For EggNut, a studio comprised of remote employees from Canada, United States, Russia, and the Netherlands, Backbone represents an astounding achievement in concept, design, and execution. EggNut first introduced its post-noir world when it released Backbone: Prologue on Steam in 2019. Prologue gave players the opportunity to play through the first act of the game and was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews - potential the full release delivers on.
Backbone is described by its developers as "a post-noir roleplaying detective adventure" in which players navigate the dark and dystopian city of Vancouver, BC as a raccoon Private Investigator named Howard Lotor. What starts out as a standard "cheating husband" case turns into something infinitely darker and puts Howard in direct conflict with the city's oppressive system. Thankfully, he has some help in the form of a journalist named Renee and his trusty driver/best friend, Anatoly.
The mechanics of Backbone feature stealth, exploration, and elements of classic point-and-click adventure games. While it features plenty of puzzles and tense moments, the main element of Backbone is its expansive dialogue. Each interaction involves a variety of responses that affect the decisions of whoever Howard is talking to. Though not directly stated, it quickly becomes clear that players should interact with everyone and everything they can in order to navigate each puzzle and interaction in order to achieve the best possible outcome.
What immediately stands out about Backbone is its art direction and soundtrack. Thanks to the versatility of Unreal Engine 4, Backbone's visuals are comprised by a mix of 3D effects and high-res pixel art. This gives Backbone a unique style due to being able to incorporate dynamic lighting and weather effects to help render a cold and existential world. The soundtrack by Danshin and Aroof Aftab elevates the experience, providing players with what EggNut appropriately describes as "dystopian doom jazz." It not only captures the aesthetic and style of detective noirs, it relays the complex emotions felt by Backbone's characters and the city itself.
The themes and commentary in Backbone are not subtle and it's all the better for it. The most obvious is the commentary on class struggle and oppressive societies, highlighting how those in power eat up and spit out those stuck in cycles of poverty and subtly segregate them through rampant systemic racism. The honesty of this commentary only deepens the player's connection to Howard, and Howard's connection to others. As the story progresses, the genre and tone seamlessly shift to something more surreal and focuses in on the existential nature of mortality.
Howard's journey ends far, far away from where it began and each step continuously develops the emotional investment for everyone in this world. While there are minor mechanical issues such as the "interact" input not always being immediately responsive, each element of Backbone is polished and expertly crafted. Backbone is a must-play GOTY contender that deserves every bit of mainstream recognition it receives, and exceeds the usual reach of its genre, making for a compelling experience that even those with little interest in point-and-click adventures will find difficult to put down.
Backbone releases on June 8th for PC, with future releases planned for PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. A digital PC code was provided to Screen Rant for the purpose of this review.