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 yet engaging puzzles and witty writing, others found the presentation lacking.
Here's a summary of App Army members' feedback:
Swapnil Jadhav
Initially skeptical due to the game's seemingly outdated icon, Jadhav found the gameplay surprisingly unique and captivating. He highlighted the challenging yet rewarding 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 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, although he felt they were perhaps too readily available. While finding the navigation slightly confusing at times, he ultimately praised the well-designed puzzles and considered it a strong example of the genre.
Robert Maines
Maines described the first-person perspective and the gameplay loop of exploring, photographing, and using clues to solve puzzles. While acknowledging the graphics and sound weren't exceptional, he found the puzzles challenging, occasionally requiring walkthrough assistance. He noted the game's relatively short length 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 poorly placed menu button. He also felt the pacing was off, with too many puzzles available early on, leading to disorientation and frequent hint usage.
Mark Abukoff
Abufkoff, typically unenthusiastic about puzzle games, found A Fragile Mind enjoyable. He praised the visuals, atmosphere, and the well-implemented hint system, which he frequently utilizes in such games. He deemed it a worthwhile experience despite its short length.
Diane Close
Close used a creative analogy to describe the game's puzzle density, comparing it to a giant Jenga game. She highlighted the multiple, interwoven puzzles within each room, emphasizing the importance of note-taking. She praised the game's performance on Android, its extensive options, and the inclusion of humor.
About the App Army
The App Army is Pocket Gamer's community of mobile gaming enthusiasts. To join, visit their Discord channel or Facebook group and answer the application questions.
