Minds Beneath Us
- July 31, 2024
- BearBoneStudio
- 15h median play time
The game has me eager to hop into elevators with people, who could have thought?
Get on Steam"Minds Beneath Us" is a sci-fi thriller game set in a futuristic Asian city, where society is automated by advanced AI. You find yourself trapped in a foreign body, uncovering a conspiracy involving the use of human brains to power AI systems. The game features dialogue choices that affect relationships and the story, with hidden clues and hand-drawn animation creating a cinematic experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a captivating and well-written story that explores deep philosophical and moral dilemmas, keeping players engaged throughout.
- The art style and atmosphere are stunning, with a unique blend of 2D characters and 3D environments that enhance immersion.
- Character development is strong, with distinct personalities and meaningful interactions that make players care about their choices and the outcomes.
- The gameplay is minimal, primarily consisting of dialogue choices and quick-time events, which may not appeal to players looking for more interactive elements.
- Some plot points and character arcs feel unresolved or rushed, leaving players with lingering questions and a sense of incompleteness.
- There are occasional grammatical errors and awkward translations that detract from the overall experience, though they are not overly frequent.
- story640 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of the game is widely praised for its engaging narrative, rich character development, and intricate world-building, particularly within a dystopian cyberpunk setting. While many players appreciate the depth and moral complexities presented, some express concerns about unresolved plot threads and a lack of significant branching paths based on player choices. Overall, the storytelling is considered a standout feature, making it a compelling experience for fans of narrative-driven games.
“Incredible game, with great story, great writing and great sci-fi world building.”
“The story has interesting characters and moral quandaries that it spends a ton of time fleshing out and examining from every angle.”
“What kept me going was the game's story and the characters, both of these aspects are written really well.”
“Looking back at it, it almost feels like somewhere in chapter 3, the writer completely switched, and decided to write their own story.”
“Characters get introduced, then you find out about them, they get their own story and motivations, and then everything gets randomly dropped.”
“The characters and dialogue are only well done for the first two-thirds of the story, and the quality of character interactions and dialogue slips later on.”
- graphics92 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their captivating art style, which effectively combines 2D and 3D elements to create a distinct and immersive cyberpunk atmosphere. Reviewers praised the beautiful visuals, fluid animations, and the overall aesthetic that enhances the storytelling experience, making it a standout feature of the game. Many noted that the art style not only complements the themes but also draws players into the complex world and narrative, contributing significantly to their enjoyment.
“I instantly bought this game when I saw the artwork - who can resist when you see someone builds a cyberpunk world in your hometown?”
“The art and visuals are very stylized, and I love the mix of 2D and 3D assets; I think it really helps give a sense of scale to the large rooms.”
“I cannot say enough good things about the graphics, the atmosphere, the dystopian cyberpunk mystery story, and, most of all, the characters.”
“Vibes: 10/10, the atmosphere is very engaging, even considering the simple graphics and lack of voice acting, the music is beautiful and the key moments of the story are very well built into the scene to make a breathtaking experience.”
“The artstyle, while lacking in faces, is also fantastic.”
“The art and visuals are very stylized and I love the mix of 2D and 3D assets; I think it really helps give a sense of scale to the large rooms.”
- gameplay86 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily narrative-driven, resembling a visual novel with minimal interactive elements, such as simple quick-time events and choice-making. While some players found the gameplay to be shallow and lacking complexity, many appreciated the engaging story, rich character development, and immersive world-building that kept them invested throughout. Overall, the game is recommended for those who enjoy story-focused experiences rather than action-heavy gameplay.
“Fantastic story and characters; it shows a beautiful cyberpunk world, and for a mostly narratively driven game, the gameplay elements it offers don't feel like a chore but are actually enjoyable.”
“The exploration is well-balanced, offering a satisfying gameplay experience, and it incorporates many psychological aspects into the gameplay, which adds an extra layer of depth to the game, creating interest and even a sense of responsibility and fear when making certain choices.”
“Minds Beneath Us brings together storytelling, beautiful visuals, and interactive gameplay in a way that keeps me hooked from beginning to end.”
“The gameplay is not complex; it's mostly a visual novel with some quick time events sprinkled in.”
“I was disappointed with how shallow the actual gameplay felt at times, but the story kept me engaged all the way to the end.”
“The gameplay can be broken down into walking from point A to point B, talking to characters, making choices, and the occasional (and very simple) quick time event for combat scenarios.”
- music77 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional depth, with many reviewers highlighting the soundtrack as a standout feature that complements the rich visuals and narrative. While some noted that the music can become repetitive over time, the overall consensus is that it effectively sets the mood and contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a major highlight, with ratings often reaching as high as 10/10.
“Very detailed, rich cyberpunk-style game with a dark story and an amazing soundtrack.”
“The soundtrack helps the emotional delivery as well.”
“Vibes: 10/10, the atmosphere is very engaging, even considering the simple graphics and lack of voice acting, the music is beautiful and the key moments of the story are very well built into the scene to make a breathtaking experience.”
“Music score was not particularly memorable, though the shift between set pieces could be jarring.”
“Its one of those games that gives you this empty feeling when finished, and you're just looking for a place to talk about it with other people (they have a discord server) while listening to the soundtrack on repeat.”
“Music and sound design is decent.”
- emotional42 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional depth, featuring realistic metaphors and character growth that evoke strong feelings, including moments of fear, sadness, and introspection. Players report experiencing an emotional rollercoaster, with impactful storytelling and a soundtrack that enhances the emotional delivery. The narrative challenges players to consider the consequences of their actions, leaving a lasting emotional impact upon completion.
“The ending made me cry my eyes out for half an hour.”
“It delivers a strong, coherent story with some really hard-hitting, emotional moments.”
“This game left an emotional impact on me when I finished it 🥲”
- atmosphere33 mentions
- 94 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive quality, stunning art style, and engaging soundtrack, which together create a captivating experience. Players appreciate the detailed and vibrant settings, as well as the clever writing and lovable characters that enhance the overall ambiance. However, some reviews note that the game's atmosphere can become repetitive as the story progresses.
“The atmosphere is amazing and immersive.”
“I cannot say enough good things about the graphics, the atmosphere, the dystopian cyberpunk mystery story, and, most of all, the characters.”
“It's a 2D game with 3D aspects that also stands out for its carefully crafted atmosphere, featuring a beautiful, detailed, and vibrant setting that greatly contributes to the game's immersion.”
- replayability9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its impactful choices and multiple routes leading to different endings, allowing players to extend their playtime beyond the initial 15 hours to potentially over 30 hours. However, the lack of a skip button for repeated playthroughs may detract from the experience for some players. Overall, the game's replay value makes it a worthwhile investment.
“Your choices can have a major impact on the story, allowing you to see different sides, which gives this game lots of replayability.”
“I love the game; it has replay value, and that alone makes it a worthwhile purchase.”
“If you're going to start multiple playthroughs, there isn't a skip button like most visual novels have, which could take away from replayability.”
“I love the game, it has replay value and that alone makes it a worthwhile purchase.”
“It even has multiple routes for multiple endings, so there's a lot of replayability.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is praised for its maturity and ability to evoke laughter, effectively bringing the world and characters to life. However, some players express disappointment that certain witty English dialogues lose their charm in Japanese translation, which can detract from the overall comedic experience.
“The writing is mature and sometimes hilarious; it brings the world and the characters to life.”
“It made me laugh a lot when playing and deeply homesick afterwards.”
“But it is sad what some funny English chats got blurred in Japanese translation.”
- character development6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game excels in character development, featuring beautifully crafted characters whose stories are as engaging as those of the main protagonists. Players appreciate the depth and realism of both main and side characters, despite initial reservations about the lack of facial features. Overall, the focus on storytelling enhances the immersive experience.
“What beautiful character design from a writing perspective, with side characters and their stories feeling just as real and alive as the main characters.”
“It’s a point-and-click, story-driven game that focuses heavily on character development.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game; some find it enjoyable and engaging, particularly when it facilitates relationship-building with characters, while others view it as tedious and potentially boring. The suggestion to extend the grinding tasks over a longer period indicates a desire for a more relaxed pacing that could enhance the overall experience.
“It overall would make more sense to stretch it out into 4 weeks, or even months, and I honestly would just sit there for an hour or two, and do those daily work tasks, no matter how tedious they are, if that means I get to build relationships with the farm people.”
“To me, this is not a bad thing; to some others, it might turn 'minds beneath us' into a very boring and tedious endeavor though.”
“It overall would make more sense to stretch it out into 4 weeks, or even months, and I honestly would just sit there for an hour or two, and do those daily work tasks, no matter how tedious they are, if that means I get to build relationships with the farm people.”
Critic Reviews
Minds Beneath Us Review – See How Deep The Rabbit Hole Goes
Minds Beneath Us tells a dark dystopian story that's filled to the brim with lore, full fledged characters and some tough decision making. This narrative cyberpunk game will keep you hooked.
90%Minds Beneath Us Review — Splitting the Personality
Minds Beneath Us is an excellent visual novel, telling a heart-wrenching story with a ton of unique sci-fi concepts. Fans of visual novels and great stories are in for a treat with this dystopian treat.
90%Minds Beneath Us Review (PC)
Minds Beneath Us is spectacular when delivering slice-of-life moments, both if they involve the main character and when it comes to ancillary conversations in the background. It’s also good at creating an interesting vision of the future while offering a core narrative that tackles modern themes in engaging ways. Its presentation adds to the immersion level, although the lack of faces will be a little disturbing. Its mechanics do not stray from the adventure game standard and when they do QTEs make an unwelcome appearance. A few conversations are over-written, especially when the game tries to focus on emotions. But Minds Beneath Us offers a good enough story that these are small problems. Play around a full day at a time and savor every interaction. Review key provided by the developer.
85%
