Are you a metalhead and a gamer? Well, if you answered yes to both of those things, then Fretless is right up your alley. Strum your guitar (although wield it may be a better word) as you take on a range of foes in this pixelated rhythm-based RPG.

Not Just a Type of Guitar!

The full name is ‘Fretless – The Wrath of Riffson’ and it follows the journey of a young man who sets out to defeat Rick Riffson – an apt name, right? To give a bit more context, Mr Riffson runs Super Metal Records, and he’s a pretty dodgy guy. Signing up musicians to contracts that literally sell their souls to rock and roll, Riffson has birthed dangerous monsters that take on the form of various instruments.

Each environment is also filled with music as you traverse through an array of beautiful biomes. I’m an absolute sucker for pixel graphics in games, and Fretless takes it to the next level. Every animation inside and outside of combat looks stunning, allowing you to really immerse yourself in Rob Scallon’s world.

How Does Combat Work?

In terms of combat, you’ll be creating riffs to fend off Rick Riffson’s minions as you take part in turn-based battles. These aren’t just your Average Joe battles though. You can set up your own guitar deck and assemble an arsenal of powerful moves that can be unleashed in time with the OST’s beat (thanks to the talented staff at Ritual Studios!). Even if rhythm games aren’t usually your thing, Fretless makes it much more accessible when compared to other games in the genre.

If I’ve piqued your interest, you’ll be glad to know that the Fretless demo is available to play on Steam. The game is due to be released in 2024, but there is no official confirmed date as of yet. For more musical-based games, take a look at our news article that highlights A Highland Song!