FixFox’s Attention To Detail Highlights The Best Of Sci-Fi

thegamer.com:

For this week’s Indie Spotlight, I want to share my very first impressions of FixFox. It’s the pixelated story of a space-faring fox named Vix. It’s the cosmos through a retro lens - think Alien but without the terrifying Xenomorph or killer android. As a new game starts, a cassette tape is loaded and rainbows shoot out while computer checks appear on the side of the screen. It’s got a similar whimsy to Guardians of the Galaxy, but instead of an ‘80s licensed soundtrack it has an equally as infectious 8-bit one.

Given solo developer Jaroslav Meloun’s ‘80s upbringing and early fascination with arcade games, FixFox’s aesthetic fits perfectly. Its tone is also a clear product of its creator’s views and worries. Staunchly anti-violence, FixFox offers a look at some unexpected consequences of technological advancement, while also asking us to look differently at what we already have at our disposal. It also shows off his stunning attention to the small details that elevate sci-fi stories to great works of art.

RELATED: FixFox Interview: "Games Shape Our thinking"

You don’t play as a fox just because it’s cute and quirky. In the world of FixFox, humans began to splice their genes with those of other mammals simply as a fashion statement or to rebel against the norms of the time. However, a climate crisis soon forced mankind to adapt and everyone had to take on animal characteristics so that fur could keep them warm. For most, this is enough of an explanation as to why there are loads of different half-human half-dog, cat, etc, people galavanting around space. It’s cute, it’s fun, it doesn’t need to go much deeper than that, but it does anyway.

A side-effect of the genetic splicing is people also gaining many animals’ ability