Fractured Minds

About

"Fractured Minds is a single-player, horror-action game that explores the daily struggles of living with anxiety and mental health issues. Offering a raw and honest portrayal, the game aims to provide insight into the experiences of those with mental illness. Designed by a game developer with personal experience of anxiety, Fractured Minds won a BAFTA award for its provocative and thought-provoking journey."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 202 reviews

story5 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

Fractured Minds offers a deeply personal and introspective journey into the challenges of mental health, creating an emotional and thought-provoking experience.
The game features beautiful visuals and a haunting soundtrack that effectively convey the feelings associated with anxiety and mental health struggles.
Despite its short length, the game delivers a powerful message about mental health, resonating with players who have experienced similar issues.

The game is very short, typically taking only 15-30 minutes to complete, which some players feel does not justify its price.
Many players reported technical issues, including glitches, unresponsive controls, and problems with achievements resetting, which detracted from the overall experience.
Some reviewers felt that the game lacked depth and failed to meaningfully convey the complexities of mental health, making it feel more like a personal project than a polished game.

story
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
65%
15%
The game's story is a brief yet impactful exploration of themes like anxiety, paranoia, and personal struggles, resonating with some players while feeling shallow and predictable to others. While the minimalist narrative and abstract puzzles may appeal to those seeking a personal experience, many reviewers found the overall execution lacking, with clunky controls and a desire for a more structured storyline. Ultimately, it serves more as an interactive short story than a traditional game, leaving a mixed impression on its audience.
- “Amazing short story/horror game depicting the ins and outs of paranoia and manic depression.”
- “Developed by Emily Mitchell, this indie game artfully blends minimalist gameplay with evocative storytelling, leaving a lasting impact on players willing to explore its delicate themes.”
- “It's clear that this was a personal story that isn't always going to resonate with its entire audience, and that's okay.”
- “The lack of a traditional storyline and the abstract nature of the puzzles might also leave some players wanting a more structured narrative.”
- “As this game was a paid one, I have to judge it as it is. I was honestly expecting much more from this game. Having gone through depression and other mental illnesses myself, I can say one thing: it felt shallow, like someone from kindergarten came up with this plot and just made it into a game.”
- “The story is predictable, the controls are clunky, and the 'puzzles' are too easy.”
gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
62%
12%
The gameplay of "Fractured Minds" is characterized by its minimalistic design, focusing on simple puzzles and environmental interactions that reflect mental health themes. While this approach enhances the emotional narrative, it may disappoint players seeking more traditional or challenging gameplay experiences due to its brevity and rudimentary mechanics. Overall, the game serves as a poignant exploration of its subject matter, though it is marred by some technical issues and a lack of depth.
- “Developed by Emily Mitchell, this indie game artfully blends minimalist gameplay with evocative storytelling, leaving a lasting impact on players willing to explore its delicate themes.”
- “The gameplay in 'Fractured Minds' is minimalistic, utilizing simple puzzles and environmental interactions to mirror the emotions and struggles associated with mental health.”
- “The game mechanics are interesting, clear, and well implemented even if simple.”
- “However, the simplicity of the gameplay might be a drawback for players seeking more traditional gameplay challenges.”
- “The gameplay is a little clunky and rigid but serves the purpose of the game itself.”
- “So on an objective basis, sure, it’s extremely short, there are quite some bugs all around, the gameplay isn’t deep, and achievements even delete themselves if you start a new game (so you have to do them all in one take).”
music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
22%
13%
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its relaxing and immersive qualities. Each chapter features unique tracks that effectively convey themes of isolation, anxiety, and other emotional experiences, contributing to a memorable auditory experience. However, some players found the music less impactful, with a few unable to recall specific pieces, suggesting that while the soundtrack is generally well-received, its memorability may vary among players.
- “Great experience, nice soundtrack, quick and easy to finish yet still really fun, unsettling and comforting at the same time, and in my opinion brings across certain feelings really well.”
- “These levels are based entirely on themes such as emptiness, anxiety, depression, and paranoia, with a slow and calming soundtrack that creates a truly immersive atmosphere.”
- “Though very short (I had to replay the game twice to get all achievements, the first playthrough took around 20 minutes), it has a good ambiance and an incredible soundtrack.”
- “I can't even remember if it has a soundtrack, so if it does it couldn't have been that memorable as I cannot remember a single musical note.”
- “The chapters are also really short so you don't hear a song for too long, even though each song is nice enough to listen for a while.”
- “It's a shame since the story, art, music are all well done, areas are short and simple to handle with light puzzles but when the controls feel uncomfortable and floaty to use while also getting stuck on collision to the point you need to restart then it just ruins the experience.”
graphics
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
42%
16%
The game's graphics feature a simple yet evocative art style that effectively conveys complex emotions, enhanced by a subdued color palette and surreal landscapes. While some players appreciate the clean presentation and beautiful artwork, others note blocky models and occasional glitches, suggesting a mix of charm and rudimentary quality. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received for their ability to create an eerie atmosphere, though opinions vary on their execution and depth.
- “The subdued color palette and surreal landscapes complement the game's intention to convey complex feelings through its visuals.”
- “The game's mesmerizing art style, combined with its evocative sound design, flawlessly captures the essence of the human psyche.”
- “The art style has so much detail to it and makes you want to explore every part of every area.”
- “The graphics could be better, but the game itself is pretty good with a really good soundtrack.”
- “The graphics and models are blocky and primitive, and the gameplay is rudimentary, but if you can get past the whole, 'student project' level of quality, it's still an entertaining and fun (well, for a horror game themed around mental illness) game with some varied mechanics and a short but sweet play duration.”
- “The graphics are clean and well presented, but that's it.”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
"Fractured Minds" is a poignant and introspective game that delves into the emotional complexities of mental health, offering players a heartfelt journey that fosters awareness and compassion. Its minimalistic design and emotionally resonant puzzles create a reflective experience, allowing players to engage deeply with the struggles of anxiety and mental disorders. While its unconventional approach may not resonate with everyone, those seeking a meaningful narrative will find it to be a touching exploration of an important societal issue.
- “A heartfelt journey through mental struggles: review of 'Fractured Minds'.”
- “'Fractured Minds' offers players a deeply personal and introspective journey into the challenges of mental health, creating an emotional and thought-provoking experience that sheds light on the complexities of living with mental disorders.”
- “As you navigate through a series of beautifully crafted levels, you'll find yourself immersed in a world that reflects the emotional struggles and everyday battles associated with anxiety and mental health.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
29%
43%
The game's atmosphere is deeply immersive, effectively capturing complex emotional states such as anxiety, depression, and paranoia through minimalistic visual design and a calming soundtrack. Players feel a strong connection to the themes of mental health, with environments that resonate with personal experiences, although some critiques mention that the brief level durations limit the emotional impact. Overall, the atmosphere is praised for its ability to evoke feelings and create a haunting yet relatable experience.
- “An atmosphere that engulfs players from the very beginning.”
- “These levels are based entirely on themes such as emptiness, anxiety, depression, and paranoia, as though six levels, each inspired by real-life obstacles we experience, with an environment that people who suffer can relate to. The slow and calming soundtrack adds to the truly immersive atmosphere.”
- “Many of the scenes have great ideas behind them, but because it only takes a few minutes to solve them, there is no time for the atmosphere to actually get to you.”
- “I think more work could go into particularly hiding varying messages around the room that build more upon the atmosphere.”
- “The visual design of the game is equally minimalistic, utilizing abstract environments and symbolic imagery to create an atmosphere that reflects the emotional states being portrayed.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including numerous glitches that can disrupt gameplay and affect achievements, which may disappear upon restarting. Players have reported frustrating experiences with unresponsive controls, requiring precise clicks on small areas to progress. Despite some appealing graphics, the overall stability detracts from the enjoyment.
- “You can complete it in like ten minutes and there are so many glitches.”
- “What pushed me to make my review negative was the glitches.”
- “Fourth, its achievements are buggy and they will be removed from your account once you start the game a second time.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Many users find the game's replayability lacking, noting that its short duration of about half an hour does not justify the price, as there is little incentive to play it multiple times.
- “Overpriced though since it's half an hour long and has pretty much no replayability whatsoever.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect is viewed positively by users, as they appreciate the game's alignment with a good cause, which encourages them to engage with it.