App Army Assemble! Puzzle Perplexes in "A Fragile Mind"

This week, Pocket Gamer's App Army tackled the puzzle adventure, A Fragile Mind, from Glitch Games. The game, a unique blend of classic escape room mechanics and humor, received a mixed but engaging response.

While some lauded the challenging yet rewarding puzzles and witty writing, others felt the presentation fell short. Let's delve into the App Army's varied perspectives:

Swapnil Jadhav: Initially dismissing the game based on its retro-style icon, Jadhav found A Fragile Mind surprisingly innovative and captivating. The difficult puzzles proved highly engaging, earning it high praise as one of the best puzzle games he'd played. He recommends playing on a tablet for an optimal experience.

Max Williams: Describing it as a point-and-click puzzle adventure with static pre-rendered graphics, Williams found the narrative unclear. The game's structure, with puzzles spanning multiple floors and interconnecting rooms, presented a unique challenge. He appreciated the helpful hints, though felt they were perhaps too readily available. Despite some navigational confusion, he considered it a strong example of the genre.

Robert Maines: Maines' experience involved exploring a building as a first-person character, solving puzzles through photography and clue-finding. While acknowledging the graphics and sound were unremarkable, he found the puzzles quite challenging, requiring occasional walkthrough assistance. He concluded that it was a worthwhile play for puzzle adventure enthusiasts despite its brevity and lack of replayability.

Torbjörn Kämblad: A seasoned escape-room-style puzzle game player, Kämblad found A Fragile Mind to be underwhelming. He criticized the muddy presentation and less-than-intuitive UI design, citing the easily-mistaken menu button as a particular annoyance. The abundance of puzzles from the outset led to a disorienting experience, necessitating frequent use of the hint system.

Mark Abukoff: Usually averse to puzzle games due to their perceived difficulty, Abukoff found A Fragile Mind surprisingly enjoyable. He praised the aesthetic, atmosphere, and intriguing puzzles. The well-designed hint system, readily used by him, further enhanced the experience, leading to a positive overall assessment, despite its short length.

Diane Close: Using a captivating scenario to illustrate the gameplay, Close highlighted the game's layered puzzle design and the necessity of meticulous observation. She emphasized the importance of note-taking and praised the smooth Android performance, abundant accessibility options, and the inclusion of humor.

What is the App Army?

The App Army is Pocket Gamer's community of mobile gaming experts, providing reviews and feedback on new releases. Interested in joining? Visit their Discord or Facebook group to apply.