Mind Twins Review

Drunken Apes apes Limbo’s aesthetics and Brothers’ co-op mechanic with their dark puzzle platformer Mind Twins. Combining a number of different elements together, does it manage to be its own unique beast?

Mind Twins Review

Unlike many other platformers on the market, players are tasked with controlling two characters rather than one. Made up of a blue rabbit and an orange one, players are tasked to get both to an exit in one piece. This is easier said than done though, as if one dies, the level must be replayed from scratch.

This is where things get frustrating. Earlier levels are a straightforward affair that don’t have much danger to them, but later levels require careful planning of the two bunnies. The game can be played with two players, but having one single player alternate the control of each one leads to less frustration. Even so, switching between controller to keyboard multiple times can be a pain, and the floaty controls don’t help in platforming.

Neither does the general game engine. This is one buggy game – bunnies will spawn in unwinnable areas, will spawn right above a trap, or will not even spawn at all. It is unacceptable to have to restart a level multiple times, just because the game loaded things incorrectly.

When Mind Twins does work, don’t expect something on par with Limbo or Super Meat Boy. More often than not, one bunny must trigger something to allow the other bunny to pass. This could be passing a circle to make an object appear or disappear, finding a way to trigger a spike ball to fall on an enemy, or hitting a room-flipping anti-gravity switch. Even if you know what you’re doing though, the controls will make it difficult to get where you need to go. Hitting a teleportation portal, for instance, will make you fly out of control, and when multiple ones are chained together, absolute havoc happens. Patience (and a bit of luck) is an absolute must.

To unlock the next set of stages, players must collect a set amount of shiny baubles in each stage. Achievement hunters will be pleased to know that there are 315 achievements in the game, with each bauble corresponding to one. It can be amusing to see multiple achievement notifications pop up every minute, but it gives off the impression that this was designed for bragging rights and nothing more.

Outside of the main game, there is a level editor that players can utilize. Using a grid format, it works as it should, but the lack of online components mean you’ll only be able to use these locally. No online co-op is available in this game, and there is no way to assign an AI to the second bunny.

Mind Twins is full of wasted potential. This is one title that will test your patience, rather than your mind and reflexes. Stick to co-op titles like Portal 2 and Brothers…for both you and your partners’ sanity.