How Backbone Created the Cutest Hardboiled Detective
Backbone is a post-noir detective game with a compelling cast of anthropomorphic animals set to come out on June 8th. You can dive into its demo now for free on Steam to get a taste of its stunning pixel visuals and charming story. I’ve already played through the demo three times and am eagerly waiting for the full game to come out.
The studio behind Backbone, Eggnut, has created a noir version of Vancouver with its own complex animal social structure. The player enters this story as detective Howard Lotor, a raccoon who isn’t afraid to sift through his city’s trash. This detective’s caper is set to an enthralling jazz soundtrack that immerses you into its story. Lotor is a figure that echoes many of the famous detectives from literature and film who cut through the haze of their dark landscape with a hard-boiled attitude.
The hardboiled detective is a figure that lives in noir landscapes where drinking, social decay, and urban grime are parts of life. This figure rises above his surroundings and brings justice to his environment. And you can certainly see the roots of this character in detective Lotor. As he says early in the game, “Granville smells like wet concrete, overpriced fast food and puke. My kind of battleground.”
Like many detectives what makes Lotor so suited to fighting for justice is that he exists outside of the social order. As a raccoon, or “striper” as many call him, Lotor is seen as lesser than and mistrusted based upon his appearance. This adds complexity to the world Eggnut has crafted and opens an interesting dialogue about social order. The predators, cats, canines, and bears, exist at the top of this order and frustrate Lotor’s attempts to bring justice to his city.
The skills that Lotor brings to this battleground are ones that will appeal to those who love story-driven games. The bulk of the gameplay involves questioning characters as you search for clues on your case. This mechanic is made compelling by the great dialog in this game, which is studded with gems like, “[t]hat’s how the world works. Just because things happen to you doesn’t mean you have a right to understand them.” That said there are also stealth and physical puzzles sprinkled throughout the game. I found these puzzles interesting and felt that they nicely accentuated Lotor’s character.
Besides its writing, Backbone is a must-play because of its gorgeous art style. This gloomy city is brought to life by its intricately detailed pixel art. Garbage lines the city streets and rain falls in a neverending downpour. But best of all dioramas of daily life peek out from second-story windows, creating the sense vast world for the player to explore. This backdrop is the perfect landscape for our hardboiled detective and beckons for new players to dive into its grimy secrets.
If you’re looking to dig your teeth into a story with depth then make sure you wishlist or preorder Backbone on Steam. This pixelated adventure is one people will be talking about for a while.
