While it was probably the most informal as it took place in a loud hotel lobby near the Moscone Center, our last GDC preview appointment was a great one. We sat down with Karen Mitchell, Senior Producer and Marketing Lead of Buffalo Buffalo, to talk and play Fresh Tracks, and this game is indeed fresh.
Fresh Tracks is a music/rhythm-based skiing roguelike skiing adventure. These are all sorts of words that shouldn’t go together, but in the world of video games, they do, and it’s highly engaging. Check out the trailer below for an epic look that’s arguably better than this written preview.
In Fresh Tracks you’re skiing, and it’s anything but chill. As you make your way through a mostly linear path, you’ll have to jump over and dunk under obstacles, lean left and right to avoid more obstacles, and slash your way through enemies or trees as you try to get to the end of the map. Hearts on the upper left corner represent your health, and doing all of the above is easier said than done as success in the game is tied to your ability to follow the rhythm and beat of the music being played.
If Fresh Tracks can be compared to anything, it would probably be Beat Saber. Like Beat Saber, there’ll be times you have to slash at objects and enemies on beat in different directions with the main difference, of course, being the fact that this isn’t a VR game. Bringing that into an account, Fresh Tracks plays like a rhythm game, an endless runner, and a first-person action game all at once. The result is quite the adrenaline rush made even better by an original soundtrack featuring light rock, heavy metal, catchy pop, and even orchestral arrangements. This is definitely a game you have to be wearing quality headphones for to really appreciate the sound design.
I played around five different songs and was killed in all of them before calling it quits, but there was never a point where I felt like it was unfair. At the same time, I definitely felt like I improved with every piece. Karen from Buffalo Buffalo gave me some props because the last song I chose was apparently one of the harder ones, and I actually went further with that song than I did with any of other “easy” choices I made.
One major thing I really liked about Fresh Tracks‘ gameplay was it played exactly the way it looked like it should play. As I watched Karen demo it for me, everything she did was pretty much what I expected on the controller. You move to various lanes with the D-Pad. You press directional buttons to duck or jump. Sword slashes are done with the right stick in the appropriate direction matching what you see on the screen. t all makes sense, but it’s easier said than done. The beginning of each run feels chill, and they get more intense, and that’s when the anxiety begins and the mistakes you make take shape.
I didn’t mess around too much with the menus, which honestly sort of reminded me of a Norse-inspired Rock Band menu, so I can’t say too much about the roguelike nature of the game marketed to me when taking the appointment. I do know that you’re choosing different branches, along with power-ups before playing, but I didn’t pay too much attention to that and just wanted to vibe. But like I said, I did feel myself get better as I went through different song choices, and it was also cool seeing the different environments to plow through. One moment you’re going down simple snowy slopes, and another moment you’re in an ultra-futuristic cyber world with falling blocks wreaking havoc on your ability to stay calm.
We definitely never got to such a point, but this looks awesome.
There is no confirmed release window for Fresh Tracks yet, but it’ll definitely be something to keep an eye on. The game will be available on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and the PC via Steam. You can wishlist the game here.
While it was probably the most informal as it took place in a loud hotel lobby near the Moscone Center, our last GDC preview appointment was a great one. We sat down with Karen Mitchell, Senior Producer and Marketing Lead…
While it was probably the most informal as it took place in a loud hotel lobby near the Moscone Center, our last GDC preview appointment was a great one. We sat down with Karen Mitchell, Senior Producer and Marketing Lead of Buffalo Buffalo, to talk and play Fresh Tracks, and this game is indeed fresh.
Fresh Tracks is a music/rhythm-based skiing roguelike skiing adventure. These are all sorts of words that shouldn’t go together, but in the world of video games, they do, and it’s highly engaging. Check out the trailer below for an epic look that’s arguably better than this written preview.
In Fresh Tracks you’re skiing, and it’s anything but chill. As you make your way through a mostly linear path, you’ll have to jump over and dunk under obstacles, lean left and right to avoid more obstacles, and slash your way through enemies or trees as you try to get to the end of the map. Hearts on the upper left corner represent your health, and doing all of the above is easier said than done as success in the game is tied to your ability to follow the rhythm and beat of the music being played.
If Fresh Tracks can be compared to anything, it would probably be Beat Saber. Like Beat Saber, there’ll be times you have to slash at objects and enemies on beat in different directions with the main difference, of course, being the fact that this isn’t a VR game. Bringing that into an account, Fresh Tracks plays like a rhythm game, an endless runner, and a first-person action game all at once. The result is quite the adrenaline rush made even better by an original soundtrack featuring light rock, heavy metal, catchy pop, and even orchestral arrangements. This is definitely a game you have to be wearing quality headphones for to really appreciate the sound design.
I played around five different songs and was killed in all of them before calling it quits, but there was never a point where I felt like it was unfair. At the same time, I definitely felt like I improved with every piece. Karen from Buffalo Buffalo gave me some props because the last song I chose was apparently one of the harder ones, and I actually went further with that song than I did with any of other “easy” choices I made.
One major thing I really liked about Fresh Tracks‘ gameplay was it played exactly the way it looked like it should play. As I watched Karen demo it for me, everything she did was pretty much what I expected on the controller. You move to various lanes with the D-Pad. You press directional buttons to duck or jump. Sword slashes are done with the right stick in the appropriate direction matching what you see on the screen. t all makes sense, but it’s easier said than done. The beginning of each run feels chill, and they get more intense, and that’s when the anxiety begins and the mistakes you make take shape.
I didn’t mess around too much with the menus, which honestly sort of reminded me of a Norse-inspired Rock Band menu, so I can’t say too much about the roguelike nature of the game marketed to me when taking the appointment. I do know that you’re choosing different branches, along with power-ups before playing, but I didn’t pay too much attention to that and just wanted to vibe. But like I said, I did feel myself get better as I went through different song choices, and it was also cool seeing the different environments to plow through. One moment you’re going down simple snowy slopes, and another moment you’re in an ultra-futuristic cyber world with falling blocks wreaking havoc on your ability to stay calm.
We definitely never got to such a point, but this looks awesome.
There is no confirmed release window for Fresh Tracks yet, but it’ll definitely be something to keep an eye on. The game will be available on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and the PC via Steam. You can wishlist the game here.
by Danreb Victorio
