Item: Fran Bow Chapter 2
Rating: 90
Author: Dinsun

Our Site Score

90/100

Fran Bow Chapter 2 continues the dark, psychological journey of Fran with a masterful expansion of its macabre world. Following her escape from the asylum, the narrative shifts into a more surreal, fairytale-gone-wrong aesthetic that is both beautiful and deeply unsettling. The introduction of the 'Twin's House' remains one of the most chilling sequences in modern point-and-click history, perfectly blending tragedy with horror.

The puzzles in this chapter are a significant step up, requiring more lateral thinking as you jump between realities using Fran's pills. What makes this chapter truly shine is the character writing; Fran’s innocence in the face of absolute grotesquery creates a unique emotional weight that keeps you invested. The hand-drawn art remains breathtakingly original, and the atmosphere is thick with a sense of impending dread that few games manage to sustain so effectively.

Reviewed on: Sat May 11 2024

Dinsun Review

Dinsun here. I’ve seen plenty of 'edgy' horror games in my time, and Fran Bow Chapter 2 certainly tries hard to earn its stripes. The hand-drawn art is undeniably effective at making you feel uncomfortable, and the pill-popping mechanic is a clever, if grim, way to handle environmental puzzles. It’s got a specific kind of melancholy that few games nail.

However, let’s be realistic—the point-and-click puzzles here aren't exactly reinventing the wheel. Some solutions feel a bit obtuse, relying on 'adventure game logic' rather than intuitive design. It’s a short experience, and while the narrative carries it, the actual gameplay is just a vehicle for the weirdness. If you’re here for the story, it’s fine, but don't expect a masterpiece of logic.

Overall Stats

Pros & Cons

Incredible, haunting hand-drawn art style
Deeply atmospheric and genuinely disturbing
Compelling psychological narrative

Puzzles can feel arbitrary at times
Very short playtime for a standalone app
Lacks significant mechanical evolution from Chapter 1

Technical Report

Performance: Runs smoothly on most iOS devices; art assets load quickly with no noticeable frame drops.

Accessibility:

Subtitles

Audience Fit

Buy if: You enjoy psychological horror and hand-drawn art that isn't afraid to be grotesque.

Skip if: You want challenging puzzles or are easily disturbed by themes of mental illness and gore.

Similar Games:

Little Misfortune
Sally Face
Alice: Madness Returns

Reviewer Context

Reviewer: Dinsun, 40yo Male, Conservative Veteran Gamer
Hardware: iPad Pro (M2)
Playtime: 2 hours
Status: Finished Story

The Game

Available on: iPhone, iPad, iPod

1085769555

$1.99 13+★4.7 102 reviews

Author : Killmonday Games

Pubish Date : Thu Mar 03 2016

Last Update Date : Sat Mar 19 2016

Support Languages : English

Genres :

Version 1.1Sat Mar 19 2016

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.
-Improved description and OS requirements.
-Added localization for German, Russian and Spanish. <3
Fran Bow is a creepy adventure game that tells the story of Fran, a young girl struggling with a mental disorder and an unfair destiny.
After witnessing the gruesome and mysterious loss of her parents, found dismembered at their home, Fran rushes into the woods, together with her only friend, Mr. Midnight, a black cat that Fran had previously received as a present from her parents.
In the forest, Fran goes into shock over the loss of her parents and when she recovers, she’s at Oswald Asylum, an oppressive mental institution for children, and Mr. Midnight is nowhere to be found.
After having a dream about her beloved cat, Fran decides to escape from the mental institution to find him and go back home to Aunt Grace, her only living relative.
FEATURES
* Story driven creepy psychological horror adventure game.
* Unique and peculiar hand drawn 2D Art-Style and 2D animation.
* Self administer medication to open the terrible hidden world that will help solve puzzles and find objects.
* A big variety of puzzles designed with different levels of difficulty and specifically based on the story.
* Original Soundtrack.
IMPORTANT: New iPad, 3rd Generation, iPad Mini 2, iPod Touch 6th Generation and later devices with at least 1 GB of System Memory--RAM or more) are strongly recommended when playing the Fran Bow apps. Older devices may experience crashes or not play the Fran Bow apps at all.
Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Fran Bow is a creepy adventure game that tells the story of Fran, a young girl struggling with a mental disorder and an unfair destiny.
After witnessing the gruesome and mysterious loss of her parents, found dismembered at their home, Fran rushes into the woods, together with her only friend, Mr. Midnight, a black cat that Fran had previously received as a present from her parents.
In the forest, Fran goes into shock over the loss of her parents and when she recovers, she’s at Oswald Asylum, an oppressive mental institution for children, and Mr. Midnight is nowhere to be found.
After having a dream about her beloved cat, Fran decides to escape from the mental institution to find him and go back home to Aunt Grace, her only living relative.
FEATURES
* Story driven creepy psychological horror adventure game.
* Unique and peculiar hand drawn 2D Art-Style and 2D animation.
* Self administer medication to open the terrible hidden world that will help solve puzzles and find objects.
* A big variety of puzzles designed with different levels of difficulty and specifically based on the story.
* Original Soundtrack.
IMPORTANT: New iPad, 3rd Generation, iPad Mini 2, iPod Touch 6th Generation and later devices with at least 1 GB of System Memory--RAM or more) are strongly recommended when playing the Fran Bow apps. Older devices may experience crashes or not play the Fran Bow apps at all.

Ratings & Reviews

4.7 out of 5 with 102 Counts

★★★★★

Age Rating 13+

Fran Bow Chapter 2: Part 1 and Part 2. After escaping the oppressive Oswald Asylum, Fran finds herself in a lush, yet terrifying forest. This chapter introduces players to the wider, surreal world of Fran's journey, featuring the infamous encounter with the Siamese twins Clara and Mia. Players must use the dual-reality mechanic to solve complex environmental puzzles, interact with eccentric (and often dangerous) characters, and dive deeper into the psychological trauma of a young girl searching for her lost cat and the truth about her parents' murder.

Features

Deeply immersive psychological narrative

Stunning hand-drawn 2D animation

Complex multi-layered puzzles

Unique pill-based world switching

Atmospheric and haunting soundtrack

Tips

The Twins' Ritual

To satisfy Clara and Mia, you'll need to collect ingredients for a ritual. Switch to the pill-induced reality to find the more 'organic' components hidden in the grotesque version of their home.

Promotion Videos

Fran Bow: iOS iPad Air 2 Gameplay (Killmonday Games) - YouTube

News on this game

Fran Bow Aims to Bring Horror and Madness to iOS Next July

The young protagonist of this dark point-and-click adventure has to deal with the loss of both of her parents, who happened to be brutally murdered.

Hey Poor Player - Thu Aug 29 2013

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Self-Medicate With ‘Fran Bow’, Now On Android and iOS

Killmonday's charming horror adventure game Fran Bow found a new home on Android and iOS this week, where it can be purchased for the...

Bloody Disgusting - Tue Mar 29 2016

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Cultured Vultures - Thu Oct 29 2020

Fran Bow Chapter 1 by Killmonday Games

Fran Bow is a creepy adventure game that tells the story of Fran, a young girl struggling with a mental disorder and an unfair destiny.

AppAdvice - Fri Apr 29 2016

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Gameplays

Reality Shifting

The core mechanic involves taking Fran's medication to reveal a hidden, bloody world. In this chapter, shifting reality is essential for finding the mechanical parts needed to repair the bridges and contraptions in the woods.