Mr. Robot: 1.51exfiltrati0n review - Another Telltale classic?

When we talk about the unique properties that playing on a mobile phone can bring to the gaming world, we sometimes forget about the most obvious one.

It's the phone bit, in case you were wondering. We're hyper connected nowadays, plugged in to a vast network by the device in our pocket. And that's an idea that Mr Robot plays around with.

It's essentially a conversation, in the same style as Lifeline, a piece of fiction that ties in with the TV show of the same name. And it's certainly an interesting way to play on your phone.

The game starts with you picking up a phone you find on the ground. Then you're contacted by the owner of the device, who is understandably a little annoyed with you.

Everything takes place in the interface of the phone. You're choosing responses to type back, searching for information in the device's memory, and quite often receiving spam messages. That might not be spam.

If you were expecting a full Telltale experience based on the show then you might be a little disappointed. But the game is only published by the adventure game specialists. It's developed by Night School Studio, who made Oxenfree.

And to be honest it feels like it fits better with the themes of the show than a fully fledged adventure would. It's smart, it's full of twists, and it's not afraid to play around with our ideas about communication.

In a way it reminds me of the likes of Blackbar, albeit a much more polished and glitzy version. It certainly fits into the same strange corner of the App Store, and it offers an intriguing experience that's slightly off kilter.

This is more interactive digital fiction than a true game, but it weaves its web of mysteries and techno jargon remarkably well, to such a degree that you'll perk up every time it notifies you of a new message.

And that's key, because without a great story Mr Robot could become more of a hindrance than anything else. It's a testament to the skill of the developers that it keeps you engaged.

This is a clever tie in, and shows that with a bit of thought there are plenty of new ways to explore mobile play.