Backbone

68%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,666 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • graphics
Backbone Game Cover
Backbone features a compelling story and a well-realised post-noir dystopia, with engaging characters and some smart gameplay.
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"Backbone" is a single-player mystery role-playing game with a phenomenal story and impressive graphics, accompanied by a stellar soundtrack. As raccoon detective Howard Lotor, you'll explore a dystopian Vancouver full of anthropomorphic animals while unraveling a deeply personal narrative. The game boasts a dense atmosphere, emotional depth, and engaging dialogues, however, it has low replayability, is grind-heavy, and has some bugs.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

68%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,666 reviews
story968 positive mentions
replayability10 negative mentions
  • Stunning pixel art and beautiful visuals that create an immersive atmosphere.
  • Engaging soundtrack that complements the game's tone and setting.
  • Interesting characters with depth and well-written dialogue.
  • The story takes a jarring turn in the second half, losing focus and coherence.
  • Ending feels rushed and unsatisfying, leaving many plot threads unresolved.
  • Gameplay becomes overly linear with minimal puzzles and choices that don't impact the outcome.
  • story3,630 mentions

    The story of "Backbone" begins with a compelling noir detective narrative that captivates players with its intriguing characters and atmospheric setting. However, as the game progresses, particularly after the third act, many players feel the plot takes a confusing and abrupt turn into sci-fi territory, leaving numerous plot threads unresolved and resulting in an unsatisfying conclusion. While the visuals and music are praised, the overall narrative is criticized for its lack of coherence and depth, leading to mixed reviews regarding its storytelling quality.

    • “If you love story games like I do, I highly recommend this one.”
    • “The story is engaging and all the characters feel so fleshed out and unique.”
    • “I fell in love with this game because of its outstanding art, story, and intrigue.”
    • “You can tell that a lot of effort went into this project, but as you go on, you can feel the story and excitement slipping away.”
    • “Unfortunately the story goes from a classic tension filled noir to grinding to an absolute halt about midway.”
    • “The story ends suddenly leaving a lot of plot points unanswered.”
  • music976 mentions

    The music in Backbone has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and evocative qualities, effectively enhancing the game's noir aesthetic. Many players praised the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as beautiful, immersive, and perfectly suited to the game's themes and settings. However, some noted inconsistencies in audio balancing and moments of silence that detracted from the overall experience, suggesting that while the music is a highlight, it could have been utilized more effectively throughout the game.

    • “The music and the art direction is great!”
    • “The music is stunning, often I've stopped playing to hear the voiced songs.”
    • “The soundtrack is perfectly moody.”
    • “Could have done without the music sequence around the campfire, but it's skippable, so you can pass on it without missing any important story beats.”
    • “The music is also subpar.”
    • “The music was done well, though the game doesn't really take advantage of many of the tracks that it has, since there's quite a bit of the game that's just silent, or basic ambient tracks that are forgetful.”
  • graphics866 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the stunning pixel art style, atmospheric visuals, and attention to detail that enhance the overall experience. The combination of beautiful artwork and a captivating soundtrack creates an immersive environment, although some players noted that the visuals sometimes overshadowed the narrative, which can feel disjointed or underdeveloped. Overall, the game's aesthetic appeal is a significant highlight, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of visually striking indie titles.

    • “The graphics are superb, and the story sticks to the noir genre almost throughout the end.”
    • “The visuals are stunning and the OST is amazing.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful and the storyline is intriguing and draws you in!”
    • “This game is mostly held up by its cute pixel graphics and decent audio; however, its poor gameplay and poor storytelling make you wish that the writers had put more effort into it.”
    • “Only play the free first chapter; the game is shockingly short after that, the visuals are disturbing, and the story feels totally ridiculous and out of left field.”
    • “Bottom line: I'd say it could be worth playing for the aesthetic, music, and the first few chapters if you're looking for a quasi-noir/dystopian vibe, but I honestly left this game feeling like I had been duped into buying into a story that wasn't what it presented itself as, and left with a vague ending that was either sequel-bait or just unsatisfying.”
  • gameplay641 mentions

    The gameplay in this title has been widely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many reviewers noting that it devolves into a linear experience dominated by dialogue and cutscenes after an initially promising prologue. Mechanics such as stealth and puzzles are introduced but are rarely utilized, leading to a feeling of missed potential and disappointment, especially given the game's short length of around 4-6 hours. Overall, while the art and story elements are praised, the gameplay is seen as minimal and unsatisfying, making it more akin to a visual novel than a traditional game.

    • “Fun and simple gameplay, good writing.”
    • “The gameplay itself is relatively simple, consisting mostly of walking and talking, but it's a heavily story-driven game after all.”
    • “The gameplay of Backbone shines as a refined and modern interpretation of point and click adventure games.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, there's a lot of missed opportunities.”
    • “The half-baked mechanics also suggest it was meant to be a different game where that actually matters, and the sneak function isn't just used for 2 sections that can't fail.”
    • “Since there's no gameplay, the game experience is completely held up by the story, and at the end, the story does not tie up and is left open-ended.”
  • atmosphere280 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning visuals, immersive sound design, and strong noir elements, effectively creating a captivating and moody environment. Many players appreciate the attention to detail in the art and music, which enhance the overall experience, although some note that the narrative's later shifts detract from the initial atmospheric strength. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making the game worth experiencing for fans of atmospheric storytelling.

    • “The atmosphere this game has is top tier, with little details that really sell the mood and setting.”
    • “Backbone is dripping with atmosphere, the pixel art is gorgeous, environments are lush and filled with detail, and the soundtrack is perfect.”
    • “The mood and atmosphere was divine.”
    • “If the intention was to deliver a story-rich detective experience with a quintessential 'noir' atmosphere, the game falls short of this objective.”
    • “Without going into spoilers, all I can say is that there is a major tonal shift after act three and a major change of pacing; suddenly instead of the contemplative and brooding atmosphere of a noir, the air changes to that of a sci-fi thriller with no happy or cathartic ending.”
    • “It's disappointing how this is the end result I get from waiting two whole years since the release of the prologue. The beginning few acts are gripping and compelling, engaging the audience through that noir/mystery atmosphere this game seemed to exude, but the more it reached the end it fell short and even left me absolutely cold, not even lukewarm.”
  • emotional85 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of responses, with players experiencing everything from deep investment in the story and characters to frustration over unresolved plotlines and a lack of impactful conclusions. Many appreciate the beautiful art, touching soundtrack, and moments of genuine emotion, while others criticize the game's failure to deliver a satisfying emotional payoff, particularly in its ending. Overall, it is seen as a mixed emotional journey that can be rewarding for those willing to engage with its themes of change, loss, and belonging, despite its narrative flaws.

    • “The story goes from banal detective tasks to the uncovering of a weird criminal operation, to a mystery around disappearances... to then find yourself in the middle of a high-level corruption scandal with grotesque scientific experiments, psychological intrigue, and post-apocalyptic wanderings, dotted with haunting abstractions, shocking reversals... I laughed, I cried, I gasped.”
    • “It was an emotional ride and I enjoyed it and will play it again.”
    • “The last third of this game is impactful and emotionally hard-hitting.”
    • “The visuals are stunning, but the story lacks any emotional depth.”
    • “The game looks amazing, yet it fails to engage me on an emotional level.”
    • “While the graphics are beautiful, the narrative feels flat and uninspiring.”
  • humor66 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever and witty dialogue, often blending dark humor with philosophical undertones. Players appreciate the variety of response options that can lead to hilarious interactions, as well as the well-developed characters that contribute to the comedic atmosphere. Overall, the writing is considered superb, making the game both entertaining and thought-provoking, with many moments that elicit genuine laughter.

    • “The conversations felt natural and even had me laughing so hard at times.”
    • “The writing is superb, oftentimes hilarious.”
    • “This game is beautiful, it's funny, it's entertaining, it's amazingly written, the dialogue is impeccable, the characters are interesting and unique, it's all just so neatly woven together.”
  • character development45 mentions

    Character development in Backbone starts strong, with engaging interactions and intriguing side stories that draw players in. However, many reviewers express disappointment with the abrupt ending and the lack of resolution for key characters, leading to a sense of unfinished narratives and missed opportunities for deeper exploration. While the character designs and aesthetics are praised, the overall sentiment reflects a significant decline in character development as the story progresses.

    • “The story starts off really strong, with good character development, interesting side stories, and a strong foundation.”
    • “There were some interesting dark humor elements where I actually laughed; I thought the character development was solid overall, and I really enjoyed learning more about all of the characters.”
    • “All the character interactions were really good, and I enjoyed watching their character development play out.”
    • “I really wanted to give this game a good review (even with all the negative reviews I saw), because dammit, the story and the character development started so strong... until all of it abruptly collapsed on itself.”
    • “The main plot had been completely abandoned, character development went downhill, and there were so many loose ends by the extremely abrupt ending.”
    • “It's hot on the outside with its visuals and prologue, but the story and character developments are cold as ice.”
  • replayability42 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed, with many reviewers noting its short playtime of 3-6 hours and limited branching paths, which significantly reduce the incentive to replay. While some players appreciate the option to explore different dialogue choices and hunt for achievements, others feel that once the story is known, there is little reason to revisit the game. The presence of unskippable cutscenes and a lack of substantial new content on subsequent playthroughs further detracts from its replay value.

    • “Fortunately, the game has an interesting story and good replay value.”
    • “The art was really amazing and I appreciate the hidden achievements which add a little replay value.”
    • “Regarding the dialogue, this game does have replay value because there are many options to choose from.”
    • “The gameplay is so incredibly short, with essentially no replay value I can determine.”
    • “A 3 to 6 hour game that has no branching paths and very little replay value should never cost this much.”
    • “However, the lack of any replayability makes it a hard sell for $25 when you'll probably only get one run out of it between 3-5 hours.”
  • stability35 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of graphical glitches, buggy achievements, and inconsistent controls that can disrupt gameplay. Many players noted that these issues, while frustrating, did not overshadow their overall enjoyment of the story, but they expressed hope for future patches to improve the experience. Overall, the game feels unfinished and in need of significant technical refinement.

    • “It feels tremendously unfinished, even the loading screen glitches visually.”
    • “Backbone not only had a large number of visual glitches, but some that actively stop or mess with your progression such as dialogue boxes skipping themselves or being unable to click a response option.”
    • “There are absolutely game halting (not breaking) glitches that need to be patched, specifically in act 4.”
  • grinding20 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is a significant drawback, with many players feeling that the story loses momentum midway, leading to a tedious experience. The lack of chapter selects exacerbates the issue, making achievement hunting feel laborious, while some players find the gameplay increasingly pointless and drawn out. Overall, the grinding detracts from the initial engaging narrative and cinematic experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Luckily, there are no tedious mini-games, but sometimes it felt a little too much like a movie at times.”
    • “Unfortunately, the story goes from a classic tension-filled noir to grinding to an absolute halt about midway.”
    • “It then gets so tedious I was literally checking my watch as the story crawled on and everything ends unresolved.”
    • “Lack of chapter selects also makes achievement hunting very tedious.”
  • monetization8 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for broken promises and misleading advertising, leading to disappointment among players who expected a different experience. While it is not viewed as a typical cash grab like many AAA titles, the disconnect between marketing and the actual content has resulted in a negative perception of its monetization strategy.

    • “With the added context of broken promises and disingenuous advertising, it's a disaster.”
    • “But in the end, it wasn't anything near what it was advertising itself as.”
    • “Despite its advertising, the game is a linear visual novel.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game features a retro 8-bit aesthetic that generally runs smoothly, with users reporting no significant performance issues or stuttering, though performance may vary depending on the hardware used.

    • “The game has a heavily 8-bit aesthetic, and performance may vary depending on the rig, potentially leading to stuttering.”
    • “From a technical standpoint, I had no performance issues with this game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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Critic Reviews

72% average critic score

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Play time

5hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
4-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 50 analyzed playthroughs

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