State of Mind Reviews
Daedalic Entertainment's State of Mind wants players to explore the idea of what is it that makes us us, but never provides the player any real opportunity to do so. You simply follow the path and mark off another check mark. In the end all you're really doing is little more than counting electric sheep.
State of Mind tells a captivating story of two men who find themselves wrapped up in a plot that touches on questioning life itself.
The gameplay is simple and effective, but the biggest draw is the story.
State of Mind delivers an interesting story-driven experience with a mature theme that is likely to hook fans of dystopian/utopian science fiction. However, it doesn't do much to evolve the adventure game genre.
Daedalic's fixation with transhumanism takes State of Mind and puts it in a similar bracket as many of its counterparts that have created an advanced tech-infused world.
State of Mind stands as the most ambitious brainchild of award-winning German game writer/designer Martin Ganteföhr and it executes its purpose as a satisfactory narrative-driven experience despite it uninspired setting and disappointing main character. The puzzles are benign enough as to not impact the pacing, and the questions raised aren't enough to ignite a wholly new philosophical discussion on transhumanism, but the plot hits more than it misses and remains entertaining enough throughout.
Overall, State of Mind is a good game if you are into a heavily narrative based title.
A game with a lot of narrative potential but no mechanics to keep you playing.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
State of Mind tells a compelling story about a futuristic world that can be very close to our on the next fifty years. Besides the wonderful narrative, low budget and scarce gameplay ideas are the only reasons why Daedalic game can't compete with the other famous competitor.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Style without substance, State of Mind never pushes the boundaries of its genre stereotypes.
The fact I'm having to go back to Fahrenheit on the Xbox as a reference point for State of Mind shows what an under-represented category the story driven adventure genre has become. I hope that changes in the coming years because State of Mind tells a really interesting tale with teriffically multi-dimensional characters only let down by some unwillingness to give the player control.
State of Mind has some interesting ideas about the future. Those ideas are presented in a mostly by-the-numbers point-and-click 3D adventure game wrapper, and there's nothing wrong with that. There's an almost believable look and feel to the various environments Richard and Adam find themselves in, though the low-poly character models don't always work as well as intended. Still, for those who just can't get enough of futuristic adventure point-and-click games, State of Mind is worth the virtual trip.
Although the gameplay does not have much to offer and the longevity is very limited, it is practically impossible not to love this dynamic adventure of Daedalic Entertainmen: thanks to its own style, State of Mind is able to tell a story that is worth living.
Review in Italian | Read full review
State of Mind offers few thrills among its twists and turns, yet the world it constructs feels worthy of investigation. It's a shame, then, that you're not free to explore it more. In fact, you're an observer for much of the tale, but thanks to some bold ideas, the game is compelling enough to hold your attention even if it isn't always as dazzling as you'd hope.
State of Mind is a brilliant title for the ones who like to enjoy a story of high quality and a subject to dare for the ones who are strong enough to ask the real questions.
State of mind is a science fiction adventure based upon the idea of transhumanism that forces us to reflect on it, also due to its narrative-oriented content. With this game Daedalic aimed for a first contact with a new gameplay but without casting away the thing that they love the most, which is telling stories.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
State of Mind is a commendably well-presented, if challenge-light effort that dives head first into its deep and winding subject matter with nary a look over its polygonal shoulder. A mature adventure then that proves itself worthy of the descriptor.
State of Mind's setting and story, once they get going, do a lot to really sell the game. Some fun puzzles and a fantastic art style help too. This is a world I want to spend more time in.
State of Mind is an interesting project that prioritises its story beyond all other aspects of the experience. Unfortunately, while it does feature a very interesting narrative and a lot of compelling ideas, they are not executed very well at all. Even those acclimatised to the pacing and narrowness of other more successful 'interactive stories,' such as The Walking Dead, will find State of Mind to be inextricably rigid and overly linear. Everything encountered is positioned there to further the story. Both Berlin and City 5 lack proper secondary interactions and spontaneous encounters. Even the most linear of adventures cannot completely ignore the player's implied sense of possibility and wonder, without seriously affecting the immersion. For this reason, it's hard to feel engaged in State of Mind, despite its highly compelling story content. It might even be more enjoyable to watch a streamer play through it, than do it for oneself. Ouch.
Disappointing as this lack of follow-up may be, State of Mind still delivers a stellar sci-fi experience that, while comparable to other entries in the genre, has a character all its own. Given the game's complex topics, don't expect to walk away feeling like all is well with the world, but you'll be more than glad you plugged in.