Last updated on November 28th, 2025 at 12:11 pm
Able Black – Puzzle Game Review
Able Black is a Puzzle/Roleplaying/Books game from Scott Leach, first launched in 10th March 2016.
It’s rated 12+ and currently has 3,668+ ratings on the App Store.
What Makes Able Black Stand Out
Able Black is an immersive story experience that uses images and sound to guide you through a series of puzzles.
Story:
Able is a lonely android struggling with his Citizenship Exam, a test he must pass if he doesn’t want to be shut down. Follow Able as he searches for purpose and a way out of isolation. Discover the secrets of Ark 19, an underground habitat designed to save humanity from disaster. Find out why Able has been left alone in the ark. Uncover what’s hidden there. Take the Citizenship Exam and discover who Able Black really is.
Gameplay:
Navigate through five chapters of story text and experience the Citizenship Exam as Able does. After each chapter you’ll be faced with a series of questions that put you in the shoes of Able Black. Answer poetic riddles that echo the theme of each chapter. Solve cryptic puzzles to unlock Able’s story.
Able Black is part story, part game, and full of secrets.
This experience includes puzzles that some users may find challenging. If you need some help head to www.ableblack.com or visit the Able Black Facebook page www.facebook.com/AbleBlackSleepwalker
Follow me @skotleach
This Puzzle game offers engaging gameplay and regular updates for mobile players.
Player Feedback
As a newer release, Able Black is building its player community. Early feedback suggests .
Recent Updates & Development
Latest Update: 7th January 2021
Recent improvements include:
- Resolved a bug that was preventing menu items from appearing as intended
- Fixed several typos
Download & Availability
Able Black is available through the official App Store for iOS devices.
Requirements: Requires iPhone 5s / iPad Air / iPad Air (Cellular) / iPad Mini 2 (Retina) / iPad Mini 2 (Retina, Cellular) / iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus / iPad Air 2 / iPad Air 2 (Cellular) / iPad Mini 3 or later.
Compatible with iPhone and iPad devices.
Player Experience Highlights
Community Insight:
Thank you for this. We were immersed in the story – it was magical. Xoxo.
Ive been playing a lot of mediocre iPhone games before we stumbled on this. When we saw it was free to play, we expected a mess of ads. The dev mentions accepting tips at the very end, but thats the closest it gets. The play experience is uninterrupted. Once we got to the end we felt more feelings that we have from most stories in a while. This is one of those games that you dont want to look up answers, just risk it and take the puzzles as they come. So we bought the steam version to contribute in some way.
It is the perfect mix of philosophy, horror and puzzles! Absolutely amazing and we need more.
The games been amazing so far. Its creative, has an interesting plot, phenomenal character development, puzzles that challenges you just the right amount, and is just overall a great game.
This game felt odd in the beginning and Im glad we kept going. The story is captivating and after a second chapter we wanted to pause to dwell on it a little bit. It made us think about ethical issues, morals and how AI fits into our lives. Its a great game with a sincere and touching story. Unforgettable really.
This just reminds us how amazing life is and makes us greatful not only that we wanted to start reading more to get smarter and this is a perfect start and the puzzles are so fun and amazing they fascnate us.
Im an artist and writer who loves indie games, and its difficult to find indie games that stick with us. Its usually a quick play and then delete app routine. Yet, after playing this game, we will never delete it. It exceeded our expectations by lengths and inspired us in ways we cannot describe. The story was enthralling and thoughtful. It made us take a step back to think upon the way we view our world. We were put into the shoes of someone inhuman, that understood humanity more than we did. After playing the main story and finding some secrets, our mind has been tap dancing around, making connections and finding new points of views to explore this game with. And no other indie game has made us feel this way. We are more than grateful to have had the opportunity to play this game. Thank you.
So we were looking for a story game to play, and we scrolled past this and said 'well, it's free, why not' and we were compLETELY BLOWN AWAY. GET IT GET IT GET IT. The story is genius, the puzzles are tricky and fun, and the emotions are so deep and relatable. We almost cried. It also isn't just one of those stories or games you use to get away from the real world, which are way too common today. Oh not at all, this makes you really think about your life, and what it actually means to live. It's beautiful. The only thing is that we wish it was longer. This is as close to a perfect game as anyone is gonna get, so seriously, GET. THIS. GAME.
It was different than we expected the game to be. Genuinely one of our favorites Ive ever played. So much went into the story and the whole vibe was just so cool. The game really made us think too. We wish we could give it higher than a five star rating. To say it exceeded our expectations is an understatement by far.
We give this game a full Five-Star review. We love it with EVERYTHING!! We love how it makes you think hard and gives you hints, and it helped us with sharpening our mind. You know what? We hope the developers of this game will create a sequel game to Able Black. Honestly, Im actually really curious on whats going to happen afterwards. But being the Writer we are, writing short stories in our drafts on an app, we were inspired to write one based on this. Who knows? Also, Im sorry if this is copyright but we WILL give credits to the original. We swear we will. Though again, Its gonna be an online book, Though we probably wont publish it just yet till we finish and Im sure we wanna publish it. Anyways, KEEP IT UP.
There is just something about this that stands out from every other app game Ive played. 1000% recommended to play, you read the story line so make sure you have time and silence to play properly, its well worth your time.
This game draws you in with the story. It has puzzles that can be difficult but you can figure them out if you look from another angle. We love this game so much. We feel like a lot of people want to be free like able black was but feel chained. We love the story the puzzles everything! Good job on this amazing piece of a game.
We havent yet completed the game as we have a few more things to unlock. However, we thought Id go ahead and write a review. Its strange to us to see so many critical reviews, though we imagine they must be from a time when the game had some bugs to work out. The game was absolutely frustrating but thats kind of the point. Spelling errors aside, this is a very well-executed game.
Typos aside, this is a really cool game and a wonderful concept. Its the kind of thing we would eagerly learn more about if it was a book. Wonderfully done.
This was a joy to play. There was lots of relatability as well as mystery. Theres even more secrets after the main gameplay. We love every aspect of this game.
We've played so many games like this. Stories and puzzles, and we've gotten attached to so many different characters, but none have made us question everything like this game has. We're astounded at the fast-paced storyline that they've managed, and the puzzles that are just the right amount of challenging and fun. We review a lot, but this game is amazing and though it sounds dramatic, makes us think of all the other possibilities and points of view that could be. We hope the creator makes more games, because we'll be waiting for them. Skot, thank you.
Its seriously incredible. We love the way you learn a little more bit by bit as you progress through and discover the story. Its so moving and thought-provoking.
We wish we could go back and play this for the first time again! We really enjoyed playing this. The message from the creator at the end got us choked up, thank you for making the game free for everyone to enjoy it :).
This game made us sob. It was beyond beautifully written. It delved into what is considered moral, sentient, and alive.
ITS SOO GOOD, THE SOUNDS, THE AMBIANCE, THE FONTS EVERYTHING IS WORRH THE WAIT. And we say worth the wait, why? Youll find out soon enough.
It is impossible to play this game and not fall completely in love with it. You will not be disappointed. We have no idea how this marvel is free- it is suspenseful, perfectly dark, with a protagonist you can root for. Every feature is immersive, and there are secrets hidden everywhere. The puzzles are challenging, but even those not great with riddles, like ourselves, will find something to enjoy. The designs are simple yet gorgeous and really build the creepy and exciting atmosphere. The sound effects and the soundtrack just ties everything together. In this game, we not only answer riddles and seek to escape confinement, but the answer to What is a soul? Who am we? What makes life living? Frankly, Able Black is amazing. We were not ready for it to be over, and we are overjoyed to hear that there will be more coming. But of course, no review is complete and trustworthy without a negative word or two. There are a couple typos, but considering that there is just one developer who was able to bring this lovely world to life, we completely understand. If anything, it just adds to the feeling that something is off- and you will find it most certainly is. Do we recommend that you get this game? Absolutely. You will not be disappointed. Most importantly, once you discover how truly great this game is, please support the developer with a positive review and a donation! Its the least we can do to thank them for bringing this world to life. (If you encounter any trouble, the discord community will be glad to help out!).
This game is one of the best Ive ever played. The writing is sharp and amazingly descriptive, so theres no need for graphics or a perspective. Its all up to you and the limits of your imagination. The puzzles are genuinely difficult and the fables are so profound. Seriously, youve gotta try this game. We have absolutely no complaints.
Thank you for giving this beautiful game to the world.
We loved the game, and its very aesthetic and wonderfully creepy, and the storyline was gripping as well. The only problem we had was because Im a massive grammar nazi, and theres a lot of spelling errors in this game. Aggressive was spelled agressive, determine was spelled detremine and there were a couple of others. It kind of took some of the professionalism out of the game, but apart from that everything was great.
Wow, this was a beautiful story! The plot twists honestly had our jaw on the floor. It really made us think, too.
Hands down the best mobile game Ive ever played. Amazing story, great puzzles, and an insane twist. Most games that try to be like this have puzzles that just seem absurd and make you want to not play, but this game uses its puzzles perfectly. Since we finished it, Ive been looking for a game similar to this, but we still havent found one. Highly recommend, Ive played it at least twice through.
It is a beautifully and uniquely done game. It felt like we were part of the story we were reading, a little like a dream. To the developer: Thank you, it was lovely.
We absolutely love this game. The puzzles and riddles are pleasantly challenging- but not to the point where theyre frustrating or impossible. The story is wonderfully well written and the components afterwards make it even more intriguing. Im absolutely blown away. While its free to play, Im so impressed with it that we plan on leaving a tip as soon as we get our paycheck for the week. We dont normally give ratings or write reviews but this game deserves all the stars in the sky.
This is our first typed review, we usually just do the star rating, but we had to leave one because of how good the storyline was in this game. The guy who made this hasnt put anything else on the App Store which is our only complaint.
We found a few typos, but other than that this game is brilliant and stunning.
This is a fantastic thing. We cant wait to tip you one day.
The game is simple with a very intriguing story. We enjoyed playing. But it says it will reward you for making it through all of the puzzles without using any hints. We completed our first playthrough without using a single hint, but couldnt figure out what the reward was. Eventually, we tried looking it up online and realized that the option thats apparently supposed to unlock if you dont use any hints still was not unlocked for us? We even tried playing the puzzles over again to see if that unlocked it, but it still didnt work. We were really getting into the story and want to see whats beyond this locked option, but cant get it to unlock for us despite never having used a single hint. We also wonder if the story is imcomplete. It just feels as though it drops off at a cliff hanger, leaving so much left to be told. We hope for more of this story in the future and maybe a fix for it not unlocking what it supposed to.
Im in our 30s and enjoyed the psychology and interactive puzzles. Storyline was well thought out and was enjoyable. Some decisions were a bit linear and some could have been explained differently, but very well done. Bravo dev.
Then we began getting questions we couldnt think to answer, and had to google for the answers. At that point we deleted the game, because that defeats the purpose.
We are unable to get the upside down M thing to unlock. Ive gone through the game, getting it all right on the first try without hints, and it wont unlock. Ive done this before, because we did it in the past before you added all the new secrets. We had deleted before that and redownloaded it because of the update and Im sad we cant get it to unlock.
With most puzzles you would NEED a hint unless you cheat and look it up. Maybe have a couple play testers because we couldnt even finish the game because when we found out the puzzles the solution was STUPID.
After all the 5 star reviews, we figured this must be a pretty universally satisfying game. It wasnt. So we thought we should write a quick contrary review. We can see that some love was put into the puzzle creation, but its one of those games where you have to guess what the designer thinks the puzzle answer is, rather than what will necessarily be like a satisfying answer. (Im reversing the order of each word in the sentence, so does that mean the designer thinks we should also reverse the order of the entire sentence?) The story was a little depressing, and we didnt feel like pushing through it any further. If you actually read the story, youll probably spend more of your time reading than doing puzzles. In between the story and puzzles, there are psychological questions, and at the end of each chapter the game will pass judgment on you, which is also annoying. (Too optimistic, too ungrateful, a wanna-be martyr, etc.) If you miss a puzzle, the games judgment might be The subject has trouble with poblem-solving [sic] Yes, in the midst of being judgmental, the game also has typos which makes you question whether you can trust the thoughtfulness of its puzzles. We wouldnt mind a streamlined cruise through some of the games puzzles, which again look like some love was put into them. But you cant do the puzzles without the other elements, the proportions were wrong, and we did not enjoy the overall effect.
At first we were enjoying the game. Some of the puzzles are a bit pointless unless you use hints to explain wth to do. The story was ok though so we played it. Your exams are essentially asking you questions that dont really matter, solving the puzzles, and then getting your results. Was still enjoying it somewhat and continued playing. Then your final exam comes about; mind you you wont realize its your final one bc its very shortly into the game. Your biggest decision is then made for you by the game and badaboom story wraps up and its over. Instant delete.
Ive played it multiple times. The game is very emersive and awe inspiring. We got lost in the magic of it. We really want to thank the creator, especially for making it free during tough times, this was awesome, thank you! :).
This game is….. Incredible, to say the least. We cannot begin to explain what it made us feel. We truly felt like Able Black while we were playing. The questions made us ponder the meaning of life and the choices we make. If the developers make another game like this, ill be the first to play. Thanks u :).
Very immersive with just enough sound to illuminate the atmosphere. Dark and cryptic but wonderful.
We thoroughly enjoyed the story, and the choices that were available to the player. Our main problem with it is that its doesnt completely replicate the feeling of isolation and loneliness, or hopelessness that we thought it shouldve had. Though we still loved it.
Loved this game, 5 stars because it kept us on our toes and the game play was interesting to us. As someone who appreciates interactive story games we appreciated this a lot. We do wish there were different reasons available for choices made. Overall we really enjoyed it.
Super fun and interesting Many times where we didnt agree with the explanation for our answer but it was great nonetheless Skot (:.
Game has a good atmosphere and nice puzzles. We had to search for a walkthrough for a few but overall not that hard.its just a little short :).
We downloaded and finished the storyline in one day and we wish it was longer! We do not usually write reviews or rate games but for this we felt it was definitely needed! We are a puzzle lover and enjoy reading and this is an experience we highly recommend!!! Even if your not a huge reader you will become engrossed in this storyline……it is much more than just a story!!!! You MUST download this app. The creativity within is something you must experience for yourself !! …truly a masterpiece.
The developer is really a genius to have put this together by himself. This game was amazing and we would love to play more made by the creator. Throughout the whole game you never really knew how it was going to end. The puzzles were amazing. We love how you really had to think about how you were supposed to find the answer. Not just the storyline but the characters were so well developed. We were completely blown away. After each exam we were full of anticipation and looking forward to where the exam would take us next. We think anyone should give this game a try.
Short, but absolutely riveting. Spent an entire night just playing through this.
We loved every puzzle and every page of dialogue. We just wish there was more. Thank you.
We throughly enjoyed this game. It was so intriguing. Great story line. Love the puzzles. They actually make you think but arent so difficult you get frustrated. Very rewarding puzzles. The story line just adds to the grand scheme. This could be a movie!! 10/10.
User feedback from Apple App Store
App Details
- Version: 4.0.1
- Size: 341.11 MB
- iOS: 11.0 or later
- Languages: EN
- Content Advisory: Infrequent/Mild Horror/Fear Themes, Infrequent/Mild Mature/Suggestive Themes, Infrequent/Mild Cartoon or Fantasy Violence, Infrequent/Mild Realistic Violence
- Developer: Scott Leach
Last updated: 7th January 2021 | Genre: Puzzle, Roleplaying | Developer: Scott Leach