Sonic Frontiers is the next big evolution for the beloved platformer series. At top speed, we’ll be discovering all manner of environments and biomes that will hopefully entice us to explore. However, is Sonic Frontiers open world, truly? Let’s look into what the publisher Sega has said.
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Can You Explore Sonic Frontiers Open World Or Is It In Segments?
We all want “Fly in the Freedom” of Sonic Frontiers, but is each biome separated into different levels like Pokemon Legends: Arceus? Sega has explained that there will be “open zones” within Sonic Frontiers instead of an open world.
“The Open Zone stands central in Sonic Frontiers’ gameplay, and the game’s levels exist as elements within this area,” said the Director Morio Kishimoto to IGN. “From grind rails to platform objects, loops and so on, the Open Zone is packed with the athletic action we love in Sonic games.” Kishimoto also described it as a World Map where the levels are displayed, similar to Super Mario Bros. 3, but in this case, the World Map itself is playable.
The Steam page for Sonic Frontiers explains that there will be “five massive Starfall Islands.” They’ll likely each have different challenges and enemies to encounter. We don’t have concrete information, but from the wording, it sounds like each open zone is separated and acts as an open world in and of itself. It sounds similar to how Pokemon Legends: Arceus works where different environments like a snowy area or a swamp are separated into different open environments.
- Someone recreated the Chao Garden in Unreal Engine 4. Take a look.
Will Sonic Be Limited In This Open Zone?
In the same IGN interview, Kishimoto explained the pluses of giving Sonic the Hedgehog an open zone to explore. In prior games, the developer is quite limited when it revolves around the trademark high-speed of Sonic the Hedgehog. However, this time according to Kishimoto, “the high-speed gameplay can carry players in any direction without the limitations of a stage or course.” Kishimoto admits that during the later stages of prior Sonic games, the blue blur’s sense of speed was lowered.
Keeping that speed, if Kishimoto and the team match up to that potential, will truly be an exhilarating experience for Sonic The Hedgehog fans. Some have criticized how empty Sonic Frontiers does look at points, but perhaps that is a purposeful move by Sega’s development team so you can move more freely around the environment.
For more Sonic Frontiers guides, keep reading The Games Cabin.