Indie roguelike Backpack Hero is launching in Early Access soon with a unique twist on inventory management and bag space. Inventory systems are an integral part of countless video games, and this widespread presence has given them a notoriety of their own. An April Fools Minecraft update turned the world into an inventory system, demonstrating how ubiquitous they can be.
While there are many inventory systems that are simple and rudimentary, many titles find a wide array of unique and engaging ways to handle the items and resources that players have accumulated over their playthroughs. For instance, Elden Ring's dense, menu-based inventory contains hundreds of important lore tidbits that players can discover by going through and reading item descriptions. In a game with such a deep and mysterious plot, these additional details can be vital to understand the overarching story of the game. Other games take a more active approach to the mere act of organizing one's inventory. For instance, the grid-based nature of Resident Evil 4's inventory system was such a famous part of the experience that someone turned it into a standalone puzzle game.
Now a new game is taking its own in-depth approach to inventory management. Backpack Hero, by developer inventory mechanic from Resident Evil 4, but the dungeon-crawling element should add a distinct twist to the experience. Backpack Hero will enter early access on August 15th, and early footage of the title can be seen courtesy of TheJaspel on YouTube.
Inventory management can often be a divisive mechanic in video games. For every system as beloved as Resident Evil 4's, there are menus in lesser games that can become cumbersome and frustrating, making the game feel more like packing for a real life trip than equipping oneself for an exciting video game mission. These systems can easily drag down otherwise excellent games; some fans, for instance, have said that Elder Scrolls Online's inventory management is the worst part of the MMORPG.
By making inventory management the central part of the dungeon crawling experience, Backpack Hero is taking a bit of a risk. Still, it can't be denied that the concept of a backpack-focused RPG adventure is a unique concept, and could make for a delightful twist on one of gaming's most common systems. When Backpack Hero finally hits early access, fans will be able to see for themselves how fun sorting a backpack can be.
Backpack Hero will release in early access on August 15th for PC.
Source: Jaspel, TheJaspel/YouTube