This week, the Pocket Gamer App Army tackled the puzzle adventure A Fragile Mind from Glitch Games. The game, a twist on the classic escape room formula with added humor, received mixed reviews. While some praised the challenging puzzles and witty writing, others found the presentation lacking.
Here's a summary of App Army members' feedback:
Swapnil Jadhav
Initially dismissing the game based on its seemingly outdated logo, Jadhav found the gameplay surprisingly unique and engaging. He highlighted the challenging yet captivating puzzles, recommending the game be played on a tablet for optimal experience.
Max Williams
Williams described A Fragile Mind as a point-and-click adventure with static pre-rendered graphics. He noted the somewhat unconventional puzzle structure, where progressing to the next floor isn't contingent on solving every puzzle on the current one, and some puzzles require items obtained later. He appreciated the helpful hints, though felt they were perhaps too readily available. While finding the navigation occasionally confusing, he ultimately deemed it a strong example of the genre.
Robert Maines
Maines described the first-person puzzle adventure's premise: waking up in a building's garden with amnesia. Progress involves photography, object discovery, and puzzle-solving. While acknowledging the graphics and sound weren't exceptional, he found the puzzles challenging, occasionally requiring walkthrough assistance. He considered it worthwhile for puzzle adventure fans despite its short playtime and lack of replayability.
Torbjörn Kämblad
Kämblad, a fan of escape-room style games, found A Fragile Mind to be underwhelming. He criticized the muddy presentation, hindering puzzle identification, and the UI design, particularly the easily-mis-tapped menu button. He also felt the pacing was off, with too many puzzles presented at once.
Mark Abukoff
Abufkoff, not typically a fan of puzzle games due to their difficulty, found A Fragile Mind enjoyable. He praised the aesthetics, atmosphere, intriguing puzzles, and the well-designed hint system. He considered it a worthwhile experience despite its short length.
Diane Close
Close described the game's unique atmosphere and puzzle density, comparing it to a giant Jenga game. She highlighted the need for note-taking and appreciated the visual and sound options, accessibility features, and the humor integrated into the gameplay. She enjoyed the experience, estimating playtime for experienced players at around an hour.
What is the App Army?
The App Army is Pocket Gamer's community of mobile gaming experts, providing reviews and feedback on new releases. To join, visit their Discord or Facebook group and answer the membership questions.
