The Mind’s Eclipse is a 2018 interactive sci-fi visual novel adventure set in a fallen utopia called the CORE developed by Mind’s Eclipse Interactive.
The Mind’s Eclipse enters the story as a first person experience playing as Dr. Jonathan Campbell, who wakes up in a science facility with no clue of what has gone on. He does remember that his wife died, however, and that there is a mysterious companion called L that ends up accompanying him as he leaves the facility and onto the streets of this fallen utopia set in the future called the CORE. Through small puzzles he moves from one place to the next in this empty city and through the notes he finds left behind in different places, the story starts to unravel as the pieces fall together and he realizes where he needs to go and what his research was leading to.
READ MORE: Our interview with The Mind’s Eclipse Developer Donald Campbell
A key aspect of The Mind’s Eclipse is its visual novel format and it chooses the correct way to portray this story-driven game very effectively. If you’ve read books like The Illuminae Files series, it is reflected in a similar way where the story is heavily focused around these journals and chat logs that help build the world and the dilemma/conflict at hand. Mind Eclipse Interactive does craft The Mind’s Eclipse very thoughtfully as they choose to have a very interactive experience where you can interact with a fair bit of objects which helps progress the story however never actually being in the point and click adventure genre. This interactiveness keeps the game engaging as it is not just listening to a story unfold and your only task is clicking through a static story like some other visual novels. At the same time, the atmosphere is greatly enhanced by choosing a black and white palette paired with a sketch style which feels like reading a picture or comic book but still matches the gloomy empty city that we are exploring.
The story does start with a frequently used game trope like the previously mentioned main character waking up with memory loss. However, The Mind’s Eclipse works effectively to use it to its advantage to uncover the secrets of what caused the downfall of the city. In the first person perspective, the story flows with very much a conversation between Dr. Campbell and L and if not, there are a few narratives scattered about. The world building here has a lot to give credit for the immersion that the CORE has to offer. This setting is new and creative with plenty to discover.
The Mind’s Eclipse delivers a well-paced story paired with a great art choice that works together effectively to immerse its players into this fallen utopia and uncovering the story of Dr. Campbell and what happened.
The Mind’s Eclipse is available on Steam and Itch.io.