Sonic Frontiers coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC (Holiday 2022, from Sonic Team)

He's smiling for one, so that's definitely not Shadow

 

Yea, it reminded of this pic:

 

going back to that NME article that was posted here, this is what Tomoya Ohtani said in response.

Not sure which ways specifically, but it could mean that maybe Jun Senoue is not actually involved in the music for Frontiers?

 

It is space, the final frontier.

 

Not surprised. The article is a mixture of actual interview and conjecture. The part about Senoue working on Frontiers in particular looks like the author marking assumptions.

 

I think that's a good quess too?

 

My first moan of 2022

What I've read and seen so far hasn't gotten any excitement from me whatsoever. All I can do is observe.

I mean, how uninspired does the art style look for this open world? I thought SEGA had learned it's lesson about these creative decisions during the whole 06 fiasco.

This whole project is just completely bland to me.

 

Well, we haven't seen anything specific yet. Compare that to sequel to Breath of the Wild 1st or second trailer - where things happen. Give Sega time, they (hopefully) got this.

I really hope.

 

I respect your optimism, and I hope you are right Forte.

Being a Sonic fan for the past few decades has made me a cynical old git. I shall refrain from making quick judgements until we see more.

 

To be just a little blunt.

Every time there's a new Sonic game, we get the same reactions to skepticism and cynicism. The "wait and see" statements trying to stifle any type of constructive criticism. And then when the game comes out and its as mediocre as everyone was saying it was, suddenly the defenders just goes silent...

I am not directing this at anyone in particular, so please don't take offense. But all it really tells me that fans are going to defend this series from any type of constructive criticism, regardless of how much mediocre garbage it puts out, and even if said constructive criticism is to the series' benefit. It just.....really makes me not want to interact with the community, because I already know that nobody is actually willing to listen to constructive criticism, and just wanna see blue hedgehog go fast.

All it tells me is that most fans are in fact children that just want new product, quality be damned. And to be entirely fair...I was like that too, so I can't even really be too judgmental about that, but it makes discussion so exhausting...



So yea, hoping Frontiers is decent....but I have no reason to assume that it will be at this point.

 

Nonsense we saw Sonic standing in a field we know the whole game now

 

I understand You. I was disappointed when Lost World came out and Forces was a total disappointment for me.

But then... we got Mania, and it looks like Sega is really trying this time. Flynn, delaying the game because they want to polish it, Jun composing (this one is not confirmed) - these are good signs in my book.

Maybe we will be disappointed again, but as for now, I just hope Sonic Team delivers us a good game.

 

I think some people are way too cynical and not just about Sonic. I see it for a lot of things. I think some like being cynical on purpose. To naysay stuff for reasons. That’s definitely a thing.

I’ve been told on other boards I’m too optimistic. It does not bother me though. I am about entertainment at least.

I don’t think the games have been as “awful” as people make them out. There’s certain flaws or shortcomings but still fun imo.

The Frontiers trailer is obviously missing enemies, items and such on purpose because it’s just meant to show us what the world looks like to build hype.

 

I've seen enough Sonic games come out and fall way below the mark to justify my cynicism. When my expectations are low for Sonic games, it's not because they're Sonic games. It's because they're produced by SEGA, who have mishandled series so much over the past 30 years that the good games are almost the exception to the rule. It's normally possible to tell from the outset whether a Sonic game is going to be a dud or not.

However Frontiers so far is questionable. We've basically just seen one CGI teaser and one in-game graphics teaser. We (officially) know almost nothing about it. And even if you include the leaks, we still don't know much. It doesn't sound like a Sonic game to me though. However, it doesn't sound bad either. It's different. The trailer mostly looks really nice too, although some parts of it look much lower fidelity than elsewhere. My expectations are low simply because of the company and creative minds behind it, but I am intrigued. I want to know more about Frontiers and can't write it off yet. The very fact that it's different is enough to pique my interest. The art direction is a great look IMO, even though it might be leaning too hard into the realism aspect. And Pontac and Graff have finally been given the shaft. I know that not everyone cares about the story and dialogue and some would rather it was done away with almost entirely, but that couldn't be further from what I want from Sonic games. These are things to be positive about, to me at least. Frontiers has the potential to scratch my Sonic itch both in ways that I want and unexpected ways.

In terms of "wait and see because we've not seen enough to judge it yet", I can only agree and am doing my best to remind myself of that. But it's still a Sonic game from Sonic Team, published by SEGA and directed by Morio Kishimoto. Of course I'm going to be cynical. It's fair game.

 

No.

This is ridiculous.

The two bright spots we've had over the last TEN YEARS (Mania and the movie) were not made by Sonic Team. THOSE PEOPLE earned my goodwill by putting out quality products. Sonic Team has NOT. Sonic Team spent the last ten years making Lost World and Forces. They absolutely do NOT have my trust, and won't unless they start REGULARLY making good games (meaning not a one-or-two-off like Colors/Generations before diving right back into shit). SONIC TEAM made me pessimistic. This situation is THEIR fault. I REFUSE to blindly throw optimism at any product they make.

 

I've been thinking about this and I have definitely also been very harsh on Morio Kishimoto, but I'm totally gonna give him his fair shot with Frontiers.

Colours was a very enjoyable game. It's not my personal favourite but there are a lot of aspects I really respect. It feels very focused in its design.

Lost World was a bit less focused but still brought some interesting ideas to the table.

Forces... I'm just going to assume was the result of some corporate meddling, maybe the final result wasn't even the game Kishimoto originally wanted to make.

The basic idea of Frontiers seems like it has a lot of potential to be more focused in its design and actually know what it wants to be, instead of throwing ideas at the wall.

 

Well I quite liked Lost World. I think it’s one of the better games imo.

In general some of the criticisms are fair and I understand why people disliked Forces but I personally don’t think that’s enough reason to be really cynical.

The whole notion they do not know how to handle the games has been around since SA2 or after the Dreamcast went away. I think it’s an exaggeration that was kind of spoken into existence and now people go with the running theme of “I don’t trust Sonic Team/Sega” because of this or that.

I mean there’s fair criticism for everything but then there’s just over doing it (seemingly on purpose) just too be be cynical or contrarian towards new stuff.

 

Sonic Heroes came out in 2003, and we are currently in the year of 2022. I'm sure I don't need to tell you how math works, but that's 19 years. That is almost two entire decades of subpar to mediocre games that this series has produced with few exceptions.

I have no idea how old you are, but most of the older guard are in their thirties and forties. When you've grown up with Sonic on top in the 90's, and had to watch him slowly decline in quality to this very day, how can you not become jaded? That's a natural response to seeing anything you once held dear slowly degrade.

I understand a lot of Sonic fans are simply too young to understand how some of us feel, and it's easy to just write all of our feelings as just a bunch of old, out of touch men.

But like....Sonic Mania is literally the highest rated game in decades, whereas most of Sonic's output barely gets above an 80 Metacritic score. What can you interpret from that.

I'm not saying that Frontiers is DoA, but I see the usual red flags and when I point that out, I get told I'm wrong. I'm trying to give this franchise the benefit of the doubt, but how am I supposed to feel after 20 years of mediocrity.

Stop trying to take people's experiences away from them and understand that our perspective comes from age and experience. We've done this song and dance enough times now.

 

I am NOT telling you not to be an optimist. So why in the fuck do you have ANY business telling me not to be a pessimist? Believe it or not, my allowing you to have an opinion that differs from mine without telling you you're wrong is a form of respect, and if you're not going to return that respect, I can be just throw all that out and be a complete dick.

Or would you like to drop the conversation here and never bring it up again?