A Fragile Mind Puzzler: Head-Scratching Challenge?

This week, we challenged our App Army to dive into the puzzling world of A Fragile Mind, the latest puzzle adventure from Glitch Games. With its classic escape room mechanics infused with a dash of humor, the game has sparked a range of reactions from our community. While some appreciated the challenging puzzles and light-hearted tone, others felt that the game's presentation fell short of expectations.

We invited our App Army readers to share their thoughts on A Fragile Mind, and here's what they had to say:

Swapnil Jadhav

Initially, the game's icon led me to believe that A Fragile Mind might be a dull experience. However, the gameplay proved to be uniquely engaging, offering a refreshing twist on the puzzle adventure genre. The puzzles are challenging yet captivating, making it one of the best puzzle games I've played. I highly recommend experiencing it on an iPad or tablet for the best experience.

Max Williams

A Fragile Mind is a point-and-click puzzle-solving adventure featuring static pre-rendered graphics. The storyline, if there is one, remains elusive to me. Each chapter represents a floor of a building, where you must navigate increasingly complex puzzles to ascend. Interestingly, you can progress to the next floor without solving all current puzzles, as some require items from upper floors. The game cleverly breaks the fourth wall, such as when an item's graphic "isn't detailed enough to be important." The hint system is a lifesaver, though perhaps too readily available, automatically adjusting to show the next steps. By the third floor, I relied on hints more frequently. The puzzles strike a balance—obvious once solved but not overly obscure. The developers clearly have experience in this genre, though navigation between rooms and corridors can be confusing. Overall, it's a solid example of the genre, and I plan to continue playing.

Robert Maines

In A Fragile Mind, you awaken in a garden within a mysterious building, devoid of any memory of your identity or location. As you explore, you'll take photos and uncover objects and clues to solve puzzles and advance. While the graphics and sound are functional rather than exceptional, the puzzles are quite challenging, necessitating occasional walkthroughs. The game's brevity means there's little replay value, but if you enjoy puzzle adventures, it's definitely worth playing.

Torbjörn Kämblad

Escape-the-room puzzles have provided some of my best mobile gaming experiences, involving object discovery and ingenious puzzle-solving. However, A Fragile Mind falls short of my expectations. The presentation feels muddy, making puzzle pieces and the puzzles themselves hard to distinguish. Additionally, the UI design, such as the top-left corner menu button, is easily mis-tapped, which detracts from the overall experience. The pacing feels off, with too many puzzles available from the start, causing confusion and necessitating early use of the hint system.

Mark Abukoff

Typically, I find puzzle games too difficult with unsatisfying rewards. However, A Fragile Mind pleasantly surprised me. It offers a variety of audio and visual options, and I appreciate the game's aesthetic and atmosphere. The puzzles and clues are engaging, and the hint system is user-friendly—providing essential guidance and, if needed, solutions. Despite its short duration, the game delivers a satisfying experience at a modest price, making it a recommended choice.

Diane Close

Imagine waking up disoriented in your car in front of an abandoned circus at night, with a note hinting at something in the trunk. A Fragile Mind unfolds like this intriguing scenario (spoiler-free!), layering puzzles upon puzzles in a manner reminiscent of a giant Jenga game. Each room presents multiple clues for various puzzles, requiring you to weave through them to progress the story. Taking in-game photos and physical notes is key. The game runs smoothly on Android (Google Pixel phones), with ample visual and sound options and strong accessibility features. It's about an hour long for expert puzzle solvers and includes enjoyable humor and puns throughout.

What is the App Army?

The App Army is Pocket Gamer's community of mobile game enthusiasts. We frequently seek their insights on new releases and share these with our readers. To join, visit our Discord Channel or Facebook Group and request access by answering the three questions. We'll get you in promptly.