Backspace Backspace Backspace
- August 5, 2024
- Blue Tango Street
- 20h median play time
Get on Steam"Backspace Backspace Backspace" is a narrative-driven visual novella following a struggling writer in an automated world. Its pixel art and chiptune-style music evoke the GBA era, while meaningful choices and two endings add depth to the story. This passion project of a two-person team supports four languages, with more localizations possible through community involvement.
Reviews
- The game offers a relatable and introspective experience for those struggling with creativity in the modern AI-focused world.
- The visuals and sound design effectively contribute to the overall atmosphere, enhancing the emotional impact of the narrative.
- Despite its brevity, the game delivers a meaningful message that resonates with many players, making it a worthwhile experience.
- The game is very short, which may leave some players wanting more content and additional endings.
- Some players found the writing to be overly dramatic or pretentious at times, which could detract from the overall experience.
- The store page's transparency about the game was perceived as passive-aggressive, potentially discouraging prospective buyers.
- story7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game presents a poignant narrative exploring the challenges of being a creative individual in an AI-driven world, drawing inspiration from the "milk inside/outside a bag of milk" series. While the story is described as disheartening yet hopeful, with well-complemented music and art, some elements feel overused or tonally inconsistent, though certain impactful scenes resonate strongly with players. Overall, it offers a unique and emotional experience, despite some narrative shortcomings.
“A short story game about what it is like to be a creative individual in today's AI-focused world.”
“The story is disheartening, scary, and yet still very hopeful towards the end. The music shifts, and the art is well done, complementing the writing beautifully.”
“While some of the screens are a bit overused, others lend real weight to the narrative, like the screen of the speaker’s mother or the hate-fueled being and the un-hateable person, both of which were story beats I really enjoyed.”
“The story is disheartening, scary, and yet still very hopeful towards the end; the music shifts and the art are well done and complement the writing very well.”
“Other parts of the story missed their mark or were tonally flawed.”
“This game reminds me a lot of 'Milk Inside/Outside a Bag of Milk' series, both in relation to narrative tone and plot details, so I definitely think this game was in some way inspired by those games.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's graphics, characterized by a distinctive pixel art and 2-bit art style, effectively enhance its overall atmosphere, creating visually intriguing scenes that complement the sound design. This minimalist approach contributes to a unique aesthetic reminiscent of other titles, such as "milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk."
“The sound design meshes quite well with the graphic side and overall atmosphere of the game.”
“The visuals of the pixel art do a great job contributing to the atmosphere of this game.”
“Another example of less-is-more is the 2-bit art style, which hides as much as it reveals and makes for some visually interesting screens.”
“The graphics are reminiscent of a 2-bit art style, which hides as much as it reveals, resulting in some visually interesting screens.”
“This game reminds me of milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk, as both have similar graphics, narrative style, and even gameplay.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to complement the narrative, enhancing the emotional depth of the story, which is described as disheartening yet hopeful. Reviewers appreciate the lovely soundtrack and its seamless integration with the art and writing, contributing to an overall immersive experience.
“I also enjoyed the soundtrack.”
“Very lovely story and music.”
“The story is disheartening, scary, and yet still very hopeful towards the end; the music shifts, and the art are well done and complement the writing very well.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by a strong synergy between its sound design and pixel art visuals, creating an immersive experience that captivates players.
“The sound design meshes quite well with the graphic side and overall atmosphere of the game.”
“The visuals of the pixel art do a great job contributing to the atmosphere of this game.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as absolutely flawless, offering at least 20 hours of immersive experience. However, it lacks compactness, drawing a unique comparison to a nested structure, reminiscent of its graphics and narrative style.
“Absolutely flawless with zero compromises in mind and at least 20 hours of gameplay.”
“Absolutely flawed with zero compactness in mind and at least 20 hours of gameplay.”
“This game reminds me of milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk, as both have similar graphics, narrative style, and even gameplay.”
