Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller Episode 1 - The Hangman

 PC
User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 52 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 52
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 52
  3. Negative: 9 out of 52

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. misosoop
    Jun 18, 2014
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After having played this game for more than seven hours, I can safely say that this has been the frustrating gaming experience I've had in a while. I've played a lot of games made on small budgets but this is just something else.

    Gameplay is infuriating. Puzzles range from too easy to too hard. Players will find themselves going back and forth between locations and completing repetitive tasks. There are just so many menial tasks that need to be completed for minimal progression. For example, in order to get someone to talk, you have to offer them three different types of food that you get from three different places in different locations. While this certainly lengthens gameplay, it's doing it in the wrong way, and makes the pace unbearable. This is not to mention half the time players are struggling with simply how to interact with the world.

    The narrative is uninspired and unengaging. I'm 90% through the episode and I still don't care about any of the cliche characters or the victims of any of the crimes. The story is also incredible, and not in the good way. The game starts off with the detective being willing to subject herself to torture, and pulling a gun on her partner who tries to stop her, all because she wants to save her brother. Seriously? Oh, and by the way, the game is unplayable without a walkthrough - you'll be left wondering "what now?" so many times you might as well just watch someone play through the entire thing on youtube.

    I purchased this game because I've always been a fan of point and click adventures, but beware that you're in for an extremely frustrating experience that won't give you a fraction of the enjoyment as games from Telltale. Seriously, I don't even know if this game deserves a 1.    … Expand
  2. naus
    Oct 15, 2013
    4
    Enjoyable at times, but lacking in fluidity. Animations and transitions were also slow to the point of frustration. How I wish I could only click a map button, then a destination... rather than clumsily navigate my character to the level exit, click the wider map twice, then finally my destination twice.
  3. BinarySplit
    Mar 22, 2013
    2
    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    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.    … Expand
  4. HarukoChan
    Jul 5, 2013
    2
    To be completely honest, I am surprised at the number of high ratings for this game. I played as much as I could of this game but couldn't get past the beginning. The story concept and all seemed like it would be interesting but the implementation of the ideas just did not create a compelling enough game to play past that point.

    The graphics were relatively amateurish and I was not    To be completely honest, I am surprised at the number of high ratings for this game. I played as much as I could of this game but couldn't get past the beginning. The story concept and all seemed like it would be interesting but the implementation of the ideas just did not create a compelling enough game to play past that point.

    The graphics were relatively amateurish and I was not impressed with that aspect at all.

    The gameplay was kind of difficult, but not in a good way. It was difficult in the game play mechanics and was tedious at best.

    Not recommended even for the biggest click through story fan.    … Expand
  5. AdventureGamer2
    Apr 15, 2014
    0
    Are these other reviewers playing the same game? This game borders on trashware. It feels like an amateur fan game with the horrible graphics and writing.

    Games like this are why many customers wish refunds were always available.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 19
  3. Negative: 1 out of 19
  1. The Digital Fix
    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.
    Read full review
  2. Destructoid
    Mar 5, 2013
    75
    As a first episode, The Hangman does more right than it does wrong.
    Read full review
  3. GameCritics
    Mar 4, 2013
    45
    Cognition fails not from a lack of execution, but from a lack of imagination.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »