Tails Noir

 Xbox One
Metascore
tbd

No score yet - based on 3 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. XBLA Fans
    Feb 23, 2022
    80
    A lot of things combine to make an enjoyable detective adventure. You have moody music, pixel graphics, animal characters, stealth, conversation decisions, and dark noir crime drama. The biggest downfall is sadly the story, specifically the last chapter. Again I don’t want to give anything away because it is worth playing and some will find the twist awesome, but I was not a fan. I would definitely like to experience more of the city, especially as a different character. It’s the type of game setting that opens up a lot of options for sequels or DLC. And if that content is created in the future, I will be thrilled to jump back into the crazy animal city.
  2. XboxAddict
    Nov 24, 2021
    75
    While I enjoyed my time with Howard, unravelling the case before me, I’ll admit, it won me over early on simply for being based in my home town. Seeing a familiar yet strange version of my city was exciting, and while most won’t have the same connection, that’s what drew me to Backbone initially. While some might question the latter half of the narrative, I’m still glad to have experienced it, and since it’s currently available on Game Pass, you can do so too with little barriers.
  3. TheXboxHub
    Nov 3, 2021
    70
    It’s certainly enjoyable to spend some time in the world of Backbone. It's a place of imagination, noir detective thrills and of animals wandering around in human clothes. Point-and-click fans may get frustrated at the ease of the gameplay and whilst the narrative is good, it does get a bit confusing towards the end, trying too many things. But at the same time, the inventiveness of trying something different just has to be applauded.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 13 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 13
  3. Negative: 1 out of 13
  1. Awanka
    Oct 25, 2022
    7
    An atmospheric existential point and click adventure with fun writing and possessing of an eccentric streak of humor. Conversations go onAn atmospheric existential point and click adventure with fun writing and possessing of an eccentric streak of humor. Conversations go on longer than usual onto off-tangent topics and get weird. The developers make a stab at puzzle-solving elements in the first act, but soon abandon them for a more linear story-telling drama.

    The story itself starts with a fairly mundane case, and goes through the usual tropes of a murder mystery, but then gets pretty crazy half-way through. There are some interesting artistic flourishes, like long cutscenes where the player listens to someone singing and playing a piece of music all the way through, or a parade that turns into a psychedelic nightmare. There's also an element of psycho-analysis as the game asks you questions that are existential in nature.

    I appreciate that the developers were trying to do something new with the medium here, but they didn't quite have the budget to see it through as the game ends rather abruptly. Still a promising effort, and I look forward to seeing something more fleshed out from them in the future.    … Full Review »
  2. Fedelta
    Aug 18, 2022
    7
    Graphics are very good.First half is perfect actually but ending is not satisfying
  3. markrobbo036
    Aug 13, 2022
    2
    Backbone is a game with a great art style and compelling concept at first look. The first act has some fun little puzzles and a compellingBackbone is a game with a great art style and compelling concept at first look. The first act has some fun little puzzles and a compelling story.

    After this, any small amount of gameplay drops off and you are largely left with reading dialog where the options you choose have no impact on the story. You can get through the game purely by spamming x if you wanted to. At this point it is little more than a visual novel, which is ok if you like that and don't pay a lot for it.

    However half way through the game it completely changes genre in a way which leaves huge parts of the story completely unresolved and becomes completely absurdist. For this reason I'd consider it a bad visual novel and can't recommend it.    … Full Review »
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