If you’ve ever dreamed of obliterating monsters with a bassline so filthy it should be illegal in twelve states, Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson is your new anthem.
This turn-based, rhythm-driven RPG is what happens when you blend Slay the Spire, Hi-Fi Rush, and your dad’s almost-famous ’97 garage band into one glorious, genre-defying power chord.
It’s silly, it’s stylish, it’s smarter than it looks, and, honestly?
It shreds harder than a speed-metal solo at double-time.
Battle of the Bands (and Capitalism)
Developed by Ritual Studios and born from a jam session between solo dev Jeff Linville and YouTube’s riff wizard Rob Scallon, Fretless is the ultimate underdog story:
One dude, one guitar, and one record label demon named Rick Riffson, hellbent on turning the music industry into a corporate hellscape.
Because, of course, he is.
The universe runs on rhythm, and the only way to save it? A literal Battle of the Bands.
You play as Rob, a guitar-wielding hero with a dream and a distortion pedal who sets off on a journey.
Along the way, you’ll square up against sentient cymbals, tambourines with tempo tantrums, and epic bosses.
Is the story groundbreaking? Nah.
Is it charming, chaotic, and packed with musical puns that are so bad they start being good again? Absolutely.
Deck-Building and Face-Melting
Combat in Fretless is front-row-at-a-metal-concert chaotic: loud, layered, and surprisingly tactical.
You’ll collect four playable instruments: an acoustic, bass, synth, and an eight-string electric that is probably a war crime in at least one Geneva clause.
Each has a distinct playstyle and a riff deck full of music-based abilities.
Want to buff your defence with a rhythm riff? Or slap enemies into the next tempo with a percussive onslaught? It’s all in your setlist.
Every move in battle triggers a beat-synced Quick Time Event. Nail the timing and you’ll feel like a rock god in the middle of a world tour. Miss it, and you’ll feel like you showed up to the wrong gig with a kazoo and a dream.
And then there are the Crescendo Attacks, Guitar Hero-style showstoppers that flood the screen with psychedelic visuals while you unleash pure musical carnage.
They’re flashy, fun, and hit harder than a surprise drum solo mid-ballad.
Rhythm in Every Pixel
Not a rhythm game fan? Don’t fret (I had to). Fretless doesn’t gatekeep.
Timing windows are clear, visual cues are generous, and the whole thing is forgiving enough that even players with the musical timing of a dropped cymbal can still jam.
But what makes the game sing is how music lives in every corner of the world.
Planks chime as you walk. Enemies explode into drum fills. Even treasure chests pop open with a funky riff.
It’s musical worldbuilding done right.
Amped Up and Modded Out
Another golden note is that the customisation in Fretless is deeper than a prog-rock concept album.
You can mod your instruments with pickups, strings, and pedals that shift your stats and add game-changing effects.
Want a synth build that poisons enemies and drops bass bombs to multiply debuffs? Go wild.
Prefer a tanky slap-bass setup that disrespects enemy rhythm with every thud? That’s also an option.
Each instrument comes with its own core mechanics, too, such as slap meters, FX debuffs, and health-leeching mega-attacks, turning combat into a satisfying puzzle box where the solution is always: play louder.
Final Encore
Fretless: The Wrath of Riffson is a love letter to music, deck-building, and delightful weirdness.
It’s a genre Frankenstein in the best way possible: a rhythm-based RPG that shreds, slaps, and strums its way through clever combat and a charmingly absurd world.
It’s cosy without being boring, strategic without being overwhelming, and utterly obsessed with its own musicality.
And I mean that in the best possible way.
I came for the pixel art.
I stayed for the bass.
And I left humming the soundtrack.
No notes. Would absolutely shred again.
