# Tails Noir
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tails_Noir
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tails_Noir.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tails_Noir
> Source revision: 1354030293
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{short description|2021 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Tails Noir
| image = Backbone video game poster.jpg
| caption =
| developer = EggNut
| publisher = [Raw Fury](/source/Raw_Fury)
| director = Aleksandra Korabelnikova
| producer = Ishani Birch
| designer = Alexander Kolchin
| programmer = Nikita Danshin
Artem Pisarev
Diana Stolyrova
| artist = Toma Klepinina
Kristina Dashevskaya
Kirill Simonenko
Julia Migacheva
Sonya Ptitsyna
Antonina Shipulina
| writer = Danny Wadeson
Alexandra Korabelnikova
Martin Hanses
| composer = Nikita Danshin
[Arooj Aftab](/source/Arooj_Aftab)
| engine = [Unreal Engine 4](/source/Unreal_Engine_4)
| platforms = {{ubl|[Microsoft Windows](/source/Microsoft_Windows)|[PlayStation 4](/source/PlayStation_4)|[PlayStation 5](/source/PlayStation_5)|[Xbox One](/source/Xbox_One)|[Xbox Series X/S](/source/Xbox_Series_X%2FS)|[Nintendo Switch](/source/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](/source/Role-playing_video_game)
| modes = [Single-player](/source/Single-player_video_game)
}}
'''''Tails Noir''''' (previously known as '''''Backbone''''') is a 2021 [noir](/source/Noir_fiction) [role-playing](/source/Role-playing_video_game) [indie video game](/source/indie_video_game) by Canadian developer EggNut and published by [Raw Fury](/source/Raw_Fury). It was released for [Microsoft Windows](/source/Microsoft_Windows) in June 2021, for [PlayStation 4](/source/PlayStation_4)'','' [PlayStation 5](/source/PlayStation_5), [Xbox One](/source/Xbox_One) and [Xbox Series X/S](/source/Xbox_Series_X_and_Series_S) in October 2021, and on [Nintendo Switch](/source/Nintendo_Switch) in February 2022.[{{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](/source/YouTube)}}][{{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}}] A prequel, titled ''[Tails Noir Preludes](/source/Tails_Noir_Preludes)'', was released in February 2023 on Windows.[{{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}}]
== Plot ==
thumb|left|Gameplay screenshot.
Set in a dystopian version of [Vancouver](/source/Vancouver), [Canada](/source/Canada), populated by anthropomorphic creatures, ''Tails Noir'' follows Howard Lotor, a raccoon and private detective tasked with solving mysteries.[{{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](/source/The_Guardian) |date=2 September 2021}}][{{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}}]
== Reception ==
{{Video game reviews
|align = left
| MC = PC: 72/100[{{cite web |title=Backbone for PC Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/tails-noir/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |website=[Metacritic](/source/Metacritic) |access-date=3 September 2021}}]
PS5: 63/100[{{cite web |title=Backbone for PlayStation 5 Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/tails-noir/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-5 |website=[Metacritic](/source/Metacritic) |access-date=7 September 2022}}]
| AdvGamers = {{Rating|4|5}}[{{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](/source/Adventure_Gamers)}}]
| Destruct = 7/10[{{cite web |last1=Handley |first1=Zoey |title=Review: Backbone |url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-backbone/ |website=[Destructoid](/source/Destructoid) |date=12 September 2021 |access-date=12 September 2021}}]
| RPGFan = 78/100[{{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}}]
| SN = 6/10[{{cite web |last1=Jarrard |first1=Chris |title=Backbone review: Anthropomorphic apathy |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/125386/backbone-review-anthropomorphic-apathy |website=[Shacknews](/source/Shacknews) |date=12 September 2021 |access-date=12 September 2021}}]
| TG = {{Rating|3|5}}[{{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](/source/The_Guardian)}}]
}}
The game was awarded with the Gran Prix, Best PC Game and Best Art categories at the DevGAMM [Unreal Engine](/source/Unreal_Engine) competition in [Minsk](/source/Minsk), [Belarus](/source/Belarus),[{{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}}][{{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}}] and with the Best Indie Game Award at the [Strasbourg European Film Festival](/source/Strasbourg_European_Fantastic_Film_Festival) in [France](/source/France).