Forests, glaciers, and ancient fortresses pass me by as I ski through the mythical realm of Norwyn. Guitars are shredding in the background, the northern light is in the sky… But I’ve no time to gaze up, as I’m too busy dodging rocks, jumping over rivers, and slaying enemies with a flaming sword.
When I first heard about Fresh Tracks, a roguelite rhythm skiing game developed by indie studio Buffalo Buffalo, I pictured an endless string of button prompts flying towards me against a mountainous backdrop — sort of a snowier Beatsaber — but this game is so much cooler than that, and not just in a literal sense (you know, because of the snow).
Every song in Fresh Tracks comes with a unique level design that feels wholly different from the rest. I’ve zoomed through dark forests while chopping trees to a poppy tune, crossed mountains to the sound of an epic rock song, and fought my way through a Viking village while slaying foes to a hip-hop beat.
Whatever song you pick, the mechanics are the same: avoid whatever solid object comes your way by jumping sideways, jumping upwards, and leaning towards either side. If the object has a light-blue glow, whether it’s a tree, rock, or creepy skeleton warrior, you don’t need to dodge it — slash it with your sword instead. This is where the rhythm part comes in: If you slash objects or enemies on the beat, you charge your sword’s special ability. The first sword you get allows you to recover your health, but you’ll unlock more swords with different abilities as you progress.
Combining rhythm gameplay with quick-twitch platforming and even combat, it’s clear that Fresh Tracks isn’t just about the beats and whether or not you hit them — it’s a brutal story of survival. Usually, when I fail a song in another rhythm game, it’s because I’ve missed one note too many, but in Fresh Tracks, I fail my game by smashing headfirst into a rock, or crashing into a tree. It’s a fair bit more intense, to say the least.
But Fresh Tracks’ genre-defying features don’t end there. As a roguelite, the main goal is to reach the end of the journey, which consists of a string of randomized songs. Dying means having to restart the journey, though you’ll get to keep some of the equipment you’ve unlocked.
Perhaps the word “restart” doesn’t bode well, but don’t worry: no two journeys are the same. Sure, there are a limited number of songs to choose from, but you always get two or three different options, and each song comes with a randomized difficulty level as well as a randomized reward. You can pick your favorite tune, your preferred difficulty level, or that damage reflex buff you’ve been looking for. It won’t take forever to reach the first boss song either; after just two successfully completed songs, it’s time to make a quick stop at the flying item shop, use the “whyspers” currency you’ve collected to buy some upgrades, and head into the first boss’s lair.
This is also the place where you will most likely perish — more than once. I find the boss songs in Fresh Tracks significantly harder than the normal ones, partly because they switch up the gameplay quite a lot (sudden obstacles and unexpected enemies galore), and partly because they take more than seven minutes to complete, as opposed to the standard four minutes. Granted, the boss levels are extremely fun because of the length and varied gameplay, and the stakes: One moment of carelessness and it’s all over.
If there’s a concern about Fresh Tracks, it’s this: Although there are four difficulty options, ranging from Traveller (easiest) to Champion (hardest), I didn’t feel a major difference while trying them out. I obtained an extra heart container (health point) by lowering the difficulty level, and I also found a few more heart recovery items throughout the songs, but the gameplay itself doesn’t seem to change. If you’re struggling with the pace and the number of objects to slash or dodge, is the ability to take two extra hits really enough to finish a song? Or will it merely allow you to suffer a bit longer before you need to restart the journey? It does help that you get to choose an easier song among the randomized options, but sometimes “medium” is the easiest one available. (Songs in Fresh Tracks correspond to the universal ski trail grading system — green circle for beginner, blue square for intermediate, black diamond for expert.)
Beyond the music, on your journey through Norwyn, there’s always a Mythic to accompany you, which creates a depth to the lore that’s as deep as the snow on a good powder run. These god-like narrators come with unique passive buffs and a vault of background stories they’ll regale you with between songs. Have you heard the tale of Sir Gregory the Grey and the Shadow Blizzard? Or Phineas Feather, the birdwatcher? Me neither, at least not before I played Fresh Tracks. (More Mythics are unlocked as you advance through the journey, but whichever one becomes your favorite may depend more on the Mythic’s taste in music than their buffs.)
Fresh Tracks promises a “genre-crossing 28-track soundtrack,” but I have to admit to some skepticism when the game opened with a poppy, electronic song, as I feared that “genre-crossing” might simply mean “different kinds of pop music.” Soon, however, I realized that each new song was quite different from the previous one, and I was particularly delighted when an edgy Mythic named Sovgar turned out to be a proper metalhead, which spiced up the soundtrack dramatically. There really is something for everyone in this game. It’s easy to please someone by playing their favorite genre, but to make someone like a song against their predetermined notions — that takes talent. I’ve truly grown to like most songs in the game, including the ones that don’t sound like something I’d normally listen to, simply because they’re bloody brilliant.
The funny thing about roguelite games is that they contain an inherent test that will instantly tell me whether it’s good or not: Despite failure, despite the loss of progress, am I prepared to start another run? With such a groovy soundtrack, atmospheric world, and high-stakes rhythm gameplay, in Fresh Tracks, the answer is a resounding yes. Even after my tenth attempt in a row, I keep getting back on the chairlift.
Fresh Tracks is out for PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X on August 26.
