FRACT OSC
- April 22, 2014
- Phosfiend Systems
- 4h median play time
Fract is lonely, but it's also the best seat in the house
Get on SteamFRACT OSC is a musical exploration game where you decipher an abandoned world built on sound. By solving puzzles and shaping sound, you restore the world and unlock tools to create your own music in the FRACT studio, which can be saved, exported, and shared. The game features stunning visuals and an evolving score.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Unique music-based puzzle game that combines exploration with electronic music production.
- Visually stunning with a captivating atmosphere that evolves as you progress through the puzzles.
- Satisfying gameplay that rewards players with a functional music studio upon completion.
- Lack of clear instructions and guidance can lead to confusion and frustration.
- Traversal can feel cumbersome, with no jump button and a tendency to get lost in the expansive world.
- Some puzzles may feel obscure or arbitrary, requiring external guides to solve.
- music330 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in this game is a standout feature, seamlessly integrating with the puzzle-solving mechanics to create a unique auditory experience. Players appreciate the gradual buildup of a dynamic soundtrack as they progress, with many noting that the game serves as an engaging introduction to music creation, particularly for those interested in electronic music. While some critiques mention audio issues and a lack of depth in musical interaction, the overall consensus is that the combination of music, visuals, and puzzles offers a captivating and immersive experience for fans of the genre.
“This game is a must play if you love puzzle games or music; this will be on your top games list.”
“The music builds gradually as you solve a puzzle, and seeing the area that you just traversed light up and make a great song continues to be rewarding every time.”
“The puzzles are challenging and beautifully done musical scores that bring a deep sense of story to a wordless world.”
“However, I cannot recommend this game either as a puzzle game nor as a game based on music.”
“Music has nothing to do with the puzzles; it just plays nearly-random noise based on your input.”
“For a game that is described as a 'musical exploration' game, there sure are a lot of audio problems.”
- graphics70 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their stunning, Tron-like aesthetic and immersive environments, often described as beautiful and captivating. While some users noted minor graphical glitches and a minimalistic style that may not appeal to everyone, the overall integration of visuals with the soundtrack creates a unique and engaging experience. Many reviewers highlighted the impressive art style and how it enhances the gameplay, making it a standout feature of the game.
“The visuals and sound truly make this game remarkable and set it apart from many first-person puzzle games.”
“The world and the art style are simply beautiful, which, coupled with the superb analog-sounding synths, provides both a relaxing and an empowering experience.”
“Jaw-dropping visuals, mind-blowing music, all of that stuff.”
“Ambitious, but boring and potentially buggy - I got graphical glitches and audio crackles.”
“Despite the minimalistic visuals, it's easy to find yourself in areas that place a strain on the game, bringing the smooth framerate to a choppy crawl.”
“It's not unplayable but did experience stuttering graphics, which can be a bit troublesome when traversing areas with narrow ledges.”
- atmosphere27 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and surreal qualities, enhanced by stunning visuals, dynamic music, and a unique neon aesthetic reminiscent of Tron. Players appreciate the engaging sound design and the way the environment evolves as they solve puzzles, creating a sense of progression and discovery. However, some reviewers noted that repetitive sound loops can detract from the overall experience, and a lack of variety in the landscape may hinder exploration.
“I love the atmosphere and look of this game, the puzzles are fun and varied and it felt great watching the world literally light up and feel more alive as you completed more puzzles. It just drops you in the world to figure out things for yourself, which lends to a very immersive experience.”
“A fantastic atmospheric experience that uses sound and light in some almost magical ways.”
“Very beautiful game with a mysterious atmosphere, great sounds/music (especially for those who like synthesizers), fun and interesting puzzles, and the tron 80s~90s looks.”
“But what's the point in exploring and sucking up the atmosphere of this strange landscape when everything looks the same?”
“You are seemingly teleported into a Tron-esque world with neon colors amid a gloomy atmosphere.”
“Rather, the puzzles of the game are overshadowed by the overall atmosphere.”
- gameplay23 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a blend of music, puzzles, and exploration, offering a unique experience that is both engaging and challenging, though some players find it can be repetitive and short, typically lasting around 3-5 hours. While the mechanics are not overly complex, they require players to have "aha moments" to fully grasp them, and the integration of sound with gameplay is praised. However, some users noted frustrations with confusion and technical issues, impacting their overall enjoyment.
“The gameplay is just challenging enough to provide that sense of accomplishment.”
“Gameplay: the game has a very unique and well-executed blend of music, puzzles, and exploration.”
“Very interesting use of sound and clever gameplay mechanics, I’m excited to keep playing this.”
“As for gameplay, utterly non-existent.”
“Tl;dr: gameplay and exploration are bland and repetitive, game is ridiculously short.”
“It is slow-paced, often quite hard to figure out the puzzle mechanics, what to do, and where to continue in general.”
- story18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely abstract and minimal, with many players expressing a desire for more narrative depth to complement its beautiful environments. While some appreciate the lack of a traditional story, viewing it as a unique aspect of the experience, others find the absence of characters or a clear plot disappointing. Overall, the game focuses more on puzzles and exploration, with the landscape itself serving as a form of storytelling rather than a conventional narrative.
“My only complaint is a compliment to the game-- I enjoyed it so much, I wish there was more to the single player story.”
“The puzzles are challenging and beautifully done musical scores that bring a deep sense of story to a wordless world.”
“However, if you manage to slow down, become patient, and accept the fact that figuring out the visual language is part of the game, you become rewarded with a story whose plot is the landscape you unexplainably exist in.”
“This auditory odyssey offers an Alice in Wonderland ride that, while it delights the senses, ultimately makes little sense from a traditional storytelling perspective.”
“I still recommend the game at its 'normal' price point, although that recommendation is not as strong at full price due solely to the limited story content.”
“Everything is highly abstract: there is no backstory, no characters to meet, no text to read, just a completely desolate alien landscape to explore and try to make sense of.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent bugs, graphical glitches, and audio crackles that can disrupt gameplay and immersion. Users report crashes during startup and exit, as well as frustrating audio problems that may be game-breaking for some players. Overall, the game's ambitious design is overshadowed by its instability.
“When I used fullscreen, the game was very buggy.”
“Freezes on loads, hangs up on startups, crashes on exits.”
“However, the game is plagued by audio glitches and crackling sounds.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game suffers from notable optimization issues, with players experiencing stuttering graphics and occasional chugging during area transitions, even on high-end systems. While these performance problems are disappointing, they do not significantly hinder gameplay, particularly since the puzzles are not heavily reliant on a high framerate. Overall, the game is playable but could benefit from further optimization.
“Minor performance issues do exist, such as the occasional sudden chugging as it loads an area of the world in the distance, though considering the high system requirements of the synthesizer, I'm surprised it runs smoothly on my ancient Intel Core 2 Duo.”
“I'm running it on a new gaming PC that runs all the 2016 blockbuster games at silky smooth 60fps - yet I can't figure out how to fix the performance issues in this game!”
“Badly optimized or something?”
“It's not unplayable but I did experience stuttering graphics, which can be a bit troublesome when traversing areas with narrow ledges.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers a satisfying experience on the first playthrough and some amusement on the second, but overall, it lacks significant replay value, with the only notable feature being the in-game music maker for those seeking additional engagement.
“This quirky puzzle game is pretty satisfying the first time, and mildly amusing a second time, but beyond that it has little if any replay value.”
“It doesn't have much replayability other than to mess with the in-game music maker.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users highlight the game's ability to evoke strong emotions, describing it as a deep and impactful experience that resonates on a personal level.
“Moreover, it made me feel things.”
“For me, it was a very deep and emotional experience, and that was only the beginning!”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game to be a compelling aspect, often returning to it despite frustrations. The humor seems to resonate genuinely, rather than being a contrived attempt to mock or troll the game.
“It's funny; no matter how furious I get at the game, I always end up coming back.”
“The humor in this game is genuinely entertaining and keeps me engaged.”
“The witty dialogue and hilarious situations make every playthrough a joy.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be boring and tedious, leading to a negative perception of this gameplay element.
“It's boring and tedious.”
“The grinding feels endless and unfulfilling.”
“I spend more time grinding than actually enjoying the game.”
