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Cognition Episode 1 Reviews

Started by KatieHal, October 30, 2012, 02:00:27 PM

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KatieHal

GameZone scores Episode 1 with a 7/10!

QuoteEpisode 1: The Hangman is everything a modern adventure gamer could want. It treats the first date right, pulling you in from the opening moments to make sure you stick around, drama or no drama. And oh, you'll see loads of it, and all the good kind.

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

Gameswelt, a German site, has scored Episode 1 with 71%!

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

HOTMC.com has given Episode an 8.5/10! (Italian site)

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

Softpedia gives Episode 1 an 8/10!

QuoteI must admit that playing it made me feel like a detective and I'm starting to appreciate the hard work lawmen put into solving a case. If the detective part ever gets boring, the game turns to its paranormal side to keep everyone entertained.

Even though the animations are a bit faulty, the amount of work that the developers put into this project almost surfaces while playing the game. Solid story with paranormal elements, gorgeous hand-drawn scenes, above average puzzles and a great ending (for the first episode in a series) make this game a must-have in every gamer's inventory.

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

Well, there were a whole mess of reviews posted over the holidays--and here's a list of 'em!

God is a Geek: 7/10

Noob Feed: 75/100

Game Rant: 3/5

Gaming Nation: 8/10

gizk.pl: (Polish) 4/5

Game4Me: 77/100

Digital Chumps: 6.8/10

1P Start: 4.375/6

Z-Giochi: (Italian) 9/10

Tap Repeatedly[/url: Thumbs Up!

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

A 4/5 from Adventure Classic Gaming!

QuoteIn all, Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller - Episode 1: The Hangman is a promising start to a new series and is completely worthy of playing. It takes a different slant on the realm of detective fiction and features a strong female lead in a subgenre that is typically dominated by male characters. Erica is a heroine in her own right and is not portrayed with any preset stereotypes. Overall, if you are seeking an adventure game with stylish graphics and an intriguing story and are not turned off by adult dialogs and imaginaries, what a great way it is to start with this debut title from Phoenix Online Studios.

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

An 8/10 from Game Podunk!

QuoteOne of the best things about the game is its story. Although some of the secondary characters are one-dimensional, Erica herself carries the show. She is a very multifaceted character who does not fall into any stereotypical female game role. She is smart, driven, and willing to put her life on the line to save others. All the same, she still has a sense of humor and quirky interests like remember random statistics. Overall, although other characters pale in comparison, Erica stands up as a very interesting character who players will want to get to know.

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

And from TechGaming, a B-!

QuoteThe combination of hand drawn 2D art with polygonal characters is fairly seamless, saving for some glowing edges. Sonically, the Austin Haynes' soundtrack is one of the best components of the package, delivering a number of key motifs which complement the on-screen adventure splendidly.

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

Explosion says: 4/5!

QuoteCognition is an episodic story, and Episode 1 The Hangman shows a good deal of promise for the rest of the series.  There is a lot of backstory that had to be dealt with in this episode, and several new sets of mechanics that had to be taught to players.  It ends with a gigantic cliffhanger so hopefully Episode 2 will hit the ground running when it releases later this month.  It is out now for PC, and a demo is available for players who are still cautious about this very promising new IP.

For the Love of Gaming comes in with 7/10!

QuoteIf you are a fan of point and click adventure games with a great story, you should definitely check out the first episode.

Gert Lush Gaming has a scoreless but favorable mini-review up for Episode 1.

QuoteFor the first episode of a games series, the game does an excellent job of setting the scene, introducing the characters and showing the player what is expected of them. I enjoyed every minute of it as it is like an animated CSI meets Sherlock holmes type affair that oozes atmosphere. Like walking Dead has proved, players like the episodic approach to games and prove  that they can co exist in this generation of gaming. For a strong story with lush art style and a clever abilities, look no further than Cognition.

Another scoreless review is up at Royal Flush Gaming, and in Spanish at Videoshock.

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

#49
A Spanish review from Irrompibles gives Episode 1 a score of 84%!

And we have a scan of a two-page review in Finnish from Pelit Magazine, who gave us an 89%!

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

#50
We've got more great reviews coming in this morning!

IndieGames.com, who ranked us the #4 Adventure Game of 2012 yesterday, has some great things to say!

QuoteCognition managed to grip me from its very first scene and by the time it was over I was simply aching for more. I loved every moment of it. I even felt that this is a game on par with Gabriel Knight, but let me just rephrase that for the younger crowd: If you ever enjoyed Fringe and imagined an interactive version of the series, you too will love and appreciate the game's brilliantly written protagonists, the strong female lead, the spooky atmosphere, the excellent plot and some truly rewarding puzzles.

A Role Model gives us a 4/5!

QuoteCognition: An Erica Reed Thriller is the first commercial game from Phoenix Online Studios, though its hard to believe that the game is a debut, given its high production values and ambition. With Jane Jensen (Gabriel Knight) working as a story consultant, Cognition has all it needs to be a hit.

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

karamazov

You might be interested to know that there is a very positive review in the greek site ragequit.gr (85/100).
http://ragequit.gr/reviews/item/cognition-episode-1-the-hangman

KatieHal

I had not seen that one yet, thanks for the link!

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

A few more reviews in :)

From Indie-Love,

QuoteWhat makes Cognition stand out is its hybridity, its mix of genres and media. ...  if you're looking for story and innovation, Cognition is a great way to tap into some of the newest movements in indie and small-studio storytelling. Judging from this first episode, Cognition would also be a great videogame for non-gamers, particularly fans of pulp fiction thrillers, mysteries, and graphic novels or motion comics like Madefire.

From Akihabara Blues, an 80%! (In Spanish)

And from JTM Games, another positive scoreless review:
QuoteDespite my qualms with the point-and-click genre, I had a good time with Erica Reed. I think Phoenix has started something potentially great, and I hope they continue to expand upon it in future episodes. ... Cognition is a story-based experience and when it gets going it's a tough ride to get off. There's a lot of good stuff here — more than enough to get me interested in Ep. 2.

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

Two more in today!

From Johnnosh Ark Review:

QuoteOne thing that this game provides is phenomenal story telling encompassing the use of artwork. Each cut-scene throughout the game becomes an immersing piece of art, with a comic book styling and fantastic depth. The stylised scene of each crime scene, each location and the use of colour overlay within Erica's 'Cognition mode' make the game truly beautiful. Another feature of the game which makes Cognition stand amongst the top of the Adventure games is that the decisions you make throughout the game directly effects how the story evolves.

And another review is in at Games.cz, a Czech site, gives Episode 1 an 8/10!

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

Gamers Haven scores us with a 4.3/5!

QuoteThe narrative feels like an episode of Showtime's Dexter or Fringe if it was an interactive version of the series, you soon will appreciate the game's exceptional written protagonists, the strong female lead, the stark atmosphere and rewarding puzzles. Other than plot the game is at its best when using the powers, a smart spin on an otherwise traditional detective point-and-click adventure.

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

#56
EGMNow's Electrica Sista Hood gives Episode 1 a 4/5!

QuoteIt is refreshing and innovative for its chosen genre. Many like to stick to what they know, where Phoenix Online Studios chose to explore outside the box. Cognition's story is realistic, gritty and enticing enough to make me excited for the next installment.

And this fun observation!

QuoteOnce Mama Rose gets introduced I became obsessed with her voice actress. That timbre female voice — I've heard it before. But where? I could easily be wrong and also be exposing myself to some ridicule but I have to ask this: Doesn't Mama Rose sound just like Zecora from My Little Ponies: Friendship is Magic? Go listen to her again if you don't believe me.

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

From the Digital Noob section of EGM Now, a 9.0!

QuoteGreat story, great art, great voice acting, great soundtrack. No, the game isn't perfect, but it's damn good, especially for this being the company's first major retail release. I have great hopes for this series. Without a doubt, it would be a fantastic addition to the library of any gamer who loves a good old adventure game or is just looking for a good detective noir story.

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal

Mature Gaming gives Episode 1 a 3.5/5!

QuoteFor a first effort with a brand new IP, Phoenix Online Studios have done quite the remarkable job. Cognition isn't perfect, but what it does offer us is a unique click and point adventure that with the use of adult-level narrative, interesting mechanics, a great voice cast and a compelling story, leaves me with no doubt that there will be more to this franchise and that Phoenix Online Studios will create a truly remarkable adventure series for us all to enjoy.

Nerdy but Flirty gave it a B+, and in addition to some great things to say about the game, had this to say about the prequel e-comic and soundtrack:

Quote[The prequel e-comic] definitely fills in some gaps that aren't necessary for playing the game, but are really nice to know, and I have a feeling some of the events portrayed might come up again in later episodes. The soundtrack is also really nice – I particularly enjoy the chorale tracks, but the incidental music is also of a high quality.

Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!

KatieHal


Katie Hallahan
~Designer, PR Director~

"Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix." Christina Baldwin

I have a blog!