![]() ![]() Everyone thinks that entering this wasteland is a death sentence, but of course, you find out that this isn’t necessarily true.Įverything in the first two-thirds of the game seems to be building up to an inevitable exposure of corruption. There’s also a lot of talk about a horrible war a long time ago that destroyed everything beyond the giant Wall that the Apes put up to protect the city. A rabbit, for instance, tells Howard that no one would let her be a scientist because of her Kind. Apes are the bigwigs in charge of this society, and certain Kinds like dogs and cats are seen as better and smarter than others, to the point where some Kinds are effectively barred from doing certain things. It quickly becomes obvious that animal species (or Kinds, as they’re referred to in the game) serve as a stand-in for racial discrimination, and there’s also a sort of class system in place. ![]() To illustrate, let me discuss the dystopian nature of this alternate Vancouver. It’s hard to explain why the ending is disappointing without spoiling things, but basically, the game sets up an interesting world and shocking developments, and then just kind of… ends, without really resolving any of the issues. Walking down the pixelated streets of Vancouver is a real treat. Unfortunately, this is also where the plot’s momentum starts to fall apart, leading to an ending that feels depressing and unsatisfying. Things take a trippy turn in the last hour or so of the game, and I have to admit, I did not see a certain twist coming. ![]() With the help of a fearless journalist, he tracks down leads across the city, from the homes of the rich and famous to hovels the poor and unlucky are stuck in. But when he finds his mark dead in the basement of a bar run by a mob boss, he stumbles onto a conspiracy that reaches all the way to the top rungs of society. You play as Howard Lotor, a raccoon private investigator hired for what he thinks will be a standard infidelity case. Every place you go feels distinct, and I only wish that you were able to visit more of Vancouver on that note, I’m sure locals will enjoy seeing their city represented so lovingly in pixel form. The art design alone is stunning when you walk through a neighborhood like Granville or Gastown and see all the little details, like characters milling about outside a movie theater or a person working at a sewing machine in an apartment above a dress shop. The atmosphere is fantastic and helps sell the look and feel of the city as you explore its various districts. Tails Noir features a lovely mix of beautiful pixel art and 3D visual effects, like reflections in puddles of water or raindrops hitting the screen. Let’s start by talking about those visuals since they are likely the first thing people will notice. But is the game’s story a match for its visuals? Set in a dystopian version of Vancouver populated by anthropomorphic animals and featuring some gorgeous pixel artwork, Tails Noir immediately captured my attention the first time I saw it. “A dark night in a city that knows how to keep its secrets….” Okay, that’s actually the introduction to the Guy Noir segment on A Prairie Home Companion, but it’s still an apt description of the mood developer EggNut is going for with their new detective game, Tails Noir. ![]() The game’s title has been updated across this review, but no other changes were made. SeptemUpdate: When this review was published, Tails Noir was known as Backbone. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |