During Nintendo’s recent Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase, Sega released a new gameplay video alongside new information about its upcoming open-zone installment in the Sonic game series, Sonic Frontiers. This includes new characters, features, powers, locations, enemies, and more. Sonic Frontiers will launch this holiday for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
The full details via SEGA’s press release can be seen below:
Sonic’s new journey begins when him and his friends—Amy and Tails—head to the Starfall Islands in search of Chaos Emeralds. As they approach the islands, sudden trouble hits their plane, and they are sucked into a dimensional portal. Sonic then finds himself separated from his friends and awakens in a strange, digital world—Cyber Space. He miraculously escapes Cyber Space and arrives on Kronos Island, one of the Starfall Islands, full of ancient ruins where strange enemies roam. It is then up to Sonic to explore the Starfall Islands, find his lost friends and uncover the mysteries around him.
Cyber Space
Entrances to Cyber Space made by the ancient civilization of Starfall Islands can be found all throughout the map. Sonic fans will solve puzzles and complete challenges to earn Portal Gears to unlock these entrances access Cyber Space levels featuring the traditional, fast-paced, speed running action platforming. They’ll need to complete the challenges in each Cyber Space level to receive Vault Keys to progress further in the game.
Open-zone platforming
Players can enjoy high-speed, open-zone gameplay and interact with various activities on the island however and wherever they choose. Experience exhilarating combat, puzzles, side quests, Cyber Space and conversations with characters across the island in any order you’d like to match your play style.
Game World
Sonic Frontiers expands what fans know and love about traditional Sonic games, combining both linear-level gameplay and open-zone platforming into a new, action-filled Sonic adventure. The world map is bigger than ever before, giving Sonic more room to run and explore his surroundings, enabling him to evolve the land around him as he ventures deeper into the mysteries of Starfall Islands.
Battle System
Sonic’s combat style is more exhilarating and fluid than ever before. Players can use various button controls to fight strategically, combining moves such as dodges, parries, counters and more in various combos to show off battle skills unlocked throughout the game. If you prefer more straightforward gameplay, the game also has an Auto Mode where various attack combos can be executed with a single button. All Sonic fans can easily enjoy the fast and fluid combat system.
New Cyloop Ability
Sonic learns a new ability called “Cyloop,” creating a band of light mirroring Sonic’s tracks. Surround enemies, items and areas to uncover its various effects and unlock the secrets of the Starfall Islands.
Puzzles
There are various puzzles to solve throughout the ancient ruins of Starfall Islands. Completing each puzzle can grant items to increase Sonic’s power and defense, reveal hidden parts of the map and unlock new ways to navigate the island at fast speeds.
Gameplay Styles
When you first start the game, you can choose between two player control styles – Action Style and High Speed Style. Action Style helps with more accurate platforming, great for players new to Sonic games. High Speed Style offers more speed, great for players used to Sonic titles.
Characters
Sonic the Hedgehog
The world’s fastest supersonic hedgehog. Sonic’s adventure begins on the Starfall Islands in pursuit of the Chaos Emeralds and his lost friends. He is also guided by a strange voice along the way.
Sage
A mysterious girl that appears across the Starfall Islands. Throughout the story, she cautions Sonic to leave the Starfall Islands despite his mission to find and save his friends.
Enemies
The Starfall Islands are home to strange creatures Sonic has never encountered before. Players will need to make use of the all-new battle system and abilities to take down these strange new foes
Soldier
This enemy spawns in groups and attacks in jabbing motions with both hands.
Cyclone
A floating enemy causing damage with attacks that appear as electric tornados.
Banger
A wheel-like enemy that rushes towards Sonic once he is detected and attacks at high speeds if provoked.
Shell
An enemy protected by a hard shell that attacks at a distance with a boomerang-type move. Sonic’s attacks cannot penetrate the hard shell, but other methods such as Cyloop can catch this enemy off-guard.
Bubble
An enemy formed by a group of spheres that attacks Sonic with electricity.
Bosses
Ninja
An enemy with high-speed attacks reminiscent of the fighting style of its namesake. Can block incoming attacks and strike with shadows of itself.
Tower
An enemy composed of various stacked parts. Its weakness is at the top of its head, so Sonic will need to figure out how to destroy each stack to get to it.
Asura
A large enemy that looks like a tall building. Run up the arm it throws down to find its weakness at the top and attack.
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