Petallix Games, from San Francisco, presents Backtrace: Mechanisms for Forgetting, a mystery and puzzle game with pixel art and yuri themes. The action takes place inside a retro computer, in 1984. You control Lynn, owner of a microcomputer, who connects to the internet and BBS every night to uncover a plot of exploits and chaotic hackers. It will arrive on PC via Steam, with no confirmed date.
Puzzles, BBS and exploits: the mechanics of digital chaos 🖥️
The game replicates the experience of navigating 80s bulletin board systems. Puzzles are solved by deciphering codes, tracking connections, and facing network vulnerabilities. Petallix has designed an interface that mimics terminals and CRT monitors, with flickering effects and scan lines. The narrative unfolds through messages, logs, and encounters with other users, all in pixel art that evokes the aesthetics of the era.
Romantic hackers: love in the time of analog modems 💾
Because, of course, nothing is more logical than seeking true love while hacking a BBS at 300 baud. Lynn not only faces exploits but also feelings. The yuri touch promises scenes of romantic tension between green phosphor screens. Forget the drama: here the biggest conflict is whether she will reply to your message before the sysadmin kicks you off the system.