Dive into a captivating Sci-Fi Visual Novel.
Minds Beneath Us is a visual novel where every decision has consequences. Human batteries power an AI-driven world. With compelling characters and a deep, exciting story, Minds Beneath Us has it all. In this captivating sci-fi visual novel, players will unravel a deep and complex mystery while raising questions about socio-economic practices, love, and identity.
The game was developed and published by Bearbones Studio, a studio that is based in Taiwan. The studio has only released Minds Beneath Us. Although it is a new take on the visual novel genre that has been on the rise with games like Universe for Sale and Ghostpia that don’t feature much romance.
Minds Beneath Us tells the story of Jason Dai, a young man living with his girlfriend in the heart of a dystopian cyberpunk megacity. Jason, a former army veteran, fears becoming a financial burden to his girlfriend. He manages to find work at the Farm, a facility that lures down-on-their-luck professionals with the promise of immediate cash as a temporary fee.
Their mind is used as a supercomputer to power the city’s AI network. The story follows Jason as he navigates his new job and relationships, uncovering deep-rooted conspiracies while listening to and sometimes giving advice.
However, the story isn’t actually following Jason Dai, it’s following you. In Minds Beneath Us, players take on the role of an M.B.U., an artificial intelligence with an incredibly unique perspective and the ability to control human bodies. These are primarily used for espionage and investigations.
One day after a mysterious attack, you escape from your captivity and are released into the outside world and into Jason’s body. You and Jason share one body, and you control his words and actions, while you know his inner thoughts during the day and talk to him at night. You soon realize that many of your decisions are out of character for Jason, but Jason soon makes it clear that you’re not his first M.B.U. Ha. It’s what he thinks, and he probably won’t be his last.
Minds Beneath Us‘ one-of-a-kind take on the player character is an incredibly new idea, particularly for a visual novel. How the player is represented and processes information is unique and well done compared to other visual novels. We take on the life of a person who has been alive for some time and has their own personality, relationships, and information that they know.
But we as players get to discover them for the first time in a way that doesn’t break the immersion of the game, learning tidbits of information through their thoughts all while piloting their body throughout the day. Additionally, the multiple-choice dialogue allows for unique and immersive interactions.
The way Minds Beneath Us handles romance is a very unique take on the typical over-the-top mechanics of most visual novels, which is saying something in a genre known for dating sims and romantic plots. The way Jason and Frances’ relationship is portrayed is healthy yet realistic, it’s far from perfect and there is definitely room for improvement. What’s even better about this subplot is that the game’s unique premise puts a new twist on things.
As we step into Jason’s body, we see that the relationship between him and Frances is not perfect. Jason proves to be emotionally unavailable, argumentative, and out of touch with his own feelings, and the game gives us, the player, the opportunity to steer in a different direction. We also see that Jason and Frances clearly care about each other and it’s heartwarming to see how they react to “Jason’s” new behavior. In a way, it’s almost like you’re playing relationship counselor to the two of them.
Minds Beneath Us is a game with a great story, great characters, and plenty of personality. Often you just sit there and immerse yourself in deep, almost meaningful conversations with people complaining about the horrors and stresses of modern life in a city where AI runs almost everything. This game can be heartbreaking as you listen to people downplay their luck and just try to survive their everyday lives. Minds Beneath Us forces you to make often heartbreaking decisions between your own gain and the well-being of others.
With everything Minds Beneath Us has to offer, it has to be said that the game is as visual as any visual novel game in terms of gameplay. Aside from a few brief events, the game is played almost entirely by reading on-screen text and selecting answers, even in areas where you’d expect more UI elements.
Such as the fact that computer navigation is driven by the text and the answer selected takes you to whichever information you’re looking for. Minds Beneath Us allows you to fully immerse yourself in the characters and story, but it’s easy to see how this could be a drawback for some players who want a bit more out of the game.
The graphics in Minds Beneath Us also deserve recognition for their captivating and atmospheric quality that adds to the story. The futuristic environments are full of light and color that make them stand out.
There is a huge amount of detail in each area that makes these areas seem alive and real. From the small mess in Jason’s room, where you can clearly see how it was used, providing a lived-in atmosphere, to the sterile and very clean corridors of the farm, every location is carefully planned and designed for the player to see.
Although your character is 2D and the environment is 3D, you explore the areas linearly and laterally. Nevertheless, there are no inconsistencies and everything looks organic and pleasing to the eye. As far as basic text adventure and visual novel features go, the game has a log system but no auto or skip functionality, which is useful for replays but not that important.
The sound design in Minds Beneath Us is also well done. While it wouldn’t take much for soundtracks to become tedious or sound effects to seem out of place, especially with a visual novel. Minds Beneath Us manages to create a highly immersive atmosphere with more synth, cyberpunk soundtrack, and sound effects throughout the gameplay.
Overall, Minds Beneath Us offers a gripping cyberpunk story with engaging characters and addictive gameplay, and while the emphasis on reading and decision-making may not be for everyone, the game’s unique approach and detailed graphics make it worth considering for fans of visual novels and cyberpunk themes.
