When Twin Peaks came out in 1990, little did the show’s creators know that it would become a juggernaut and influence countless forms of creative media. Video game developers especially latched onto its quirks and style, incorporating many surrealist qualities that made it such a profoundly enduring show ever since. It was about an FBI agent who relied on his keen intuitions to solve a murder in a quiet mountain town.
Many games would lean on Twin Peaks‘ format and would have mysteries full of unusual characters. Point-and-click adventure games are a natural fit for procedural crime-solving games. Every aspect of the profession can be faithfully represented within the genre.
Many indie game developers still feel the ripples of Twin Peaks. The premise is irresistible and flexible enough that anyone can put a creative spin on it. What if players assumed the role of a psychic police officer instead of an enigmatic FBI agent? What kind of place is Merrilyn Crater Camp? Can players find out who the killer is in five days? Find out in our Mindcop review!
Mindcop
Developer: Andre Gareis
Publisher: Mindcop Games, Dear Villagers
Platforms: Windows PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 (reviewed)
Release Date: November 14, 2024
Price: $14.99
Mindcop is about a small resort town where everyone knows each other and one of its citizens is found brutally murdered. A cop and his partner are sent to investigate the crime… a cop who can explore the minds of others… like some kind of cop of the mind. A Mindcop, if you will.
Rebbecca was a local girl who was found brutally stabbed to death. It is up to Mindcop and his partner, Linda, to solve the case in five days. The scene is messy and the killer could be anybody on the street. Finding clues and testimonies and interrogating suspects won’t be enough. Mindcop will surf their minds to find what is in their hearts.
Mind-surfing is the stand-out gimmick in Mindcop. Everything else is what players would expect from most point-and-click adventure games. Mind-surfing mixes things up by adding a puzzle game as a barrier to exploring the truth, lies, and uncertainty in the suspects’ subconsciousness.
Mind-surfing is represented with a square brain that players rotate. The idea is to connect three of the same colored bullets earning bonus time for Mindcop to reach the finish line. Players can charge up colored bullets for more time, but ultimately the core gameplay is simple.
Mind-surfing is so simple that it is boring and too easy. Mindcop can level up certain colors, boosting the time bonus earned, but ultimately the mini-game is tacked on. When attempting the harder surfs, the challenge was unnoticeable.
The meat and potatoes of Mindcop are the investigation and interrogation… but with time pressure. Every night, Mindcop and Linda return to the street where the crime happened and players are free to talk to anyone and investigate anything. Time only passes when choosing an action. This maintains a relaxed atmosphere but ratchets the tension on choices.
Choices are everything in Mindcop. Many choices are red herrings or distractions from where the truth lies. It’s easy to run out of time and for the case to go cold, leading to the “bad” ending. First-time players are doubtful about discovering who the killer is and will need to keep a mental note of the clues, how to get them, and how to be more efficient with time.
The consequences of getting a warrant to search a house will lead to several characters refusing to cooperate. Prematurely arresting a suspect could also lock players out of storylines connecting to other characters. Players will inevitably be pushed into alienating someone and committing to every choice is the only way forward.
The mindscapes are wrought with surrealist symbolism that hints at the truth and heart of each character. This is the heart of Mindcop‘s storytelling and is where the Lynchian influences come front and center. Every suspect can be mind-surfed and the doors lead to cryptic imagery that will only make sense as the plot is unraveled.
Mindcop‘s story is well-designed. The only drawback is the Cartoon Network-inspired noodle character designs that horrifically clash with the gritty tone and serious subject matter. Mindcop himself is already a pretty quirky guy, but he didn’t need to look like an Adventure Time character to get the point across that he’s an oddball.
The characters should be designed to match the look and feel of the superbly rendered 2D backdrops. Some characters are intended to be much younger than they appear and the designs don’t make it clear in some cases. This is important because the ages of some characters are plot points and if it weren’t for the character bios, it wouldn’t have been clear at all.
Voice acting is performed only during key cutscenes. The entire game should have been voice-acted. It’s too bad because what little voice acting is in the game is solid.
Mindcop won’t set any trends or shock players with its premise. The story is well-executed enough to see through to the end and entertains until the truth is revealed and beyond. The art style does not stick to landing, but anyone looking for a Northern Pacific mystery with a magical twist will find a lot to enjoy.
Mindcop was reviewed on PlayStation 5 using a code provided by Dear Villagers. You can find additional information about Niche Gamer’s review/ethics policy here. Mindcop is now available for PC (via Steam), Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5.
