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Finding Frankie Review – Don’t Play Until You Read This!

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Finding Frankie is here, but does this indie mystery live up to the hype? With its gripping narrative, immersive atmosphere, and clever puzzles, the game promises an unforgettable experience—but does it truly deliver? In this review, we break down the gameplay, story, and mechanics to see if Finding Frankie is a must-play or just another indie lost in the crowd. Read on for the full verdict!

Finding Frankie Review Pros:

  • Decent graphics.
  • 4.31GB download size.
  • Platinum trophy.
  • Camera settings – Invert axis and sensitivity sliders, head bobbing on and off, field of view slider, and body on and off.
  • Can remap the controls.
  • Subtitles support.
  • Online leaderboards.
  • Horror parlour gameplay.
  • Gameplay timer in the corner at all times.
  • You can pause the game, and it does stop the timer.
  • It’s a game where you are running around an abandoned amusement park and hitting circuits to open doors and running away from this Frankie monster.
  • The presentation is excellent, the artwork in the amusements is top tier, the lighting, voice work, amd humour all combine to make an enjoyable yet scary place to be.
  • Simple controls with run, jump, and grab are the only ones you need.
  • All plays out in first person.
  • I really enjoyed the mix of running away and hitting switches and traps as I got amd the whole timed little platform slash puzzle encounters.
  • Generous checkpoints for respawning.
  • If you get caught, then you die and get greeted with a cool cutscene of it happening. Don’t worry, it’s not gory or bloody.
  • Unlock a sidekick who can help you navigate the game world.
  • Has a real old-school abandoned game show vibe.
  • Find collectible relics of the characters.
  • The game has fantastic character designs.

Finding Frankie Review Cons:

  • I struggled with aspects of the parlour like grabbing onto poles and swinging, it’s just one too many buttons to be smooth.
  • The game doesn’t really set up any kind of real story.
  • Signposting is not clear in the chase sequences, so you end up replaying the same section over and over.
  • Respawning is not fast, and you cannot skip the death cutscenes.
  • It is a shame that you never really get to see the world and creature designs, as you are too busy running.
  • I did find some aspects of the level design to be clumsy and awkward, not letting it all flow together, or having stupid decisions like being able to slide straight into Frankie.

Related Post: The Phantom Review

Finding Frankie:

Official website.

Developer: SUPERLOU

Publisher: SUPERLOU

Store Links –

PlayStation

  • 8/10
    Graphics - 8/10
  • 7/10
    Sound - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Accessibility - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Length - 7/10
  • 8/10
    Fun Factor - 8/10
7.4/10

Summary

Finding Frankie is a game that excels in atmosphere and presentation, immersing players in a hauntingly vibrant abandoned amusement park. The artwork, lighting, and voice work all come together to create a setting that is both eerie and exciting, with splashes of humor adding to the experience. The horror parlour gameplay blends simple mechanics—run, jump, and grab—with tense chase sequences and puzzle-based platforming challenges, ensuring a thrilling mix of action and strategy. Generous checkpoints keep frustration at bay, and even when players meet their demise, the game offers entertaining cutscenes to soften the blow. Plus, unlocking a sidekick adds an extra layer to the adventure, helping to navigate the twisted corridors of this abandoned carnival.

However, Finding Frankie isn’t without its flaws. While the world is beautifully designed, players rarely have time to admire it as they are constantly fleeing the monstrous Frankie. Certain mechanics, such as pole-grabbing and swinging, feel clunky, making movement less smooth than it should be. The game’s lack of a defined story weakens its sense of progression, and unclear signposting in chase sequences can lead to frustrating repetition. The slow respawn times, coupled with unskippable death cutscenes, further hinder momentum, dragging out moments that should feel swift and exhilarating. Some aspects of the level design, like the ability to slide straight into Frankie, come off as poorly thought out, disrupting the flow of gameplay.

Despite its shortcomings, Finding Frankie delivers a unique horror experience packed with tense moments, top-tier artistic direction, and old-school abandoned game-show vibes. While it stumbles in polish, its eerie charm, rewarding exploration, and adrenaline-fueled escapes make it a worthwhile challenge.

Step into the park—but don’t stop running!

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!