Sonic Frontiers Was Almost Too Brutal For Fans
With the Netflix show, "Sonic Prime," and the franchise's first adventure into 3D, "Sonic Frontiers," both being released, "Sonic" fans are being fed this year. That said, "Sonic Frontiers" almost proved too intense for some fans. While critics had mixed reviews on the new direction "Sonic Frontiers" took, others experienced something much more tangible: motion sickness. Thankfully, the development team considered this, as specific actions were taken to save fans from getting motion sick while playing.
In an interview with Famitsu (translated via Google Translate), producer Sachiko Kawamura explained that several QAs weren't able to test "Sonic Frontiers" because of the motion sickness the game caused (via ryokutya2089). This led to the team taking action to try and eliminate as much motion sickness in the game as possible, taking the problem extremely seriously.
Combine motion sickness, fast-paced "Sonic" gameplay, and the 20 to 30 hours of gameplay needed to beat "Sonic Frontiers," and it makes sense why the team wouldn't want to alienate the players who may get queasy. Of course, "Sonic Frontiers" wasn't the first game to make players feel this way – MakeUseOf.com explained that games like "Fallout," "Far Cry," and "Half-Life" have all caused motion sickness in the past.
Motion sickness, or simulation sickness, is actually a big problem for some gamers.
Motion sickness and video games
According to Kids Health, motion sickness in video games is extremely common and often called simulator sickness because it was first noticed by people using simulators. Unfortunately, there's no answer as to what causes motion sickness, especially in video games. Still, sufferers have noticed different conditions that can bring about the issue, like FPS games or 3D titles like "Super Mario Odyssey."
Several gamers who struggle with motion sickness explained that continuing to play, despite the uncomfortable feelings, can be a simple way to eliminate the ailment altogether. However, this isn't easy for everyone since motion sickness can cause a myriad of symptoms that can vary in intensity.
The options in "Sonic Frontiers" to address the problem are a big step for "Sonic" fans who may have been unable to fully enjoy past games. In particular, "Sonic Mania" was reported to cause motion sickness for many fans who had never experienced it before.
For any gamers struggling with motion sickness, Ghost GB has a few tips and tricks: Sit further away from the screen, turn off motion blur, increase the field of view, and take regular breaks to give your brain a break.