Brain Please Don't
- July 1, 2020
- Critique Gaming
Get on Steam"Brain Please Don't" is a narrative-driven game that explores the inner workings of a teenager's mind. Players must navigate through various encounters, playing cards that represent Cameron's thoughts and impulses, with the goal of choosing paths that lead to better mental states. The game encourages players to construct positive psychological spirals while examining the challenges of managing self-doubt, anxiety, and inadequacy. The game's endings and outcomes are dependent on the player's choices and interpretations.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique combination of deckbuilding mechanics within an interactive visual novel framework, providing an interesting concept.
- Players can customize their character's weaknesses and coping strategies, allowing for a personal connection to the narrative.
- The writing and scenarios effectively touch on important themes related to mental health and the small traumas of teenage life.
- The game is very short, with limited replay value and a lack of meaningful choices that affect the story.
- Gameplay primarily revolves around clicking cards to influence stats, leading to a lack of strategy and depth.
- Technical issues such as unskippable credits and no main menu or save options detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay combines deckbuilding mechanics with an interactive visual novel format, offering a unique experience, though some players find that many dialogue options lack meaningful impact, leading to a sense of mechanical redundancy. While the game is not particularly challenging if players grasp its core mechanics, it does provide an interesting exploration of mental health themes.
“I also think the combination of deckbuilding in an interactive visual novel framework is relatively new and unique, so it's worth playing if you're interested in seeing a proof of concept of those mechanics combined.”
“The thing that really won me over here is the way that the mechanics intersect with achieving a degree of mental health.”
“The game is not difficult if you understand this mechanic.”
“And even worse is that often the dialog options don't actually matter, so there's a breakdown in the core gameplay.”
“Most of the time several options give no rewards, so they are mechanically indistinguishable.”
“The game is not difficult, if you understand this mechanic.”
- story6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's story is centered around a single narrative that lacks significant branching paths, leading to limited replay value despite initial character customization options. Players express disappointment that their choices do not influence the storyline, which detracts from the overall engagement and potential for a more dynamic experience.
“The concept is there, and the game interacts with you based on choice, making it an engaging text-based simulation with visuals that enhance the story.”
“Unfortunately, there is only one story, which limits replay value, especially considering the character customization options available at the beginning.”
“I wish you could choose how the story unfolds, as it would add depth to the gameplay experience.”
“Unfortunately, there is only one story, so there's really not much replay value, which is a disappointment given that you can customize your character at the beginning.”
“On my second playthrough, I discovered that nothing your character did actually changes the story.”
“As I said before, they don't affect the story at all.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game lacks significant replayability due to its singular storyline and absence of strategic depth, despite offering some enjoyment and character customization options. Players express disappointment over the limited content that diminishes the incentive to replay.
“There really isn't any strategy to it or replay value, but I did get a dollar's worth of enjoyment out of it.”
“Unfortunately, there is only one story, so there's really not much replay value, which is a disappointment given that you can do character customization at the beginning.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are described as basic, primarily serving to enhance the text-based simulation experience rather than standing out on their own. While they aid in engaging the player with the story, they are not a focal point of the gameplay.
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game particularly engaging, noting that the internal monologue of their character adds a comedic layer to the gameplay, especially during moments of chance like drawing cards.
“It was hilarious watching the thoughts running through my character's head as I played card after card trying to get that random +1.”
“The witty dialogue and absurd situations had me laughing out loud throughout the entire game.”
“I couldn't stop chuckling at the quirky characters and their ridiculous antics; the humor really made the experience unforgettable.”
