Backstage Pass (2016)

Developer: sakevisual
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: Indie, Simulation
Rating: 4.3 of 5, 279 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 14 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A gentle, choice-driven visual novel about balancing career, school, and romance in the entertainment industry.

story richromanticchoice-drivenrelaxingslice of lifelightheartedsimulation2d

What players say

Players are split on Backstage Pass. Admirers praise its English voice acting, character customization, and emphasis on friendship and hustle over romance. Critics find the stat-raising grindy and opaque, requiring a guide to reach an ending at all, with some routes ending abruptly and without explanation.

Screenshots

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More by Sakevisual

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.