replayable content.

    • “The levels in Frontiers are short, but surprisingly replayable, offering rewards for completing them within a certain time limit, collecting a certain number of rings, and finding all the hidden collectibles.”
    • “The challenges definitely increase the replayability of the game, always trying to reach the elusive S-rank.”
    • “I would highly recommend this game to everyone even if you are not a huge Sonic fan; I think you'll enjoy it, and Sonic fans will appreciate this game especially with the throwbacks to previous Sonic games. It has a lot of replayability as well, which is nice.”
    • “The game doesn't really seem to have any lasting replayability either because for most of the cyberspace levels I was able to get all of the challenges done after 2 attempts.”
    • “Just a quick side note, there isn't much end game besides arcade mode and replaying the story; no end game like replayable bosses or a new game plus with pumped up enemies (they should add this).”
    • “The game is amazing on a first playthrough, a lot of great set pieces, boss fights, and story moments, but there is not much replayability once the main story has been finished.”
  • character development122 mentions

    The character development in this game has been widely praised as a significant improvement over previous titles in the franchise, with many reviewers noting that characters like Sonic, Tails, Eggman, and others exhibit genuine growth and emotional depth. Players appreciate the nuanced writing that allows for meaningful interactions and reflections on past events, making the characters feel more relatable and well-rounded. Overall, the game successfully revitalizes the character dynamics and lore, providing a more engaging narrative experience for fans.

    • “The character development is handled with care, allowing players to connect with Sonic and his friends on a level that transcends the typical platformer experience.”
    • “The characters didn't feel like badly printed cardboard cutouts of what is now just a shell of their former selves; they felt real once again, finally reestablishing the character development that these characters went through in previous entries.”
    • “Not only is the gameplay amazing, especially the open-zone islands, but the story and the characters are just perfectly done; they finally brought back actual character development and their proper personalities.”
    • “Despite some commendable features, like an open world, improved character development compared to recent Sonic titles, and engaging combat, the game is plagued by numerous issues that make its $60 price tag hard to justify.”
    • “The characters didn't feel like badly printed cardboard cutouts of what is now just a shell of their former selves; they felt real once again, and they finally reestablished the character development that these characters went through in previous entries, even acknowledging some of the inconsistencies in this series.”
    • “Some scenes may feel rushed, sacrificing potential character development for the sake of maintaining the film's breakneck speed.”
  • atmosphere115 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of melancholic and immersive elements, enhanced by a diverse and captivating soundtrack that ranges from atmospheric to energetic. Many players appreciate the open-world design, which creates a sense of exploration and tranquility, although some criticize certain levels for feeling empty or uninspired. Overall, the game's atmosphere is seen as a significant strength, contributing to a memorable and engaging experience.

    • “The atmosphere of this game is unexpectedly good; this is the Death Stranding of the Sonic universe.”
    • “The combination of catchy tunes and atmospheric tracks enhances the overall immersion, creating an auditory experience that rivals the visual spectacle.”
    • “The atmosphere is amazing, for starters.”
    • “My three greatest problems with this game are the constant melancholic atmosphere, the boring gameplay, and uninspiring story.”
    • “Atmosphere-wise, the open-world islands are one of the most boring and uninteresting levels you'll ever see.”
    • “The atmosphere is melancholy for the most part, and while there are some genuinely lighthearted or awesome moments, Frontiers is not afraid to show on-screen deaths, and have Sonic slowly succumb to some kind of corruption while he pretends that he's not in total agony.”
  • monetization10 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some praising the free DLC that enhances the experience without resorting to cash grabs, contrasting it with other titles that rely on microtransactions. While players appreciate the nostalgic elements and overall fun, there are concerns about the game's reliance on formulaic designs and the potential for exploitative monetization practices in the franchise. Overall, the game is seen as a refreshing change from previous Sonic titles that felt more like cash grabs.

    • “I'll never understand how it lost the player's voice award to a game from two years ago with microtransactions, or how Jim Sterling could name it the worst game of 2022.”
    • “Sonic Frontiers, while it has its share of problems, is otherwise a breath of fresh air for this franchise that's been riddled with mediocre games, shoddy remasters, and shameless cash grabs.”
    • “Pumping out either 'meh' titles, downright 'horrible' titles, or nostalgia-induced cash grabs.”
    • “Sonic games shouldn't be formulaic cash grabs.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

67% average critic score

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Play time

16hMedian play time
20hAverage play time
5-23hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 89 analyzed playthroughs

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