Ares Island (アレス島^[1], Aresu-tō^?) is the second Open Zone area in Sonic Frontiers. One of the Starfall Islands, Ares Island features several ancient ruins of a past civilization, strewn between various sand dunes, buttes, and other desert structures.

Description[]

Ares Island is home to a "sizzling desert" that seems to house a number of varying desert structures, including rocky ground and high, plateauing outcroppings, as well as long stretches of sand dunes. The island's plant life consists of palm trees and patchy desert grass. A select few of these cacti display biofluorescence, glowing bright blue at night.

Ancient Ruins, Temples and Cave Systems allowing for a faster way to travel on the island can also be found. Similar to the previous island, Ares Islands also includes structures such as Dr. Eggman's bases, a tall tower, as well structures the player can interact with, like Cyber Cages, Cyber Space Portals and Chaos Emerald Vaults.

As this island is completely made of deserts, water, while not devoid of it, is still uncommon, being found only near the Drain the water to move on Island Mystery and surrounding the island. The island is also surrounded by unknown, inaccessible, rocky-like areas.

Like Kronos Island, the island's only inhabitants are the Kocos, Elder Kocos, Hermit Kocos and the enemies/Guardians/Titan of this island.

History[]

Past[]

Ares Island was one of the five Starfall Islands inhabited by the Ancients. While not much is known about the island's history, some of the Ancients' soldiers resided here, one unit being helped by Knuckles the Echidna in the future as Kocos.^[2]

Sonic Frontiers[]

Prior to the events of Sonic Frontiers, after a fight with an Asura, Knuckles the Echidna was trapped in a Cyber Cage on this island.^[3]

Later, after the defeat of Giganto, Super Sonic would be sent by the mysterious voice to the sand-scarred island. Here, however, he was taken down by the lasers, losing all seven Chaos Emeralds. The blue hedgehog would then find Knuckles, trapped in a Cyber Cage. Some time after the Echidna was freed, Sage would awaken Wyvern, sending it to chase after Sonic. The girl would then inform that this is his final warning. Sonic and Sage would later met again, the latter trying to attack Sonic, which was saved by Knuckles. The two would later decide to drain a local oasis.

Sonic would later encounter Knuckles, who was helping a Koco Soldiers Unit to link with other units. After helping them to reunite with another unit, Knuckles and Sonic would be transported into the past, while a Koco Soldier falls down. Meanwhile, in Cyber Space, Dr. Eggman would tell Sage that she will be a refreshing change of pace from Orbot and Cubot, planning to give her full control to the EggNet. Later, she would confirm to the doctor that Sonic entered multiple times into the digital dimension. Asking him why he respects Sonic, as well curses him at the same time, Eggman would respond that he hates the hedgehog, but he is still a formidable adversary.

Knuckles would then return to help the Koco Soldier Units. At some point, he realizes that the ruins look similar to the ones on Angel Island. Later, he would have a conversation with Sonic, telling the hedgehog that the Koco reminds him that he is the last Echidna, as well the cataclysm that wiped them out. He would also admit that he envies Sonic's lifestyle, being free to go wherever he wants, whenever he wants. Knuckles would then observe than an ancient Machinery was activated. Sonic would tell him that this happened on the previous island as well. Even though Knuckles was worried that he is missing an Emerald, the hedgehog would inform him that on the last island, it was located on the back of the Titan.

After claiming the last Chaos Emerald, Sonic fights Wyvern, turning into Super Sonic. With the second Titan defeated, Sonic would have a final conversation with Knuckles, which tells him that the fight would be finished faster if he was "Super Knuckles". Sonic would then leave to find the third Titan, hoping that he would find Tails.

Gameplay[]

The gameplay in Ares Island is similar to the previous island, with mainly 3D gameplay and little to no 2D, as well regular gimmicks, the majority sporting cyan and purple color schemes.

Similarly to Kronos Island, the player has to obtain Vault Keys in order to unlock four of the Chaos Emeralds, which are located in Vaults. In order to get Keys, the player has to complete Cyber Space stages. Akin to Kronos Island, there are seven Cyber Space stages, with themes ranging from Green Hill, Chemical Plant and Sky Sanctuary.

In order to work, the Cyber Space Portals require at least one Portal Gear. The Portal Gears are unlocked either via as a rare drop by regular enemies or by defeating Guardians. There are four Guardian types on this island: Sumo, Strider, Tank and Shark. Vault Keys can also be bought using Treasure Tokens and/or Gold Cards in Fishing Spots.

On Ares Island, the character trapped in Cyber Space is Knuckles, who requires 30 Memory Tokens to be freed. The other two Chaos Emeralds are unlocked via Story Quests. Unlike Kronos Island, which featured two Quests, Ares Island contains a third Story Quest, being the only island to have more than two Quests. However, only two of these Quests reward the player Chaos Emeralds.

This island also features 29 Challenges to be completed. These Challenges are similar to the ones on Kronos Island, such as activate the Switches, Parry the Energy bullet or Panel Grid Puzzle. When finishing one, the player will be rewarded either a Blue Seed of Defense or Red Seed of Power. Completing all 29 unlocks the entire map, and additionally the ability to Fast travel to any Cyber Space Portal.

Overview[]

Akin to Kronos Island, the player's goal is to collect the seven Chaos Emeralds after being taken down while arriving on this island, in order to defeat the Wyvern. The player has to either collect Vault Keys to claim the Blue, Red, White and Yellow Chaos Emeralds, or free Knuckles and progress through the story in order to get the Green and Cyan Chaos Emeralds.

After collecting six of the Chaos Emeralds, an Island Mystery, Match the colors, will be unlocked. Completing the Island Mystery, a new region will be unlocked. The player will then have to climb a tower in order to jump on the Titan. After collecting the last Emerald, Sonic will turn into Super Sonic and defeat Wyvern.

Character Conversations[]

Trivia[]

• In Greek mythology, Ares was the Olympian god of war and courage and the son of Zeus and Hera. Ares often personifies the brutality of war, but appears in relatively few myths, a notable exception being in that of the Trojan War, in which he aids the armies of Troy, who are eventually defeated.
• Ares Island is the only island to not contain a variant of the Ninja or Tower Guardian on it, unless Rhea Island is counted. (Not counting the SOS Backup and The Best Defense story quests)
• If the player uses Cyloop around glowing blue cactuses, they will launch secret fireworks into the sky. The cactuses seem to be only found in one part of Ares Island and their state resets after a Starfall.

Music[]

References[]