Tell Me Why

Tell Me Why arrives to bring us a mature and sensitive story that is very well executed.

Tell Me Why keeps you invested and interested story-wise for the full nine hours, but is lacking in the gameplay department. It's clear that this genre in its current state is standing on its last legs.

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.

Tell me Why is clearly the heir of Life Is Strange, but it will only appeal to those who don't mind to hear the same story. Both games are extremely similar, and it feels like DontNod is getting low on inspiration. If you don't mind that deja vu feel, you'll enjoy a nice storyline and a very nice artistic touch.

A honorable attempt to breach multiple difficult and complex issues.

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.

Dontnod continues to lead the world in terms of character diversity and representation, and while Tell Me Why’s story can sometimes lack drama it’s still engagingly interactive.

Tell Me Why’s well-written dialogue, mundane yet charming exploration, and whimsical fairy tale angle makes digging into the town of Delos Crossing a good story with decent puzzles. It’s just that the low-stakes decisions and an underwhelming mystery plot left me searching for more depth and consequences in the search for the truth.

Tell Me Why respectfully deals with sensitive topics and tells a meaningful story about grief and trauma. The performance and dialogue can be janky at times, but that shouldn't deter you from this experience.

Tell Me Why has an engaging narrative that will keep you glued until the end. Although it's not as emotional an experience as the Life is Strange series, there's more than enough there for you to care about the character's outcomes and work towards a good ending. The memory mechanic provides for some tough decision making, and the light puzzles break up the heavy dialogue and exploration, which makes for a satisfying gameplay experience. It's just a shame that Tell Me Why is dragged down somewhat by poor facial animations and some shaky voice acting at times, but if you can get past that, there's an intense and enjoyable story here that's been crafted and handled well on several different fronts.

Tell Me Why is a thought-provoking narrative adventure that will stick long in the memory, and for the right reasons. It delivers an imaginative and emotional tale that isn't afraid to address mature topics along the way, and does a commendable job of making you care about its characters and remain invested in its conclusion. It won't suit everyone due to its slow pace and lack of action-packed gameplay, but it nevertheless tells a worthwhile story that deserves to be experienced, and we're grateful to have gone along for the ride.

Tell Me Why is one of those games you're best experiencing for yourself. The narrative's engaging and mysterious, its characters are well-written and likable, and the varied gameplay keeps things fresh to help you push through to the end.

Tell Me Why brings you an intense story of a traumatic childhood, but the boring gameplay elements as well as the superficial emotional connection of the protagonists rather are a disappointment.