Minds Beneath Us

98%
Game Brain Score Based on 284 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Minds Beneath Us Game Cover
The game has me eager to hop into elevators with people, who could have thought?
Starting at €17.55Buy now
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.

Play Modes

Reviews

98%
Audience ScoreBased on 284 reviews
story118 positive mentions
character development3 negative mentions
  • The game features a compelling and immersive story set in a richly detailed cyberpunk world, exploring themes of technology, personal freedom, and corporate power struggles.
  • Characters are well-written and relatable, with meaningful dialogue that allows players to feel invested in their relationships and choices.
  • The art style and music enhance the overall atmosphere, creating a visually stunning experience that complements the narrative.
  • Some players found the pacing slow, with lengthy dialogue that could feel excessive and detract from the overall engagement.
  • The game has a linear structure, meaning choices may not significantly alter the main plot, leading to a feeling of limited impact on the story's outcome.
  • There are reports of technical issues, such as a broken save system and minor translation errors, which can disrupt the gameplay experience.
  • story313 mentions

    The game's story is a compelling blend of advanced dystopian themes and intricate character dynamics, drawing players into a richly crafted cyberpunk world filled with moral ambiguity and engaging plot twists. While the narrative is praised for its depth and emotional resonance, some players noted that certain plot threads feel unresolved or rushed towards the end, leaving a desire for further exploration. Overall, the storytelling is highlighted as a standout feature, making it a must-play for fans of narrative-driven experiences.

    • “The story is going to play out the same, still the characters are so well written you will care about how the individual characters in the game are affected by your choices.”
    • “Minds Beneath Us has a hooking plot with many moving parts that keeps you on your feet, guessing and going over information.”
    • “The story kept me hooked the whole time, and there are a lot of good and interesting characters that you interact with throughout.”
    • “The other issue I have is that the story does not seem complete even after 20 hours.”
    • “Towards the end, it almost felt like the developer got tired with the story they started out with and then went all in on a different story.”
    • “Some storylines were discarded midway through and it honestly felt like many of my choices didn't matter.”
  • graphics47 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals, unique art style, and smooth animations, particularly in combat scenes. Reviewers appreciate the effective blend of 2D and 3D elements, which enhances the immersive atmosphere of the dystopian setting. Overall, the aesthetic quality, including the color palette and background art, significantly contributes to the game's storytelling and player engagement.

    • “To top it off, I adore the color palette and 2D/3D (2.5D) graphics, so that was a major plus.”
    • “The visuals are outstanding, providing a 3D feeling in a 2D environment. The story doesn't feel all too original, but it's been told so originally that it feels new.”
    • “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 art style of the game is what hooked me at first, the game looks really good visually.”
    • “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.”
  • gameplay42 mentions

    The gameplay is primarily narrative-driven, resembling a visual novel with minimal interactive elements, such as simple quick-time events and dialogue choices. While some players appreciate the focus on storytelling and character development, others find the gameplay lacking in depth and variety. Overall, it caters to those who prefer engaging narratives over complex mechanics, making it a suitable choice for fans of story-rich experiences.

    • “The gameplay is simple and intuitive, and the story keeps you engaged very hard.”
    • “Minds Beneath Us brings together storytelling, beautiful visuals, and interactive gameplay in a way that keeps me hooked from beginning to end.”
    • “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.”
    • “The gameplay is lacking though.”
    • “Subjectively, if you don't like visual novels and really need there to be robust gameplay, look elsewhere -- this is basically a visual novel.”
    • “The gameplay is not complex; it's mostly a visual novel with some quick time events sprinkled in.”
  • music39 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its unique cyberpunk and electro beats, enhancing the overall atmosphere and emotional depth of the experience. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's aesthetic and storytelling, despite some noting that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the combination of music and visuals creates an engaging and immersive environment that resonates with players.

    • “The music is amazing, and for a game with no voice acting, it's so very important, but I can confidently say I wouldn't want voice acting for this game anyway.”
    • “The soundtrack is another highlight, contributing to the game’s unique atmosphere.”
    • “Very detailed, rich cyberpunk-style game with a dark story and an amazing soundtrack.”
    • “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.”
  • emotional20 mentions

    The game is praised for its deep emotional impact, characterized by well-developed characters whose journeys evoke genuine feelings of fear, sadness, and joy. Players highlight the strong writing and heartfelt dialogue, which effectively convey the emotional consequences of choices and philosophical themes. The immersive experience, combined with a powerful soundtrack, leaves a lasting impression, making it an emotional rollercoaster that resonates long after completion.

    • “All of the characters have defined goals, aspirations, and personalities, and they all blend together beautifully to create some real heart-wrenching moments. There were truly points in the game where I felt real fear and sadness.”
    • “This game left an emotional impact on me when I finished it 🥲”
    • “It delivers a strong, coherent story with some really hard-hitting, emotional moments.”
  • atmosphere17 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and engaging qualities, enhanced by detailed visuals, a captivating soundtrack, and a cleverly crafted story. Players appreciate the combination of art style and sound design, which together create a vibrant and compelling environment that draws them in. Despite some criticisms regarding repetitiveness later in the game, the overall consensus highlights the atmosphere as a standout feature that significantly contributes to the gaming experience.

    • “What a cleverly written story with ridiculously lovable characters and a gorgeous atmosphere!”
    • “Amazing atmosphere, pulls you in right from the start.”
    • “The atmosphere is amazing and immersive.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability due to its multiple routes and endings, allowing players to explore different choices that impact the story. With an initial playthrough lasting around 15 hours, players can easily exceed 30 hours by revisiting the game to experience alternative outcomes. Overall, the replay value is a key highlight, making it a worthwhile purchase.

    • “It even has multiple routes for multiple endings, so there's a lot of replayability.”
    • “Your choices can have major impacts 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.”
    • “Don't let the price disincentivize you; the game has a lot of replay value.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is noted for its mature and often hilarious writing, which effectively brings the world and characters to life. However, some users express disappointment that certain witty English dialogues lose their charm in Japanese translation, leading to a bittersweet experience that evokes both laughter and nostalgia.

    • “It made me laugh a lot when playing and deeply homesick afterwards.”
    • “The writing is mature and sometimes hilarious; it brings the world and the characters to life.”
    • “But it is sad that some funny English chats got blurred in Japanese translation.”
  • character development3 mentions

    The game excels in character development, featuring beautifully crafted character designs and compelling narratives that make both main and side characters feel authentic and engaging. Despite an initial adjustment to the lack of facial features, players appreciate the depth and richness of the storytelling.

    • “It's a point-and-click, story-driven game that focuses heavily on character development.”
    • “What beautiful character design from a writing perspective, with side characters and their stories feeling just as real and alive as the main characters.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “I found the character arcs predictable and uninspired, which diminished my overall enjoyment of the story.”
    • “Despite the interesting premise, the characters don't evolve in meaningful ways, leaving their growth feeling unfulfilled.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    The grinding aspect of "Minds Beneath Us" is viewed positively by some players who appreciate the opportunity to engage in daily tasks and build relationships, while others find it tedious and potentially boring. A suggestion to extend the grinding period over several weeks or months could enhance the experience for those who enjoy the routine.

    • “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. 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.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

89% average critic score

Buy Minds Beneath Us

Play time

15hMedian play time
13hAverage play time
9-17hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News