Game shows like PAX East are the place where someone may find their next favorite game. And the beauty of it all is that if you ask any one person who attended a convention, their answer for what their favorite game of the show will be will be different. For me, that game this year was Buffalo Buffalo’s, Fresh Tracks.
Fresh Tracks is a mix of music, welcoming gameplay to rhythm games and roguelikes, its setting, and its narration and narrative created a mix that hooked me right from the jump. And I couldn’t shut up about it when talking to friends. Seriously, go ask anyone who spent time with me at PAX, and they can confirm this.
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Fresh Tracks takes place in a Scandinavian-based fictional world. You play as Skaii, who starts a quest to unite the pantheon of the land of Norwyn. Norwyn has fallen to darkness under the blight of Mar, the Queen of Terror. To stop their rule, you must bring back rhythm, song, and those who can save their people. How do you do this? By skiing across the lands.
Fresh Tracks doesn’t require perfect rhythm to have a great time.
A rhythm rogue-like could smell trouble. Hearing the songs over and over again with higher difficulty elements could be annoying. Yet the songs available on the show floor were beyond catchy. It’s a promising sign that I wanted to hear the rest of the soundtrack after the first area had this many hits. Especially when each area has a theme. The first area focuses on pop, the other is about metal, and so forth. The soundtrack you play to is like a “choose your own adventure” but with a track list.
Beating a level gives you an option of difficulty, song, and boon. Fresh Tracks also makes clear when a level’s track is one you’ve not heard yet. It’s a great way to push you to try new levels as you progress. And the rhythm mechanics are fantastically welcoming, even to those who aren’t good at rhythm games.
Fresh Tracks isn’t always about staying on beat. You’ll have specific notes and obstacles coming at you on the beat, yet it gives you time to prepare to hit them instead of having to be exactly accurate to the rhythm. For instance, there will be trees that you may need to cut down. Their window to be sliced down is pretty forgiving. Or sometimes you can move out of their way. Same for other obstacles, where you must lean out of the way. You can learn ahead of time when you see what’s coming to get ready, which counts in the grand scheme of things as leaning at the beat.
Being on beat is rewarding, though. Like slicing those trees down? The closer you are to hitting it on time, the more charge you’ll get for your weapon, which, if filled, will heal you up. So being riskier will reward you with more health. Same for getting a little bit more currency to buy upgrades and boons in between levels. Even the roguelike elements, starting over if you die, aren’t as bad for those who don’t like roguelikes because of how varied the songs are, the narration, and the animation.
Fresh Tracks is a fresh take on rhythm games.
The world is beautiful, with each level significantly different from what you’ll face while going down the track. One level, you’ll have pillars shooting out of the ground or flying at you. Another, you’ll have some funky villagers try to attack you to stop your progress. And as you go down these tracks, your selected companion will tell you a story with different lore about that area, yourself, your journey, and more.
Unlocking a new companion and going down that same track will give you a new story. It’s a fantastic way to promote replayability, not just through getting better rewards, but to hear more about an interesting story about one’s journey.
Fresh Tracks is a winter wonderland for those who are looking for a great rhythm roguelike that doesn’t rely heavily on the worst parts of both of those genres. It’s such a welcoming game that I can’t wait to play more of. The music alone will have you coming back for one more run. The storytelling will grab you as you hear Skaii’s complete epic. And trust me when I say, Fresh Tracks finds a way to shred that powder while being welcoming to everyone who hasn’t stepped down this path before.
Fresh Tracks is coming soon to PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.
