Sonic Frontiers Demo at EGX - Hands On Impressions from a REAL Sonic fan!

Sonic Frontiers is almost here, and with the hype train racing at full speed, there’s been no shortage of gameplay footage and commentary floating around the internet. But while much of the discussion has come from casual onlookers or general gaming fans, there’s been a noticeable lack of perspective from true Sonic veterans — I’m talkin’ Sonic fans whose first game was Sonic 1 on the Genesis, I’m talkin’ Sonic fans who have downloaded every Sonic Generations mod that exists, I’m talkin’ likes 06 (!) kinda Sonic fan. THAT kind of Sonic fan. If you wanted to know the opinion of a fan like that, then check out this hands-on preview.

At EGX London, I got to spend two full demo sessions — roughly 15 minutes each — with Sonic Frontiers. And while I went in with years’ worth of cautious optimism from shoddy marketing and pent-up curiosity from pixellated gameplay footage shared from events in LA, I walked away pleasantly surprised. This isn’t just another Sonic Forces rehash. But it’s also not quite the physics-based evolution some fans have been dreaming of.

A New Kind of Sonic

Let’s start with the basics: Frontiers is fun. That much is clear within the first few minutes of gameplay. If you’re used to the tight, breakneck pace of Sonic’s modern Boost-era entries like Sonic Generations or Unleashed, though, you’ll definitely need time to adjust. The control scheme has been rethought entirely. Boost is now mapped to R2, a bold move that had my muscle memory scrambling at first. Meanwhile, the former Boost button is now solely used for homing attacks and combat, reducing the chance of accidentally launching yourself off a cliff when targeting enemies like in Sonic Unleashed — a welcome improvement.

Level design in the open-zone format feels refreshingly freeform. From the very start, you’re not funneled into combat or linear paths. Instead, you’re encouraged to explore hidden crevices, find collectibles, and carve your own route through the environment. Even in the opening area, I found myself detouring through optional platforming segments and secret paths — something I never got to do across all four hours of Sonic Forces.

The Engine Behind the Blue Blur

Veteran fans will immediately recognize DNA from the Lost World and Forces engine, though. Some animations, including the Super Sonic transformation, appear to be reused and feel a bit underwhelming. Rail switching is particularly stiff, with Sonic freezing in place mid-air rather than animating fluidly. It’s jarring, especially when older titles like Sonic Unleashed handled this kind of traversal with far more finesse over a decade ago.

More concerning is Sonic’s default movement speed without Boost. He starts off slow — too slow for a character dubbed the fastest thing alive. There’s no acceleration or momentum physics when running up or down hills, and movement feels locked into a static platformer pace. That’s likely intentional, designed to make platforming more precise and beginner-friendly, but for longtime fans who appreciate Sonic’s physics-driven gameplay, it may feel like a downgrade.

Combat & Cyloop Creativity

Combat in Frontiers is a departure from the button-mash simplicity of past titles. It’s not exactly Devil May Cry, but it adds meaningful depth. Playing on Hard Mode — which only affects combat difficulty — I found that early combos packed a punch, with many basic enemies falling to a single move. Still, there’s variety here, and the Cyloop ability introduces unique enemy reactions that hint at deeper strategic potential later in the game.

That said, the Cyberspace levels tell a different story.

Cyberspace Constraints

One of the most disappointing revelations was that Sonic’s control customization — of which there are a surprisingly large number of sliders in the main menu — doesn’t apply to Cyberspace stages. These fast-paced, linear levels play with rigid physics and simplified combat. Despite borrowing layouts from past games, they don’t recapture the fluidity or freedom of their inspirations.

Worse, the advanced combat from the open-zone is stripped back entirely. It’s a missed opportunity. Imagine reimagining Sonic Heroes or Sonic 06 levels, with their reliance on enemy rooms, but using Frontiers’ skill tree and Cyloop mechanics — it could have been a beautiful blend of old and new. Instead, we’re left with remixed stages that feel less dynamic than the open world that surrounds them.

Momentum or Myth?

And now, let’s talk about momentum — a core concept for Sonic purists. A recent video shared on Twitter claimed to “prove” the existence of momentum in Frontiers, but after dedicated testing during my demo, I can confirm: classic-style momentum physics are effectively absent.

Drop dashing downhill does slightly extend your speed duration, but there’s no actual increase in velocity based on incline. There’s no physics-based traversal akin to what we saw in Sonic Adventure or even fan games like Sonic GT. Rock walls and certain slopes are governed by invisible triggers rather than physics-based movement. It’s functional, sure — but not the exhilarating momentum system longtime fans have hoped would return.

A Sonic Soundtrack Shift

Sonic Frontiers’ music is a tonal shift, trading in energetic rock and funky guitar riffs for ambient, almost melancholic tracks in the open zone. It’s beautifully composed and atmospheric, but it lacks the iconic punch of series staples like City Escape or Windmill Isle. The Cyberspace stages do throw in some drum and bass tracks reminiscent of Forces’ Avatar levels, but the genre variety fans expect from a Sonic OST just isn’t quite there.

Final Thoughts: A Promising New Direction with Some Rough Edges

There’s no denying Sonic Frontiers is a bold new direction for the franchise. It’s not perfect, and it certainly won’t please every fan — particularly those looking for a return to momentum-based gameplay. But it’s fun, it’s ambitious, and it offers more freedom and exploration than any 3D Sonic title in recent memory.

Even with some awkward animations, strange design choices, and combat that could use more complexity, Frontiers feels like the most exciting Sonic release in over a decade. It’s not chasing nostalgia, and it’s not trying to copy other open-world games. It knows what it wants to be — and that confidence might just be exactly what Sonic needs.