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 a humorous touch, received a mixed but largely positive response.
Some App Army members lauded the challenging yet engaging puzzles and witty writing, while others found the presentation lacking.
Here's a summary of their feedback:
Swapnil Jadhav
Initially put off by the game's seemingly outdated icon, Swapnil was pleasantly surprised by the unique gameplay. He found the puzzles difficult but rewarding, calling it "one of the best puzzle games" and recommending tablet play for the best experience.
Max Williams
Max described A Fragile Mind as a point-and-click adventure with static pre-rendered graphics. While unsure about the overarching narrative, he appreciated the clever 4th-wall-breaking elements. He found the puzzles logical, albeit challenging, and highlighted the helpful (though perhaps overly generous) hint system. Navigation, however, proved somewhat confusing at times. Despite this minor drawback, Max deemed it a strong example of the genre.
Robert Maines
Robert enjoyed the first-person puzzle adventure, noting the challenging puzzles that occasionally required walkthrough assistance. While the graphics and sound were unremarkable, he felt the gameplay was worthwhile for puzzle adventure fans, although short and lacking replayability.
Torbjörn Kämblad
Torbjörn, a fan of escape-room style puzzlers, found A Fragile Mind to be a less impressive entry in the genre. He criticized the muddy presentation, hindering puzzle visibility, and an inconveniently placed menu button. The pacing also felt off, with too many puzzles available from the outset, leading to feelings of disorientation and frequent hint usage.
Mark Abukoff
Mark, not typically a fan of puzzle games due to their difficulty, found A Fragile Mind surprisingly enjoyable. He praised the visuals, atmosphere, intriguing puzzles, and the well-designed hint system. He considered it a worthwhile experience despite its short length.
Diane Close
Diane likened the game's experience to waking up disoriented near an abandoned circus, highlighting the abundance of interconnected puzzles. She praised the smooth Android gameplay (on Google Pixel phones), extensive visual and audio options, accessibility features, and the inclusion of humor. She highly recommended it.
What is the App Army?
The App Army is Pocket Gamer's community of mobile gaming experts. They regularly review games and share their insights. To join, visit their Discord or Facebook group and answer the joining questions.