Game Review: The Exit Project: Backstreets

By Al

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC (Steam)

I've been reviewing a lot of games that emulate the formula of The Exit 8 recently, and I'm beginning to wonder if it's been intentional or not. I actually came across The Exit Project: Backstreets thinking that it was more of a survival horror game than an Exit 8-like, but found that it was upon starting it up. Backing up a bit, The Exit Project: Backstreets is a game developed and published by Nostra Games, and available now on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation consoles, and PC. We're going to be taking a look at the Nintendo Switch version today, though I'm sure they're all similar to each other. Intros out of the way, let's dive in!

I was surprised to find that The Exit Project: Backstreets has something of a story to it. Now don't get too excited, it consists solely of your character talking to himself throughout the game, mostly saying that he has to find the right door and get home. Though this isn't all that much in the grand scheme of things, it was something I wasn't expecting to find in a game like this. It sadly also lulled me into thinking that there was going to be more to this game then there seemed to be on the surface. I assumed that there might be a second level to go through, or some sort of a proper ending scene at the very least. Unfortunately, that's the case. Not only is there no real resolution to any of the story bits, it doesn't even wrap up if you manage to get through the game. This is probably a spoiler, but it just sort of ends. I guess I can't really fault it too much since it did give more than most games in the genre do, but I can't help but wonder if I'd have appreciated it better if the game just left everything up to the player to fill in.

Gameplay-wise, The Exit Project: Backstreets is as basic an anomaly game as you can get. You get the base version of the street your first time around, and you then have to successfully pass through ten subsequent streets in order to clear the game. Each street can either be a perfect match to the first one, or it can have some sort of anomaly in it. An anomaly in this case is anything that is different from the base version. This can be writing on the wall that wasn't there before, items that were closed now being open, objects being replaced by something else, or even sounds being different since this game includes audio elements as well. You progress in the game by going through the door that corresponds with whether or not the current street has an anomaly. If you don't notice any changes when compared to the base version, you take the door at the far end of the street, if you instead spot an anomaly, you go back through the door you came from. The game finishes once you've correctly exited the tenth street. Making any sort of mistake, or touching certain anomalies, will reset you back to the base version. There is no real fail state, there is no timer, and there really isn't much game past clearing the tenth loop. Simple enough, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing.

Though I felt that content in general was a bit lighter in The Exit Project: Backstreets, I did think that the setting we're given is far more involved than what's found in similar games. Not only is the area you traverse through quite large, it's also packed with items and details that can be a bit overwhelming to take in all at once. Since the area is so jam packed with things, this means that there are lot of anomalies to experience. Not only that, but several of them are quite creepy, and reminded me a lot of those found in The Exit 8. I don't want to spoil them all, but there were more than a few that had me running back through the entrance door as soon as I entered. Everything about this game just feels like it's of a higher quality. The controls feel tighter, and you can also run and zoom in on things too. The latter is not only important in spotting anomalies, but also interesting as it reveals the level of detail found in the environment. This is a well put together game, and it reminded me how good the genre can be when the developers put in the effort to make their game stand above the rest. If other copies of The Exit 8 are fast food, this is a sit-down restaurant.

Things go pretty well as far as presentation goes too. I already mentioned the scope of the area you're trapped in, but there is a level of detail that almost feels wasted in a game that goes by so quickly. The titular backstreets go far higher than they need too, and there isn't the typical "asset flip" vibe that you find in other games. Everything runs smooth, and looks great, and it's no wonder why I thought this was a full-fledged survival horror game when I first saw screens of it. This level of excellence extends to the sound design too. There really isn't any music to speak of, but the sound effects and audio samples help accentuate the overall creepy atmosphere. I wouldn't call The Exit Project: Backstreets a horror game per se, but it did manage to come off as one far spookier than I was thinking it would. It's by no means perfect, but it's pretty close.

Even though The Exit Project: Backstreets is one of the better Exit 8-likes I've played in recent memory, there is one big problem with it: its price. It's hard to justify its current $9.99 price tag when you factor in that it will probably take you well under an hour to fully clear the game. You can of course keep playing to see more anomalies, or just for fun, but nothing really changes or unlocks in subsequent playthroughs. There aren't additional levels to traverse, nor any other challenges to complete. This is a rather shallow experience that is priced double what I think it's worth. Then again this is not really a negative if pricing isn't an issue to you, but I still can't help but feel that the price point promises far more content than the game actually delivers.

While I have strong reservations regarding its price, I still have to give The Exit Project: Backstreets a solid recommendation. It's the only anomaly/spot-the-difference game that I feel truly rivals The Exit 8, and I mean that in the best way possible. It's creepy, it's fun, and it even features a simple story that gets you into the game early on. I just wish the content and the price point matched up better. That said, I look forward to more games like this from the developer, since they clearly have the formula down. I'll be sure to take a look at the next game they release if I'm able to. Until then, see you in the next one!

Check Out The Exit Project: Backstreets on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/the-exit-project-backstreets-switch/

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Story: B (At least there is one!)
Gameplay: B+
Graphics: B
Music/Sound: A
Value: C

Overall: B+

Pros:
+ A well-detailed Exit 8-like that compares very favorably to the game that essentially created the genre.
+ The titular backstreets are very detailed, and don't have the asset flip look some games like this have.
+ Sound design is spot on, and manages to create a creepy atmosphere with very little.
+ There are plenty of anomalies to witness, and the game almost has a horror vibe to it.
+ Generally feels to be of a quality far beyond other games released in the way of The Exit 8.

Cons:
- Even though the game seems to have a story early on, it's pretty much abandoned after that.
- Since the environment is so large and detailed, it can be hard to spot some of the subtler anomalies.
- Like most games of this genre, there really isn't much reason to play it once you've cleared it.
- I can't help but feel that it's a bit overpriced at $9.99. At least when you consider the amount of content you get.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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