An Honest Review of Sonic Frontiers

/// Sonic Frontiers is Disappointing - Sonic Frontiers Review ///
An Honest Look at Sonic Frontiers from a Sonic Boomer. I know it's late but my pizza tower video was on time so cut me a little slack aight.
Why did they make cyberspace so bad. Why.
Twitter: / hyvemindsgames
Patreon: / hyveminds
This video was recorded in 1080p on PC as a review of Sonic Frontiers.
Sonic frontiers overrated underrated disappointing who knows tbh
0:00 Intro
3:00 "Open-Zone"
16:48 Cyberspace
22:35 Bosses
23:58 Music
28:00 Story (spoilers)

[@MarioTainaka]

Hi there! I never expected you to ever drop this on us. A quick addendum : The reason for the object pop-in is pretty much that a large amount of objects cause cpu load to shoot through the roof on one cpu thread which causes performance issues. This has been an issue since Unleashed but because the stages were linear this could be hidden pretty well. All objects in the game are individual objects with individual ranges. The ranges are so low because of the Switch because Sonic Team would have to manage 4 different versions of the set data.

[@HyveMindsGames]

Interesting. Makes sense but still kind of a bummer

[@MarioTainaka]

@@kevin_kevinson I'm not defending them in any way whatsoever. I'm just stating facts the community found.

[@Doodle-MeWasHere]

​​@@kevin_kevinson It means there is hope. If they sink worse than the Costa Concordia in the next game, we can't say we don't expect that from Sega, but you never know.

[@TheReZisTLust]

That's neat to hear actually, since this makes my guess that the zones platform sections are prototypes for a city based game like how the snake bosses would be the highways to travel to the next zone.

[@ghhn4505]

Switch don't hold back the development of other Triple A Games challenge (impossible)

[@Whosthathufflepuff]

Honestly make videos as slow as you need to! They’re always so nice and thoughtful, and that’s worth the wait

[@HyveMindsGames]

you're too kind!

[@AvengingOttsel]

The boss battles with the epic musics were cool, the call backs to old games were cool, and it was fun to traverse the world but getting the collectibles just got too tedious for me “collect 49 more memory tokens” augh it’s like filler artificial padding

[@allanrst0485]

With the bases established by frontiers, added to the AAA budget that Sega will give future sonic games, Kishimoto's feedback, just imagine the possibilities.

[@saricubra2867]

The bases are Sonic Adventure 1 and 2, that Sonic Team forgot to expand upon and ruined it since Sonic 2006.

[@allanrst0485]

​@@saricubra2867 but the adventure formula was very frowned upon after 2006, the boost formula was necessary but it couldn't give more, the frontiers formula is currently the best for sonic

[@saricubra2867]

@@allanrst0485 There wasn't such thing as just "Adventure" formula and frowned upon. Sonic 06 was such a big dumpster fire of a game and Unleashed was a mixed bag. Frontiers is not the best for sonic, as a game it's pretty average, doesn't touch Generations as well. In fact, it reminds me of Sonic 06 by how unfinished it is. There's no spindash as well, which is an insult.

[@allanrst0485]

​@@saricubra2867 Sonic frontiers is a really good Game,unleashed also,frontiers is not a buggy mess like Sonic 06,Sonic is a fast character he need large áreas to love around and the combate was simple But funny.

[@saricubra2867]

@@allanrst0485 Combat is terrible, Sonic is fast but lacks the mobility of the Adventure games, specially on the first when you can climb up a building on Speedy Highway with the spindash as an example to reward the player. Frontiers plays it pretty safe, even the artstyle which is pretty terrible.

[@Jinzo126]

Thumps UP for Pizza Tower Music in the backround ;-D

[@marcodecastro7253]

more sonic reviews pls this was amazing

[@Aeroczema]

"A sonic boomer" I am deceased 🤣 Great video as always! Love to hear your passion for sonic come through in the review, even when it's through the lens of disappointment. Also those boss themes SLAP.

[@fiddlestickjones]

Dang it another video essay for me to put into my playlist

[@Irish_Enderman]

They actually added momentum recently, as a toggleable setting that's off by deafault for some reason but it's there I thought the game was great, despite the gameplay getting a little repetitive, but the boss fights are the best part by far

[@HyveMindsGames]

I'll have to give it another try, I'm really impressed that they added that!

[@ohno6590]

As a kid I loved hearing sonic say stuff or go “whooo” when doing something like in colors and unleashed but now I enjoy the silence

[@chaseperkins6949]

Im still indecisive. I hope this review helps. I love the music

[@ReverieSamedi]

I'd say give it a whirl. Preferrably if you want the better experience the ps4 or xbox or if you have a good pc. It ain't mindblowing when in comparison to like God of war or something but I'd say it's a good time. And hopefully when the DLC comes out they'll bump off some of the scratches.

[@OMR3333]

I say wait for Update 3 to drop then give it a shot, I think it's worth it

[@blahbliff9726]

In my opinion, when you say that cyberspace isn't saved by the homing dash, you are right, but that's only because it's half saved by the homing dash. It becomes the rest of the way better if you just play the rest of the levels the way you play 1-2. Yes there is no reward for doing so, but it does make the majority of the levels quite fun to me. There are a large variety of optimizations to learn to get your personal best time, and a high skill ceiling. In that way it's got far more room for high level play than Forces, or even Colors occasionally. It just so unfortunately happens that playing that way is not incentivized by the game (so far). I'm content with arcade mode keeping best times though, and looking forward to the dlc eagerly. If it gives this sentiment any credibility, I do pretty well for myself in the classics, and have been playing them since the 90s.

[@PilaCiu]

28:48 The End is literally Dormin, they even mix multiple voices together in the same way.

[@Hyp3rSonic]

Imo, cyberspace is the best part of the game. Also, the music from there is awesome(boost versions included) imo. Playing in the the open zone felt like a way worse botw, and i would be rather playing botw instead! ALSO, the open zone has way more issues overall than cyberspace does.

[@civilwarfare101]

I want to hear your thoughts on Jak 3 lmao.

[@drenched.0224]

awesome to see you uploading again! welcome back

[@TheReZisTLust]

I recognized absolutely 0 of the stages from the Sonic Adventures but only noticed the helicopters from 2 as a nod and the Bungie jump section which was wasted cause you can't influence it or collect anything during it.

[@maravreloaded]

This is taking the "hire this man" meme too seriously. They hired the UE 4 Sonic Open World Test guy from KZbin to make it. It's not just that the scenario is too realistic to be in a world with a talking sound speed hedgehog. But it's flat and uninspired even considering the "semi-realistic" style of the franchise. The world of Sonic should have stuff for Sonic to play with his speed. Not making the "world" and the level design 2 separated things. Why we have flying rails? And no the "simulation" argument is BS. It's just an excuse. The game started good with some concessions... But the last part is the worst thing I've seen in recent memory.

[@mau2172]

Very comprehensive insight on the execution of each aspect of the game. Good review.

[@HyveMindsGames]

Much appreciated!

[@alixlelouch]

19:13 speaking of witch i was trying to get s rank in this mission few hours ago until i just quit (for now the closest rank to i get to s rank was like 2 Seconds apart)

[@ike.0037]

I love how the 10 min unused dialogue is activated while afk for 10 min😂

[@deslardesslok]

26:16-27:25 Yeah I noticed that boosting makes everything inaudible in Frontiers it's always bothered me and it seems Sonic Team noticed this and in update 2 (or 1 I don't remember) they added an option to not have the boost affect any sound 6:22p.m. 8/14/2023

[@maravreloaded]

12:30 Yeah. Challenges were a good idea to get story items. If it wasn't that MAKING CIRCLES 20 TIMES ON THE GROUND GIVES YOU ALL THE TOKENS YOU NEED TO COMPLETE THE GAME.

[@j2sk]

wish Kishimoto could see this and understand the undertone of this video, while I disagree on the OST and "happy with gens and mania every year", cyberspace is just bad. I do think however that Frontiers is the best silver lining after the circus that was forces, I never been more excited to see them polish and improve upon frontiers formula, honestly my new favourite blend of sonic since SA1

[@cedenoa001]

23:30 Final Fantasy Sonic was the shit

[@HyveMindsGames]

At age 10 it was literally the coolest thing I'd ever seen

[@cedenoa001]

@@HyveMindsGames Me too! It was the best thing ever next to Super Mario Bros Z.

[@nohomers100]

It’s important to remember two things about sonic team they are creatively bankrupt and borderline incompetent on the technical side

[@michaelbrandon1222]

Spark the electric jester seems better

[@thatitalianlameguy2235]

Wait how would you think generations was a downgrade from unleashed? Odd that you'd have so much trouble with them cyberspace levels when they're so quick and mediocre, the best levels ended up being the adventure ones because they were less about sheer speed, speedrunning them is fun but yeah they're just a distraction to not make the open world too monotonous.

[@ReverieSamedi]

I think generations was a downgrade but a very marginal downgrade. I just found the unleashed levels to feel more full and felt open (for linear design that is, with multiple branching paths and all). Even still they're nowhere near as bad like at all. I liked the cyberspace stages, the original ones especially like 4-2 or 4-4. I just think if they had better physics (especially on the 2d sections) they'd be pretty good otherwise.

[@flowermaze___]

It look like a stripped version of death stranding with some rails jammed in randomly like a roller coaster tycoon community mod or something *shudder*

[@TOG285]

This comment section is a MESS but i gotta say, i do agree with most of your points. Objectively you're right but personally, i just really like it. It's the foundation for the perfect Sonic formula in my eyes. I always thought Sonic was MADE for Open-World and Frontiers more or less proved it. I just can't help but have fun running around even if the open zones felt rather empty

[@maravreloaded]

Like. The game is divided between stuff to play as Sonic and the scenario. They don't merge they don't have any synchrony. Usually the Sonic games merged really well stuff like loops and hills to gain speed in the design. Or had city scenarios to have rails.

[@GenuineUnderRatedUser]

2 videos and we're not even done with the first quater of the year. What kind of quality offensive is this? 🤯 Can't say that I ever had any interest in Sonic and this video certainly doesn't change that. Still a great review, regardless. :)

[@lloydfrancis9149]

Thanks for the review I'll wait till it's $20.

[@fohb7291]

Don't bother. The game isn't good

[@boop_po]

The story was so ass imo, atleast in presenation. Sage had like a really sad moment where she reflects on her time with eggman throughout the events of the game but since they literally had like three - two cutscenes together at that point the flashbacks were just cycling through them lmao.

[@wander7812]

Apparently, Sega also RUSHED this game. Though the directo and the fans absolutely BEGGED for more time, Sega just gave them a minimal extra time for development.

[@TechBlade9000]

If it's a Sonic game it is rushed Yes even 1

[@Loathsome_Lynx]

Just because a game is made for kids doesn't excise it from being objectively bad imo.

[@thatitalianlameguy2235]

Except it's only objectively ok

[@stormysoup1083]

There is no such thing as "objectively bad", you can not make an objective value assessment, those are called opinions

[@bluefire9285]

Except it's only objectively good

[@DarkPanda558]

You’re kidding, right?

[@frontiersmodel4781]

Please just let people enjoy games in peace bruh

[@johndodo2062]

Sega needs to use this engine and make a new f zero already. A more focused racing engine would eliminate all that ridiculous pop in I've been seeing in this video. They should have used fog and low poly outlines because this is really rough

[@whaleping]

5:59 Red Dead Redemption can’t run on the Nintendo Switch

[@supperwolf]

For me Sonic Frontiers (especially the way the characters were written) felt to me like they were coming to terms with their history. The history of the games, the franchise in general, maybe even the development team. Like trying to tell us, that these characters and their past are being recognized and will be back in their full glory for the future.

[@FloofPuppy]

Eh, when you played other action games like Metal Gear Rising, Bayonetta, Devil May Cry 5, Final Fantasy 16 and even Nier: Automata, the Titan firefights don't hold even a shot glass of water compared to those titles.

[@slkjvlkfsvnlsdfhgdght5447]

wasn't sonic adventure also open world (kinda)? an open world sonic game isn't exactly a new thing and about the pop-in: i think that it's because of the Switch's limited power + some contractual obligations not to release 'materially different' versions on different platforms 16.32-16.36 i'm shocked that you're shocked! using platforming to defeat enemies makes tons of sense in a sonic game! i'm kinda shocked that this is even considered a 'weird' idea a game being 'for kids' isn't an excuse to be bad or laughably easy

[@HyveMindsGames]

I think there's an argument to be made for that but personally I don't really think of it as "open world." Or at least not close to our modern definition of open world. There's so little to really do in SA1's world that I think of it as a big hub world like peach's castle in Mario 64.

[@slkjvlkfsvnlsdfhgdght5447]

@@HyveMindsGames ok, i get it

[@saricubra2867]

Sonic Adventure 1 is not an open world but it's non-linear (because of character selection).

[@pandamonium9255]

Everything feels disjointed in this game. Half-way rails and tiny objectives is not what a sonic game makes. Just make extended levels and use what HAS worked from the older titles and boom! Working sonic game. This game just feels like what developers MUST have thought in the dev office: sonic game, open world, no direction, wtf are we supposed to do?

[@deslardesslok]

1 MONTH LATE SQUAD WHERE YOU AT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[@lupinthenerd439]

The whole cyberspace section of this video: "man, this dude must hate sonic colors because it's a fast pace platforming game...where you do fast pca platform" lol maybe he just wants passion and ambition in his games

[@deslardesslok]

12:55p.m. 4/8/2023

[@kevin_kevinson]

Sonic TaskManager! Is what I was calling the game as I was running around mindlessly

[@lostwheat5806]

🦔

[@breadordecide]

I would prefer a dishonest review.

[@GordanTheToad]

Heh, the comment got a chuckle out of me.

[@breadordecide]

@@GordanTheToad yayyyy

[@hey_perception]

Was super disappointed in this game. The ps4 version is not the way to play either. The open area is too damn empty and boring

[@ash8244]

not dissapointing, its the best 3d sonic and a great time lol. also you can toggle the cyberspace music to be normal now, so not an issue anymore

[@ShockStormwing]

Definitely could’ve be better with more resources. High hopes for the dlc and the next game though after all they’ve done.

[@os9077]

Sonic Frobtiers is a masterpiece

[@saricubra2867]

That mediocre game shouldn't be put on the same pedestal as Sonic Adventure 1.

[@os9077]

@@saricubra2867 Nobody cares about your opnions. SA1 is a good game but Frontiers shit on SA1

[@allanrst0485]

@@saricubra2867 Sonic adventure wasnt perfect, is a good Game But doesent aged very well.

[@saricubra2867]

@@allanrst0485 Wrong. Is not perfect but it's a competent game, by that reason alone, it aged pretty well. Frontiers is so incompetent, basically Sonic Forces but in open world form.

[@ike.0037]

I mean there's litterally no open zones in frontiers, kishimoto litterally lied about there being 5 islands

[@wrentalva4478]

the 5/10 of all time

[@bluefire9285]

*7.5 of all time

[@wrentalva4478]

@@bluefire9285 5

[@trashman9282]

@@wrentalva4478 8

[@thatitalianlameguy2235]

Sonic midtiers truly, exploration is kinda shallow but entertaining due to the movement like odyssey, combat was lame as shit, and the story is good. Overall it's a seven and a half, I have the same big problems with it that I have with odyssey and botw: the base movement makes it inherently fun to fuck around, but there's a lot of blatant uninteresting laughably easy filler and they never take advantage of the mechanics to its fullest (the funny part is that the biggest meme about sonic forces' level design IS ONE OF THE SHITTY ODYSSEY FILLER MOONS) . That's why I don't like open worlds,most of the game is repeated assets with really braindead unpolished gameplay. A shorter more focused and more replayable /challenging game is just ways better. Even elden ring fucked me up like that,becoming dark souls 2 2.

[@wrentalva4478]

the dogshit physics and button mashing combat make me 😴😴😴

[@ykgcaramel6515]

“Mid” is not a 7.5 😂

[@Chris-rz3wq]

ayy lmao

[@AustinMSmall]

Sonic Frontiers is just simply more evidence to prove Sega co-founder David Rosen right.

[@pinktrutle1490]

That it's only had positive outcomes for the franchise since it's release. Like a bigger budget. More manpower, and free dlc.

[@AustinMSmall]

@@pinktrutle1490 sonic as an IP was never supposed to created.

[@pinktrutle1490]

@@AustinMSmall and yet its there biggest money maker.

[@AustinMSmall]

@@pinktrutle1490 The franchise could have been spared from so many unnecessary troubles.

[@pinktrutle1490]

@@AustinMSmall but... does that really matter now. Like I said this game has had a positive impact on the franchise just 5 months after release.

[@noemisango8478]

Sonic Frontiers wasn't really disapointing, it's just not finished, maybe wait til the last update to give an other review from it, cause they really improved after the Sonic Birthday update.

[@DukeApples]

I was looking for a more recent video aboit sonic Frontiers that was not 4 months old...and in the very beginning you mentioned aboit how late the video was, so now i know this is another early video thay just too longer...skip.

[@HyveMindsGames]

???

[@DukeApples]

@@HyveMindsGames you disagree?

[@MrArreaga]

Not cool

[@tyronemccarter1907]

My only gripe with the criticisms of this game is the parry. Stop trying to make every game a souls game please! If those have not noticed, there are boss fights where the parry mechanic is mandatory. Imagine every boss fight in GoW Ragnarok made the perfect parry mandatory. I bet every casual player would scream at that. So they had to make parry a function that even a casual player on the easiest setting can use. So if you want perfect parry there are plenty of games for you. And remember that in those games, perfect parry is not mandatory to beat it. Let this one go.

[@thatitalianlameguy2235]

Bruh in this game you literally just hold the button and it auto parries

[@Scitch-et4vk]

If your review is honest you shouldn't have to tell us that lmao 😂

[@Blue007prime]

okay this video is already aging and it will age poorly thanks to the updates

[@Xf3rnaPlays]

The game dosen't change that much with the updates: the Islands are still lame, the game's not polished, and the animations suck ass and the cyberspace Is dogshit. If a game receives updates to add more content, but the game Is flawed to the brim, then the game will always be flawed, unless Sega releases a gargantuan patch that polishes the game

[@Blue007prime]

@@Xf3rnaPlays there is literally an update being developed to re-write half of the story, we already had momentum and cyberspace is so much fun now, ofc is not a perfect game but come on, is the best sonic game ever

[@Xf3rnaPlays]

@@Blue007prime the controls in cyberspace are still a mess, and the only thing saving It Is that you can skip through the level with the spindash and nothing more: can't drift, can't turn precisely, so Is still dogshit despite the spindash.

[@Blue007prime]

@@Xf3rnaPlays is not that bad tho, it's still playable to me, that depends on personal preference But still, the rest of the game is pretty darn awesome and you can't deny that

[@kingabsalon16638]

This aged horribly.

[@davidgrimaldo2861]

Ngl I don’t understand how you think sonic unleashed day time levels are good. Their honestly some of the most poorly designed sonic levels I’ve played.

[@allanrst0485]

Skill issue....

[@anthonyyawtwumasimensah197]

​@@allanrst0485I was just about to type that😂, but for real if you think unleashed has some of the worst level design ever it really is a skill issue.

[@hyperdz8507]

Dear god this is cringe af i can't finish the video for the first time

[@mamounelhadidy6552]

was that a friking lie