FRAMED in IOS

Comic Concept Genius

Walkthrough, Guilds, Tips on this special game

Our Site Score

94/100

Framed is one of the most innovative puzzle games I've ever played. It takes the visual language of a comic book and turns it into a gameplay mechanic. You don't control the character; you control the narrative. By swapping the order of panels, you change the sequence of events, allowing your protagonist to evade police or sneak through a building. It's a brilliant 'aha!' moment every time you find the correct sequence.

The noir aesthetic is dripping with style. From the silhouetted characters to the smoky jazz soundtrack, the atmosphere is impeccable. The game doesn't need a single word of dialogue to tell its story; the animation and the puzzles do all the heavy lifting. It's short, but every minute is curated and polished to perfection. It’s a must-play for anyone who appreciates creative game design and high-end art direction.

Reviewed on: Thu Mar 14 2024
Dinsun Avatar

Dinsun Review

I don't say this often, but Framed is genuinely clever. It’s one of the few mobile games that feels like it was designed with the platform in mind, rather than just being forced onto it. The comic-book panel mechanic is brilliant—simple to understand but deep enough to keep you thinking. The noir aesthetic and the jazz soundtrack are impeccable, creating an atmosphere that most AAA games wish they had.

However, it’s criminal how short it is. You can finish the entire thing in under two hours. Just when the puzzles start getting truly challenging, the credits roll. It feels like a brilliant proof of concept that never quite grows into a full game. It’s a bit too 'artsy' for some, and there’s zero replay value once you know the solutions. Still, for those two hours, it’s a compelling experience that I can actually respect.

Overall Stats

Pros & Cons

  • Unique and highly innovative puzzle mechanic
  • Stunning noir comic-book art style
  • Atmospheric jazz soundtrack
  • Extremely short playtime
  • No replayability whatsoever
  • Difficulty curve is a bit uneven

Technical Report

Performance: Flawless performance. Smooth transitions between panels.

Accessibility:

    Audience Fit

    Buy if: You appreciate unique art styles and clever, logic-based puzzles.

    Skip if: You want a long game or hate 'one-and-done' experiences.

    Similar Games:
    • Framed 2
    • Gorogoa
    • Monument Valley

    Reviewer Context

    • Reviewer: Dinsun
    • Hardware: iPad Pro 11-inch
    • Playtime: 2 hours
    • Status: Completed the game

    The Game

    Available on: Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, iPod

    Version 1.31Thu Sep 27 2018

    iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max hot fix


    ~~~ Winner of over 25 Awards ~~~

    FRAMED is a multi-award winning noir-puzzle game where you re-arrange panels of animated comic book to change the outcome of the story.

    ~~~~~ FEATURES ~~~~~

    AWARD-WINNING DESIGN

    Featuring a fusion of all-new game mechanics & fiendish puzzles, FRAMED has received many design awards as well as being an 'Excellence in Design' finalist in the IGF 2015.

    EFFORTLESSLY ELEGANT

    Simply grab comic panels and swap them with a touch of your finger!

    BEAUTIFUL ART & RICH ANIMATION

    Hand-crafted, award-winning art and animation brings the noir world of FRAMED to life.

    ORIGINAL JAZZ MUSIC SOUNDTRACK

    An evocative music score featuring live jazz performances fused with modern themes and beats sets the mood.

    A BRAND NEW EXPERIENCE AWAITS

    Unlike anything you’ve played before, FRAMED delivers a completely new type of game experience. Plug in your headphones, sit back and enjoy!

    ~~~~~ RECEPTION ~~~~~

    "My best game in this year without any doubt." - Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid)

    “It looks like a work of goddamn genius.” - Kotaku

    ”I was blown away by Loveshack’s Framed." - Penny Arcade

    “Guilty of Awesome.” - Rock, Paper, Shotgun

    “Noir-drenched motion comic puzzler gets big thumbs-up.” - IGN

    “Framed has an incredible art style, and it plays unlike anything else we’ve seen." - Slide to Play

    “Framed meshes narrative and gameplay like nothing else." - Mac Life

    “With a jazzy soundtrack and a gritty vibe befitting its genre, Framed succeeds at telling a story in more ways than one.” - Complex, Pop Culture

    “Don’t miss this smart and innovative indie gem.” - Pocket Gamer

    ** FINALIST ** ‘Excellence in Design’, IGF 2015

    ** WINNER ** ‘VisuaI Design’, Indiecade Festival 2014

    ** WINNER ** ‘Excellence in Design’, IGF China 2013

    ** WINNER ** ‘Best Game’ - Freeplay Independent Games Festival 2013

    ** WINNER ** ‘Best Upcoming Game’ - International Mobile Game Awards 2014

    ** WINNER ** ‘Best Narrative’ - Brazil's Independent Games Festival 2014

    ** WINNER ** ‘Best Puzzle Game’ - Intel Level Up Awards 2014

    ** PAX 10 SELECTION ** - PAX Prime 2014

    ** FINALIST ** ‘Most Amazing Game’ - A MAZE Festival Berlin 2014

    ** FINALIST ** ‘Innovation Award’ - Australian Game Developer Awards 2014

    ** OFFICIAL SELECTION ** BAFTA Inside Games Showcase 2014

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Loveshack Entertainment is an independent game development studio based in Australia.

    For more information www.loveshackentertainment.com

    Follow us @LoveShackers


    Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

    FRAMED is a multi-award winning noir-puzzle game where you re-arrange panels of an animated comic book to change the outcome of the story.

    ~~~~~ FEATURES ~~~~~

    AWARD-WINNING DESIGN

    Featuring a fusion of all-new game mechanics & fiendish puzzles, FRAMED has received many design awards as well as being an 'Excellence in Design' finalist in the IGF 2015.

    EFFORTLESSLY ELEGANT

    Simply grab comic panels and swap them with a touch of your finger!

    BEAUTIFUL ART & RICH ANIMATION

    Hand-crafted, award-winning art and animation brings the noir world of FRAMED to life.

    ORIGINAL JAZZ MUSIC SOUNDTRACK

    An evocative music score featuring live jazz performances fused with modern themes and beats sets the mood.

    A BRAND NEW EXPERIENCE AWAITS

    Unlike anything you’ve played before, FRAMED delivers a completely new type of game experience. Plug in your headphones, sit back and enjoy!

    ~~~~~ RECEPTION ~~~~~

    "My best game in this year without any doubt." - Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid)

    “It looks like a work of goddamn genius.” - Kotaku

    ”I was blown away by Loveshack’s Framed." - Penny Arcade

    “Guilty of Awesome.” - Rock, Paper, Shotgun

    “Noir-drenched motion comic puzzler gets big thumbs-up.” - IGN

    “Framed has an incredible art style, and it plays unlike anything else we’ve seen." - Slide to Play

    “Framed meshes narrative and gameplay like nothing else." - Mac Life

    “With a jazzy soundtrack and a gritty vibe befitting its genre, Framed succeeds at telling a story in more ways than one.” - Complex, Pop Culture

    “Don’t miss this smart and innovative indie gem.” - Pocket Gamer

    ** FINALIST ** ‘Excellence in Design’, IGF 2015

    ** WINNER ** ‘VisuaI Design’, Indiecade Festival 2014

    ** WINNER ** ‘Excellence in Design’, IGF China 2013

    ** WINNER ** ‘Best Game’ - Freeplay Independent Games Festival 2013

    ** WINNER ** ‘Best Upcoming Game’ - International Mobile Game Awards 2014

    ** WINNER ** ‘Best Narrative’ - Brazil's Independent Games Festival 2014

    ** WINNER ** ‘Best Puzzle Game’ - Intel Level Up Awards 2014

    ** PAX 10 SELECTION ** - PAX Prime 2014

    ** FINALIST ** ‘Most Amazing Game’ - A MAZE Festival Berlin 2014

    ** FINALIST ** ‘Innovation Award’ - Australian Game Developer Awards 2014

    ** OFFICIAL SELECTION ** BAFTA Inside Games Showcase 2014

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    FRAMED is designed for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch iOS 7.0 and above.

    Loveshack Entertainment is an independent game development studio based in Australia.

    For more information www.loveshackentertainment.com

    Follow us @LoveShackers


    Ratings & Reviews

    4.5 out of 5 with 784 Counts
    Age Rating 13+

    Screenshots

    FRAMED screenshot 1FRAMED screenshot 2FRAMED screenshot 3FRAMED screenshot 4FRAMED screenshot 5FRAMED screenshot 6FRAMED screenshot 7FRAMED screenshot 8FRAMED screenshot 9

    FRAMED is a multi-award winning noir-style puzzle game. Change the order of the panels in an animated comic book to alter the sequence of events and the outcome of the story. Featuring a hand-crafted aesthetic and a smooth jazz soundtrack, FRAMED offers a unique gameplay experience where logic and narrative collide. Hideo Kojima called it his 'best game of the year,' and it’s easy to see why.

    Features

    1

    Award-winning design

    2

    Hand-crafted animation

    3

    Original live jazz score

    4

    Intuitive panel-swapping

    5

    Immersive noir atmosphere

    Tips

    Promotion Videos

    Framed (by Loveshack Entertainment Pty Ltd) - Universal - HD Walkthrough Trailer - Part I/II

    Related Videos

    News on this game

    FRAMED flashback review

    Developed by Loveshack Entertainment and published by FellowTraveller in 2014, FRAMED blends varied elements from action–adventures,...

    Adventure Gamers - Thu Sep 18 2025

    Having A Sneaky Word About FRAMED Collection With Developer Loveshack

    FRAMED 2 was originally a DLC, but expanded so quickly into a game of its own. But there was a lot to live up to. The first game was a unique,...

    Nintendo Life - Thu Jan 02 2020

    'Framed 2' Review – The Second Half of a Really Good Game – TouchArcade

    When I reviewed the original Framed , I said "Given the brevity and lack of progression in the concept, this really does feel like half of a...

    TouchArcade - Sat Feb 02 2019

    Framed: putting context in the player's hands

    Loveshack's approach to interactive storytelling.

    Polygon - Fri Jan 02 2015

    Making Of Framed

    The game's animation, which many believe is rotoscoped, was key-framed by Stuart Lloyd, with the characters being rigged 3D models that animate...

    Pocket Gamer.biz - Fri Sep 02 2016

    Ex-Firemint devs form Loveshack Entertainment

    Three former members of Real racing developer Firemint have launched a new indie studio, and announced its first project, Framed.

    VG247 - Sun Nov 02 2014

    Game Day: Framed 2

    In 2014, Melbourne-based Loveshack released Framed, a comic book-style puzzle game that requires manipulation of panels to guide the main...

    MacStories - Sat Feb 02 2019

    A well framed game – Insights Magazine

    Review: The Framed Collection. Developed by the Melbourne-based Australian studio Loveshack, The Framed Collection features two games with a...

    Uniting Church Australia - Tue Feb 02 2021

    Review: FRAMED Collection – Destructoid

    While mobile gaming is still home to some creative and unique experiences, recent times have seen the platform become overcrowded with...

    Destructoid - Thu Jan 02 2020

    Framed Developer On Sharing Tears With Hideo Kojima

    In November 2014, Hideo Kojima tweeted that he had finished playing a game called Framed, and that it was his favorite game of that year.

    Siliconera - Fri Sep 02 2016

    Gameplays

    Q&A

    The game takes about 2-3 hours to complete, but the experience is incredibly dense and rewarding.

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