Minds Beneath Us Review – Data Ghost in the Machine

Minds Beneath Us by BearBone Studio

In a revolutionary world where civilization is run by advanced AI, there are bound to be a few hiccups. Well, “hiccups” is a bit of an understatement, especially when you’re a data ghost operating someone else’s body.

Minds Beneath Us delivers a stimulating sci-fi side-scrolling experience that had me on the edge of my seat from the start, ensnared immediately by the moody yet appealing atmosphere.

Characters are faceless, which accessorizes exceptionally well with the overall design. But what’s so magnificent about Minds Beneath Us is its narrative.

Brain in a Vat Scenario

Developed by BearBone Studio, Minds Beneath Us instantly throws you into the heart of a society where human brains are controlled by AI. You awake in what appears to be a hospital as gang leader Ivan Zhang.

However, the player’s perspective is from what is called an “M.B.U.” This data ghost happens to inherit this guy’s body to retrieve top-secret information from another man in the room.

Ivan Zhang has gotten ahold of a very significant item. It is your job to pull out information from another gang member who bunks within the hospital room. Without spoiling much, this sequence is only the beginning of a thrilling ride to understanding M.B.U.s, a seemingly crooked corporation called Vision, and Silencio, the AI that runs it.

You can read the thoughts of the brain you’ve occupied, which allows you to better understand how they’d respond in an everyday conversation. You can also take this with a grain of salt and completely act out of character.

Various dialogue options can steer the overall perspective you’re looking to experience as an M.B.U. and how well relationships are nurtured. Most options luckily don’t have irredeemable repercussions. Others, on the contrary, may define the fate of the world around you.

After suddenly surrendering control of Ivan, your new prospect is a man named Jason, whose girlfriend works as a supervisor at Vision and has gotten him an interview at the company.

Taking Jason’s actual thoughts into consideration and how you respond in certain situations can make Jason appear as a kindhearted soul or a total schmuck. The choice is ultimately yours.

I have a particularly challenging time being malicious to even fictional characters, so everyone at Vision loved me.

The Juice Is Loose

Vision is what they call a “flop farm” for “juicers,” underprivileged folks who willingly put their bodies in the control of AI for money. Not exactly my cup of tea, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Jason’s role at Vision is really your prerogative. He can screen potential juicers to determine if they’re fit for the position.

On the other hand, he can venture to the depths of Vision to be a part of the ops team where they rack the juicers. It’s a bit demoralizing, but hey, it’s a job.

Plot twists are sprinkled in various chapters, and character’s true selves come to light. There is a series of quick-time events, but nothing too tricky. Each puzzle piece I received kept me on my toes, demanding more story elements be exposed.

I worried I’d say the wrong thing, and Jason’s intrusive thoughts would remind me that I had. Hidden clues are buried in several scenes and dialogue, so keep your eyes peeled. I restarted regularly from checkpoints to see what the other outcomes were.

The Verdict:

The originality that furnishes Minds Beneath Us makes it unlike your typical “choose your own adventure” story. There are moments where the dialogue seems to carry on too long, as if you’re engulfed in a novel, but it has such an engrossing story to tell that you crave the elaborate details.

Nonetheless, taking the reins as a data ghost is a thrilling adventure. With relationships to build and a job to maintain within a fraudulent company while also exposing its secrets, you’re never bored of what’s to come next.

Minds Beneath Us is available via Steam.

Watch the trailer for Minds Beneath Us:

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