Mind Snares: Alice's Journey
- May 19, 2014
- World-Loom
- 5h median play time
"Mind Snares: Alice's Journey" is a psychological horror point-and-click game. Alice, a young woman, finds herself in a nightmarish world filled with puzzles and dangers. She must uncover the truth behind her dreams and escape from the mysterious realm before it's too late. The game features a dark, atmospheric setting and a gripping storyline that will keep players on the edge of their seats.
Reviews
- Beautiful graphics and art style that create an immersive atmosphere.
- Engaging puzzles and hidden object scenes that provide a satisfying challenge.
- Interesting story that explores themes of personal growth and overcoming fears.
- The game is very short, taking only 3-4 hours to complete, which may not justify the price.
- The ending feels abrupt and unsatisfying, leaving many plot points unresolved.
- Voice acting and some dialogue are of poor quality, detracting from the overall experience.
- story163 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story in this game receives mixed reviews, with many players finding it lacking in coherence and depth. While some appreciate its intriguing premise and relatable themes, others criticize it for being predictable, poorly executed, and abruptly ending without resolution. Overall, the narrative seems to struggle between ambition and execution, leaving players divided on its effectiveness.
“Players follow the harrowing story of Alice, a young woman trapped in a nightmarish realm created by her own subconscious.”
“The story is intriguing and takes a hard look at what people do while they could be living their dreams instead, but as others have mentioned, the story arc stops abruptly.”
“I loved the story, I loved the graphics, I loved the puzzles and the hidden object scenes, I loved the character's voices.”
“While the art is pretty and the gameplay reasonably satisfying (hidden object scenes and generally straightforward puzzles), the plot (such as it is) is a mess, without a satisfying ending of any sort.”
“The story is even less coherent than a regular hidden object game story.”
“The story just felt like it dropped off, and I legitimately got bored and started skipping all of the cut scenes because it failed to give me a reason to care.”
- graphics71 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their beautiful and detailed artwork, with a striking art style that effectively conveys the surreal and unsettling atmosphere of the narrative. While some users noted that the graphics can appear outdated or grainy, many appreciated the vibrant colors and creative designs that enhance the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are a significant draw, contributing to the game's psychological intrigue and immersive storytelling.
“As they navigate this eerie world, the game's striking graphics effectively convey the surreal and unsettling nature of Alice's journey, making it a visually captivating and psychologically intriguing experience.”
“I loved the mind-bending psychedelic art style.”
“The graphics are beautiful with fun and interesting colors and designs; nothing looks bland or out of place here.”
“Graphics are primitive and publishers haven't cared to upscale them to 4K resolution.”
“Although the graphics are outdated, it is a nice game with a good story and easy puzzles.”
“Very disappointing, with amateurish graphics, unbearable voice acting, concept that is both silly and pretentious and that ultimately leads nowhere.”
- music31 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its fitting and atmospheric qualities, while others find it either forgettable or overly loud and repetitive. Many highlight the soundtrack's ability to enhance the overall experience, though some express a desire for more variety and less intensity. Overall, the music is seen as a significant aspect of the game, contributing positively to the ambiance despite some criticisms.
“The voice acting is fun and the soundtrack creates a perfect ambiance for the adventure.”
“I enjoyed the story (surrounding a mundane life and aspirations to be more fulfilled) and the music did not get tiring at all.”
“Pretty artwork, beautiful music and nice riddles for a point-and-click game.”
“The music ranges from forgettable to annoying (but never good).”
“The music is hit or miss.”
“- the music is getting tedious after an hour.”
- gameplay23 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by standard hidden object scenes and straightforward puzzles, offering a satisfying yet formulaic experience. While the mechanics are solid and intuitive, with well-balanced challenges for casual gamers, the overall gameplay is considered short and easy, lacking groundbreaking elements. The visuals and animation enhance the experience, but the story is often criticized for being weak and disjointed.
“The gameplay is intuitive, no pixel hunting needed, and the story is simple but well told.”
“The graphics were lush (I thought the 'pseudo-animation' enhanced the gameplay experience), the music was fine, if unexceptional, and the puzzles seemed well-balanced for the casual gamer - fun but not frustrating.”
“The gameplay is good - there are a lot of puzzles with a good variety, although they all tend towards easy (or even trivial in some cases), the hidden object scenes are nice and clear without any problems I remember, and the point and click stuff that glues it all together is pretty clear and logical, and everything fits together pretty well.”
“There is nothing but completely standard, formulaic gameplay here, so the only things that are going to set it apart are the art and story.”
“I would definitely get it on sale though because $9.99 for 3-5 hours of gameplay seems a bit steep in my opinion.”
“The gameplay is the usual one: hidden object scenes (not too easy and not too hard), puzzles (not too hard) and exploring to find useful items (the best thing).”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as tense yet comical, with a creepy and immersive quality that enhances the overall experience. It features a darker, dreamy, steampunk-like tone that complements the storyline, despite some gameplay deficiencies. Overall, the visuals and atmosphere are well-executed, contributing positively to the hidden object genre.
“Very atmospheric, making it an immersive experience.”
“It's a little darker in tone than other hidden object games and it creates a nice, dreamy, steampunk-like atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere is tense, yet oddly comical.”
“+ creepy atmosphere”
“But the storyline and eerie atmosphere make up for the deficiencies to a degree.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it infinitely replayable, others note a lack of replay value due to its short length. Overall, it offers a decent amount of content for a single playthrough, making it a reasonable choice for a one-time experience rather than repeated play.
“You want a game with 6+ hours of content and replayability.”
“Infinitely replayable.”
“No replay value.”
“Also no replay value.”
“The game is short, but only really in line with many others in the genre, and there is little replayability here (and no forced replaying needed purely for achievements, unlike some other similar games).”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as inconsistent, with some players finding it amusing in a cartoonish way reminiscent of classic titles like Monkey Island, while others feel it clashes with the horror theme. Self-deprecating humor and clever Slavic wit are appreciated, but the comedic elements tend to fade after the early chapters, leaving some players feeling that the overall absurdity of the story is more desperate than delightful.
“Her self-deprecating humor is kind of funny at times, although it suddenly disappears after the 2nd chapter.”
“Wonderful Slavic humor -- with delightful little art pieces hidden in a cleverly campy plot.”
“The story was quite ridiculous, which made me laugh a bit (in a desperate way).”
- stability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, running smoothly on systems like Windows 11 without significant bugs or glitches. While users report a generally stable experience, some suggest that further development in storytelling could enhance the overall quality.
“It's not buggy, and the production quality is fine for what it is.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and boring, particularly criticizing the mini-games for lacking complexity and becoming monotonous over time.
“Boring mini-games that are far more tedious than complex.”
“The music is getting tedious after an hour.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game resonates deeply with players, evoking strong feelings and even tears, as it conveys a heartfelt yet somewhat naïve message about following one's dreams.
“The message is a bit naïve but very heartfelt: 'Follow your dreams.'”
“It'll replace your life; I cried a bit.”
“The emotional moments felt forced and didn't resonate with me.”
“I expected to feel more connected to the characters, but I found myself indifferent.”