Frank and Drake | Switch Review
I have a deep appreciation for stories that trust the audience enough to put together the puzzle pieces themselves. Slowly unraveling the mystery of a narrative by paying attention to the smallest of details is extremely rewarding. Appnormals Team has crafted a gem of a game in this mold with Frank and Drake. The full story isn’t revealed in a single playthrough, and I’m already itching to play again to uncover more of the mysteries the game offers. This is a title that should be on the radar of anyone wanting a good narrative to unravel. It’s an absolute gem.
An Unexpected Arrival
Frank and Drake has dual protagonists: Frank, a man who lives with a one-eyed dog in a wheelchair named Underdog, and Drake, Frank’s new (unwanted) roommate. Frank works during the day and Drake at night, so they’ve never actually met. Their only interactions are with sticky notes that they leave on the fridge for each other. The player influences what these messages contain, and they can increase or decrease the bond between the two men. I know I’m keeping the story vague, but it’s best to go in blind and experience the delightfully strange narrative with fresh eyes.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Your choices in Frank and Drake directly impact the men’s relationship. You play as each man during their respective shifts over six days. Whatever you decide to do with your day/night determines what can be written on the sticky notes. This, in turn, affects how they see each other. They can go from being friendly to distant quickly. The choices you are given don’t hint at how they can influence the direction of their connection, though. Make each decision with care.
The gameplay consists of point-and-click mechanics and puzzle solving. You can interact with certain objects in each setting. Some are required to progress the story forward; others are optional but expand the lore. Both characters have to solve unique puzzles each day, and these are challenging yet satisfying. I often found myself wondering how the heck I was supposed to solve each one, only to have a lightbulb moment after a few minutes. I was rewarded with feeling far more intelligent than I actually am.
Seeing the World in a Different Way
Frank and Drake utilizes rotoscoping for its visuals. I’m a sucker for this animation style, and it added an extra layer to the distinctive narrative. This is an absolutely gorgeous game, and it’s a sight to behold. The background music consists of lo-fi hip hop beats that often had me stopping in my tracks just to listen to them. The sound design is also solid.
I did encounter a small bug that prevented me from moving forward with my story. Thankfully, this game has a generous auto-save feature and I didn’t lose any progress after loading up my last save. It wasn’t a big deal, but it still put a tiny dent in my immersion. I also found the controls a tad too touchy. You can’t use the D-pad to solve puzzles or select objects, and using the left thumbstick often sent my cursor flying across the screen. I had to barely nudge the thumbstick in the direction I wanted to solve this issue.
The Final Verdict
Frank and Drake is a unique, intriguing game that trusts the player to unravel the story and its messages themselves. My first playthrough took roughly three to four hours to complete, and I’m ready to dive into a second one to uncover more of the mystery. The rotoscoping animation is exquisite, and I was vibing with the score. A couple of issues broke my immersion, but they’re not deal breakers. This is a gem of a game, and I absolutely recommend this to anyone who is even vaguely interested in it.
To hear me talk more about Frank and Drake, be sure to listen to the July 19, 2023 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast around the 1:24:09 time stamp.
This review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy of Frank and Drake provided by Stride PR for coverage purposes. It is also available on PC via Steam, PlayStation, and at a later date on Xbox.
Frank and Drake
$24.99
Pros
- Intriguing Story
- Trusts the Player’s Intelligence
- Choices Are Grey and Matter
- Awesome Score
Cons
- A Couple of Gameplay Issues
