Deluded Mind

Deluded Mind is a psychological horror game from new indie publisher/developer, Pyxton Studios. Within it, gamers play as FBI agent Dean Catrall; a man whose daughter has been murdered by a criminal organization. Waking up in the Hillstone Asylum, Dean soon finds that he has been kidnapped and injected with a powerful hallucinogenic by the same man who killed his child. It's now his job to find his partner Robert Page, apprehend the criminal mastermind, and find his way to safety.
Let's get right down to the meat of this bad boy; the scares in Deluded Mind are absolutely phenomenal. I have played hundreds of horror games over the years, from the best of the best to the absolute worst, and I can confess that only a small percentage of them manage to make me actually scream. This release was able to make it into the top tier of that tiny group of titles. It helps that many of the frightening instances are randomly generated in certain areas, which causes the game to be totally unpredictable at key moments. Another great and immersive feature is that Dean actually responds to a significant amount of hallucinations, as his breathing becomes more shallow, raspy, and rapid when events happen.
Nearly all of the horror in this release rely on jump-scares alone; something that I'm personally not too keen on usually, and a lot of other people may be put off by that sentiment as well. However, that fact doesn't stop this game from being one of the few jump-scare centric horror releases that are actually good. Unfortunately, there's a severe lack of atmosphere and ambiance in Deluded Mind, and soundscapes only play during a very few specific moments. Had the developer put some more effort into this element and provided a steady, consistent ambiant experience throughout, the game could've been driven a lot further than it already goes.
The main gameplay of Deluded Mind lies within a handful of puzzles and finding certain keys. Most of the puzzles reveal codes for the multiple keypads placed throughout the game. While the majority of the puzzles are complex in their own way, only one is truly frustrating and needlessly long; the labyrinthe. In fact, the labyrinthe is an entire level in and of itself where the player must wander around a series of numbered corridors in search of a specific, yet unspecified, number. I spent a good hour of my 4 hours of play time in this area. I eventually even busted out a pen and paper to write down the corridor numbers that I had visited; there are 100 of them, by the way. After getting completely frustrated and fed up to the point that I nearly quit playing, I watched a walkthrough and realized the number I needed would be lit up. It would've been very helpful to know that from the start.
Despite its shortcomings, Deluded Mind is a promising start from a new developer. The jump-scares are great, and the fact that they're randomly generated is even better. The game could've very well done without the labyrinthe section, and it could still benefit by being shortened; I was having an excellent time up until sinking an hour into that area alone. The ambiance needs work, as it's always a highly necessary element to any horror title. For its longevity of 3-4 hours, the quality of the content within, and the great performance stability, the asking price of $14 CAD isn't too bad. Grab it and support a new developer.
Rating: 4.0/5.0 - Excellent, highly worth playing.
The Horror Network Curator | Group Click for Gore
The developer provided a free copy of this game for review, through The Horror Network's Curation page.

Deluded Mind has its frustrations but it is definitely a stand-out indie horror.
The randomised jumpscares / scary moments were so well timed, placed with the sound effects it was S.P.O.O.K.Y! Something I rarely say of steams neverending catalog of indie horrors. The story, gameplay, music ect were all solid!!
My biggest frustration would be the labyrinth, something I was not a fan of as I can't say it was too much fun running around looking for particular numbers in an empty hallway. My only other con is the morse code, I liked that puzzle and figured it out instantly, ALTHOUGH, the door I was trying to use it on, was the wrong one, but I thought I had the code wrong. However, this may just be me overlooking simple details. Nevertheless, don't let that deter you as this game has so many other praise-worthy moments.
I'm normally a hardened horror game player and nothing really gets to me anymore, but this games horror elements were put together almost seamlessly. I also really appreciated the Dev(s) whom are so active on the discussion page, constantly helping stuck players (me) and really working on making their game the best it can be. Kudos!
All in all, this game is a must have. I always skimmed past when I saw it in my library it as it looked like a mimic of so many games before.. but it definitely brings its own unique style and deserves to be played by many like-minded horror fans out there!
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I had a lot of fun with this game. It started a little slowly and then ramped up into quite the horror fest. I like jump scares. I like mazes. I like games where I’m not quite sure where the story is going. And I like challenges. So I had a good time. I will say that the game description isn’t kidding about the hallucinations getting stronger the longer you take to solve puzzles. I found this most pronounced in a hallway switch/setting the pattern puzzle and the second leg of a 3-part maze. If you don’t get out right away, the maze will reset on you. On the one hand, the maze gets easier with lighted lines showing paths you’ve taken, but the reset function that pulls you back to the start made this one of the harder mazes I’ve had to conquer.
You’re in a hallucinatory state so your past and present intertwine and there is that ‘what is real and what isn’t’ kind of trip you’re on. I just kicked back and enjoyed the ride.

A solid, yet by the numbers psychological horror walking simulator revolving an FBI-agent, a tragic death, kidnappings, picking up notes and a hallucinogen. And, of course, a criminal. And a rather abrupt, modern cliché ending that doesn't deliver, go figure.
While somewhat scratched by awkwardly forced voice-overs and stiff, "instructing" dialogue, Deluded Mind makes up for it by using randomly generated jump-scares in specific areas, which proves to be highly efficient and eerie, providing unpredictability and making you fear what may lurk around the next corner. The opening is slow and somewhat teasing in navigation; however, once the protagonist moves on to the next section, the atmosphere quickly alters by instilling dread and foreboding; unsettling soundscapes kick in on occasion, which greatly heighten the tension of a nightmare taking place. The sounds are surprisingly crisp and spooky, and visually the game certainly looks good and the everyday settings believable.
Another emphasizing element throughout the game is a handful of stand out puzzles; while complex and original, they can also be target for a great deal of frustration in terms of time-consuming and too much wandering since the "logic" of these puzzle demonstrations seem far-fetched and intangible. Cutting down a couple needlessly long sections would ease a couple of hours of frustration and improve the overall pacing of the game.
Once picked up on sale, Deluded Mind is a surprisingly unsettling indie-horror that certainly instills chills of dread and well-timed scares with a handful of screams, phony voice-overs and baffling sections.
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Diese Review ist sowohl in Deutsch als auch in Englisch geschrieben.
(TL;DR) Awesome and enjoyable game with a good story but many jumpscares.
What is “Deluded Mind”
I guess everybody who ever watched a horror movie knows that creepy feeling, you see the victim sneaking through the building and searching a way out and right as he turns around the last corner *BAM* there he is … the murderer. While you maybe spit over your coke or laugh about your girlfriend because she was scared as hell, the horror for the victim in the movie isn’t over yet.
“Deluded Mind” is using this feeling of getting tracked and being afraid of walking around the next corner. Right here it´s not your casual horror game anymore. Most games just want you to sneak around solving puzzles and avoid to get caught by a psychopath with a pig mask. Once you got far enough you find a shotgun and just aim at piggies head and shoot your way out there. “Deluded Mind” just wants to scare you. As simple as it sounds as good is the game doing it. Maybe your girlfriend has to comfort you afterwards…
Gameplay
As the store page propably already told you, you are Dean Catrall an FBI Agent who got caught by a criminal organization which killed your daughter. You wake up in a mental asylum only to realize that you got poisoned by the murderer of your daughter. There is only one way … get out …
Your main task is to find a way out of the asylum but even if it sounds pretty easy you will see it just isn´t. You have to solve a row of puzzles and riddles to get through the asylum and hopefully even out of it.
Did I mention that you got poisoned? Well unfortunately it´s not the good stuff. It´s the crap your bestfriend got from the creepy old dealer behind the mall because your normal guy is on holiday. The hallucinations will help to explain the story to you but they are also doing much much more to your mind and because of spoiler reasons .. you have to discover it on your own.
Graphics and Sound
In my opinion the graphics are pretty good. The levels are well designed and you really have the feeling to be in an abandoned asylum. But to be fair, the notes you sometimes find, could have been designed a bit more realistic …
I usually don´t talk about the sound in my reviews but in this special case I have to mention it in an extra sentence. The dev did a really good job here and the sound design actually greatly supports the atmosphere and the shock moments. Absolutely awesome.
Resume
In the end I have to say that I really liked the game. The story is enjoyable and entertaining but nothing extraordinary new. It kept me busy for some hours and I enjoyed the riddles pretty much. Maybe it is important to say that the game will give you small hints if you need too long for a riddle or used the wrong code multiple times. Right here it also punishes you a bit but I don´t want to say too much at this point. The game will, as far as I know, cost 12,99€ and I think it’s a fair price for some entertaining hours. Last but not least the game is working with many jumpscares. I just have to point that out because some people don’t like them.
Sincerely,
Omnius
Was ist “Deluded Mind”?
Ich denke jeder der schon mal einen Horror Film gesehen hat, kennt das Gefühl, man schaut dem offensichtlichen Opfer dabei zu, wie es durch Gänge schleicht und verzweifelt einen Weg raus aus der Hölle sucht. Genau in dem Moment, wenn es endlich soweit zu sein scheint *BAM* steht der Mörder hinter der Ecke. Während ihr vor Schreck euer Getränk verschüttet habt oder eure Freundin auslacht, die sich zu Tode erschrocken hat, ist der Horror für das Opfer jedoch noch nicht vorbei.
„Deluded Mind“ macht sich dieses Gefühl des verfolgt werden und der Angst um die nächste Ecke zu gucken, zunutze. Bereits hier ist es allerdings nicht mehr das 0815 Horror Game. In den meisten Spielen dieser Art geht es jetzt darum durch die Gänge zu schleichen ggf ein paar Rätsel zu lösen und dabei tunlichst dem Psychopathen mit der Schweine Maske aus dem Weg zu gehen. Wenn man dann einmal weit genug ist, findet man eine Shotgun zielt auf Schweinchens Gesicht und ballert sich den Weg raus. „Deluded Mind“ wiederum möchte einen einfach nur erschrecken. So simpel das auch klingen mag, so gut gelingt dem Spiel das auch. Möglicherweise muss eure Freundin euch danach ja trösten…
Gameplay
Wie der Steam Seite ja schon zu entnehmen ist, seid ihr Dean Catrall, ein FBI Agent der von einer kriminellen Organisation gefangen genommen wurde, welche auch schon eure Tochter auf dem Gewissen hat. Ihr erwacht in einer Nervenheilanstalt nur um festzustellen, dass ihr vom Mörder eurer Tochter vergiftet wurdet. Jetzt gibt es nur noch einen Weg… raus …
Eure Hauptaufgabe ist es, einen Weg raus aus der Nervenheilanstalt zu finden. Hört sich einfach an aber ihr werdet sehen, das ist es nicht. Ihr müsst eine Reihe von Puzzeln und Rätseln lösen, um durch die Anstalt zu kommen und im besten Fall, auch da raus.
Habe ich bereits erwähnt, dass ihr vergiftet wurdet? Nun bedauerlicherweise ist es nicht das gute Zeug. Es ist der Scheiß, den euer bester Kumpel von dem komischen alten Dealer hinterm Einkaufszentrum gekauft hat, weil eurer normaler Typ im Urlaub ist. Die Halluzinationen helfen die Story ein bisschen zu erklären, zeitgleich machen sie aber noch viel viel mehr mit eurem Verstand und aus Spoiler Gründen … müsst ihr das selbst herausfinden.
Grafik und Sound
Meiner bescheidenen Meinung nach, ist die Grafik wirklich gut gelungen. Die Levels sind gut designed und es kommt tatsächlich das Gefühl auf, mitten in einer verlassenen Anstalt zu sein. Um allerdings ehrlich zu sein, die Notizen die man manchmal findet, hätten ein wenig realistischer gestaltet worden sein.
Normalerweise spreche ich den Sound in meinen Reviews nicht gesondert an, aber in diesem besonderen Fall führt kein Weg dran vorbei. Der Entwickler hat sich an dieser Stelle wirklich Mühe gegeben und die ganze Geräuschkulisse und Musik passt hervorragend zum Spiel. Besonders in den Schreckmomenten wirkt dadurch alles noch besser.
Fazit
Letztlich muss ich sagen mir hat das Spiel wirklich Spaß gemacht. Die Story ist unterhaltsam und spannend aber nichts extrem Ausgefallenes. Das Spiel hat mich einige Stunden beschäftigt gehalten und die Rätsel haben mir sehr gut gefallen. Wichtig zu erwähnen ist noch, dass das Spiel euch kleine Hinweise geben wird, wenn ihr für ein Rätsel zu lange brauchen solltet oder zu oft den falschen Code in die Tür gehämmert habt. Zeitgleich bestraft es euch aber auch dafür aber da will ich nicht zu weit vorgreifen. Das Spiel wird meines Wissens nach 12,99 kosten und ich denke das ist ein angemessener Preis. Zu guter Letzt sei gesagt, dass Spiel arbeitet viel mit Jumpscares. Ich weise da nur nochmal gesondert drauf hin, weil manche Leute die absolut nicht leiden können.
MfG,
Omnius
Besonderer Dank geht hierbei an den Entwickler selbst und die Deutsche Steam Gemeinschaft über die ich den Key bekommen habe um das Spiel zu Reviewen.

For a more in depth review check: scaredtoplay.com/news/deluded-mind-review
Amazing visuals, sound design and voice acting.
If youre a fan of horror games this is a must play. Deluded Mind is what I imagine P.T. would have been like if it hadn't been cancelled.
I've never been so scared in a horror game before :D

Deluded Mind is a Psychological Horror Walking Sim with Puzzles that can be easy to understand and some that are hard.
Graphics are beautiful and very well detailed.
You can expect between 4-5 hours of gameplay depending of how long it takes for you to solve some puzzles.
Overall its a great game for the price that the Devs ask for it. Hope to see more games from this Dev Team in the future.
Video Review link: