A Look at the Upcoming Indie Game – Backbone
About the game
Video Source: Youtube
Backbone is a new game that is expected to be released in 2021. Right now, the demo of the game has been released, winning appreciations from critics and gaming aficionados. This is an Indie game created by Egg Nut, a Canadian game developer. The game publisher is Raw Fury. The game would be released on the Windows, Mac, Linux, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One platforms. The developers have described the game as a dystopian noir adventure that involves an imaginary society, marked by moral ambiguity.
The game is set in Vancouver (which is where the developers are from). This is not modern Vancouver but a dystopian city. The main character in the game is not a human but a raccoon. With an imaginary society forming the backdrop of the game, a variety of characters form part of the game, comprising various animal species. The adventure game uses pixel art animation. The game can be termed as a cinematic adventure that takes you on an eventful journey.
The game plot, characters, and storyline
The game has an interesting storyline, which is its strength. The principal character of the game is Howard Latoor, a raccoon. Howard is a private detective, and the game is all about you, the game player, helping Howard crack various cases. The final game is likely to have multiple cases for you to crack. The demo focuses on the case of a woman who approaches Latoor, asking him to investigate what her husband is up to. You need to look for clues that will help you unravel the secret of your client’s husband.
Animals form part of the society in this game. These animals are human-like and add a moral dimension to this game. The founding fathers of this dystopian society are the Great apes. They are the ones responsible for providing direction and infuse ethics and morality into members of this world. A class system is prevalent in this society. Each animal species form a class; some are high and some low. The society (like ours) is filled with corruption, and all these elements are brought out in the story.
The gameplay
A unique feature of the game is the use of smell. Since the main character is a raccoon, it has an acute sense of smell. You need to use Howard’s sense of smell to find suspects. Sometimes, it may be required to mask the smell scent. The objective of gameplay is to find witnesses, interrogate them through dialogues, and get evidence. You will find many clues throughout the game. You have the full freedom to pursue the case as you want. There are no prompts or limitations. Follow the clues, choose from different trails, and pursue the case until its logical conclusion.
There are technologies that play a role in the game. This brings a futuristic element to the game. Among the various technologies is an ancient one known as the artifact. The artifact poses a challenge. If you can understand its significance, it can drastically affect the society Howard lives in. Another interesting aspect of the game is the actual interrogation of witnesses. It is an art and involves more of ‘listening’ to get information.
The gameplay has an element of stealth. Getting spotted by someone can impede your progress. There are puzzles to solve in the game. Some of them are highly challenging. We can expect such puzzles in the final game. This is a truly thought-provoking game.
The game features
The game Backbone is all about an imaginary society and has features like:
- Backbone is a detective adventure game, where you play as a raccoon who is a private investigator hot on the trail of clues to crack a case.
- The game is a set in a dystopian world in Vancouver, with a variety of anthropomorphic animals.
- This is a game that uses pixel art animation with beautiful backgrounds based on real places in Vancouver.
- The game involves interrogating witnesses and looking for clues. Dialogues and multiple paths lead you to the conclusion of this story.
- Since animals are the key characters, their sense of smell has a role to play in the game, which adds an interesting aspect to the game.
- This is not merely a mystery game but offers a look into the dark recesses and the ugly side of societies.
- The demo has created a lot of interest, leading to a lot of anticipation from the game to be released in 2021.
