Rhythm games can look good and have a great soundtrack, but if they aren’t responsive you might as well give up. We don’t get a lot these days, but Metal Hellsinger was a recent favourite. You felt every beat with the swing of your blade, and learned when to strike on the beat with a clear hit indicator. While Fresh Tracks isn’t set in hell, and there aren’t any demons to fight, it doesn’t make this any easier. It’ll take you on quite the journey, so buckle up!
I played a preview of Fresh Tracks recently. It’s difficult to say I enjoyed the majority of what I played because it didn’t always hit the landing. In terms of how it plays, there’s a lot to factor in when moving your body to hit the beats. Sometimes you have to crouch, but you also have to crouch left and right. Other times, you have to lean left and right to hit the beat. Jump up, double jump, and swing your sword. All of these factor into how you ‘connect’ with the music, but it can be tough at times.
Fresh Tracks is responsive, but each time you hit a beat, it doesn’t always feel impactful. The soundtrack follows different genres. Some tracks are laid back. Others have more energy. As much as I enjoyed the music, especially some of the Scandinavian-inspired songs, I was often unsure of how well I was doing. At various times, you have to swing your sword and chop down trees, crates, or even enemies. If you do it on the beat, there’s an orange glow. If you don’t, it’s blue. I often felt I was hitting on the beat, but on a lot of attempts I wasn’t.
There’s a roguelike element to Fresh Tracks which I liked. You get different upgrades on you runs that help, such as an extra heart for your health. The route to the end of the preview was littered with multiple paths I could choose between, each with differing difficulties. They take a lot of practice when playing. Due to not having responsive feedback to my playing, the only real way I knew I wasn’t doing well was when I didn’t duck in time or I ran into a rock or a tree. In terms of the music, I didn’t always know I was succeeding until the level was over.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of good, too. The environments are beautiful. It has a diverse soundtrack that touches upon plenty of genres, and making your way through each level unlocks a melody or riff that tickles the brain. While I did have an issue with not connecting with the music from a gameplay angle, there were plenty of times I was in that zone. There’s a lot of learning to be done, and while you might fail a few times before it clicks, it’s well worth sticking with.
Through different upgrades and buffs, Fresh Tracks starts to pick up pace. It’s difficult to master, and while sometimes I struggled with knowing if I was connecting with each beat, I loved experiencing every new song through gorgeous outdoor environments. It’s easy to pick up and play, giving that ‘one more run’ mentality, and there’s plenty of time to iron out any of my concerns. I’ll definitely be returning when the game releases. For fans of rhythm games, this is one you should definitely have on your wishlist.
Fresh Tracks is coming to PC via Steam.
