When the Xbox One was first revealed to the public, it was a very different device than the console we see nowadays. It was a true revolution but the gamers were afraid of the changes so Microsoft had to change their strategy. Putting away the DRM functionalities and changing the importance of Kinect. At first, Kinect was packed inside the box of every Xbox One console but Microsoft changed that strategy as well. This resulted in a lack of great Kinect only games, lucky for the fans; FRU comes in and saves the day.
Your shadow is the protagonist
Unlike other Kinect games, your shadow really plays an important role in FRU. You’ll have to use your own body to guide the hero of the game to safety. There’s a total of 110 levels to complete, which sounds a lot but due to the great gameplay you’ll be able to finish the game in just a couple of hours. But that doesn’t matter; those hours with FRU are hours filled with fun and probably the best use of Kinect to date. Let us explain what makes FRU such a special game.
If you ever played Just Dance with a Kinect, you know what we’re talking about when we’re talking about your own shadow. FRU uses the same technique but instead of placing your shadow/silhouette in a small square in the corner of your screen, your shadow will be visible on the entire screen, transforming it to the real protagonist of the game.
You’ll need to use your body to guide the smaller character to the safety of the exit. Sounds easy but things get interesting if you know that you’ll see other things appear on the screen if you touch them with your shadow. Things that weren’t visible can suddenly appear in your shadow, granting your character some extra platforms. But be warned, this also works the other way around, your shadow can also take away certain elements of the environments. It will happen more than once that you fall to your own death due to a wrong use of your shadow.
You’ll still need the controller
Something that even makes FRU better is the support of the Xbox One controller. You won’t need to control the smaller character with the Kinect, which would have resulted in a rather frustrating mechanism. Instead, you’ll use the stick of your controller to move the character and one of the triggers to make it jump. It doesn’t really matter which stick or trigger you use, making sure you can operate the controller with one hand while manipulating your shadow with the other. It works surprisingly well and the team really managed to create one of the easiest Kinect games to control.
Don’t be mistaken, however; this isn’t a Kinect game that you’ll be able to enjoy on your couch. You’ll need to jump, sit down, stretch and reach corners on the screen with your body like no other game forces you to do. This results in some hilarious sessions and is probably even the biggest charm of the game. Things get even better once you unlock the co-op mode and you can share the awkwardness with a friend.
Smart puzzling
FRU is far more than just a platforming game with a Kinect gimmick; it offers some of the best environmental puzzles we’ve ever come across with. For example, the first shadow you can cast is only able to show new elements in the environment, the character itself will fall straight down when it jumps on your shadow. Later on you gain the water ability, which transforms your shadow into a water filled temple. Thanks to this, the character can float inside your shadow in order to reach the end of the level. To make things harder however, there will be thorns all over the place so you’ll need to guide your character using the controller, while bringing him to safety using your shadow. It’s not easy but once you manage to control both worlds at the same time, you’ll get that magical feeling of satisfaction. Besides the waterpower, you’ll also get lava later on but we won’t spoil you how this genius power works, you’ll need to find out for yourself.
| The Good: | The Bad: |
| + Great use of Kinect | – Too short |
| + Original gameplay | |
| + New powers for your shadow |
FRU is a very creative game and possibly the best Kinect game on the market. Thanks to the great combination of the Kinect and Xbox One controller, you’ll have no trouble at all in controlling your character. The true star of the game is your own shadow, which you’ll use to guide the little character to safety. It’s a fun Xbox One game and it’s even more fun to play with some friends. Could this be the modern version of Twister? Perhaps it could. If you own a Kinect, please go play the incredible FRU.
Score: 4.5 out of 5
