Have you ever looked at a game and gone, “Oh man, that looks fresh or unique”? Earlier this year, we had the chance to meet with Buffalo Buffalo at PAX East to demo their game Fresh Tracks. Now, originally, when we got emailed about this game, we thought it was a game coming to VR, since it gave Beat Saber meets Subway Surfers vibes.

After playing the demo, that feeling was still slightly there, but the gameplay felt closer to Metal Hellsinger. At PAX West, we got the chance to check out the game once again and see how it handles boss fights. Rather than fighting an epic creature, we had to survive a chaotic but exhilarating environment. Once back from PAX West, we decided to hit the trails of Fresh Tracks; here’s our review. 

Fresh Tracks
Developer: Buffalo Buffalo
Publisher: Buffalo Buffalo
Platforms: PC (Steam) and PlayStation 5
Release Date: August 26th, 2025
Players: 1
Price: $24.99

When you first hit the trail, you will start with the Mythic Mask: Koda and find the Rhythmic sword: Vygor. After completing the first three songs, you will take on your first boss track; this is a challenge set forth by the Mythic: Sogvar. Once you have completed the first boss challenge, you will go back to the start of the trail and prepare for another run. At this point, you can decide to trek out with the Mythic: Koda once again or go out with Sogvar. 

Each time you complete a different boss fight, you will unlock a different mask. Each Mythic Mask has different bonuses or potential debuffs; additionally, each mask has different songs they prefer (Koda – Inspiring Story, Sogvar – Heroic Story, Fars & Dram – Theatrical Story, Mar – Hardest Boss songs). Whenever you change Mythic Masks, each song can have new commentary that gives the story even more depth.

These stories and songs will change based on the mask you have equipped and how far you get on the run. A song that you took on Easy can return later on in your run and be harder with a different track layout.

Once the player has completed different boss fights using a certain mask, a shortcut is unlocked that allows you to skip previously completed boss fights.

Once you have reached the merchant, you can unlock different charms and items using Whyspers (the game’s currency). When you fail a run, you will lose your Charms and Whyspers; the Ekkos you collect will remain. Players can use Ekkos to purchase different skis, items, or Tracks in The Lark. 

The Lark is similar to practice mode in other Rhythm games, but in order to unlock different songs, you will need to buy them using Ekkos found on runs. Additionally, you will need to have taken on the song during a previous run before you can unlock it.  These songs range from Easy to Certain Death; it also allows you to practice Boss tracks. 

Fresh Tracks features a variety of options to adjust the game’s difficulty. The first option is to modify the Divine Favors. These Divine Favors can have the player avoid easy or expert songs; they can also give the player more opportunities to find health pick-ups or Resyn (used to charge the sword’s special ability).

In addition to the Divine Favors, the player can adjust the game’s difficulty by switching between Traveler, Explorer, Adventurer, and Champion. On Traveler, the player starts out with the most possible health, while on Champion, they start out with next to nothing. 

Fresh Tracks is a musical roguelite that uses the rhythm to dictate the gameplay. The game features 28 different tracks with different styles. Each run is never identical unless you try to make it so.

If you take on a boss fight with a different mask, the story and the layout will be completely different. The gameplay does take a bit to get used to, and those who have difficulty with motion tracking or have issues with strobing effects should most likely avoid the game. 

Despite getting frustrated a few times by failing a run, I kept coming back wanting to get further. The feeling of completing a song that you had previously failed or getting further in a run kept pushing us forward.

The ski modifiers in the game seem like they are slightly inadequate, but they could be hiding secrets that we did not spot; maybe a stats breakdown to see how each truly impacts a run could be needed, but based on what we observed, it felt like only two sets of skis were truly viable. 

After playing hours of Fresh Tracks, there were definitely some songs that we enjoyed more than others and would prioritize those on a run, even if they were slightly harder than their counterparts.

The game can be a bit forgiving on a run, to where if you miss the track and slam into an object, it just deals a little damage and lets you keep going. Fresh Tracks‘ control layout feels like it was primarily made for a PlayStation controller rather than any other, and at times feels a bit awkward if using another type.

You can modify the game’s settings to have the sword swing automatically at a click of a button when on PC, or turn on the ability to move using the left joystick on an Xbox controller rather than the D-Pad. 

At the end of the day, even if we were frustrated at times with Fresh Tracks, we still got an exhilarating rush when playing through new songs and facing new challenges.

The change in environment and visuals is refreshing compared to staring at the same color scheme over and over again. The different story aspects that each boss gave made the game feel deeper than a basic rhythm game, and layered different perspectives on top of one another. 

Yes, Fresh Tracks gameplay does require a bit of grinding and practice, but once you have completed something that you were previously stuck on, you will get a surge of fulfillment.

As someone who tends not to like roguelites, I found Fresh Tracks addictive and intoxicating. The songs were catchy to the point that they ended up on a soundtrack that I listen to daily. The gameplay does take a bit to get used to, but as you fail, you get better. 

If you are a fan of rhythm games or are looking for a new roguelite, then it is worth giving Fresh Tracks a chance. Even if you’re not into music or roguelite games, after our time playing the Fresh Tracks, it definitely would be a great game to pick up regardless.

Fresh Tracks was reviewed on a PC using a code provided by Buffalo Buffalo. You can find additional information about Niche Gamer’s review/ethics policy here. Fresh Tracks is now available on Windows PC (via Steam), Xbox Series X|S, and PS5