Mind: Path to Thalamus is very pretty. That will be a reoccurring theme throughout this review.

It doesn't have the greatest, next gen graphics, but what they've done is well put together and nice to look at. It's a pretty game (there's that theme I was talking about).

I went into Mind expecting a game akin to Myst (at least, a later Myst with the ability to walk freely). That isn't exactly what I got. Mind is much more along the vein of Dear Esther with a splash of interactivity thrown into it.

Mind teaches you it's game mechanics in a natural, clever way. In fact, in the beginning, I would discover something, feel smart for doing it, only to find out 30 seconds later that it's a puzzle solving mechanic. Then I felt somewhat less like a genius, but moved on with my life.

Unfortunately, the game did not continue down that road. That isn't to say the game wasn't good. It was. It was also very pretty. Did I mention that yet?

The few game mechanics they teach you in the beginning continue throughout the game. And that's the problem, the challenge for the most part, disappears. Every puzzle is in essence solved in the exact same manner.

Granted, this keeps the game going from a story telling perspective. You won't get stuck and frustrated, perhaps leaving the game for a week. There's a nice progression to the game, a bit like walking in Dear Esther. You just continue down the path and follow the story. And look at all the prettiness. And take lots of screenshots to use later as desktop backgrounds.

I admit I wanted more from Mind. I was hoping for a challenge. One that makes your fingers just itch to Google a solution to the puzzle you've been stuck on for the past half hour. But, instead, if you find yourself a bit befuddled, just go over the game mechanics you learned in the beginning, you'll find one of them will be the solution you're looking for.

There were a few levels that did, despite the overdone puzzle solving mechanics, take the game to a higher level. You feel genuine pressure in those, like a clock is ticking down on you, even though in reality, you really have all the time in the world. But it was good. It actually made me stop taking screenshots for a bit.

I found the story somewhat lackluster, but not terrible. You can piece together what happened rather quickly, but I think the ending of the story is meant to be a reveal. It's voice acted, which is a nice touch. Not the best, but certainly not the worst. The ending gets a little... odd. I won't say more than that, to avoid spoilers. But while it incorporated all the same puzzle solving elements from the rest of the game, it did feel a little out of place.

If you're an achievement hunter, I suggest averting your eyes from how prettily the light from the stars illuminate the landscape. Most of the achievements are time based, get the puzzle done as fast as possible. Easy enough, as long as you don't stop to snap a few photos.

Would I recommend it? Yes. If you're really bad at adventure games, you'd probably find this one to be a good fit. If you liked Dear Esther, this game gives much the same experience only better. Do you like taking screenshots? This is the game for you. I found it to be a pretty relaxing experience.

Will this game change your life? No. But it'll get you to change your desktop background.

Also, it's really pretty.