Developer: Ritual Studios
Platforms: Linux, macOS, PC (Reviewed)
Genre: RPG
Publisher: Playdigious Originals
Fretless – The Wrath of Riffson is an extremely detailed pixel-adventure indie game that was developed by Ritual Studios and published by Playdigious Originals. This review was done for the Windows version, but the game is also available for Linux and macOS. The game is releasing on July 17th 2025.
You play as Rob, a friendly musician from Harmony Heights. Rick Riffson, the CEO of Super Metal Records (SMR), aims to corrupt the world’s music through his sinister Battle of the Bands, forcing them into soul-binding contracts. Rob is trying to restore harmony to the off-tuned world. The game is pun-heavy and full of music-driven gameplay.
The art style is extremely wonderful and heavily detailed, from his eye movement all the way to the dancing flowers. Each thing is wonderfully crafted to reflect its musical theme, and each object is whimsical, colourful, and immersive. Each character is crafted with witty puns, goofy personalities and unique characteristics that bring them to life when you interact with one another. The world that unfolds in Fretless is encapsulated by bright sprites and amazing pixelated visuals that capture the player’s attention. The art style is accompanied by an amazing soundtrack that is fitting for this gameplay. It gets the player in the groove with a range of subtle instruments to outgoing battle music. The music features an array of selections by the following people: Northlane, Andrew Huang, Davie504, King Yosef, Ola Englund, Kult of Luna, Yvette Young, Mary Spender, and Rabea Massaad, who contributes to the OST RPG Gamers.
The controls are easy, but the riff building at the start can be a bit confusing and could take a while to learn. But all you do is select riffs, stay in rhythm, and unleash the attacks. The keyboard and mouse are extremely responsive, making it extremely easy to play with. As you begin the game, you are introduced to a nice in-game tutorial that thoroughly explains all the mechanics and keybinds. Fretless is also supported for controllers, and personally, playing with controllers felt much smoother and efficient.
Fretless is very unique, as you won’t see many games centred on rhythm RPG and deck building. It has very strong pixel artistry along with a catchy soundtrack with respected guest artists. It’s a fun and traditional combat game. Sometimes the game can feel a bit too easy unless the challenging bosses hit extremely hard. The game features a unique turn-based combat where you get to use an array of instruments as your ‘weapons’ against enemies. The combat for this game was excellent and so much fun, as you got to build up riffs that would play in beat with the rhythm as counterattacks. Additionally, it features a deck-building system where you can use your attacks by picking ‘cards’ and upgrading them as you continue your journey.
At first, you start off with an acoustic guitar, and as you progress, you unlock newer instruments, such as a bass guitar that sounds amazing and plays even better. What I really liked was being able to apply mods to the instruments to increase their stats and mess around with better upgrades.
Interestingly enough, Fretless is an adventure RPG game where there is so much for players to follow. The narrative is beautifully told through cutscenes and character interactions. The dialogues are nice to read up on, and they help you progress forward. The world of Fretless is captivating, and I found myself roaming through every corner of the world to find chests for loot and unlock various areas through little rhythm puzzles. Fretless – The Wrath of Riffson offers an amazing rock n roll journey by putting a twist on your usual turn-based adventures. You get to encounter boss battles that get you to stay on the beat and create endless riffs.
Fretless is a vibrant and feel-good RPG built with a musical passion. It’s fun and well executed, with the pixel art making the game extremely immersive and cohesive, while the soundtrack is a genuine highlight. If you are looking to play something fresh, exciting and new, then be sure to check out Fretless – The Wrath of Riffson.
Overall: 8/10
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