Follow the Meaning – A Marvellously Surreal Point-and-Click Adventure

“I think that we’re all mentally ill. Those of us outside the asylums only hide it a little better – and maybe not all that much better after all.” – Stephen King

Overview

Follow the Meaning is a brilliantly bizarre point-and-click adventure that follows Detective Paul Trilby as he endeavours to uncover the mysteries at work in a strange town surrounded by a massive wall, and the unnerving psychiatric hospital that seems to overshadow it.

Gameplay

The gameplay is Follow the Meaning is pretty typical for a point-and-click game and uses accessible mouse-only controls. The player must explore the strange, walled-in town, meet a host of different characters, and solve puzzles in order to progress and uncover the mysterious goings-on in the town and hospital.

The puzzles are very varied and include patterns and memory puzzles, hidden objects, logic-based tasks, as well as classic inventory-based conundrums, and more abstract problems. The level of variety, as well as the standard of the puzzles, make for very enjoyable and satisfying gameplay.

Narrative

Follow the Meaning has an intriguing and engaging narrative that centres around the detective protagonist and the part he plays in the ongoing operations of the local psychiatric hospital. The story is somewhat dark and is filled with elements of conspiracy, and drama, as well as mysterious three-eyed people. There are also multiple endings and a number of Pony Island-like fourth-wall-breaking moments.

The narrative is delivered through a series of cut-scenes as well as through tidbits of dialogue and also the gameplay itself. It is quite satisfying in that it entices the player to find out more and delivers a selection of conclusions that are all equally gratifying despite being very different.

Styling

Follow the Meaning features a stylised, hand-drawn, 2D art style with an illustrative cartoon look that utilises cool, muted colour palettes. The linework has a softness to it and the colouring has a slightly impressionist, Van Gogh-esque touch. The visuals have a uniqueness to them that is quite refreshing and the overall style matches the gameplay and narrative very well.

The soundtrack is largely comprised of relaxing piano music, some has a light jazz vibe to it and other tracks can get more dramatic and intense when appropriate. The sound effects are well implemented and aid immersion, with the noises from the lost cats being especially fun.

Summary

Overall, Follow the Meaning is a great addition to the genre. It will take about 1-1.5 hours to complete and offers some replayability. The game has a lot to offer including unique, stylised artwork, a well-implemented soundtrack, an engaging, intriguing, and somewhat surreal narrative, as well as great point-and-click gameplay with varied, satisfying puzzles. I thoroughly enjoyed playing and would highly recommend this to fans of the genre, or anyone looking for something that will provide a lot of fun in a short amount of playtime.

Playthrough

You can also watch a full playthrough of Follow the Meaning with all achievements (apart from the alternate ending) and hidden cat locations on the Indie Hive YouTube channel.

Looking for more short puzzle games? You may also like these reviews:
Resonance of the Ocean – A Short Musical Puzzle Game – The Librarian – A Short but Sweet Point-and-Click Adventure! – Beyond the Wall – A Charming Point-and-Click Adventure

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