[Important comment on negative reviews: You HAVE to have an interest in existentialism to appreciate the story within this game.]

If you like visual novels even a little bit and appreciate existential philosophy, this is one not to miss. The graphics are beautiful, the characters are interesting and contain depth, even when the interactions are incredibly brief. There is enough game play aspects that reward exploration of the environment and curiosity about the dialog choices to keep it from feeling too much like a walking simulator. The story is true to its genre. It veraciously embraces the Noir concept and quickly becomes a penetrating introspection into the darkness of our inner and outer worlds. There is an unsettling quality about the conclusion that leaves questions unanswered, articulating the story's esoteric take on our search for meaning and resolution.

Overall, I absolutely love this game and would recommend it a thousand times over. I will 100% be playing it again. For some, it won't have this replay value, as the story doesn't change. There are not alternate endings or branches you may have missed, but the achievements are fun and somewhat random, enough so that I personally want to find out which others are hidden in the different dialog and action choices. This, of course, is an addition for those of us who do enjoy this aspect of games; it only enhances the game for those who do, and does not take away from the game for those who do not.

I will say, this game is *not* for those who want a Hallmark, buttoned up ending. It is *not* for those who do not appreciate or enjoy philosophical examinations of society or the human condition. It may not even be for those who do not like a little bit of exploration and choice in their visual novels. It is definitely for those who feel some visual novels are a bit too straightforward.

If the concept of this game and the art style seem even a little bit interesting to you, you will not regret playing through Backbone.

[Important comment on negative reviews: You HAVE to have an interest in existentialism to appreciate the story within this game.] If you like visual novels even a little bit and appreciate existential philosophy, this is one not to miss. The graphics are beautiful, the characters are interesting and contain depth, even when the interactions are incredibly brief. There is enough game play aspects that reward exploration of the environment and curiosity about the dialog choices to keep it from feeling too much like a walking simulator. The story is true to its genre. It veraciously embraces the Noir concept and quickly becomes a penetrating introspection into the darkness of our inner and outer worlds. There is an unsettling quality about the conclusion that leaves questions unanswered, articulating the story's esoteric take on our search for meaning and resolution. Overall, I absolutely love this game and would recommend it a thousand times over. I will 100% be playing it again. For some, it won't have this replay value, as the story doesn't change. There are not alternate endings or branches you may have missed, but the achievements are fun and somewhat random, enough so that I personally want to find out which others are hidden in the different dialog and action choices. This, of course, is an addition for those of us who do enjoy this aspect of games; it only enhances the game for those who do, and does not take away from the game for those who do not. I will say, this game is *not* for those who want a Hallmark, buttoned up ending. It is *not* for those who do not appreciate or enjoy philosophical examinations of society or the human condition. It may not even be for those who do not like a little bit of exploration and choice in their visual novels. It is definitely for those who feel some visual novels are a bit too straightforward. If the concept of this game and the art style seem even a little bit interesting to you, you will not regret playing through Backbone.