Twenty-five years after its original release, the cult classic science-fiction RPG Anachronox is being celebrated by its creator, Tom Hall. Hall has announced he will be opening up his personal archives, sharing design documents and story outlines from the game's development.
Anachronox launched in 2001 under the shadow of Ion Storm Dallas' more prominent troubles, particularly with John Romero's Daikatana. This left Hall's quirky RPG with limited resources and attention. Despite its turbulent launch, the game has since cultivated a dedicated following who appreciate its distinctive absurdist humor, detailed world-building, and unconventional gameplay.
The game casts players as Sly Bucelli, a private investigator burdened by debt who takes on a case to find mysterious techno relics, forcing him to confront dangerous criminals across the solar system. While its premise and visual style at the time resembled other late '90s sci-fi RPGs, Anachronox contained a deeply absurdist farce. Its cosmic setting featured high-concept gags, a mouse cursor that acted as a character, a party member who was an entire planet, and the Canadian dollar as the standard currency of humanity's future space society. The gameplay itself drew comparisons to Japanese console RPGs like Chrono Trigger.
Critics at the time acknowledged the game's unique humor, but its release coincided with Eidos' financial struggles, largely attributed to Daikatana's underperformance. Anachronox, already an underdog with an eclectic style that made it difficult to market, languished in obscurity for years. It later resurfaced on digital storefronts such as GOG and Steam, where its fanbase continued to grow.
To commemorate the anniversary, Hall stated in a video, "It's been 25 years since the game's release. Let's do some spelunkin'." He plans to use his newsletter to provide an in-depth look at the game's creation. The original Anachronox concluded on a cliffhanger, as Hall felt the over 40-hour experience was insufficient to conclude the narrative. While a sequel never materialized, Hall's archival efforts may offer glimpses into the potential continuation of Sly Bucelli's story.