Shadow Generations and Sonic Frontiers Herald a New Era for the Franchise

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home November 13, 2024 166 Views 9 Min Read
Shadow Generations and Sonic Frontiers Herald a New Era for the Franchise

Sonic X Shadow Generations is a rather unique title in the series. It combines two experiences into one collection: a remaster of 2011’s Sonic Generations, complete with new Chao to rescue and redone cutscene dialogue, and Shadow Generations, a spin on the beloved anniversary title that retells the story of Shadow the Hedgehog and his past. That includes his life on the Space Colony ARK, his connections to the alien Black Arms race, and even his future beyond Sonic’s birthday party.




Shadow’s side of Sonic X Shadow Generations has the exact gameplay one would expect with that name, but it also continues the open-zone gameplay that Sonic Frontiers started. It makes sense as to why, as during Frontiers‘ development, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka stated that the 2022 title would serve as the foundation for Sonic games for the next 20 years or so. With that in mind, looking at both titles and what they have in common paints a rather bright future for the series’ next adventures.

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Sonic Frontiers and Shadow Generations Make Exploration A Core Aspect of the Series in More Ways Than One


With Sonic X Shadow Generations hitting one million units sold on launch day, as well as Sonic Frontiers taking the slot of best-selling 3D Sonic game of all time within its first year, Sonic Team is likely well aware that the current approach to Sega’s mascot is making all sorts of players happy. Sonic Team had already accepted what Frontiers brought onto the table as what it would be doing next for some time, but the positive reception has likely helped Sonic Team tackle future projects at full steam. Sonic X Shadow Generations‘ considerable jump in presentation seems almost emblematic of how Frontiers‘ success has pushed the developers forward.

Both games may feature different playstyles, with one featuring a focus on the Boost mechanic and stages rather than an open-zone design, but Shadow Generations takes plenty of notes from Sonic Frontiers. Both games focus on story, with a defining character arc (or arcs in Frontiers’ case) throughout, and a focus on exploration that Sonic Team has stated is what makes Sonic games and their fast pace fun. Shadow Generations seems to take what Frontiers established and refine quite a fair bit of it, which gives players a good idea of what they can look forward to from future titles.


What Shadow Generations’ White Space Offers Future Sonic Titles

The Sonic X Shadow Generations website makes it very clear that Shadow’s version of White Space is inspired by Sonic Frontiers‘ open-zone gameplay. It answers the criticism that Frontiers‘ platforms and rails didn’t mesh with the environment (even if the choice was thematic), but it’s important to note that Shadow’s hub world does have to answer to Sonic Generations‘ already established White Space. However, the stages being on their own islands with bolts, timed challenges, and Collection Room unlockables still makes it similar enough to Sonic Frontiers‘ Starfall Islands to give a good indication that these playgrounds of exploration and high-speed freedom will be the norm from now on.


Sonic’s Adventures Once Again Offer a Tale to Go With the Journey

In these games, Sonic and Shadow took the spotlight with stories that dealt with their strengths and what they can handle. Where Sonic Frontiers helped establish a full scope of lore, Shadow Generations encompasses the black hedgehog’s entire story and forces him to show if he’s truly kept it from defining him. In terms of both stories, Sonic Frontiers most certainly seems foundational, as plenty of Sonic games get mentioned to shape the world. Shadow Generations, however, takes a long-standing storyline that’s been around since 2001 and closes the book on it for good in a way fans who have been there since the beginning will feel satisfied with, if not a bit weepy.

While Sonic Frontiers offers a narrative with nuance similar to games like Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow Generations may be a better example of what future Sonic games have to offer. Writer Ian Flynn was given much more creative freedom during his second official job with Sonic Team itself. With the new lore team established and Shadow the Hedgehog gaining closure in his latest adventure, worthwhile stories in upcoming Sonic games are almost a guarantee.


Shadow Generations and Sonic Frontiers Give New Depth to Sonic Stages and Worlds

Just like Shadow’s White Space makes it very clear that Sonic fans will get to see more wide-open spaces to run through in the future with a few adjustments based on Sonic Frontiers‘ criticism, Shadow Generations and Frontiers‘ The Final Horizon DLC update also tells players that optional routes in Sonic games are evolving. The Final Horizon added more Cyber Space stages to the game that featured so many winding paths and alternative missions that completing the stages in one run through was borderline impossible. Shadow Generations features so many optional paths, be they small splinters or larger surprises, that players will need to experiment to find them all and understand the stage the best they can.


Sonic Frontiers brought all the aspects that fans have been praising of Shadow Generations to the forefront, while Shadow Generations showcases what these ideas and concepts can do if they’re allowed to thrive. The way Sonic X Shadow Generations has been a breakout hit already says it all, and that, along with Frontiers‘ own success, sets up the next game to continue to reach new heights. Sonic fans have cause for optimism about the future, because the franchise’s new era has room and promise to be great.

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