Rotoscoping has impressed viewers since Max Fleischer pioneered in 1915. We’ve seen it used to superb impact in some video games, like the wonderful Lodge Nightfall: Room 215 and the unique Prince of Persia, nevertheless it stays fairly uncommon. The most recent recreation to make use of rotoscope animation is a point-and-click journey referred to as Frank and Drake. Whereas the animation and artwork are beautiful, 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 facet. This isn’t just like the traditional LucasArts video games the place you possibly can freely discover. As an alternative, the supernatural locale of Oriole Metropolis is proven in a specified order. You’re typically solely ready to take a look at sure objects in a room slightly, than discover each look and cranny that catches your curiosity. The story branches through selections you make every day, which a minimum of makes a number of playthroughs easy because it’s straightforward to keep away from seeing the identical paths.
Whereas the exploration is underwhelming, there’s a minimum of a singular story construction in place. The 2 titular playable characters stay collectively, but by no means instantly see one another for a lot of the recreation as their schedules differ. As an alternative, you develop a relationship between the 2 through sticky notes left on a fridge. It’s an fascinating 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 greatest disappointment. Quite a lot of the twists and turns are apparent early on, however unaddressed till later within the recreation. Whereas a single playthrough solely reveals a few of what Oriole Metropolis has to supply, the characters aren’t fascinating 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, nevertheless it’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 leap over it, however the participant nonetheless has to journey by an annoying maze and determine it out as an alternative. Quite a lot 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, slightly than feeling like an precise a part of Oriole Metropolis.
Whereas a lot of the expertise is underwhelming, it’s not a nasty recreation. The artwork design is on level, and the rotoscoped animation is sort of spectacular. Oriole Metropolis itself is the true spotlight. I am keen on the stranger components, like graffiti that subtly strikes and watches the participant stroll previous. Moments like this make you query if the characters are dropping their thoughts — or if there’s actually one thing otherworldly occurring.
There’s one other situation 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. The textual content is manner too small because of this, and unreadable in case you’re not sitting near the tv. Some objects will mean you can hit an information field for a typed-out, extra legible model of the textual content. Nonetheless, that function isn’t accessible for the in-game diaries the playable characters hold.
Frank and Drake Assessment: The ultimate verdict
Frank and Drake has a couple of fascinating story beats, however they by no means culminate in a very compelling thriller. It doesn’t assist that the puzzles typically really feel misplaced slightly than a part of the world. Regardless of the beautiful artwork, it simply doesn’t totally come collectively as a whole expertise. Hopefully, the event workforce will have the ability to ship on its promise in one other recreation sooner or later.
The artwork and animation appears to be like nice
Oriole Metropolis is an fascinating locale
Puzzles really feel trite
A single playthrough is underwhelming
Textual content might be too small
Disclaimer: Our Frank and Drake evaluate relies on a PS5 copy offered by the writer. Reviewed on model 2.001.000.