This week, Pocket Gamer's 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 its challenging yet engaging 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Initially dismissing the game based on its seemingly outdated logo, Jadhav found A Fragile Mind surprisingly unique and captivating. He highlighted the challenging yet rewarding puzzles, recommending tablet play for an optimal experience.
Max Williams
Williams described the game as a point-and-click adventure with static pre-rendered graphics. He noted the unconventional puzzle structure, where solving all puzzles on a floor isn't always necessary, and some require items obtained on subsequent floors. He appreciated the helpful hints (though suggesting they could be slightly less readily available) and the game's clever fourth-wall-breaking elements. While finding the navigation slightly confusing at times, he ultimately deemed it a strong example of the genre.
Robert Maines
Maines described A Fragile Mind's first-person perspective and the puzzle-solving mechanics involving photography and clue discovery. 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 limited replayability.
Torbjörn Kämblad
Kämblad, a fan of escape-room style games, found A Fragile Mind to be a weaker entry in the genre. He criticized the muddy presentation, hindering puzzle visibility, and the UI design, particularly the easily-mis-tapped menu button. The pacing also felt off, with too many puzzles presented early on, leading to feelings of disorientation and frequent hint usage.
Mark Abukoff
Abuffkoff, typically not a fan of puzzle games due to their difficulty, found A Fragile Mind enjoyable. He praised the visuals, atmosphere, intriguing puzzles, and the helpful hint system. He considered it a worthwhile experience despite its short length.
Diane Close
Close used a creative analogy to describe the game's puzzle density and interconnectedness. She highlighted the game's smooth Android performance, extensive visual and sound options, good accessibility features, and the inclusion of humor. She enjoyed the experience, estimating playtime for experienced players at around an hour.
About 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 joining questions.
