Mint's Hints

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 107 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • story
Mint's Hints Game Cover
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"Mint's Hints" is a horror-themed puzzle adventure game where you, the former showrunner of a canceled children's show, are abducted and must escape the abandoned studio. Collect paw-shaped "Hints" and use your "Happy-Go-Lucky Notebook" to uncover the show's secrets, all while avoiding the vengeful stars of the series. The game boasts stunning visuals, intuitive gameplay, and unique characters and lore, providing a thrilling experience in just 30 minutes.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 107 reviews
graphics11 positive mentions
stability3 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and creative concept, blending horror elements with a nostalgic Blue's Clues aesthetic, which many players found charming.
  • The flashlight mechanics are innovative, allowing players to reveal hidden objects and clues, adding depth to the gameplay.
  • Despite some technical issues, players appreciated the voice acting, character designs, and overall art style, which contributed to an engaging atmosphere.
  • The game suffers from performance issues and optimization problems, leading to low frame rates and crashes on some systems.
  • Many players found the chase sequences frustrating and poorly designed, often feeling tedious and lacking clear direction.
  • The game is criticized for being too short and feeling like a tech demo, with some players expressing disappointment in its overall execution and reliance on common mascot horror tropes.
  • graphics29 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their cute, stylized art style reminiscent of "Blue's Clues," featuring vibrant colors and engaging designs that create an inviting atmosphere. While many players appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and overall visual appeal, some have reported performance issues and concerns about optimization, particularly on lower-end devices. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's charm, despite some technical challenges.

    • “The vibrant colors and whimsical art style create an inviting atmosphere that perfectly complements the lighthearted gameplay.”
    • “The art style is so unique and cool - it's stunning and adds a lot to the overall atmosphere of the game!”
    • “The graphics art style is good, nice and stylized with a good use of color and designs that actually feels a lot closer to original Blue's Clues, especially with the character designs.”
    • “Motion blur was tied to graphical effects, so I had to turn it low because the motion blur was pretty overbearing.”
    • “The graphics during the house look a bit too simplistic, and this doesn't seem right for a game that is using up to 80-90% of my GPU.”
    • “Chapter 2 doesn't seem to have better looking graphics, and this makes me very concerned for the future of this game.”
  • gameplay29 mentions

    The gameplay of "Mint's Hints" is characterized by an innovative flashlight mechanic that reveals hidden objects and clues, providing an engaging and intuitive experience. While the puzzles are varied and the art style is vibrant, some players find the gameplay short-lived and the puzzles occasionally vague or unsatisfying. Overall, the game shows potential for deeper mechanics and storytelling in future chapters, despite some criticisms regarding its execution.

    • “The gameplay is pretty good and has an interesting idea; basically, you are given two flashlights that can reveal clues and invisible objects depending on which flashlight you use. It's actually an interesting concept, and I hope it's utilized more in chapter 2.”
    • “Gameplay & mechanics: the gameplay is intuitive and engaging, making it easy to pick up while providing enough depth to keep you hooked.”
    • “The variety of puzzles keeps the experience fresh, with new mechanics introduced as you progress, ensuring players are constantly engaged.”
    • “Puzzles feel vague but unsatisfying; the story didn't seem to be very intriguing. I thought it was kind of predictable, and the main gimmick mechanics don't really feel very puzzle-like; they feel more like novelties to me.”
    • “I really want to recommend this game, but it went from a fun and unique experience to just another infuriating gameplay.”
    • “Gameplay itself is short, just a brief escape from two felines (or foxes).”
  • story25 mentions

    The story of "Mint's Hints" is generally well-received, with players appreciating its blend of horror and mystery, drawing inspiration from familiar elements like "Blue's Clues." While some find the narrative predictable or cliché, many are intrigued by its potential and the unique puzzles that enhance the storytelling experience. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging premise and charming character development, leaving players eager for future chapters.

    • “So the story is good; it takes a lot of inspiration from Blue's Clues, even the one human character is essentially Blue's Clues Steve, but it all has a horror twist. It has a good mystery that sets up how the show got canceled with visual cues and character dialogue that you can piece together what happened, but still leaves you with plenty to theorize.”
    • “The story is simple yet endearing, with Mint’s personality shining through as you navigate the world.”
    • “The story was so interesting, it kept me hooked from start to finish!”
    • “The story seemed incredibly cliché, especially for this particular sub-genre of horror.”
    • “The best part about this game is gathering the clues to figure out the story, despite how little there seemingly was.”
    • “A shame because it really got me more interested in the story.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance on mid-range setups and commend the lack of bugs, others experience significant issues, particularly on weaker hardware. Critics highlight the need for better optimization, especially in comparison to other mascot horror games, noting that performance can suffer despite the game's short length. Overall, the optimization appears inconsistent, with both positive and negative experiences reported.

    • “It also runs pretty smooth on my kind of mid computer setup, so well optimized.”
    • “On a positive side, I love the graphics; also, top-notch performance from voice actors.”
    • “I also want to give huge props to the dev for the game's performance - I didn't experience a single bug throughout my entire playthrough, and it ran flawlessly.”
    • “And for the next chapter, this game needs to be optimized way better in every way, given that every other mascot horror game out there runs immensely better than this, especially considering how little content this has.”
    • “It is horribly optimized for a game that literally takes about 5-10 minutes to beat.”
    • “One thing to note, the game isn't that well-optimized and can run poorly on weaker hardware.”
  • atmosphere6 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by vibrant colors and a whimsical art style that enhances the lighthearted gameplay, creating an inviting experience. While some players feel that additional polish could elevate the atmosphere further, many appreciate the unique aesthetic and solid voice acting that contribute to a surprisingly engaging mascot horror vibe. Overall, the distinctive art and playful elements foster a captivating environment, even during tense moments.

    • “The vibrant colors and whimsical art style create an inviting atmosphere that perfectly complements the lighthearted gameplay.”
    • “The art style is so unique and cool—it's stunning and adds a lot to the overall atmosphere of the game!”
    • “A bit more polish to help crank up the atmosphere could help.”
    • “Speaking of atmosphere, it does get a bit better when you're getting chased by mint and fuchsia, but once again, they make me want to jump onto them and hug them rather than run from them.”
    • “I didn't think much of this game going in; however, I was pleasantly surprised with a fairly decent mascot horror game with solid voice acting, a unique gimmick that fits the setting, and a solid atmosphere.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its dark comedic elements and nostalgic references, particularly the unexpected blend of a horror theme with a "Blue's Clues" inspiration. Players appreciate the well-executed voice acting and find the quirky characters and absurd situations, such as the necessity of using two flashlights, to be both funny and entertaining.

    • “I highly enjoyed the dark humor.”
    • “I think the voice acting is well done, and the nostalgic setup is also rather hilarious -- I never would've thought I would see a Blue's Clues-inspired horror game, lol.”
    • “Funny, silly, amazing characters!”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent glitches and freezing, even on lower settings. Players report that the game can become unplayable, often requiring a restart to access settings, which is hindered by further freezing during transitions.

    • “Please fix the tearing issue though. I can run more demanding games at 60fps without issue, but this game, even at the lowest specs, glitches nonstop at the end.”
    • “It freezes the entire game.”
    • “If I close it and re-launch to try and get to the settings as fast as I can, I only reach the graphics option before my screen freezes mid-transition, leaving me with a black screen.”
  • character development3 mentions

    The character development is enhanced by charming and stylized designs that evoke nostalgia for the original "Blue's Clues," complemented by smooth animations. The appealing character aesthetics contribute positively to the overall experience, making the characters feel engaging and fun.

    • “The animations are smooth, and the charming character designs add to the overall appeal.”
    • “The graphics art style is good, nice and stylized with a good use of color and designs that actually feels a lot closer to the original Blue's Clues, especially with the character designs.”
    • “Fun character designs in the house.”
  • music3 mentions

    The music in the game features enjoyable tracks, with a particularly catchy chase theme. However, some players noted that the chase music doesn't activate at certain distances, which can detract from the overall atmosphere.

    • “The music is good; it has nice tracks to listen to.”
    • “Also, the chase song was really catchy!”
    • “The chase music doesn't play if you're a certain distance, which can ruin the mood.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly during chase sequences that require precise timing. However, some appreciate the hidden objects mechanic and recognize the creator's passion for the project, which adds a personal touch to the experience.

    • “They're barely in the game apart from a tedious and mind-numbingly dull chase.”
    • “The flee section is a little tedious because you have to be nearly frame perfect to complete it; a single half-second wrong turn or accidentally double-clicking on a door is enough to kill you.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization model is perceived as thoughtful and considerate, rather than exploitative or designed solely for profit.

    • “The monetization system feels overly aggressive, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
    • “I can't believe how many features are locked behind paywalls; it ruins the experience.”
    • “The constant prompts to buy in-game currency are distracting and take away from the gameplay.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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