Fract is both confusing and mesmerizing at the same time. I didn’t know what to expect, but was interested in the low polygon, vibrant neon colors. The world resembles Tron meets, FarCry 3: Blood Dragon.
Fract is a musical exploration that is all about exploring a strange, abstract world. I was thrown in with no direction of what to do and where to go next. Surrounded by a faint echo that created an ambiance that felt empty and eerie. As I progressed and turned on some power nodes, sound entered into the world. Once the power nodes were active, the hub became available and I was free to roam in which ever direction I pleased.
The game does not have a linear path, it lets you explore and solve puzzles at your own whim. While there doesn’t seem to be much of a story, there is a mystery to discovering and rebuilding this world that makes it have its own loose narrative on how to put this world back together.
When it came to puzzles, one thing I enjoyed was if you feel stuck, you can go back to the hub and move on to another puzzle. This allows the player to never truly feel stuck and, in turn, maybe offer a different perspective on how to solve the puzzle once you go back a second time. Solving these puzzles help you shape sound and create music in the game.
As you progress tools become available to you to create your own music and adjust levels to your liking. Unfortunately for me, I didnt get that far in my short stay with the game. I can however speak for the person next to me, who had spent most of his demo creating music in what I can only describe as grunge meets techno. The mechanics seem simple and looping patterns is just as easy.
Fract will be coming to PC and Mac on Steam, gog, and the Humble Store on April 22nd
