Sonic Frontiers Review Summary

Open-world design praised: The open-world structure of the game is highly appreciated by players. It is described as impressive, well-done, and encouraging exploration. The design allows for more freedom and showcases Sonic's speed effectively.

Boss fights are highly entertaining: The boss fights are frequently mentioned as fun, entertaining, and epic. Players appreciate the variety, cinematic nature, and challenge of the boss battles.

Positive overall game experience: Players generally find the game enjoyable and fun. It is often described as a good or great game with enjoyable gameplay and beautiful visuals.

Outstanding soundtrack and music: The game's music, especially during boss fights, is praised as amazing, magnificent, and phenomenal. The soundtrack is a significant highlight for many players.

Considered one of the best Sonic games: Many players consider this game to be one of the best in the Sonic series, particularly praising it as a standout 3D Sonic game.

Poor controls and gameplay: The game is criticized for its unwieldy and difficult controls, confusing gameplay, and poor design choices. The combat system is also noted as weak and repetitive.

Poorly designed cyberspace levels: Cyberspace levels are criticized for being short, simple, repetitive, and poorly designed. They are also noted for reusing old assets and having control issues.

Tedious and empty open world: The open-world gameplay is described as tedious, empty, and monotonous, with repetitive platforms and boring fetch quests.

Underdeveloped and flawed story: The story is described as empty, short, and lacking emotional depth. It is also criticized for being simplistic and poorly delivered through drip-fed cutscenes.

Slow and boring gameplay: The game is described as slow, boring, and mediocre, with gameplay that becomes tedious and repetitive over time.

Open-world gameplay emphasis: The game features a significant focus on open-world gameplay, including exploration, puzzles, and various activities. Players appreciate the large, interactive world with elements like collectibles and parkour sections.

Boss fights and unique mechanics: The game includes numerous boss fights with unique mechanics and specific music. Players experience a variety of boss battles, including mini-bosses and giant enemies, which add strategic combat elements.

Customizable gameplay and controls: The gameplay is noted for being fun and highly customizable, including customizable controls. However, some players criticize the controls as poor or needing improvement.

2D and 3D platforming sections: The game combines semi-2D stages and 3D platforming sections. Players enjoy the mix of side-scrolling and 3D phases, although some note the forced 2D sections.

High-speed action and platforming: The game features high-speed platforming and action, combining open-world exploration with fast-paced movement. Players appreciate the sense of speed and action mechanics.

Frame rate limitations: The game is limited to 30fps and 60fps, which has been a point of contention among players. Some players find these limitations restrictive and impacting their gaming experience.

Object and texture pop-in: There are numerous reports of object and texture pop-in issues, where objects and textures suddenly appear as the player moves through the game world. This issue is particularly noted with platforms and environmental elements.

Performance and lag issues: Many players report experiencing lag, frame rate issues, and general performance problems. These issues seem to be widespread and affect the overall gameplay experience.

Bugs and glitches: Players have encountered various bugs and glitches, ranging from visual issues to gameplay-affecting bugs. These issues can disrupt the gaming experience and cause frustration.

Poor optimization: There are multiple reports indicating that the game is poorly optimized, leading to performance issues across different hardware configurations. This includes problems on both high-end and low-end systems.

Worth buying on sale: Many reviews suggest purchasing the game during a sale or at a discounted price. It is often considered worth the price when discounted.

Highly recommended for Sonic fans: The game is frequently recommended for Sonic fans, both new and old. It is seen as a must-have for those who enjoy the franchise.

Mixed recommendations for non-fans: While some recommend the game even to non-Sonic fans, others suggest it might not be worth it for those who are not fans of the franchise.

Not recommended at full price: Several reviews advise against buying the game at full price, suggesting it is better to wait for a sale.

Recommended for specific player types: The game is recommended for fans of 3D platformers, those who enjoy platinum trophies, and players who prefer sandbox-like games.

Community fair range: $5.00 - $15.00.

Game completion: 27.5h.

Story completion: 15.0h.

Session length: 1.0h.

Endgame: 10.0h.

The game initially presents friction with its tutorial system and controls, but once players customize Sonic's speed and maneuverability, the open-world exploration becomes enjoyable and addictive.

Reported time to anchor: 1h.

Franchise Fan: Explorative and completionist. Motivation: Nostalgia and franchise loyalty. Stance: sale.

Casual Explorer: Casual and explorative. Motivation: Enjoyment of open-world and action-adventure games. Stance: sale.

Critical Veteran: Critical and evaluative. Motivation: High standards for the franchise. Stance: deep sale.

The game exhibits varied performance across different hardware cohorts, with lower VRAM systems experiencing more instability and higher VRAM systems suffering from frame rate limitations.

Windows <8GB VRAM: mixed. Performance varies widely, with some users reporting smooth gameplay while others experience significant lag and stuttering.

Windows 12-15GB VRAM: negative. Users report frustration with locked frame rates and inability to uncap FPS, leading to a poor gaming experience.

Steam Deck: The analysis of user feedback for the Steam Deck experience of the game reveals significant technical barriers. Key issues include performance problems such as low frame rates and crashes, DRM and anti-cheat complications, compatibility and optimization challenges, user interface and control issues, and stability problems. These issues collectively contribute to a subpar user experience, requiring considerable tinkering and causing frustration among users.

Linux and Proton: The game has some issues with specific versions of Proton, leading to crashes, but these can be resolved by switching Proton versions. Graphical glitches such as flickering and texture problems are also reported, requiring some tweaks. Overall, the game runs well on Linux with minor nitpicks.

External guides: The game suffers from significant issues related to complex mechanics, bugs, and insufficient instructional data. Users frequently need external guides to understand puzzles and progression, and there are notable problems with basic game functions and crashes. Additionally, there is a lack of adequate explanations within the game, leading to a frustrating user experience.

Desire for water running: Players expressed a desire to have the ability to run on water.

DLC mentioned: Some reviews mentioned the DLC, but no specific details were provided.