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Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critics What's this?

User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 13 Ratings

  • Summary: Three years ago, FBI agent Erica Reed lost her brother to a serial killer who was never caught. During this desperate investigation, she developed the strange and unpredictable power of post-cognition: by touching an object, she can see its past and the events that happened on, to, or around it. Though undeniably useful in her line of work, this skill makes her uneasy and has caused her problems professionally and personally. Now a new serial killer is on the move—one who leaves behind clues perfectly suited to Agent Reed's unique abilities. Has someone learned her secret? What do they want from her? More importantly: by working this case, will Erica finally uncover enough evidence to bring her brother's killer to justice? Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 19
  2. Negative: 1 out of 19
  1. Jan 12, 2013
    89
    Gabriel Knight is a prime example of an excellent adventure game. This tribute is almost as good as the Jane Jensen's work and it's just the first episode of the game.
  2. Nov 29, 2012
    80
    For a first effort and a brand-new IP, Phoenix Online Studios has done an admirable job. Although in places Cognition's graphics are little rough and the writing's a little unnatural, it offers us an adult-level adventure game full of interesting mechanics, a professional voice cast, great music and a compelling heroine. After playing the first Erica Reed episode, I have no doubt there will be future ones and no doubt that through them, Phoenix Online will iron out the remaining kinks and create for us a truly memorable adventure series.
  3. Apr 2, 2013
    70
    The game opening is especially powerful and it manages to keep that momentum for a while before feeling like it's slowed down too much. It ramps things up for a fun interrogation sequence and an exciting ending.
  4. Mar 4, 2013
    45
    Cognition fails not from a lack of execution, but from a lack of imagination.

See all 19 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 10
  2. Negative: 1 out of 10
  1. I love the concept behind Cognition, one of the things I enjoyed the most have got to be the music and the voice acting, hands down amazing. Some puzzles seemed a bit more impossible than others but, overall loved how dark it is and I can't wait for Episode 2 :) Expand
  2. Overall episode 1 was very enjoyable even some of the bugs that were in the game. Some of the puzzle are very nice to solve. Cognition is one of the new adventure games that make you want more .... Can't wait for the Episode 2 to come out . Expand
  3. The only reason you want to play this is the great lack of maniac chasing adventure games in general (so it's this or the Art of Murder, mwahaha). Also, the song of the Scarlet Furies and Raleigh Holmes's voice as Erica's voice. If you experience a severe lust for nice ambients, or greatly miss cell-shaded comic stylised games, pick it up. If you're a sucker for pleasant nicely written dialogs - it may be your game. If you love how nice ideas get mediocre execution and don't like being surprised by the way the story develops - go and play it right now. If you hate interesting puzzles that make you use your head for something more than leaving the loctation where the search for solution sounds most logical - don't you dare miss it. If you just can't wait to watch how the immersion wanes kicked out by the annoying silly actions incompatible with the real life logic, then try it imme... actually, go to your room. Now. I hope there're enough people in the world who hates you.

    In a nutshell - dialogs, graphics, music, voice acting, sierra references and the core idea are good. The story and the most puzzles are as fresh as the desire to be a pirate and as imaginative and fun as interviews with David Cage. So there. Hope it wasn't really hard to gather it's a bit DISAPPOINTING.
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  4. Great story, voice acting, atmosphere. TERRIBLE, tedious, frustrating gameplay. Unintuitive item combinations. Often obvious interactions won't work, e.g. you can't give donuts to a cop that complains about the station not having donuts. Instead the character just says "These don't go together". Not helpful.

    I don't like using walkthroughs, but it actually seems like this game wasn't intended to be played without one.
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See all 10 User Reviews