Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka has gone on record trying to distanceSonic Frontiersfrom comparisons toThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Just over a week remains before Sonic finally makes the big leap into open-world gameplay, so it’s understandable that Iizuka wants to ensure that the game is its own thing rather than just trying to apeBreath of the Wild’s success.
Comparisons to that game have been made ever sinceSonic Frontierswas first rumored to be open-world, with those early rumors claiming it was taking inspiration from Nintendo’s seminal 2017 classic. It certainly didn’t help dispel that notion when the game was finally unveiled with a focus on a vast grassy environment with an aura of mystery, one that wouldn’t look out of place inBreath of the Wild’s verdant and ancient version of Hyrule. Other things revealed since have also invited comparisons, likeFrontiers’ Koco creatures which have reminded fans ofBreath of the Wild’s Koroks.
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Despite those surface-level similarities, Iizuka told Shacknews in an interview thatSonic Frontiersis a very different beast fromBreath of the Wild. He said the development team sees it as an action game first and foremost, while in their opinionBreath of the Wildis a role-playing game. Though the two may both sport gameplay that emphasizes freedom in their designs, Iizuka stated that Nintendo’s game is “not similar at all” to Sonic Team’s.
One way he pointed out that it differs fromBreath of the Wildis its emphasis on what Sega has been calling “open-zone” design instead of “open-world.” While players will befree to explore each of the Starfall Islandsas they please, the order in which they’ll unlock the islands appears to be more linear. It’s a notable break from the traditional open-world experience, where the entire map is accessible from the start, but given that Sonic gameplay has almost always revolved around speeding towards a goal, the linear structure may be a good way to preserve that focus in a more open-ended environment.
Other differences have also become apparent in the leadup toSonic Frontiers’ launch, like with its combat. WhereasBreath of the Wildoften gives players means to use the environment to defeat enemies,Frontierslooks like its variety will come from unlocking new attacks for Sonic through a new skill tree system. The game also looks set to stand out with the colossal bosses that players can find in the open zones, something thatBreath of the Wildlacked butcould conceivably utilize in its sequelTears of the Kingdom.
With how highly-acclaimed the latest mainlineZeldais, and how crowded the open-world market has become, it’s no surprise that alot of new games have been measured up againstBreath of the Wild.Sonic Frontiersis no exception, but luckily fans don’t have to wait much longer to see if it is able to forge a unique identity while providing a memorable open-world experience of its own.
Sonic Frontierslaunches November 8 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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