It’s getting harder and harder to write about the Cognition series. The way each game fits together, beginning literally moments after the last one ended, makes it tough to describe the later installments without spoiling previous ones. As such, my description of Cognition Episode 3: The Oracle may be a little bit vague, as I try to paint the broad strokes without giving away the surprises contained within.
As with the previous games in the series, Cognition Episode 3 is a point-and-click affair. You’ll scramble your mouse over the screen looking for interactive areas, and then click them to do stuff. Alternatively, if you’re attentive, you’ll notice the addition of a new icon on the HUD which highlights the hotspots for you, thus saving you the tedium of pixel hunting. Holding down the spacebar produces similar results. But, other than that, it’s the standard adventure game flow: pick up things, talk to people, bash your real-world head on the desk until the solution to a particularly tough puzzle comes to you.
The puzzles aren’t as difficult as in the previous games, which is a welcome relief. Whereas the last couple games required you to remember every little detail of the investigation, this one does not. Don’t take that to mean it’s a pushover, though. It’s still devious, just not as devious as before.
The game is a lot more intimate than the previous entries as well. Erica no longer gallivants across Boston during her investigation, but is instead confined to a half-dozen locations in a tower complex. The story mirrors that closeness, focusing on family drama—both immediate family and the extended family of one’s peers. This intimacy was the strongest aspect of the game for me, because it brought me closer to the characters than ever before. I found myself caring deeply for them and, because of this, the game was able to raise the stakes in a way that felt like a huge punch to the gut when the ending came along. It was powerful stuff, and well worth experiencing for yourself.
The driving force behind this focus on intimacy is the new psychic power Erica learns in this installment. There’s a twist to it, but basically it allows you to switch between Erica and another character. Whatever Erica learns, her friend will know, and this provides the basis for many of the puzzles. Erica will need to discover information that her companion needs to get past obstacles and vice versa. In this way, the two get to know each other and you’ll get to know them better as a result.
Conclusion: Is It Worth The Money?
Cognition Episode 3 retains some of the minor flaws from the previous games. Characters still reach into their chests to retrieve items, and the hint system is useless 90% of the time (telling you to “stick with it” instead of, you know, actually providing a hint). But these are just minor nitpicks in the face of its incredibly engrossing story. Cognition Episode 3 is very much worth the $10 it costs by itself. Honestly, though, at this point, I’m comfortable enough to suggest that you go ahead and pick up the season pass for $30. The last two games were worth it as well, and this way you’ll get the final episode for free.
