Eerie puzzle game FRACTER is set to debut on Android smartphones and tablets this summer, studio 4L Games announced earlier this month. The title is being described as a story-driven adventure with a mysterious setting full of strange creatures and ominous architecture. FRACTER is still a puzzler at heart, with puzzle-solving being its central gameplay mechanic. The puzzles will tie into the narrative about a young hero seeking to rid her world of darkness, with all of the currently teased ones showing complicated light-reflecting mechanisms allowing the protagonist to unveil more of the dark environment that surrounds her so that she’s able to progress.
FRACTER features exclusively black-and-white visuals, with the Toronto, Canada-based mobile developer also teasing some action sequences which will see the main character being chased by some not-particularly-friendly-looking creatures. 4L Games is promising “multi-option” controls, with the currently showcased clips being indicative of at least one scheme that allows you to simply swipe anywhere on the screen in order to have the character move in the direction of your finger. The puzzle sequences will apparently have the protagonist locked into place, shifting the player’s agency to whatever mechanism is in front of her. The game’s visuals are somewhat similar to Playdead’s Inside and especially Limbo, though FRACTER features an isometric camera and possibly a smaller focus on action sequences.
4L Games has yet to attach a specific release date to its premier mobile game that will also be coming to iOS devices, presumably simultaneously with its Android debut this summer. The promise of a “poetic, self-reflective narrative” is also reminiscent of the Monument Valley series, as is the haunting soundtrack FRACTER is said to feature. Despite its apparently mature nature, the game will be suitable for players of all skill levels, the Canadian developer claims, having also confirmed FRACTER’s Android release will be available exclusively on the Google Play Store. It’s presently unclear how the title will be monetized, though its genre of choice is indicative of a premium title with a one-time purchase fee.