I have always been a big fan of Dontnod. In the relatively short time the studio has been in existence they have shown an incredible ability to tell deep and moving stories with a varied subject matter. Their first game, Remember Me, missed the mark a little despite having some really cool ideas. Since then they have gone on to create the highly acclaimed Life is Strange series along with blood-sucking off-shoot Vampyr. So can the French studio keep the momentum going or is Tell Me Why a bit of a misfire?
STORY
This is a tough one. As with Life is Strange, the narrative is by far the main draw of Tell Me Why. However, it’s very difficult to say much of anything without venturing into spoiler territory. So my plan here is just to give you a plot outline, followed by my spoiler free thoughts on how well it was executed. I would also advise anyone with an interest in this game to avoid spoilers at all costs, as it will definitely have a negative effect on your experience.
The story follows two twins, Tyler and Alyson Ronan, who are reuniting for the first time in ten years following the tragic death of their mother. They are returning to their childhood home in the fictional small town of Delos Crossing, which is located in Alaska, to pack up the house which has been lying dormant for a decade. Old memories come flooding back though, and trying to make sense of these repressed thoughts and get a better understanding about their mothers final few days is at the heart of this story.
As with all Dontnod games, the supporting cast plays a big role and are superb throughout. There aren’t 64 unique NPC’s to interact with like in 2018’s Vampyr, but those that are utilised each provide their own piece of the puzzle and have nuanced roles. Certain situations offer branching paths and decisions are rarely black and white.
This is a mature story that deals with depression, loss and repressed memories. It also has a transgender main character. Often video games are accused of not handling sensitive subject matter with a huge amount of thought and care, but Dontnod has gone over and above to make sure that they approached characters and plot points in as realistic a manner as they could and the result is one of my favourite stories in gaming this generation. Life is Strange and even Vampyr never shied-away from bold story choices and this is both the studios most hard-hitting and well-delivered narrative yet.
The story is broken up into three episodes. The first is being released today (August 27th, 2020), with the following two episodes releasing in one-week intervals. This design choice is so that you can take a small amount of time between each one to let the events sink in and discuss with friends and the community. I have always enjoyed episodic gaming for the cliffhanger endings at the end of each episode and this is no different. The one week gap feels like an optimal amount of time as well and will be welcomed by Dontnod fans after the excessive wait times between episodes of Life is Strange 2.
GAMEPLAY
If you have played Life is Strange before this will feel very familiar to you. Gone is the ability to reverse time, but there are a few new additions specific to Tell Me Why. It’s often said that twins have a certain bond that us regular folk just can’t understand. That theory is adapted here to allow both Tyler and Alyson to sense memories from their time in Delos Crossing as youths. Activating these clusters of static allows you to see silhouettes of your former self play out the memories before your very eyes.
Sometimes though, both twins won’t agree on how a given situation transpired and so after watching both play out you will be met with a choice about which you believe is canon. These have an impact on the story and allow it to branch in certain ways based on the scenario. There are a few light puzzles in the game, but most can be circumvented should you not wish to sit and figure it out.
GRAPHICS & PERFORMANCE
The graphics are instantly recognisable from the Life is Strange series. It’s simple, yet beautiful. The environments are very detailed and jammed with little items that call back to certain narrative beats. While realism isn’t the aim here, there are some nice animations, like the suspension reacting very realistically when a car mounts a kerb. I played on PC and had the option to switch between 30fps and 60fps, but I settled on 30 as I found it more stable. Load times were also fast, meaning you were never taken out of the moment for long between scenes.
VALUE
I didn’t keep a close eye on the time as I played through the game. However, I’d guess that the run time for each part is around two hours. Episodes can be re-played to make different choices and pick up any collectables you may have missed, but the replay value is limited. The majority of people picking up this game will be doing so via Game Pass though, and so the value proposition is outstanding. This game will be free to download as part of your subscription day one.
VERDICT
I am a big fan of both narrative adventure and episodic games. Over the course of this generation, Dontnod has provided us with some great stories that stick with me to this day. So when I say that this is their best work to date I don’t make that comment flippantly. There are themes tackled in this game that we don’t see enough of and they are done so in a mature and natural way. It really is great to see boundaries being torn down. Tell Me Why is a must-play title.
-Craig ✌️
A review code for this product was kindly provided by the publisher. Reviewed on PC.