Cross between "the mentalist" and the nastiest CSI torture killing episodes you've ever seen.

Steep learning curve on episode 1, fighting with the interface to work out ways to advance the adventure.
Probably most people will give up somewhere along this lengthy episode which is a shame because Episode 2 and 3 are real gems, better than vast majority of adventure games.

This a very long and involved adventure game with challenging puzzles.
I am skilled with this type of game but lost patience several times and consulted walkthrough.

The gore and shock of this series is a seriously over the top and would be quite upsetting and disturbing for most. I struggled not to barf at times. There's one viscious torture killing after another and it gets to be a bit much.

The dialogue and characters are well done for this type of game.
There is a lot of implausible high drama, cliff hangers and twists, perhaps akin to a comic book series.
It does make for an exciting ride.

I liked it, but honestly think only a small subset of gamers would.
* need patience for a very long game with challenging learning curve, interface, and puzzles.
* have unusually strong stomach for truly over the top gore and disturbing content (torture killing)
* appreciate convoluted plots and well written dialogues
* like adventure games with paranormal (psychic) aspects.

Sherlock: jack the ripper might be another good title for fans of this game -- highest quality writing though the game is quite old.

This game is a point & click, mystery solving game. Was not sure i was really going to enjoy it, but quickly found myself liking the game.

The voice acting is pretty good. I really liked the characters, especially the main one, which is pretty important in a game.The game is styled like a comic

I found myself getting stumped A LOT. Almost felt like I had to actually be an FBI agent to crack the case. lol. The game does no hold your hand, and what you should do next is not always obvious. The game has a tip system, but it lets those who want to figure things out on their own, do so. The cases are pretty lengthy, more so if you get stuck a lot, like me. The story has small alternate paths. They don't change the story too much, but it's nice to have the small alternate choices

Small negative is that sometimes you have to travel back and forth to the same spots several times in a row, and it gets a bit annoying. Like in the first episode I recall having to go to the antique store, then back to the station, then back to the antique store, then back to the station again.

This game definitely might be flying under a lot of people's radar. I feel it deservers a bit more reCOGNITION.

Cognition is an adult graphic adventure about lost, revenge and fate.

Story is really well done and progresses nicely without feeling forced, most puzzles are logical, all characters are complex and have motivations that you can understand, this is helped by the great voice acting.

The game has a supernatural twist, but it doesn't feel cheesy and works well in the game for the most part, allowing for some very interesting mechanics.

DIfficulty is well balanced except a couple puzzles that might require an effort, but everything is feasible and can be deducted logically, no need for weird guessings. There are a few moments where you can actually die, but it's not frustrating since the game allows for fast retrying.

All 4 episodes are quite good, but the third one is weaker because it focuses on a single location, although it's needed to move the plot further and get ready for the final of the game, so it can be forgiven and it's not bad anyway, just not as good as the other 3 episodes.

The game has a few technical bugs, like the character moving through objects, but none are gamebreaking, just a few little annoyances.

Overall I greatly enjoyed the game and highly recommend it to anyone looking for an adult graphic adventure with an interesting plot.

Going to be one of the lone dissenters here, in the hopes that others with a similar mindset may read this and be saved the trouble.

I'm somewhat of an adventure game addict - I have played a ton, including all the classics. Cognition is trying to be a "hybrid" with the inclusion of action game situations - a formula that works for some, and may even bring some new fans to the genre, but adds essentially a feature that is nerve-wracking to those of us wanting a traditional adventure game.

There *are* timed sequences to the game, as well as situations where you have to think fast, or do things in an explicit order just the right way. This isn't a relaxing, exploratory adventure at all. It's trying to go for intense and cinematic, like a low budget Fahrenheit Prophecy. However, at least those games rely on QTE's; mice, especially ones with twitchy drivers, just aren't good for precision timing when you're getting all sweaty and nervous trying to click on the right set of pixels.

Furthermore, although I have a rather strong stomach for gore and horror... I still hate torture. And this seems the entire premise of the game, at least for chapter 1. If you're squeamish at all about torture scenes, I'd advise even staying clear of the comic. It's just something that squicks me out. I'd prefer seeing heads pop off in Wasteland 2 to slow, agonizing self-mutiliation scenes.

I'm sure this is all just me whinging about personal gripes, and YMMV - most people really enjoy the game, and it's awesome that it's trying to be unique. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller is an Adventure game developed by Phoenix Online Studios.


The story begins with a hectic prologue. Erica rushes to a cemetery to rescue a hostage from the clutches of a serial killer. But the dramatic staging backfires: Since I can look for side cutters, shovels and other objects without time pressure, the excited music doesn't fit at all and is annoying after a few minutes. The first case takes place some time after the prologue: Erica is supposed to solve a mysterious death case. At the scene of the crime it becomes clear that the nameless victim in the noose did not judge himself. Instead, it was hung over a table and left dangling in a macabre fashion. Now and then the poor stranger could still support himself with his toes, but after a long agony his body gave way.

Much like in The Testament Sherlock Holmes Games, Erica's job is to gather information, question witnesses and colleagues, and use clues to come to conclusions. Unlike the English master detective, there is no pre-formulated list here to complete. Instead, I take notes on the built-in pad. Every now and then, interlocutors like their superiors demand a conclusion from me. You can choose from several options: What led to death? Was it murder? What can be concluded from the symptoms? Little by little, new venues such as the post office or a dark alley that I reach by fast travel by car are opening up in Boston. Later other departments such as forensic medicine also brought new knowledge.


+ magical criminal cases
+ successful merging of cel shading and drawings
+ relaxed soundtrack
+ clever use of Erica's visions
+ motivating detective work
+ great English dubbing
+ Achievements and Trading cards


- Characters with no depth
- bad controls


Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller offers you a magical criminal case with surprises and twists.



Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller ist ein Abenteuer-Spiel, welches von Phoenix Online Studios entwickelt wurde.


Die Geschichte beginnt mit einem hektischen Prolog. Erica hetzt auf einen Friedhof, um eine Geisel aus den Fängen eines Serienkillers zu befreien. Die dramatische Inszenierung geht aber nach hinten los: Da ich ohne Zeitdruck nach Seitenschneider, Schaufel und anderen Gegenständen suchen kann, passt die aufgekratzte Musik überhaupt nicht und nervt schon nach wenigen Minuten. Der erste Fall spielt einige Zeit nach dem Prolog: Erica soll eine mysteriösen Todefall aufklären. Am Ort des Verbrechens wird klar, dass das namenlose Opfer in der Schlinge sich nicht selbst gerichtet hat. Stattdessen wurde es auf makabre Weise über einem Tisch aufgehängt und baumeln gelassen. Ab und zu konnte der arme Unbekannte sich noch mit den Zehenspitzen abstützen, doch nach einem langen Todeskampf gab der Körper nach.

Ähnlich wie in Das Testament Sherlock Holmes-Spielen ist Ericas Aufgabe, Informationen zu sammeln, Zeugen und Kollegen zu befragen und durch Indizien zu Schlussfolgerungen zu gelangen. Anders als beim englischen Meisterdetektiv gibt es hier keine vorformulierte Liste zum Vervollständigen. Stattdessen mache ich mir auf dem eingebauten Block Notizen. Ab und zu verlangen Gesprächspartner wie ihre Vorgesetzte eine Schlussfolgerung von mir. Sie lässt sich aus mehreren Optionen auswählen: Was führte zum Tod? War es Mord? Was lässt sich aus den Symptomen schließen? Nach und nach eröffnen sich in Boston neue Schauplätze wie das Postamt oder eine dunkle Gasse, welche ich per Schnellreise mit dem Auto erreiche. Später bringen auch andere Abteilungen wie die Rechtsmedizin neue Erkenntnisse.


+ magische Kriminalfälle
+ gelungenes Verschmelzen von Cel-Shading und Zeichnungen
+ entspannter Soundtrack
+ cleverer Einsatz von Ericas Visionen
+ motivierende Detektivarbeit
+ tolle englische Vertonung
+ Errungenschaften und Sammelkarten


- Charaktere ohne Tiefgang
- schlechte Steuerung


Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller bietet dir ein magische Kriminalfälle mit Überraschungen und Wendungen.

Okay so after finishing the first chapter and a bit of the second chapter I can safely say i'm probably not going to finish the rest of this game.
This game suffers from three main problems that completely break immersion and make the game unenjoyable to play.

The first (and main) problem that this game has is pacing. It pads itself out needlessly. In one instance: the player sees an interactable object that is clearly meant to be picked up. The protagonist refuses to pick up said object because "she has no need of it yet". Then, several scenes later, during an interrogation scene, the protagonist needs the object, resulting in the player to backtrack all the way to where the object was located. Mind you, the movement speed of the protagonist is incredibly slow and the game has unskipable animations. In case of the dreaded interrogation scene, the player first has to quit the dialogue screen, then stand up, then walk all the way to the door and then press exit before being allowed the option to select the map and loading the area where the protagonist (not the player!) neglected to pick up the very obviously placed item in the first place. This has to be done every.single.time the player forgot something or the player didn't forget something but the protagonist simply refused to acknowledge something. This problem would have been fixed easily if the UI was equiped with a button that instantly brought the player to the map screen. It also doesn't help that the game is awfully particular about how you have to solve certain dialogue trees. "I am hungry" says a character. "Have a donut" I reply. However, the game won't let me give the donut to the character. I instead have to backtrack to a vending machine, grab some crisps, offer the crisps to the man only for him to tell me "No i prefer something sweet" so i could give him the donut that i wanted to offer him in the first place. (edit: Notice how a lot of the time spent in the game has NOTHING to do with solving murders in a fashion that involves the paranormal and instead has you running after people's needs like some disheveled butler because they're too lazy to do it themselves)

This brings me to the second point: Some of the puzzels make NO logical sense and are incredibly convoluted. Mind you that some puzzels are nicely written, like the one at the start at the game. There's a clear cut problem, you acquire certain tools that let you deal with that problem and you solve that problem. However later on in the game certain hurdles are being thrown at the player without any clear-cut explanation as to how to deal with them. There is a hint system but if some of the puzzles made more sense then the hint system wouldn't be needed. This in conjunction with the constant backtracking and the unskippable animations/slow movement speed makes the game incredibly grating. You can spend 10 minutes with this game and have the impression that you haven't progressed much at all.

The third, and last, problem that his game has is character design. I'm going to assume that the developers of this game are teenagers, or had the mindset thereof, when designing Erica Reed (our main protagonist). For example, she pulls a gun on her collegue "because she is angry" when said collegue asked her to wait for reinforcements. She's constantly acting like an angsty teenager but she's supposedly a 30-something FBI agent. At one point one of the characters called her performance as an fbi agent wildly inconsistent and as a player i'd have to agree. She's certainly not the most professional or likable person that I played as. Her collegues are not much better. You have the cliché fat guy who always sits at his desk eating donuts, never lifting a finger. You have the cliché ♥♥♥♥♥♥ boss lady who is screaming at you one second and asks you how you're holding up immediately after. You have the nondescript receptionist lady whose name i can't recall. And finally you have the guy who offers weird, unwanted sexual tension because what poorly written tv drama could ever go without that trope. Come to think of it, that's precisely what the characters are. Tropes. They never feel like well rounded characters and as a result you never get to feel personally involved in what's going on. I always felt like i was playing a video game, as opposed to being absorbed into the story. Also, much of the story is being told by the exposition lady at the antique store (kind of makes me wonder why Erica Reed never visited her before the game began). Thankfully, dialogue is skipable (notice how this isn't something to boast about).

The game does have some genuinly nice and satisfying moments, but they're too scarse for me to recommend this title.
Avoid like the plague.
Props for the visual style though.

When a friend of mine gifted this to me about a year ago, I was touched and happy to finally have this game in my library. Sadly, it took me a while to get around to picking it up and actually playing it, but once I started, I couldn't put it down. I remember thinking that the Still Life series was the grittiest and most realistic crime thriller that I had ever played. Then Cogniton came around...

Trying to tell the whole story would take too long. Suffice it to say that you play as Erica Reed, a FBI agent with a promising career in front of her. The game begins as you are racing to stop The Cain Killer from murdering Erica's brother. What follows is an awesome, episodic thriller that does not let go until the final moments of the last episode. Even through there are different killers and cases woven through all 4 episodes, the major theme of catching The Cain Killer is the thread that binds them all together. The pacing is well done.

The voice acting and the depictions of the characters are wonderful. These are characters that you will love or hate. Depending on how you play the game, you will definitely see character development. There is nothing static about these characters. Apart from the supernatural gift given to the protagonist, they feel like real people in really desperate situations.

The game play is mostly your standard point and click with a scroll down inventory, but Erica Reed's cognitive powers set this game apart. She has four abilities that she uses throughout the game, starting with just bein able to get slight visions of the future. As the game progresses she learns more about her gift and her abilities start to broaden. By the final episode, you have use of all 4, sometimes using them all in the same puzzle or scenario. The only tedious think about this is that in the early episodes (1-2), you are constantly going back to visit Rose, who helps you realize your full potential. This can really break the pacing, since you will be at a crime scene, or in an interrogation and you suddenly have to break what you are doing to go to a different area entirely to learn more to progress further in the game. Luckily, the later episodes fix this and you don't feel that you break with the story in order to go into a tutorial mission.

The game is gorgeous, gritty, and violent. I love the comic book style. Even though it looks hand drawn or painted, the imagery is very vivid. I could only play an episode at a time, because the final images of each episode would stay with me, and I had to get up and take a break. The music just adds to the tense and thrilling feel of the game. As I write this review, I am listening to the soundtrack, because it is just that good.

I am starting to notice a serious trend in adventure games feeling less ridiculous and more common sense. That tone is definitely felt here, since you are solving cases. Sometimes you have to think slightly outside the box, because you are being covert, but it still feels within the realm of reality. Some of the puzzles can be difficult, but that will only be if you don't pay attention to details: what is said, the evidence you collect. Not paying attention to details can cost you a lot in the game, from losing trust with co-workers, to flat our losing partners to a killer. There are timed scenarios. Even in Still Life 2, my palms didn't sweat. My palms sweat in this game. A point and click. They don't happen often, at most once in an episode, but once is enough.

I honestly can't think of any negatives. The story was well told and it ended very well. Not necessarily a happy ending but one that is true to the plot. I can honestly say that even though I was given this as a gift, it is worth every penny that is being asked for. I know there is another playthrough in my future, but I may need some time to get over my first playthrough!

Iam pretty sure i got this game from a bundle, so i dont see whats the point to write a review, my opinion wont be counted, handled as a secondary citizen, but i liked this game so why not?

Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller is a crime themed point and click game. Some part of the game pretty scary, some very emotional and all of the game very interesting.

The story immense, interesting and you cant stop about thinking what will happen next. Voice acting decent, awesome music, if you own this game you definetly should play this game.

The game has a few issues, game frozen 3 times on episode 1 this issue not came up on other episodes tho. There are graphical issues asswell, related to character bodies but you will forget about these while enjoying the story.

You play as Erica Reed, a Boston FBI agent with a deeply troubled past and some supernatural abilities, which are introduced to you throughout the first episode.

Cognition is a traditional point and click adventure game, and it doesn't add too much to the formula. When you click on something, a small radial menu shows up of things you can do with the object, and its context sensitive. You can look at it, use it or grab it, or use your currently equipped inventory item on it. The graphical inventory is on the right side of the screen, and you can not only equip an object, you can also look at it, use it, or combine several objects together.

It definitely has a very mature comic-book feel to it. The cutscenes are delivered in the standard "motion comic" style, with minimal animation - mostly to highlight the important aspects of the scene. The actual gameplay has full cel-shaded environments and characters, complete with mouth movements to accompany the voice acting. The music is also wonderfully done and definitely sets the mood for each scene. The best thing I can say about it is that it didn't get in the way, which is the point for a game like this. It highlights the atmosphere appropriately.

Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller may have some clumsy animation, some robotic faces and the occasional instance where the tech and the art don’t quite gel, but it is a hugely competent adventure game in every other regard. One that provides stimulating puzzle mechanics that make perfect sense within its world, and a compelling story that quickly gains momentum and keeps it up until it culminates in a thrilling, memorable finale. That’s categorically what you want from the genre.

"Cognition promises to be an exciting game for adventure fans with a rich story and beautiful (and creepy) visuals!"

This is what Jane Jensen says about this game. If the mastermind of Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers would make such an appraisal, why would you even care about reading my own opinion? Well, maybe you have never heard of Jane Jensen. You have never played Gabriel Knight. You may have never even played a Point-and-Click Adventure at all. Go ahead, read further.

You will find yourself taking the role of Erica Reed, a Boston FBI Special Agent, accompanied by her partner John McCoy. Right after the start they are rushing to a cemetery in order to rescue Erica’s brother Scott, who is being held captive by a psychopath called "The Cain Killer". He is known for gruesome murders involving siblings who get tortured with devices you would only expect to see in a Saw movie. Erica owns a special power, the cognition, that only she and her partner John know about. Explained simply: She sees what others did in the past, trying to use this to her own advantage. Right now you, the player, will make her use of it to get into the crypt where Scott is being held. If you read the Official Description carefully, you will already know how this is going to end..

3 Years Later..
Erica spent the last 3 years trying to find the man who did this to her brother. Having not found him and losing control of her life she is forced to close the Cain Case and move on. But soon after she begins to investigate the next murder, she finds clues - left for her. Clues pointing out that whoever killed that person knew about Erica’s "special gift". Is it the Cain Killer again? A new serial killer? And why would he know about Erica’s Cognition Ability? With the help of Rose, the owner of an antique shop, medium and expert for psychic abilities, and her Partner John, Erica tries to solve this puzzle in the four acts of Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller.

Use your mouse to click, Erica moves, doubleclick and she runs. Press Space to highlight Objects to interact with. Congratulations, you just learned the basic controls. Some objects can be used, others can even be combined in your inventory. This is the bread and butter of Adventure Games but learning to use this efficiently will save time, time you will need to solve some of the puzzles this game has to offer. I had a tough time with some of them but if you get stuck there is a really nice hint system. This games story is amazing and it knows how to keep you engaged if you get stuck. Ericas special power, the cognition, is key for nearly every problem you will get confronted with. It requires some trial and error but it adds possibilities other games simply can’t offer. Your power will evolve while progressing, forcing you to rethink situations, finding new ways to solve puzzles.

The overall setting is dark and stylish, combined with cutscenes that appear in nicely drawn comicstrips. I must admit that I encountered some bugs while playing like mouths that looked like broken boxes. This is nothing that breaks the game but tends to look a bit funny sometimes. What keeps you really entertained instead is the amazing soundtrack which all of you should give a listen even after finishing Cognition. Whether your heart needs pumping or your soul cries for relaxation, this games music makes sure that things start to get emotional. Believe me.


Pro:

• An intriguing, dark and mature story with an exceptional plot.
  
• Interesting main protagonist..
  
• ..and many antagonists
  
• Dark graphics with comic looks
  
• Veterans AND Newbies will quickly get used to controls and mechanics
  
• Fresh take on problem solving with Ericas Special Powers
  
• Rewarding puzzles
  
• Nice hint system
  
• Amazing soundtrack

Con:

• Comic Look (listed as pro but not everybody likes that kind of style)
  
• Puzzles might get tough sometimes, literally forcing you to use the hint system
  
• Graphical bugs
  
• At some points I simply felt overwhelmed with where to go or start
  
• Too hard for kids eyes and ears

If you haven’t shut your mouth with shaking hands, asking how all of this could have happened, you haven’t played Cognition yet. Be prepared for a clever, dark and brutal thriller that plays with emotions - but brace yourself for some tough puzzles that might discourage you at first sight. Do not let this happen. Use your Hint System if it gets to hard and enjoy the plot.

There is something I have to add for those of you still hesitating. I haven`t played Gabriel Knight or any game connected with Jane Jensen before either, so my praising words should be an assurance for all of you.

8,5 / 10