Fractured Minds is a short (as in 20-30 minutes long) game exploring life with mental illness.  Impressively enough, the game was developed by one person, Emily Mitchell, who was just 17 at the time and was inspired by her own struggle with anxiety.  The game is divided into six chapters, each of which involve simple puzzles to solve, whether it’s searching for the right key or inputting the correct symbols to unlock your way forward.  Honestly, the game is pretty easy, and the puzzles won’t make you think too much.  It’s really the game’s theme that makes it stand out the most.

As someone who has personal experience with anxiety, I can relate to the eerie sense of isolation present in the game’s six, graphically simple, environments.  Most notably, the liminal spaces and the narrator’s overly critical comments, making even a birthday party into an uncomfortable and awkward affair.  Growing up, I can relate to feeling alone and invisible even amongst a large group of people (did no one really attend that party or is that merely the narrator’s interpretation), just as I can understand how one’s own attitudes towards themself can twist the world around you into something even more unfriendly than it rightfully should be.

Fractured Minds is a game that appears simple on the surface, but hides a surprising amount of depth for such a short experience.  Frankly, it would have been nice if the game had been longer or the puzzles more thought-provoking, and I did have two issues that I think are worth mentioning.  I got physically stuck once where I was unable to move (luckily I got caught by a red light, which reset the chapter), plus the cursor moved just a bit too quickly for my liking, sometimes making it difficult to properly interact with the environment.  But for what it was, I think Fractured Minds was an interesting interpretation of mental illness that was made even better when paired with a lovely soundtrack.  In case you’re interested, the game is available on all major consoles and PC for just $1.99.