Tell Me Why

Tell Me Why is more of a PR product that suffers from typical problems of Dontnod Entertainment' games, where's the key story bits is exaggerated and backed up by nothing interesting, while the game tries to resonate with players by cheap controversy. The first episode is powerful, but then game descends into a pit of monotony and despondency. And this is sad.

Mary-Ann reminds me a lot of Twin Peaks' Laura Palmer, a girl known primarily as a victim. It's only until the movie Fire Walk With Me that we know just how much was going on behind the eyes of that idyllic photograph we saw of her every episode. In Tell Me Why, our clearest, enduring image of Mary-Ann Ronan is the dead woman whose childrens' lives were destroyed after her death. Finding out everything beautiful, intelligent, and loving that was going on behind those eyes is the most powerful thing in Tell Me Why, and matched in how her life created two strong, empathetic children who knew her well and didn't even realize it. There's a lot of empty disengaging space to be filled in in this game, but with a little patience and sympathy, what it does provide you is worth the effort.

Dontnod announced to us with Tell Me Why a realistic production devoid of minimalist stereotypes. Promise kept. For almost eight hours, it tells a harsh story, strong in its words, its authentic characters, and its thoughtful dialogues. These are the main strengths of the game. But the player's involvement is too little in this title, which nevertheless outlined attractive possibilities, often under-exploited. His participation will be limited mainly to emotional choices, often giving the impression of being passive in the face of the action. We will remember a benevolent story, whose rhythm and lack of freedom sometimes push us to drop out.

Tell Me Why tackles a difficult subject quite well thanks to interesting central characters who interact maturely and drive the story forward. But limited use of telepathy, immaterial player choice, and a generally boring delivery tarnish this morose tale.

Despite the craft and heart, Tell Me Why feels like a game at odds with itself.

With Tell Me Why, Dontnod Entertainment has delivered pretty much the same experience for the third time. This comes with all the good things, and all the bad things that come to your mind in association with the Life is Strange series. [Issue#306]

The dialogues are wobbly, you won’t really like the main characters and the supporting ones are just plain boring. But this game will hook you in by its courageous topic and a string of fascinating memories.

The studio cannot seem to reconcile with itself, and in this sense, it's unwittingly proved the point its latest narrative fails to: with so many sides to consider, not all stories are so easily tied up. [Issue#351, p.106]