Review - Mind Diver

Nikolas Tolgyesi

2 hours ago

5 min read

Developer: Indoor Sunglasses

Publisher: PLAYISM

Available on: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, PC

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5

Mind Diver caught my attention the moment I read the plot. It appeared to have everything my favourite psychological masterpieces would. A story centred around going deeper to discover the truth, check. Potentially combining an underwater concept with mind probing, hell yes. However, when I picked up the controller to play, it became clear very quickly this was not going to be the brain-scrambling adventure I was hoping for.

Mind Diver sees players investigate a missing persons case, helping a heartbroken woman unravel the mystery behind what happened to her boyfriend. You will need to dive through layers of memories, piecing together clues and events to uncover the truth, all the while trying to help a heartbroken client relive the evasive details of her past. Descending through 6 levels of memories, each region presents its own set of clues and questions needing to be solved to get to the bottom of the puzzle.

Diving Through Details

I really could not get into this story no matter how hard I tried. Combing through crowds and the surroundings for clues did make me feel like Sherlock Holmes, but once you found what you were looking for, you didn’t do very much with the newfound information. I thought it would have been cool to take the memory gun you are given to hold the memories and confront someone, or perhaps use the details to find a hidden path, but neither is the case in Mind Diver. You really only need a handful of memories to complete each region, and you collect these memories only by interacting with objects. I think you can understand why that might become a bit tedious after 6 or 7 hours. There are no internal struggles, flashbacks, or any kind of nightmare to be confronted. You collect a few memories, place them in orbs, and continue on your way.

After collecting all the memories needed and opening the final tunnel, I thought to myself, oh perfect, there will be a big revealing cutscene wrapping everything up with a bow, and we can all leave happy. Also not the case. Once the final area has been solved, you end up in an area tinted either orange or red depending on how many cones you have in your eyes, with absolutely no idea what is going on. Checking the region list reveals an area with no objectives. I actually had to use Google to make sure I hadn’t missed anything, and this strange purgatory was in fact the end of the adventure. Without credits, how was I supposed to know the game was finished?

Hinting at a Headache

Please do not get me wrong, I love the idea of games having a nightmare difficulty for the brave souls that want to torture themselves. I am not one of those souls. I really enjoy the story attached to the adventure, with a good twist to make sure I can’t sleep. Part of a more relaxed playthrough is the inclusion of hints, or a defined path. Just a gentle reminder of how to continue unraveling the journey. Mind Diver did not include a single hint or linear path that could be taken. Players are dropped into the game from the start, with almost no information, and told to navigate a game that explains next to nothing. It can be very deterring and frustrating. Once you get your bearings, you will quickly feel trapped. When you have collected the correct memories and unlocked the next region, you realize you cannot move forward until you have spoken to absolutely everyone in the current level. It made me feel like I was finally on the right track, only to have to backtrack and listen to something that contributes to the story very little.

Character Pains

The art style had a unique charm to it. A few of the mind bubbles looked really neat with a Claymation-inspired design. But as you zoomed in on the details, it felt like the model quickly became choppy and jagged, almost harsh. I couldn’t help but feel like the characters needed a bit more attention to smooth over the interactive portion of the experience. At several times, I was so distracted by the speaker that I missed the message being spoken. With no replay feature I could find, the allure of Mind Diver rapidly faded.

Seeing All the Pieces

The unique angle of being colourblind means I am very aware of colour schemes being used. Colour choices can change the entire landscape of any game. Mind Diver went with a darker palette, which sets the mood amazingly well when trying to rattle an audience’s spine and keep them up at night. The thought bubbles themselves were great as far as lighting and vibrancy go. However, when trying to move between different bubbles, the atmosphere was so dark and dull that I really couldn’t tell which way was up or down. Without any kind of path or hint to bring me back to the playable area, my interest faded to darkness as fast as the screen did. A dark theme is a fantastic way to set the mood, but for us colourblind folks, a bit of handholding when the screen goes black would be greatly appreciated.

Controlling the Currents

Whenever a game utilises fewer controls, it always helps with the one-handed experience, if you will. A simplified playthrough means less fatigue on an already overworked hand. Mind Diver did a great job of making the gameplay more efficient. I only had to reach for a few buttons, usually only one at a time. I also want to take a moment to shout out Indoor Sunglasses for including the option to remap a button with one click. That, to me, is the holy grail of accessibility and really invites everyone to play.

Swimming Through History

There is a feature in Mind Diver I want to highlight because it is just so creative and satisfying that I could have played an entire game focused only on it. When you are moving between thought bubbles in each region, you are essentially swimming between areas. I never would have thought to actually swim through memories. In addition, when you have completed an area, you have to descend through a tunnel that you actually get to dive into. That to me perfectly symbolises going deeper into someone’s mind in wicked style.

The Truth About These Memories

While Mind Diver was a great concept on paper, unfortunately there wasn't a lot of substance to the actual gameplay. Throw in constant frustration, confusion, and uncertainty, and this game often felt more like a car that still needed to be painted before it was ready to leave the factory. I hope Mind Diver can get a DLC or a sequel that can address some of the core issues and shine some light on this game’s future.