The Mind of Marlo
- October 19, 2017
- Point Bleep Studios
- 1h median play time
Get on Steam"The Mind of Marlo" is a narrative-driven adventure game where you join Marlo, a person with Spontaneous Silly Head Syndrome, in a mockumentary-style journey. Experience compelling monologues, solve fun puzzles to help Marlo cope with his condition, and enjoy an absurdist blend of humor inspired by 'The Office' and classic point-and-click adventure games.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The Mind of Marlo is a short, funny, and charming point-and-click game that effectively combines humor with a unique narrative about mental health.
- The voice acting and pixel art style are well-executed, enhancing the overall experience and making the game feel polished despite its simplicity.
- As a free game, it offers great value, providing easy achievements and a delightful story that can be completed in under an hour.
- The game is very short, often leaving players wanting more content and depth in the gameplay and story.
- Some players found the humor to be hit-or-miss, with certain jokes not resonating and the overall tone feeling inconsistent.
- The point-and-click mechanics can become tedious, with some puzzles requiring trial-and-error that may frustrate players.
- humor75 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its absurdity, dry wit, and clever narrative twists, often blending lightheartedness with darker themes. Many players found it to be laugh-out-loud funny, with charming voice acting and a unique storytelling style that keeps the experience engaging despite its short length. However, some reviewers noted that the humor may not resonate with everyone, particularly those who prefer more straightforward comedic styles.
“It's free, cute, short, and silly with funny twists and lore; highly recommend, easily worth your time.”
“The mind of Marlo is laugh-out-loud funny, clever, and thankfully doesn't overstay its welcome.”
“A great hidden gem in the point-and-click genre with fantastic dry humor.”
- story58 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of "The Mind of Marlo" is a humorous and engaging dark comedy that follows the quirky character Marlo as he navigates his bizarre transformations and seeks a cure for his condition. Players appreciate the well-crafted narrative, voice acting, and unexpected plot twists, although some find the pacing and abrupt ending lacking in depth. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of absurdity and charm, making it a fun, albeit short, point-and-click experience.
“The narration was really well done, and I absolutely loved the plot twists toward the end, although admittedly I still don't entirely understand them.”
“The voice acting is great, the writing is nice and uncomfortably disturbing yet funny, the plot twists have good timing… and the whole story is 40–60 minutes long, meaning it never tries to stretch further than the punchline would allow.”
“The story evolves and shifts wonderfully in the final third - a great tale and the right length.”
“The whole story is about a simple guy Marlo, which is not that simple after all.”
“Ending is also abrupt, there is basically no story development and the game is very short.”
“Though, the experience as a whole falls flat and is simply 'alright' in regards to its humour, with plot holes and inconsistent internal logic within the story, and where the dramatic events of the game feel like they were a way to overcome writer's block, concluding with an abrupt resolution.”
- gameplay17 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Mind of Marlo" is characterized by classic point-and-click mechanics, offering a simple yet engaging experience filled with quirky humor and a charming story. While the gameplay is straightforward and reminiscent of free titles, it features enjoyable puzzles and a rich narrative that keeps players entertained, despite some critiques about the rushed plot integration. Overall, players appreciate the lighthearted fun and attention to detail, making it a worthwhile short game experience.
“Though simple in its presentation and gameplay, Mind of Marlo shines when it comes to its distinct point-and-click humor combined with their attention to detail in dialogue and point-and-click.”
“The classic point-and-click gameplay was a grand time finding and figuring out how to use what I needed to help Marlo in his quest for normalcy.”
“Nothing groundbreaking gameplay-wise but the story development is cool, and the game has obviously been made with love, with plenty of fun little jokes and details for you to discover.”
“The tie-in from the introduction and the actual mechanics is a bit rushed – I understand what I’m doing but not necessarily why plot-wise.”
“Gameplay value is small—akin to free point ‘n’ click titles—where we have only a handful of items and interactive spots.”
“Most of the gameplay is, like in any point & click, about collecting & using items, here across a couple of rooms, while you learn more about the intriguing 'documentary subject'.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by charming pixel art that complements its humorous tone and engaging storytelling. While some users describe the visuals as simplistic and blocky, they appreciate the overall aesthetic and how it enhances the game's atmosphere. The combination of low-resolution graphics and a pleasant soundtrack contributes to a polished and enjoyable experience.
“The pixel graphics are charming, the voice acting is good, music is 'fairly nice' and the humor is great.”
“The graphics were great for the story and I enjoyed the voice acting.”
“The game's graphics are designed, to great effect, with pixel art, and the soundtrack is welcome and unintrusive, so as not to detract from the mind of Marlo's most notable strengths: the writing and voice acting.”
“Silly graphics.”
“I downloaded this game without reading or checking anything just for achievements, but I instantly realized this one is from the same developer of 'How to Cope with Boredom and Loneliness' as soon as I saw the graphics.”
“The low-res, pixelated graphics and the rather monotone voice acting only accentuate the game's witty atmosphere.”
- music10 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for being pleasant and fitting well with the overall tone, enhancing the absurd humor and gameplay experience. Reviewers appreciate the easy listening soundtrack, which complements the charming pixel graphics and effective voice acting without being intrusive. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's quality, adding to its enjoyable atmosphere.
“The pixel graphics are charming, the voice acting is good, music is fairly nice and the humor is great.”
“I really liked it for its absurd humor, the music, and the voice acting.”
“It is overall a quality game that has everything done just right: the jokes are good, the puzzles are good (but not spectacular), the premise is absurd and really good, voice acting is perfect, music fits really well... the game delivers much more than you would expect or even hope for.”
“The music is pretty decent too.”
“With simply suburb pixel graphics that is accompanied by an easy listening soundtrack.”
“The art despite being fairly basic works well for the game, and the music is pretty decent too.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game combines a dry, understated humor with surprising emotional depth, creating a heartwarming tale that is both funny and touching. It is highly recommended for those seeking a short, enjoyable experience that resonates on an emotional level.
“The game has a very dry, understated sense of humor, and some surprising emotional depth to it.”
“Actually a heartwarming emotional tale with a silly coat of paint.”
“It's funny and heartfelt.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a fun and bizarre narrative that unfolds as players solve puzzles, enhancing the overall experience. The low-resolution pixel graphics and monotone voice acting contribute to a unique, witty ambiance that complements the relaxing exploration of Marlo's life.
“It's a fun, bizarre story with a relaxing atmosphere.”
“As you complete the puzzle and explore, you also get small narrative snippets of Marlo's life, which helps complete the puzzle but also creates a more interesting atmosphere.”
“The low-res, pixelated graphics and the rather monotone voice acting only accentuate the game's witty atmosphere.”
“The low-res, pixelated graphics and the rather monotone voice acting only accentuate the game's lackluster atmosphere.”
“The environments feel empty and uninspired, failing to immerse players in the game's world.”
“The soundtrack is forgettable and does little to enhance the overall mood of the game.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, citing unengaging dialogue and subpar voice acting that detracts from the overall experience.
“The point-and-click aspect is perfunctory at best, and the game felt tedious because the dialogue wasn’t interesting and was delivered with fairly sub-standard voice acting.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users reporting smooth performance and efficient resource usage, while others experience significant lag and technical issues. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary widely depending on individual system configurations.
