First details introduce Frank and Drake on Steam for PC

Written by Jack Allin — May 15, 2021 at 10:46

A relationship with our roommates, in whatever form they may take, tends to be somewhat intimate if for no other reason than their extremely close proximity. But what if you shared a place with another person and never interacted with them, never even saw them at all? This is the premise of Frank and Drake, an upcoming "turn-based narrative experience about two housemates with different time cycles" from the creators of STAY.

Players will alternate controlling both titular characters, but at completely different times, "Frank in the daytime and Drake at nighttime, as they are only active during these periods due to their personal situations." With no opportunity to speak to each other directly, the only way they are able to communicate is through sticky notes and other written documents, which is crucial because "every choice made by one character will affect the future options of the other." As each intertwined story plays out, the narrative promises to "branch into different outcomes that will promote replayability to put all the pieces together."

Described as a "contemporary take on the classic novels of Frankenstein and Dracula," as the protagonists' names would subtly suggest, Frank and Drake is a keyboard-controlled side-scrolling adventure with a distinct rotoscoped aesthetic. The game features "traditional 2D art combined with frame-by-frame animations overlaying real footage," designed to evoke an atmosphere of "two extraordinary characters in an ordinary, mundane world, trying to blend in." The experience focuses primarily on narrative over puzzles, with "different neighbors, acquaintances and special friends" appearing according to the chosen narrative branches. With each new event that takes place, players gradually discover more about the main characters "through the city and its places, product brands, ghosts, and other minigames and interactions." 

There is no firm target release date just yet, but Frank and Drake is due to be launched on Steam for Windows PC sometime before the end of this year.