Fresh Tracks (2025): The Review

Overview

Packed with more than 25 infectious tracks and a variety of difficulty levels, Fresh Tracks stands out as the newest essential rhythm game for the PS5. Whether you’re just dipping your toes into the genre or eager to conquer its toughest challenges, Buffalo Buffalo’s first release hits all the right notes. Sleek, addictive, and endlessly replayable, it makes every failed attempt feel like an exciting chance to jump right back in instead of a setback.

Score: 8 out of 10

The Positives ✅

What makes Fresh Tracks stand out is its unique mix of rhythm gameplay and roguelite mechanics. On paper, those two genres don’t seem like they’d fit together, but here they blend into something that feels both unusual and natural. Instead of just hammering buttons in time with a beat, you’re skiing through the Nordic-inspired land of Norwyn, dodging obstacles, jumping between tracks, and swinging a giant magic sword to the rhythm. It’s a strange setup, but it works, and it gives the game its own identity in a crowded genre.

The soundtrack is the absolute star. With just under 30 original songs, the variety is impressive, hip-hop, indie rock, heavy metal, and even ridiculously catchy pop tracks. The pop songs in particular stand out, with hooks that stick in your head long after you’ve stopped playing, but the overall quality is consistently high. In a rhythm game, music can make or break the experience, and here it feels like the developers knew they had something special. This is easily one of the best game soundtracks of the year.

Gameplay builds on that foundation with a clever balance of simplicity and depth. Basic actions, jumping, leaning, ducking, fit naturally into the rhythm, while the sword adds layers of strategy. It’s not just a weapon for enemies; it’s used to gather energy, unlock switches, and even extend your survival time. As you progress, new swords with different magical properties open up fresh possibilities. That variety makes each run feel slightly different, even when the structure is the same.

The roguelite elements add just enough spice without overwhelming the rhythm core. The run-based structure (11 levels per attempt) creates high stakes, but charms, abilities, and god modifiers ensure there’s always a sense of progression. Charms like extra jumps or retry opportunities give you new tools to experiment with, while permanent upgrades keep you moving forward even after countless failures. It’s not the deepest roguelite on the market, but it doesn’t need to be, the mechanics serve the rhythm experience rather than overshadowing it.

There’s also something to be said about how visually alive the game feels. Screenshots don’t capture the energy of obstacles dropping, enemies lunging, and the environment pulsing with the beat. The Nordic-inspired setting, blended with fantasy gods called Mythics, gives everything a mythic, larger-than-life quality. At its best, the visuals and music sync into a spectacle that’s as fun to watch as it is to play, pulling you into Norwyn’s snowy chaos.

The Negatives ⚠️

That said, Fresh Tracks has a steep learning curve that might scare some players off. The first two to three hours can feel punishing, with the game throwing a lot of mechanics, obstacles, and patterns at you before you’ve had time to process them. It’s not that the design is unfair, it’s just uncompromising. Until the systems finally click, it’s easy to feel like you’re bashing your head against a wall.

The difficulty balance also raises questions. Rhythm games are often challenging, roguelites even more so, and combining the two creates an experience that can feel overwhelming. Even on lower difficulty settings, Fresh Tracks demands precise timing, quick reflexes, and constant attention to multiple moving parts on screen. For veterans of the genre, this might be appealing, but casual players could find the barrier to entry discouraging.

Another drawback is the visual clutter. While the visuals are vibrant and in sync with the music, they can also be chaotic to the point of distraction. Busy screens make it hard to track obstacles or enemies, and in a rhythm game, that kind of confusion can cost you an entire run. The style works beautifully when everything aligns, but in intense moments it risks overwhelming the player instead of enhancing the music.

The storytelling also falls a bit flat. The concept of restoring “Story Songs” to a culture that has forgotten them is interesting, and dialogue plus lyrics are used well to frame the narrative. But compared to the gameplay and music, the story doesn’t have the same staying power. It’s there to support the world and add some context, but it never reaches a point where you feel deeply invested in Skaii or the Mythics beyond the surface level.

Lastly, while the roguelite systems are solid, they don’t push the genre very far. The charms and upgrades are nice, and the modifiers from unlocked gods keep things fresh, but the progression lacks the depth of heavier roguelites. For some, that balance is perfect, but for others, it might feel like a missed opportunity for more complexity.

The Experience 🎮

For me, Fresh Tracks was a test of patience that eventually turned into a rush of momentum. At first, the difficulty was brutal. I spent hours wiping out early, barely making it through a handful of levels, and honestly questioning whether the game was worth the effort. But then, gradually, things started to click. The rhythm became instinct, the obstacles felt less overwhelming, and suddenly I was flowing with the music instead of fighting against it. That moment when it all came together was exhilarating.

The soundtrack played a huge role in that shift. I’d find myself humming the pop tracks outside of the game or replaying certain levels just to hear them again. Even during the most frustrating runs, the music kept me engaged, making failure feel less like punishment and more like another chance to ride along with an incredible setlist. It’s rare for a game soundtrack to carry so much weight, but here it genuinely made me want to keep trying.

The roguelite progression also gave me a reason to stick with it. Unlocking charms that gave me an extra jump or a wider timing window felt like real progress after repeated losses. Bringing different gods into runs and experimenting with their modifiers kept things from feeling repetitive. Even when I died, there was a sense that I was getting stronger, not just in skill, but in the tools I had at my disposal.

Visually, I had mixed feelings. There were times when I thought the screen was too messy to read, and it definitely cost me runs. But when everything worked, when the visuals matched the beat drops and the sword swings cut through obstacles in time with the music, it felt like being inside a music video. The chaos became part of the spectacle, and I couldn’t help but smile when it all synced perfectly.

By the time it finally “clicked,” I was hooked. Runs were still tough, but they became thrilling rather than frustrating. I’d tell myself I’d just play for 20 minutes, then end up skiing through Norwyn for hours. Fresh Tracks demands commitment, but once you give in, it rewards you with a combination of rhythm and roguelite tension that feels completely new. For me, it turned from a game that nearly broke me into one of the most addictive surprises of the year.