{{short description|2021 video game}} {{Infobox video game | title = Tails Noir | image = Backbone video game poster.jpg | caption = | developer = EggNut | publisher = Raw Fury | director = Aleksandra Korabelnikova | producer = Ishani Birch | designer = Alexander Kolchin | programmer = Nikita Danshin<br>Artem Pisarev<br>Diana Stolyrova | artist = Toma Klepinina<br>Kristina Dashevskaya<br>Kirill Simonenko<br>Julia Migacheva<br> Sonya Ptitsyna<br>Antonina Shipulina | writer = Danny Wadeson<br>Alexandra Korabelnikova<br>Martin Hanses | composer = Nikita Danshin<br>Arooj Aftab | engine = Unreal Engine 4 | platforms = {{ubl|Microsoft Windows|PlayStation 4|PlayStation 5|Xbox One|Xbox Series X/S|Nintendo Switch}} | released = {{Collapsible list|title={{Nobold|8 June 2021}}|'''Microsoft Windows'''|8 June 2021|'''PS4''', '''PS5''', '''Xbox One''', '''Xbox Series X/S'''|28 October 2021|'''Nintendo Switch'''|9 February 2022}} | genre = Role-playing | modes = Single-player }}
'''''Tails Noir''''' (previously known as '''''Backbone''''') is a 2021 noir role-playing indie video game by Canadian developer EggNut and published by Raw Fury. It was released for Microsoft Windows in June 2021, for PlayStation 4'','' PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in October 2021, and on Nintendo Switch in February 2022.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SxLDMz-O-0 |title=Backbone - Official Switch Release Date Announcement Trailer |date=19 January 2022 |language=en |publisher=GameTrailers |access-date=19 January 2022 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Narrative noir game Backbone is sneaking its way onto Switch|url=https://www.destructoid.com/narrative-noir-game-backbone-sneaking-onto-nintendo-switch/|website=Destructoid|last=Warner|first=Noelle|date=19 January 2022|access-date=19 January 2022}}</ref> A prequel, titled ''Tails Noir Preludes'', was released in February 2023 on Windows.<ref name=":0">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.ign.com/videos/tails-the-backbone-preludes-official-launch-trailer |title=Tails: The Backbone Preludes - Official Launch Trailer |date=2 February 2023 |access-date=6 February 2023 |website=IGN}}</ref>
== Plot == thumb|left|Gameplay screenshot. Set in a dystopian version of Vancouver, Canada, populated by anthropomorphic creatures, ''Tails Noir'' follows Howard Lotor, a raccoon and private detective tasked with solving mysteries.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Iwaniuk |first1=Phil |title=Backbone review – raccoon PI stars in a noir adventure with an inexplicable twist |url=https://www.theguardian.com/games/2021/sep/02/backbone-review-raccoon-pi-noir-adventure |access-date=3 September 2021 |agency=The Guardian |date=2 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Jackson |first1=Lara |title=Backbone Player Solves Puzzle Using a Famous Gaming Cheat Code |url=https://screenrant.com/backbone-puzzle-solved-cheat-code-0451-tattoo/ |access-date=3 September 2021 |agency=Screen Rant |date=18 August 2021}}</ref>
== Reception == {{Video game reviews |align = left | MC = PC: 72/100<ref>{{cite web |title=Backbone for PC Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/tails-noir/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |website=Metacritic |access-date=3 September 2021}}</ref><br />PS5: 63/100<ref>{{cite web |title=Backbone for PlayStation 5 Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/tails-noir/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-5 |website=Metacritic |access-date=7 September 2022}}</ref> | AdvGamers = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mattsson |first=Peter |date=12 September 2021 |title=Review for Backbone |url=https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/backbone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622030156/https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/backbone |url-status=usurped |archive-date=June 22, 2021 |access-date=12 September 2021 |website=Adventure Gamers}}</ref> | Destruct = 7/10<ref>{{cite web |last1=Handley |first1=Zoey |title=Review: Backbone |url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-backbone/ |website=Destructoid |date=12 September 2021 |access-date=12 September 2021}}</ref> | RPGFan = 78/100<ref>{{Cite web |last=Argyros |first=Caitlin |date=12 September 2021 |title=Backbone Review |url=https://www.rpgfan.com/review/backbone/ |access-date=12 September 2021 |website=RPGFan}}</ref> | SN = 6/10<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jarrard |first1=Chris |title=Backbone review: Anthropomorphic apathy |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/125386/backbone-review-anthropomorphic-apathy |website=Shacknews |date=12 September 2021 |access-date=12 September 2021}}</ref> | TG = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Iwaniuk |first=Phil |date=12 September 2021 |title=Backbone review – raccoon PI stars in a noir adventure with an inexplicable twist |url=https://www.theguardian.com/games/2021/sep/02/backbone-review-raccoon-pi-noir-adventure |access-date=12 September 2021 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> }}
The game was awarded with the Gran Prix, Best PC Game and Best Art categories at the DevGAMM Unreal Engine competition in Minsk, Belarus,<ref name="Egg">{{cite web |title=Backbone — noir dystopian adventure |url=https://backbone.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders/project_updates?page=3 |website=EggNut |access-date=3 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1197888963844984833 |user=backbonegame |title=Backbone won Best Art and Best PC Game and BEST GAME at unreal engine contest in Minsk! THANK YOU ❤️❤️❤️ |access-date=3 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122145444/https://twitter.com/backbonegame/status/1197888963844984833 |archive-date=2019-11-22 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and with the Best Indie Game Award at the Strasbourg European Film Festival in France.<ref name="Egg"/>
== Prequel == A prequel, titled ''Tails Noir Preludes'', was released in February 2023 on Windows.<ref name=":0" />{{clear}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== Further reading == {{refbegin}} * {{Cite news |last1=Bell |first1=Alice |title=Backbone review: it's not what you expect, but hot damn is it pretty |work=Rock Paper Shotgun |date=2021-06-08 |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/backbone-review |access-date=2021-06-17 |df=mdy-all }} * {{Cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Jonathan |title=Backbone: The Kotaku Review |work=Kotaku |date=2021-06-09 |url=https://kotaku.com/backbone-the-kotaku-review-1847057851 |language=en-us |access-date=2021-06-17 |df=mdy-all }} * {{Cite web | url= https://blog.playstation.com/2021/10/27/creating-the-anthropomorphic-world-of-backbone-coming-to-ps4-and-ps5/ | title = Creating the anthropomorphic world of Backbone, coming to PS4 and PS5 | first = Aleksandra | last = Korabelnikova | date = 27 October 2021 | accessdate = 27 October 2021 | work = PlayStation Blog }} {{refend}}
== External links == * [https://eggnut.net/ Official website]
Category:2021 video games Category:Adventure games Category:Detective video games Category:Dystopian video games Category:Indie games Category:Kickstarter-funded video games Category:Nintendo Switch games Category:PlayStation 4 games Category:PlayStation 5 games Category:Raw Fury games Category:Retro-style video games Category:Role-playing video games Category:Single-player video games Category:Unreal Engine 4 games Category:Video games about raccoons Category:Video games set in Vancouver Category:Video games with Steam Workshop support Category:Video games developed in Canada Category:Windows games Category:Xbox One games Category:Video games about talking animals