Frankenstein and Dracula are roomies in this moody narrative adventure
Just imagine the passive-aggressive notes
"Dracula and Frankenstein are modern day 20-something flatmates who never see one another and only exchange sticky notes. Also they are both very sad. Also Dracula wears puple shades," is the kind of message I'd expect to see from one of my writing acquaintances with the timestamp [2:15am]. It's also the kind of thing I'd respond to with a "yes, do it," eager to find out exactly how the hell they would. That's the energy that I downloaded Frank And Drake's demo with, and it sure is a moody, somber narrative adventure about two unlikely housemates.
The two never run into each other because Frank(enstein) operates by day while Drake(ula) "works nights". Throughout each character's half of the day, you'll click around different parts of the apartment and building, fiddling with puzzles, making choices about how the story will play out, and learning to live in harmony as unspoken roommates. All the while there are secrets about each of them to uncover related to their literary nicknamesakes.
"Every path will unlock different puzzles, mini games and interactions for both characters," say developers Appnormals Team. "Some of them will be optional, some critical in order to move forward with their personal quests in this journey."
I spent my first day as Frank starting to fix up an exercise bike in the basement, putting away groceries, and having a bit of an existential pout in my diary. Unfortunately that distracted me from cleaning up Drake's room before he arrived to move in that night, leaving him to find both a leaky ceiling and his window left uncovered despite his request for a room that doesn't have one.
Roommate relations off to a swell start. I don't look forward to the sticky note he'll leave me on the fridge due to that lapse in judgement.
In between all the modern-styled roommate stories, Appnormals say that there's a lot of lore and references to the classic Shelley and Stoker novels that Drake and Frank are inspired by. I can say I've not the foggiest where this story is going, but it has a sullen sort of mood that I don't mind digging into a bit as we head into autumn.
You can try out the Frank And Drake demo yourself over on Steam right now. It's scheduled for release in spring 2022.