When I decided to start reviewing some of my favorite flash games, BackDoor - Door 1: The Call was one of the first ones I thought of. The first time I played it back in 2013 I remember really liking it, but on my playthrough in preparation for this review, my experience was little more mixed. However, the game shows a lot of promise for future installments, and I’d still recommend it.
BackDoor is a short adventure game where you’ll need to collect objects and solve puzzles in order to escape a strange house. Anyone familiar with point-and-click adventures knows what to expect, though this game is played entirely with the keyboard.
The controls are fairly simple. Use the [arrow] keys to move, [z] to interact, [x] to use your selected item, and [c] to cycle through your items. You can also press [space] to view your inventory and combine items.
The art style is one of the best things about the game. The pixel art is clearly influenced by EarthBound but colored entirely with shades of gray and blue. It’s a nice stylistic touch that gives BackDoor a unique look.
In a lot of ways, BackDoor - Door 1 feels more like a demo than a game in its own right. The game is very short, and some of its features feel completely underutilized. Storywise, it sets up a bunch of weird mysteries but without enough context for you to care about them or any sort of resolution.
According to the developer’s website, Door 2 is still in production, and from the look of things it’s going to be far larger than the first one. As BackDoor is a one-man labor of love, there’s no telling when the final product will be released, but I for one will be sure to keep an eye out.
BackDoor - Door 1 might not be the best game I’ve ever played, but it’s still one I’d recommend to puzzle and adventure game fans. It can be completed in less than 10 minutes and is completely free, so if anything I’ve said has piqued your interest, head over to Newgrounds and check it out.
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