BACK*SPACE by Mostly Farmless Games
BACK*SPACE is an exploration game seeking to capture the appeal of the Backrooms phenomenon, the internet urban legend and creepypasta that has gripped the minds of many since its inception from an image posted in 2019.
BACK*SPACE is an atmospheric journey through an assortment of liminal spaces based on the many different areas found in the Backrooms mythos.
Guess What’s Back, Back Again
For the uninitiated, the Backrooms are a vast complex of office corridors, industrial hallways, swimming pools and similar spaces selected for their unsettling, liminal quality when emptied of human life. The original legend suggests that a person can fall out of reality and find themselves in this seemingly endless world that feels uncannily familiar but profoundly wrong.
My first experience with the Backrooms came when I discovered the YouTube series by Kane Parsons (now director of the Backrooms feature film). I was immediately enchanted by the concept of liminal spaces and the eerie setting of the stories.
BACK*SPACE does an excellent job of capturing this vibe, and it is served well by the successful setting; existing fans will soon be gripped by this well-executed rendition, while newcomers will find a strange and oddly compelling world to explore.
BACK*SPACE begins in a comparatively small introductory area; after a little exploration, an elevator leads to a hub with access to 16 more labyrinths to discover. Many of these are entered via elevators, and there’s something a little too standardized about that for my taste, but the areas themselves are beautifully crafted with plenty of surreal features to find.
Frightening and Familiar
BACK*SPACE makes a point of highlighting its explorative focus: there are no monsters lurking here. But that doesn’t stop the spaces themselves from conjuring that sense of being watched from the shadows or that feeling that something is lurking around the next corner.
I particularly appreciated the attention given to audio tricks; I occasionally encountered distant music or a subtle static. The now-famous buzz of fluorescent lights, so iconic to the Backrooms, also makes an appearance.
A good variety of areas can be found across the many levels: the familiar office spaces, a red-wallpapered section that evokes a traditional hotel, large commercial structures with vast, abandoned rooms that should be stocked with groceries but instead stand empty.
A pleasing sense of scale is also achieved; I love the almost-Brutalist aesthetic of the towering walls found in some of the office spaces; it almost brings to mind the level design of 3D games of the ’90s and early 2000s, back when realism often took a backseat to atmospheric and compelling environments.
Fluorescent Flickers and Finicky Filters
Conveying the aesthetic of the Backrooms is essential to this particular niche, and BACK*SPACE comfortably delivers. The aforementioned sound design is on point, and the visuals are stunning.
By default, the game comes with a selection of VHS filters turned on, and I found this to be a bit excessive. In the end, I disabled all but the grain filter and found this more than sufficient.
The presence of these options to craft your own experience is a welcome choice. The menu itself is designed to evoke an old handheld camera menu, and while this is quite charming, it isn’t always as clear as it could be.
The Verdict:
BACK*SPACE offers fans of liminal spaces a wonderful playground to explore at a comfortable pace. Some may be put off by the singular focus on exploration here, but anyone looking for a more relaxed experience with the slight edge offered by the disturbing environment will find a huge maze to get lost in. Those looking for a bit more challenge can go looking for the hidden video cassettes scattered across the complex.
BACK*SPACE is easy to recommend to anyone looking for a slice of liminal vibes or those wanting to have a first experience with the Backrooms.
BACK*SPACE is available via Steam.
Watch the trailer for BACK*SPACE below:
