Confrontation with the past – “Tell Me Why” review

Why did you do that?

In Tell Me Why, we follow the fate of siblings (Alyson and her transgender brother Tyler) returning to their hometown of Delos Crossing in Alaska after ten years to finally come to terms with their difficult past and solve the mystery surrounding their mother’s death.

Divided into three episodes, the story gradually reveals its secrets to us thanks to the unique twin bond between Aly and Tyler, allowing them to recreate emotional childhood memories (this is the main fantastic element of this production). Their overall perception of the past depends on how they recall specific events from their childhood.

The story taking place in Tell Me Why is very emotional, tragic, and at times even tearing the more sensitive heart. We learn its key elements gradually, so that the emotional charge is not too great at the same time. The game can, however, be accused of accumulating difficult topics “by the way”, not directly related to the main thread, which may scare some players off.

Typical DONTNOD Entertainment

Gameplay Tell Me Why is very similar to the studio’s previous games. Playing interchangeably as Alyson or Tyler, we explore picturesque locations, interact with the environment and talk with NPCs. We often use the supernatural bond of siblings to recreate memories or telepathically exchange opinions. Nothing will surprise us in the mechanics of the game.

Occasionally, we get a simple puzzle to solve, based on the beautifully illustrated Book of Goblins , which is a collection of stories inspired by the childhood of twins. Although the puzzles are very simple (a little observation and reading comprehension is enough), they can all be skipped, even if solving them is necessary to complete the adventure.

The production rewards us with achievements and additional information expanding the background of the story (or the stories of individual characters) for solving all puzzles and performing side activities. Importantly, these activities, although simple, require us to actually listen and read. In one of the most important conversations, depending on whether we really paid attention to the information we receive, we can either get a satisfactory answer, learn nothing or even make the interlocutor angry.

Unfortunately, the gameplay is painfully linear, and our movement is often limited by invisible walls. It may also irritate the fact that sometimes the interaction with a specific item triggers a cut-scene, preventing us from further exploring the surroundings without any warning.

It also pains me that despite specializing in a specific type of gameplay, DONTNOD Entertainment still serves us a whole lot of apparent choices. All decisions in Tell Me Why come down to whether the sibling bond will be strengthened or broken at the end of the adventure, and what their relationship with the side characters will be. Once upon a time I would love to play a game from this studio that offers really different game endings, depending on the player’s choices (which, as we already know, is feasible, looking at the sensational Detroit: Become Human by Quantic Dream).

Picturesque Alaska

DONTNOD Entertainment has already got us used to the distinctive art style that is also clearly visible in Tell Me Why . The picturesque landscapes of a small Alaskan town would be perfect for hanging on the wall in the form of a picture. Throughout the game, I couldn’t get enough of the views, taking screenshots every now and then.

Compared to the older games, there is a clear improvement in the character models, although unfortunately the facial animations are still a bit wooden. Fortunately, the graphic deficiencies in presenting the characters’ emotions are made up by sensational voice acting .

The overall sound design of the game is at a very high level: both detailed sound effects (such as different sounds of footsteps depending on the ground) and sensational music that builds tension.

Difficult homework done

The studio that created Tell Me Why took up the incredibly current, but at the same time difficult topic, which is the identity of a transgender person and their relationship with the environment. The creators presented the selected theme with great sensitivity, not omitting any important element, but also not hitting the player on the head with formulas from educational leaflets. DONTNOD makes people aware, but in a bold and attractive way for the audience.

Each time the game is turned on, we see a board telling us where to look for more information about transgenderism and where the studio itself drew its knowledge. Also, by entering the production website, we can easily find this information. The creators consulted, among others, with the GLAAD foundation, which works for LGBT people, and Tyler’s dialogues were significantly influenced by the transgender actor playing the character.

When setting the action of the game in a specific area of ​​Alaska, DONTNOD also did not forget to take into account the presence of the Tlingite tribe in that area. Although this ethnic minority is shown only in the background of the game, also on this issue the creators consulted with smarter than themselves. Thanks to this, the game can also educate players about the Indian tribe living in North America, while drawing graphic inspiration from their culture to create unique locations.

Good, but it could have been better

Tell Me Why is a unique production, being one of the first to allow you to control a transgender character. At the same time, it is a very good game, with a captivating story, likeable characters and a great visual and sound setting. The formula of the game begins to overeat, however, because the creators do not offer anything in it that we would not already know from their previous productions.

The story of Alyson and Tyler is worth knowing, although it can be emotionally overwhelming and somewhat mechanically boring. However, check for yourself whether this is a production suitable for you and whether the formula developed so far by DONTNOD Entertainment is still fun.