Fran Bow

 PC
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 170 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 131 out of 170
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 170
  3. Negative: 14 out of 170

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  1. Tgc
    Oct 18, 2015
    9
    Wonderful adventure game. It reminds me gameplay of Sanitarium and American McGee Alice. Engaging story with will full of mysteries. It has very original graphic style and decent music. Puzzles are classic point&click adventure style and rather easy/medium - but game won't finish by itself. It represents interesting mechanism of changing realities to solve the puzzles - of course this isWonderful adventure game. It reminds me gameplay of Sanitarium and American McGee Alice. Engaging story with will full of mysteries. It has very original graphic style and decent music. Puzzles are classic point&click adventure style and rather easy/medium - but game won't finish by itself. It represents interesting mechanism of changing realities to solve the puzzles - of course this is not something new in adventure genres, but done here very nicely. Little pity that it doesn't have voice acting, but beside that I felt that I've played fully professional production from huge game developer, not an indie game with a low budget.… Expand
  2. qualquermerda
    Jun 22, 2018
    10
    Acesse o site jurídico do De Frente Pra Tribuna: defrentepratribuna.wixsite.com/reportagem
  3. Dee_Mon
    Oct 10, 2015
    9
    The dark, atmospheric game with cool soundtrack and weird, remarkable characters. Simple puzzles. Relly liked this one. This is tiny masterpiece. One of the best indie games ever.
  4. ThunderGemios10
    Sep 5, 2015
    10
    Found this game on Indiegogo.

    Played the old demo Played the new demo Played the full version. Art = 10/10 The artwork is simply amazing. Those beautiful quality is great! Its also so cartoonish! Characters = 9/10 The characters are all unique, each has a major and minor role in the game! Story = 10/10 The story is simply amazing too! Each chapter has a mysterious vibe    Found this game on Indiegogo.

    Played the old demo
    Played the new demo
    Played the full version.

    Art = 10/10
    The artwork is simply amazing. Those beautiful quality is great! Its also so cartoonish!

    Characters = 9/10
    The characters are all unique, each has a major and minor role in the game!

    Story = 10/10
    The story is simply amazing too!
    Each chapter has a mysterious vibe and really makes you curious everytime you play it!
    Especially the hidden lore of the game.

    Music = 10/10
    Isak simply did an amazing job on the soundtracks.
    I might even buy or download them if they are available!

    Overall = 10/10 = Favorite game of the year!    … Expand
  5. schrodingoether
    Sep 1, 2015
    10
    An awesome game about a little girl in an introverted journey. The industry needs more like these. I really enjoyed how horror was played overall, using the basis of a child's eye. Awesome!
  6. Asdf333
    Sep 26, 2015
    10
    Most Click and Point games have a very limited amount of settings or dialogue and often offer a very cheesy story. This isn't one of them! Fran Bow offers great variety in all its settings, which are divided in multiple chapters, as you're travelling deeper into the truth of what really happened to her parents and her cat. Some of the story may be hard to swallow, but that's one part ofMost Click and Point games have a very limited amount of settings or dialogue and often offer a very cheesy story. This isn't one of them! Fran Bow offers great variety in all its settings, which are divided in multiple chapters, as you're travelling deeper into the truth of what really happened to her parents and her cat. Some of the story may be hard to swallow, but that's one part of the joy it brings. Even after you finished the game you'll keep on marvelling what's happened. And that, in my eyes, makes this game a jewel.… Expand
  7. svperstar6
    Nov 28, 2015
    9
    One of the best stories I've ever told in a video game. It's dark, disturbing and most importantly intriguing. It's short, yes, that's a shortfall but I must say I can't sleep well until I beat the game. I must warn you, its atmosphere is so tense it would find its way to your dreams. It's a two person show for anyone who likes good stories.
  8. Danytoon
    Aug 28, 2015
    10
    Bored from Click and Point games for years... this is really fresh air in the genre... The script, the art, the composition, the music, all is perfect in Fran Bow... and about the playability... is even better! Not-easy-but-no-impossible puzzles, minigames to relax the mind from chapter to chapter, and a continuos history that will grab you and won't let you free until you realize what'sBored from Click and Point games for years... this is really fresh air in the genre... The script, the art, the composition, the music, all is perfect in Fran Bow... and about the playability... is even better! Not-easy-but-no-impossible puzzles, minigames to relax the mind from chapter to chapter, and a continuos history that will grab you and won't let you free until you realize what's is all the story about Fran Bow, Mr. Midnight, and their world... TRY IT!… Expand
  9. malcolmm
    Feb 17, 2016
    4
    Not the worst adventure game ever, but certainly one of the most over rated.

    Nothing stands out - the graphics are average, the interface is clumsy and none of the characters are voiced. Puzzles are okay, except for a bugged puzzle that caused me to give up on the game. I completed all the steps required to solve a puzzle (I know this because there is a "recipe" for the required items),    Not the worst adventure game ever, but certainly one of the most over rated.

    Nothing stands out - the graphics are average, the interface is clumsy and none of the characters are voiced. Puzzles are okay, except for a bugged puzzle that caused me to give up on the game. I completed all the steps required to solve a puzzle (I know this because there is a "recipe" for the required items), put the items where they are suppose to go, but the game said I was missing an item.

    Which leads to another huge drawback to this buggy game, no saved games. The game auto saves, so I was stuck. I could go back to the start of the chapter, but I might encounter the same bug.

    Play the very similar, but much better Anna's Quest instead.    … Expand
  10. HippieAura
    Jan 2, 2016
    6
    I have seen about three different YouTubers play this game, and it looks like a fantastic game, so I buy it on Steam. The game doesn't work on Windows computers apparently. I have look on every Steam forum I could find, and there is no solution. I feel like I would love this game more if I would play it, but since I can't I'm thinking about getting a refund. THANKS STEAM FOR WASTING MY MONEY!!!!!!
  11. zzzsheepyzzz
    Feb 12, 2016
    9
    I love it when a game really speaks to my kind of style. This game is like a mixture of Silent hill with Coraline and/or Alice in Wonderland if you are familiar with any of these titles.

    A play on the macabre and fantasy with a child for a protagonist, Fran Bow is a very satisfying adventure game and it is amazing how interesting and challenging a point and click game can be. I am    I love it when a game really speaks to my kind of style. This game is like a mixture of Silent hill with Coraline and/or Alice in Wonderland if you are familiar with any of these titles.

    A play on the macabre and fantasy with a child for a protagonist, Fran Bow is a very satisfying adventure game and it is amazing how interesting and challenging a point and click game can be. I am especially impressed by how the developers have managed to re-introduce the simplistic nature of puzzle/adventure games in such a stylish and intriguing way.

    This game shows off a lot of more traditional and dark art forms that are very beautiful. Along with humour, well thought out characters and an interesting story arch this game is definitely worth the play through.

    There are some critiques, most notably that it is too short and/or lacks a sequel (so far! cross your fingers), but I also came across some 'missing text' glitches **(nothing that takes you away from the game, but developers if you read this not all the text shows up when you combine items with things in the environment for example).**    … Expand
  12. Mandulum
    Nov 9, 2017
    6
    Five Word Review: A twisted romp with Fran.
    Favorite Thing: Just how demented the ultra-reality can be.
    Least Favorite Thing: The ending. I don't like the direction they went.

    Date Completed: 2017-11-08
    Playtime: ~ 6h
    Enjoyment: 6/10
    Recommendation: Yes, if you are a point-and-click adventure fan.
  13. dugazoid
    Jan 18, 2016
    9
    One of the best stories I have ever found in a videogame. It's world is sublime. The development of the main character amazing. Gameplay simple but effective.

    I will wait a couple of weeks to play it again.
  14. PublicNuisance
    Jul 8, 2021
    6
    I tried to enjoy Fran Bow. I did end up enjoying a lot about it but at the end of the day I didn’t enjoy the puzzles and in a puzzle game that just can’t work. The art style was great. I liked the story and characters. The music was well done. There were specific puzzles I can say I was never going to like, such as the slide puzzle because I hate slide puzzles on principle, but other thatI tried to enjoy Fran Bow. I did end up enjoying a lot about it but at the end of the day I didn’t enjoy the puzzles and in a puzzle game that just can’t work. The art style was great. I liked the story and characters. The music was well done. There were specific puzzles I can say I was never going to like, such as the slide puzzle because I hate slide puzzles on principle, but other that it just seemed like my logic and the game’s logic weren’t on the same page and I often felt like I had little way of knowing what the game wanted me to do without going into random trial and error type of logic.

    I played Fran Bow on Linux. It never crashed on me and I didn’t notice any spelling errors or bugs. The game has toggles for shaders; V-Sync and resolution. Alt-Tab doesn’t work. The game uses an auto save feature.

    Game Engine: Game Maker Studio
    Disk Space Used: 536 MB

    Game Settings Used: V-Sync on; Shaders on; 1920x1080
    GPU Usage: 2-7 %
    VRAM Usage: 344-482 MB
    CPU Usage: 9-10 %
    RAM Usage: 2.2 GB

    I tried to soldier on to advance the plot but once I got to that slide puzzle I was at my limit anyway and quit. I am going to say that I don’t think Fran Bow is a bad game. Outside of the puzzles the game gets a rave review from me. I just think it isn’t my type of puzzle game is all. I would try the demo first to see if you feel the same way.

    My Score: 6.5/10

    My System:

    AMD Ryzen 5 2600X | 16GB DDR4-3000 CL15 | MSI RX 580 8GB Gaming X | Mesa 21.1.2 | Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500GB | Manjaro 21.0.7 | Mate 1.24.1 | Kernel 5.12.9-1-MANJARO    … Expand
  15. Give_em_hell
    Dec 10, 2018
    10
    One of the best adventure games I've ever play. It's very unique in that it involves the mental states and perspective of a 10 years old girl. It is also an artistic masterpiece, gameplay is quite simple, with some nice mini games. Don't let cover fool you. It's an extremely mature game considering the moral lesson it gives. One of the deepest games I've ever play, it is a must-buy forOne of the best adventure games I've ever play. It's very unique in that it involves the mental states and perspective of a 10 years old girl. It is also an artistic masterpiece, gameplay is quite simple, with some nice mini games. Don't let cover fool you. It's an extremely mature game considering the moral lesson it gives. One of the deepest games I've ever play, it is a must-buy for adventure and horror fans.… Expand
  16. RoccoSalvetti
    Nov 13, 2016
    10
    Fran Bow surpasses entertainment and defies arts as it can make a better person of you, one that isn't just more efficient at problem solving. Its demand for interpretation, its many and intense metaphors, human knowledge and poetry, it will make of you more understanding, cultured, and empathetic.
  17. VeIdrin
    Mar 1, 2018
    10
    Fran Bow ist meiner Meinung nach das beste Point-and-Click-Adventure das es gibt. Es besticht durch ein hervorragendes Artdesign, einer wunderbaren vielseitigen Atmosphäre, tollen Dialogen, einer stimmigen Geschichte und einen niemals fehlplatzierten Humor und stets schlüssigen Rätseln – bei manchen muss man querdenken, aber es ist stets im Kontext der Welt schlüssig nachvollziehbar.
  18. sarahlee123
    May 20, 2020
    6
    If you’re the type of person who enjoys gratuitous and highly stylized gore, much of it involving the mutilated corpses of small children (and I know I am such a person, whatever that says about me), you’ll probably get a kick out of Fran Bow. The game’s aesthetic is one of its strong points, and its painterly visuals are as gorgeous as they are (oftentimes) disturbing.

    Clearly inspired    If you’re the type of person who enjoys gratuitous and highly stylized gore, much of it involving the mutilated corpses of small children (and I know I am such a person, whatever that says about me), you’ll probably get a kick out of Fran Bow. The game’s aesthetic is one of its strong points, and its painterly visuals are as gorgeous as they are (oftentimes) disturbing.

    Clearly inspired by Alice in Wonderland (or perhaps some of its darker reimaginings), at times playing Fran Bow felt almost like reading a children’s storybook, although there is way more gore in this game than you’ll find in anything targeted at actual children. Perhaps adding to that feeling is the innocence and sense of whimsy that the titular Fran brings to the game. Indefatigable in her quest to find her beloved kitty, her optimism in the face of hardship and pep make you want things to go well for her.

    Creepy sound design adds to the effectiveness of the visuals, particularly when the shadow creatures known as kamalas are onscreen.

    Those are the good parts, but Fran Bow isn’t without its flaws. While it has all of the elements of a good mystery, the story has too many loose ends, which are never tied up in a satisfying conclusion. While I can appreciate ambiguity in a story’s conclusion, Fran Bow left too many questions unanswered. Even after building an expansive world inhabited by all kinds of unique creatures and characters each with their own lore, the game’s ending makes it all feel a bit inconsequential.

    Another one of Fran Bow’s weaknesses is the dialogue. Judging by the awkwardness of some of the sentences, it seems that the conversations were written by non-native speakers of English. Awkward syntax aside, many of the conversations just aren’t very engaging, but I still skimmed through them rather than clicking the, “Okay, bye,” option because I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss any nuggets of information that might advance the story or provide clues as to how to solve the puzzles. The branching dialogue choices also felt pretty arbitrary, considering that most of the options were quite similar and didn’t seem to have much impact on the conversation.

    As far as actual gameplay goes, the puzzles are well designed—challenging enough so the answers aren’t immediately obvious, yet intuitive enough to have you kicking yourself after figuring out the solution (or if you’re like me, consulting a walkthrough because you’re too lazy/impatient to actually figure out puzzles on your own). The level design is a little convoluted, and I sometimes found myself running in circles looking for a specific item required to advance., but at least that gave me plenty of opportunity to admire the pretty backdrops.

    All in all, Fran Bow is an imperfect but enjoyable game. If you’re into the gothic style and think you might enjoy this specific combination of cuteness and horror, it’s probably worth playing just for the aesthetic alone. Also, the cat is very cute.    … Expand
  19. JustSomeGamer
    Nov 17, 2020
    8
    Quite possibly the weirdest game I've come across. Although there are plenty of games out there that don't make sense, this game is unique in not even attempting to make sense. The developer chaotically explores the themes of mental illness and struggling with childhood trauma. However, there don't seem to be many ideas regarding these themes that the developer is trying to communicate.Quite possibly the weirdest game I've come across. Although there are plenty of games out there that don't make sense, this game is unique in not even attempting to make sense. The developer chaotically explores the themes of mental illness and struggling with childhood trauma. However, there don't seem to be many ideas regarding these themes that the developer is trying to communicate. Instead, Fran Bow is a personal work of art, written in a language only the developer can read. Although this certainly makes the story more confusing and convoluted, it also brings a pure, raw aspect to the game that can be appreciated even without full understanding.

    Although the unfocused writing, lack of direction and uninterpretable story make it easy to write Fran Bow off as a 4 or 5/10, the uniqueness of its soul and boldness of its character make it a distinctively fascinating journey regardless.    … Expand
  20. setuis
    Nov 2, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Fran Bow. Review the game has moderate to sometimes difficult puzzles. Some are obscure in my opinion. Fran Bow - in the credits section mis spells two words when it comes to english proof reading. with the spelling of egnlish and the word raeding which may have been a hidden joke. The game itself doesn't include jump scares which are the type I hate most about horror games. The world setting is about various dimensions that exist on top of each other. Certain aspects of the games puzzles are not obvious and where designed to extend game play a little. The game is short but its story makes up for it. The game has a demo which is a good thing as without it I may have held off on owning it for much longer. It gets a 9(without the demo and 8) it doesn't get a 10 from me cause it didn't really specify certain key points at the end so its like it leaves a questions unanswered. It also lost its point due to the frog jump mini game which was tedious if not impossible to do, thankfully its skippable.… Expand
  21. RagingPoet
    Oct 13, 2018
    7
    Fran Bow got great main characters, nice visuals and interesting story, charming and creepy at the same time.
    Messy pixel hunting was the main drawback for me: a lot of interactive objects looked a lot like background objects just near them.
  22. gold
    Aug 30, 2019
    10
    Интересный сюжет (конечно и сама концовка), приятная графика, музыка. Мне понравилось.
    Итог: 10/10
  23. alisongardner
    Nov 14, 2018
    10
    I really loved this game! we need more point-and-click adventure games! Support indie games!!!
  24. MavenUMP
    Nov 20, 2021
    10
    I don't like point and click adventures because they are often unfunny and have overly random and illogical puzzles. But Fran Bow is a masterpiece I enjoyed very much. The story is engaging, the characters have depth, there is a nice atmosphere and even some (non-forced/natural) humor.

    The puzzles are really good. Not only are they creative and fun, fit well in the story, but are also    I don't like point and click adventures because they are often unfunny and have overly random and illogical puzzles. But Fran Bow is a masterpiece I enjoyed very much. The story is engaging, the characters have depth, there is a nice atmosphere and even some (non-forced/natural) humor.

    The puzzles are really good. Not only are they creative and fun, fit well in the story, but are also solvable with logical thinking instead of randomly trying things like in many other point and click adventures.

    Masterpiece!    … Expand
  25. DJKrimson
    Sep 15, 2021
    8
    Never heard of this before, I picked it off a sale and was pleasantly surprised. It's a 2d point & click puzzle game with psychological horror. The music in this game is great.
  26. dae126
    Jan 26, 2019
    9
    El juego es duro, no porque sea difícil sino porque trata temas muy delicados como la esquizofrenia, la muerte, dilemas éticos, los pisquiátricos... La progresión es sencilla de seguir, los puzzles son fáciles, y la estética está claramente inspirada en una versión macabra de Alicia en el país de las maravillas.
    No recomendado para niños, para personas sensibles ni de mente cerrada.
    Un    El juego es duro, no porque sea difícil sino porque trata temas muy delicados como la esquizofrenia, la muerte, dilemas éticos, los pisquiátricos... La progresión es sencilla de seguir, los puzzles son fáciles, y la estética está claramente inspirada en una versión macabra de Alicia en el país de las maravillas.
    No recomendado para niños, para personas sensibles ni de mente cerrada.
    Un viaje muy interesante.    … Expand
  27. GamingBeast
    May 26, 2019
    9
    A really cool game with an amazing art style. The going between 2 worlds gives the game some dark moments but create puzzles that truly make you think. A really fun but dark point and click well worth your time.
  28. Crimert
    Mar 7, 2021
    7
    To be honest, the atmosphere wasn't creepy at all. However, the puzzles were good and the story-telling was interesting. 8hrs on record.
  29. floricienta
    Jun 9, 2020
    10
    One of the most unique & best games I've personally ever played ❤️ A 10 for sure!
  30. gkeeganofficial
    Jul 31, 2020
    8
    Fran Bow is a dark story about a little girl and her cat who try to get back home after a terrible tragedy. It is full of mystery, horror, fantasy and adventure. This game will not be for everyone, but personally I found it to be extremely well made and inspiring.

    The game has one of the most hauntingly beautiful characters and world I've seen in any kind of media. As I was playing, I    Fran Bow is a dark story about a little girl and her cat who try to get back home after a terrible tragedy. It is full of mystery, horror, fantasy and adventure. This game will not be for everyone, but personally I found it to be extremely well made and inspiring.

    The game has one of the most hauntingly beautiful characters and world I've seen in any kind of media. As I was playing, I became very captivated by what I was seeing. There are many disturbing moments in the game that I am sure many horror fans will appreciate. Chapter 3 specifically is a more fantasy themed adventure that I enjoyed a lot. One can tell that the artists and developers at Killmonday had a lot of passion and dedication for Fran Bow.

    I must say, this is not a game for kids. Some characters suffer gruesome fates, and the imagery when Fran is under the effects of the pills caused me nightmares. I praise the developers for taking on themes such as: tragedy, mental illness, and childhood imagination in a good way. This game leaves a lot of room for fan theories and interpretations. I am very interested in getting to know the universe a little bit more.

    Although an amazing game in every sense, Fran Bow requires you to do a lot of confusing things in order to advance the story. This makes playing the game excruciating without a walkthrough. This is something many point and click experienced players will be okay with, but for the average player it can get annoying. There are puzzles in this game which are nearly impossible to figure out without trying different possibilities for hours. Making you feel like you are wasting your time.

    The ending left a satisfying conclusion. Although I felt that there was still much to learn about the Fran Bow universe. I think there is a lot of possibility for the future of this series, if the creators decide to continue with it.    … Expand
  31. Maycon_HzS
    Apr 24, 2021
    10
    Pouco menos de 30k dólares pra fazer este jogo, sendo que cada frame tem a beleza e o valor de um quadro da Mona Lisa. SIMPLESMENTE INCRÍVEL!
  32. AsiDoloshi
    Aug 27, 2021
    10
    I'll recommend you to buy this wonderfull game. Nice psyhologigal horror...
  33. newkediri
    Nov 8, 2021
    9
    topped off the first day and i i the top top notch of us to go with us to the us for a few
  34. EVIL_UJIN
    Oct 15, 2022
    8
    Подать хоррор и серьезную психологическую историю в мультяшном стиле. Плюс частая смена декораций. Плюс интересная героиня. Плюс говорящий котик. Я голосую за.
  35. Jerg4n
    Apr 30, 2023
    5
    Weird but not in a good way, puzzles are more annoying than fun, didn't really feel anything after the game ended
  36. IvanMorello
    Mar 15, 2023
    2
    Franbow è un gioco che ha suscitato in me una grande curiosità sin da subito, peccato però che il gioco non ha la lingua Italiana, questo non permette al videogiocatore italiano di apprezzare a pieno l'esperienza videoludica.

    Se la lingua italiana dovesse essere inserita cambierò ovviamente la mia valutazione.
  37. odviee
    Jun 20, 2023
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Extremely overrated, no tension, no voice acting, makes the "scary" moments dull, funny looking, stupid, the puzzles don't make sense whatsoever, some of them are completely illogical, especially the twins giving you a recipe, that they know, so the answer is you have to change it in a typewriter, where the added ingredient obviously added. Not do something to get the ingredient, then adding without them noticing, or any other answer that would make more sense, or the code puzzle, or many more, it just gets worse and less logical by the end that I gave up, can't play without help online.… Expand
  38. dunuch
    Aug 31, 2023
    6
    I have seen about three different YouTubers play this game, and it looks like a fantastic game, so I buy it on Steam. The game doesn't work on Windows computers apparently.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. Riot Pixels
    Dec 23, 2015
    53
    Fran Bow is chaos in its purest form. A stream of gibberish. A classic example of a story written on a napkin.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Nov 14, 2015
    70
    Despite an average story Fran Bow was an interesting journey that even left me feeling uneasy in dark places. [11/2015, p.40]
  3. SpazioGames
    Oct 22, 2015
    85
    Disturbing yet adorable, full of violence but at the same time tender, Fran Bow is an adventure with a compelling and sad story that we utterly recommend. The final part of the game might seem confusing and chaotic, but it's still a great moment that will hit you right in the guts.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »