Rotoscoping has impressed viewers since Max Fleischer pioneered in 1915. We’ve seen it used to wonderful impact in some video games, like the superb Resort Nightfall: Room 215 and the unique Prince of Persia, but it surely stays fairly uncommon. The most recent sport to make use of rotoscope animation is a point-and-click journey referred to as Frank and Drake. Whereas the animation and artwork are attractive, the story it tells isn’t as fascinating because the on-screen spectacle.
So far as journey video games go, Frank and Drake is on the restricted, extra cinematic aspect. This isn’t just like the traditional LucasArts video games the place you’ll be able to freely discover. As a substitute, the supernatural locale of Oriole Metropolis is proven in a specified order. You’re usually solely in a position to take a look at sure objects in a room moderately, than discover each look and cranny that catches your curiosity. The story branches by way of decisions you make every day, which no less than makes a number of playthroughs easy because it’s straightforward to keep away from seeing the identical paths.
Whereas the exploration is underwhelming, there may be no less than a singular story construction in place. The 2 titular playable characters reside collectively, but by no means immediately see one another for many of the sport as their schedules differ. As a substitute, you develop a relationship between the 2 by way of sticky notes left on a fridge. It’s an attention-grabbing technique to have them converse and study data from one another as they each attempt to unravel their very own mysteries.
Sadly, the mysteries at play wind up being the sport’s largest disappointment. A number of the twists and turns are apparent early on, however unaddressed till later within the sport. Whereas a single playthrough solely reveals a few of what Oriole Metropolis has to supply, the characters aren’t attention-grabbing or likable sufficient to truly need to study extra of their backstory. It additionally makes it so {that a} single playthrough isn’t very satisfying. Frank and Drake tries to string the needle of leaving you wanting extra, but it surely’s not compelling sufficient to attain that.
The standard of in-game puzzles additionally hampers the expertise. One significantly annoying instance is when a gate is locked. Drake says he might merely soar over it, however the participant nonetheless has to journey via an annoying maze and determine it out as an alternative. A number of the puzzles really feel arbitrary — as if the developer felt they needed to put some type of gameplay within the expertise to justify it as a online game, moderately than feeling like an precise a part of Oriole Metropolis.
Whereas a lot of the expertise is underwhelming, it’s not a foul sport. The artwork design is on level, and the rotoscoped animation is kind of spectacular. Oriole Metropolis itself is the actual spotlight. I like the stranger parts, like graffiti that subtly strikes and watches the participant stroll previous. Moments like this make you query if the characters are shedding their thoughts — or if there’s actually one thing otherworldly happening.
There’s one other challenge that retains the console port from being extremely really helpful, although. The in-game textual content, significantly the handwritten notes, was clearly designed to be learn on a monitor over a tv display screen. The textual content is method too small in consequence, and unreadable when you’re not sitting near the tv. Some objects will permit you to hit an data field for a typed-out, extra legible model of the textual content. Nevertheless, that function isn’t out there for the in-game diaries the playable characters preserve.
Frank and Drake Overview: The ultimate verdict
Frank and Drake has just a few attention-grabbing story beats, however they by no means culminate in a really compelling thriller. It doesn’t assist that the puzzles usually really feel misplaced moderately than a part of the world. Regardless of the attractive artwork, it simply doesn’t absolutely come collectively as an entire expertise. Hopefully, the event workforce will be capable to ship on its promise in one other sport sooner or later.
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The artwork and animation seems nice
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Oriole Metropolis is an attention-grabbing locale
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Puzzles really feel trite
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A single playthrough is underwhelming
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Textual content will be too small
Disclaimer: Our Frank and Drake assessment is predicated on a PS5 copy supplied by the writer. Reviewed on model 2.001.000.