Fray

Fray is an independent turn-based tactics game developed by the Belgian studio Brain Candy, released on Windows via Steam in the early 2010s after a lengthy development. Set in a near-future, corporate-dominated world, it pits squads of operatives from rival factions against one another in tactical skirmishes. Its defining innovation is simultaneous turn resolution: rather than alternating moves, both sides issue all their orders for a round at once, and then those actions play out together. This system forces players to anticipate and predict opponents' moves rather than simply react, creating a distinctive mind-game layer absent from conventional turn-based tactics, and lends itself naturally to its multiplayer focus. Players equip and develop their squads with weapons and gear across matches. Fray drew attention for this bold mechanical idea, but its reception was mixed: reviewers and players found the simultaneous-turn concept genuinely interesting yet criticised a thin solo offering, balance and interface rough edges, and a small online population that undercut its competitive ambitions. POCG spotlighted it as part of its independent-game coverage. The game stands as an ambitious experiment from a small studio, valued more for its novel approach to turn-based combat than for its overall polish. It was later reworked and reissued as Fray: Reloaded Edition in an attempt to address its launch shortcomings.