User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 292 Ratings

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  1. Sep 24, 2020
    8
    Tell Me Why is an interactive game about twins having a unique super ability to share their thoughts, feelings and memories. More importantly, it's an eye-opening narrative experience on how transgenders or even gays suffer from domestic abuse, human rejection or other issues they face in society. It brings us a new perspective of such a sensitive matter, and it's just one story of many toTell Me Why is an interactive game about twins having a unique super ability to share their thoughts, feelings and memories. More importantly, it's an eye-opening narrative experience on how transgenders or even gays suffer from domestic abuse, human rejection or other issues they face in society. It brings us a new perspective of such a sensitive matter, and it's just one story of many to be told about mental illness, even if the pacing and blank facial expressions of this particular journey will sometimes take you out of it. Expand
  2. Jan 2, 2021
    7
    Tell Me Why
    Twin Power
    Tell Me Why is a 7 and a halfhour 3 chapter long cinnmeatic adventure game where you play as two twins, Alyson and her trans twin brother tyler, the set up of the story is that tylers mom was going to kill him because she found out he wanted to be a boy, so he stabbed her in self defense, 10 years later youre released and reuniting with your twin sister. The main
    Tell Me Why
    Twin Power
    Tell Me Why is a 7 and a halfhour 3 chapter long cinnmeatic adventure game where you play as two twins, Alyson and her trans twin brother tyler, the set up of the story is that tylers mom was going to kill him because she found out he wanted to be a boy, so he stabbed her in self defense, 10 years later youre released and reuniting with your twin sister. The main focus is understanding why your mom would try and kill you, reliving your memories with Alyson using your twin powers, not much gameplay here really, walk around, find memories, occasionally do puzzles, the only thing that’s going to keep you pushing is this unique story and its mystery, something dontnod is great it, you cant wait to start the next chapter thanks to its mysterious endings, even if the rest of the game is a drag.. and sadly it is.. Tell My Why’s biggest issue is its pacing, it has so many great story telling and cinematic moments, but so after the story is needlessly drug out to try and hit that 8 hour long number, I don’t want to be sifting through folders in a police station for 20 minutes, I don’t want to be sitting on a fairy just waiting for this ride to be over, walking around the house and figuring out what I can interact with to throw a sticky note on it… Tell Me Why’s story could’ve been told if half the time… it really is tough to get through thanks to these lengthy snooze fest sections…
    But ultimately its story pulled me through…
    I didn’t care much for this world or its characters, but I was after the same answers as tyler was the whole time, and in that.. Tell Me Why succeeds
    I give Tell Me Why
    a 7/10
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  3. Oct 2, 2020
    10
    An amazing game, with a touching story and that portrays well the dilemmas of a person facing a new world after actually meeting. It serves as a milestone for the presence of transgender characters in the game scene.
  4. Nov 8, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Un juego muy en la linea de life is strage, pues es el mismo estudio. Lo único que talvez me hubiese gustado es el poder tener una visión del alma de la madre, pero de hay en mas muy disfrutable el titulo Expand
  5. Nov 18, 2020
    9
    The good:
    Narrative game of elections. Much Text. Nice graphics. Much to discover. Entertaining puzzles. Inclusion that doesn't feel forced. The decisions are not completely black / white. "Interpretive" endings. 1500 G "Easy" Achievements, 100% of the game can be completed in at least two passes). It's on Xbox Game Pass (you can try it out and finish it just by paying your membership).
    The good:
    Narrative game of elections. Much Text. Nice graphics. Much to discover. Entertaining puzzles. Inclusion that doesn't feel forced. The decisions are not completely black / white. "Interpretive" endings. 1500 G "Easy" Achievements, 100% of the game can be completed in at least two passes). It's on Xbox Game Pass (you can try it out and finish it just by paying your membership).

    The bad:
    If yours is "Much Text", it is not a game for you. Situations of the pain of others ... If the story does not hook you, surely you will leave it halfway.

    Meh !:
    This game despite its high sentimental load and inclusion does NOT feel forced, they did not make a fool of themselves with false campaigns of belonging to something or marketing campaigns of "you're going to cry and the feelings and emotions" (like The Last of Us 2 or Last Guardian)
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  6. Apr 2, 2021
    8
    Dontnod has developed a game full of sweetness and a story about different themes, with a great attention to the Transgender thematic.
  7. Sep 14, 2020
    6
    Tell Me Why is the next game from Dontnod Studios: the creators of the Life is Strange series, one of my favorite videogame series of all time. As with these games, Tell Me Why features a choice-based narrative with supernatural elements and taking a deeper look into the main characters' lives, personalities and minds. Something few games are doing nowadays. I was excited for this game,Tell Me Why is the next game from Dontnod Studios: the creators of the Life is Strange series, one of my favorite videogame series of all time. As with these games, Tell Me Why features a choice-based narrative with supernatural elements and taking a deeper look into the main characters' lives, personalities and minds. Something few games are doing nowadays. I was excited for this game, expecting a heart-wrenching yet beautiful story and being forced to make difficult choices. However, the final product left me very disappointed.

    I tried not to compare Tell Me Why to Life is Strange, but it was hard considering the studio's legacy and how high they set the bar with those games. This game is the story of Alyson and Tyler Ronan: two twins who after a tragic accident have to be separated at a young age. When they are reunited a decade later, they start to unravel secrets of their past that change the entire perspective of their lives.

    As with Life is Strange, there is a supernatural element to the game. The twins have the ability to remember things that happened years ago watching them play out in the present. This is something that looked cool in the trailers, but in the game it is extremely boring and doesn't really do much. They also have the ability to talk to each other through their minds, this is an something that you only get to use two times in the entire game. And it is completely useless. The dialog choices and story are extremely linear, there are absolutely no difficult decisions that you have to make.

    The technical aspects of the game were bad. The conversations and interactions felt insanely videogamey and unrealistic. It was a massive downgrade from. Basically Tell Me Why is like playing through a 9-long hour cutscene. I got so bored towards the end that I started making all the wrong and intense choices just to make the game more interesting. And still nothing much happened in the story.
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  8. Sep 15, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Well... The game isn't on the same level as Life Is Strange 1, but that doesn't mean it's bad. Not every game can be a 10/10. First of all, I loved the Book Of Goblins a lot. All the detail put into the art and the actual stories is awesome. I really cared for the story too, even though I always had a sneaking suspicion, that Mary-Ann wouldn't ever kill their kids. She seemed to be too caring of a mother to ever do that. But the ending still wrecked me. (R.I.P. Leo).I was afraid of Tyler being trans before release, especially after what The Last of Us 2 was. But this game didn't actually force the subject to be the main focus. He was just trans, because that's who he is. The story spent the exact amount of time on the subject it needed to. And Alyson was a well crafted character too. So they nailed that as well.
    The graphics and the world design is classic Dontnod, no complaints there either.
    Where this game stumbles though, is the execution. There was just too much of looking for stuff to advance the story. Besides, when choosing between the memories, it was clear the second or third time, that you have to always choose the one that belongs to the twin you're not playing as, if you want to get the "good ending", and didn't want to tear them apart. This made those moments a little tamer than they should've been. And the same is kinda true for the final decision on the dock. It just doesn't make sense to choose to stick to your original memory of Mary-Ann thretening to kill Tyler.
    Some people also found some dialog slow and unnecessary, but personally, I thought they were just like they should be in a Dontnod game.

    So it's still solid overall, kinda on the level of Before The Storm, or a tad lower. I would've given it an 8.5 if Metacritic would allow .5 scores in the user reviews. But it clearly doesn't deserve a 9, so I had to bring it down to 8.
    But anyway, I would still recommend everyone to try this game out. It's also on Game Pass, so there's nothing to lose there.
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  9. Dec 16, 2020
    9
    Très bon jeux de la société dontnod qui nous place dans une histoire autour de la transsexualités. Le scénario est intéressant et très bien mené.
  10. Feb 7, 2021
    9
    I have individually reviews on all 3 chapters varying in score because all of them have to be set and looked at separately and as a combined product. Combined they are a 9/10. If you would like to see what I think of each chapter their all in my bio. But in conclusion this game is an experience. The characters aren't forced. This is a new IP so nothing comes out of left field. It justI have individually reviews on all 3 chapters varying in score because all of them have to be set and looked at separately and as a combined product. Combined they are a 9/10. If you would like to see what I think of each chapter their all in my bio. But in conclusion this game is an experience. The characters aren't forced. This is a new IP so nothing comes out of left field. It just works well the way they did it and it the characters can grow on you if you do the story right. There is a chance if you perform the story poorly you might hate who the characters become. But the way I did it I loved how everything came together. Expand
  11. Sep 18, 2020
    9
    This is a surreal game. I like their approach of story telling. Maybe the game could have more choices & outcomes like Tell Tale games but I was so lost in the story. This game really deserves better ratings!
  12. Sep 22, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A Dontnod nos surpreendeu mais uma vez, os gráficos tiveram uma grande melhoria comparado ao Life is Strange 2, a narrativa continuou magnífica, mais uma vez eles conseguiram tocar em assuntos "polêmicos e delicados" de uma ótima forma. O jogo tem alguns pontos fracos na minha opinião, a jogabilidade é um pouco bugada, existem muitos textos desnecessários que são meio que obrigatórios para continuar com a história, por fim, a telepatia entre o Tyler e a Alyson é pouco explorada no jogo e não muda quase nada nos momentos importantes.

    Mesmo assim o jogo é incrível e altamente recomendado pra quem gosta de uma história emocionante.
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  13. Sep 25, 2020
    8
    My favorite part of this game is the story in chapter 3. It reveals who is the real mad hunter, which surprised me. It is not only a story about LGBT, but also about family and parenthood. It reminds me of the unloving mother in the movie "Ordinary People", which garnered 4 Oscars in 1980.
  14. Sep 27, 2020
    8
    el juego es bueno se podría decir un life is trange 3
    me dejo viseado y pensativo siempre un juego infaltable en tu catalogo de xbox
  15. Sep 29, 2020
    10
    This game is amazing! Seriously i love it! The story is great, i've fall in love with the twins, it has great representation. I like it so much i couldn't help coming here just to rate this positively. I obvously recommended.
  16. Oct 25, 2020
    8
    Dontnod me dejo marcado con el primer Life is strange y sin duda alguna siento como si Tell me why fuera un paso maduro para sus historias, aun así, no deja de sentirse tedioso en algunos momentos del juego, sentirás que quieres adelantar mucho, pero aun con ese defecto, si llegas al final te encontraras con una gran historia y muy interesante plot que quizá te guste mucho o se te haga lasDontnod me dejo marcado con el primer Life is strange y sin duda alguna siento como si Tell me why fuera un paso maduro para sus historias, aun así, no deja de sentirse tedioso en algunos momentos del juego, sentirás que quieres adelantar mucho, pero aun con ese defecto, si llegas al final te encontraras con una gran historia y muy interesante plot que quizá te guste mucho o se te haga las cosa mas x del mundo, aplaudo este tipo de acercamientos por parte de desarrolladoras como Dontnod. Tell me why es una gran historia, pero no deja de sentirse que le falta algo mas para que pueda superar a Life is strange, pero hey!! esta en gamepass!! Dale una oportunidad. Expand
  17. Mar 28, 2021
    6
    Interesting in matters of inclusion but quite boring and slow... It feels quite real (it could be perfectly a real world story) and it has some positive and interesting things, but in terms of mechanic or action, you need patience with this one. In the end, I liked the characters and how they were growing up while living again certain memories of the past with an adult mind/perspective.Interesting in matters of inclusion but quite boring and slow... It feels quite real (it could be perfectly a real world story) and it has some positive and interesting things, but in terms of mechanic or action, you need patience with this one. In the end, I liked the characters and how they were growing up while living again certain memories of the past with an adult mind/perspective. But... it could have been much better in my opinion if a little bit longer, maybe? When I was starting to feel connected to the characters, I was already getting at the end of the game. Expand
  18. Oct 12, 2020
    10
    Great Game. Enjoyed it all along. Would recommend it to everyone who likes story Driven games in the life is strange steele.
  19. Dec 25, 2020
    9
    I loved this game. the plot is amazing and the choices are interesting, +the whole story about the goblin's book is incredible
  20. Nov 25, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Muy buena historia y desarrollo de personajes espero no tarden tanto en sacar los capítulos que faltan Expand
  21. Feb 4, 2021
    9
    A touching game with a great story and voice acting!
    If you like games that are like LIS or Firewatch I think you would love this game!!
  22. Dec 30, 2020
    10
    Great Game, Cried a lot, loved the story, a fitting cousin to Life is Strange.
  23. Jan 4, 2021
    8
    An incredible and mysterious adventure of two siblings by dontnod. Life is Strange 2 was one of my fav games as well, so when I heard about Tell me why, I got hyped real quick. And when the game out, it didnt dissapoint me as I expected. The cartoonish graphics, story, soundtracks and atmosphere were real good. I'd recommend it to someone who likes Story driven games.
  24. Jan 5, 2021
    10
    I dont understand all the hate just because the story has a trans character? what is this?? how old are people on this website... why does every single game that has something "out of the norm" get labeled "woke" and flamed to death...

    it was an insanely well told story and it kept a hold of me. I love games that, when I play them - hours and hours go by without noticing - and when I
    I dont understand all the hate just because the story has a trans character? what is this?? how old are people on this website... why does every single game that has something "out of the norm" get labeled "woke" and flamed to death...

    it was an insanely well told story and it kept a hold of me. I love games that, when I play them - hours and hours go by without noticing - and when I don't play them, all I think about is when my next play session is. Very few games has done this to me - RDR2, TLOU 1 and 2, Detroit become human and Firewatch (wish it was 3x the length) and Tell me why. The premise, without getting into spoiler territory, is so intriguing. to me, the main char could be anything, Trans, Gay, Straight - whatever. Its the childhood trauma, piecing together where that trauma stems from, is everything as the main characters perceive nad remember?

    its a masterpiece in its own right and for the genre, it does absolutely amazing.
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  25. Jan 27, 2021
    10
    there are so many people giving this game a 0 SIMPLY because this game features a trans character. I believe this type of representation is SUPER important, but this story doesn’t just get representation.. the score, the graphics, the story, the gameplay, all great in my opinion.
  26. Dec 20, 2021
    10
    Awesome game it's amazing and interesting to me and incredibly cool and great graphics
  27. Jun 11, 2021
    10
    This games has some of the deepest and well defined characters in any games and u can relate with the person you playing as so well the story is amazing and anyone will have a great time playing this and the puzzles are also nice
  28. Jun 16, 2021
    8
    Me gusta demasiado la historia de Tell Me Why lo único que no me gusta es su gameplay lo deberían de mejorar para siguientes entregas con esas mejoras sería el mejor esclusivo de Xbox
  29. Jul 2, 2021
    10
    The story is just so beautiful but gameplay is ao slow but i enjoyed playing this game
  30. Sep 14, 2020
    7
    Tell Me Why is the latest narrative adventure game from DONTNOD Entertainment, the studio behind the beloved franchise, Life is Strange. In this intimate mystery, reunited twins Tyler and Alyson Ronan use their supernatural bond to unravel the mysteries of their loving but troubled childhood. Set in beautiful small-town Alaska, Tell Me Why features true-to-life characters, mature themesTell Me Why is the latest narrative adventure game from DONTNOD Entertainment, the studio behind the beloved franchise, Life is Strange. In this intimate mystery, reunited twins Tyler and Alyson Ronan use their supernatural bond to unravel the mysteries of their loving but troubled childhood. Set in beautiful small-town Alaska, Tell Me Why features true-to-life characters, mature themes and gripping choices. As you conjure up memories of the past, your choices will affect the twins’ relationship, determine the strength of their bond, and shape the course of their lives. Tell Me Why unfolds across three chapters, all of which released the summer of 2020 and allows 3 chapters of gameplay to enjoy. This is quite an unusual game ad it's either going to be a love or hate experience for players, just make sure to give it's fair shake when you finally tae the time to sit down with it on your Xbox One. Expand
  31. Aug 30, 2020
    5
    I really enjoyed Life is Strange and actually enjoyed LIS 2 as well, that said this game overall disappoints me. Chapter 1 was predictable and I didn't find any of the characters incredibly interesting. With it being as short as it is, I still found myself bored enough to take a break in the middle. I was really looking forward to this game as a fan of DONTNOD but now I am just glad I'mI really enjoyed Life is Strange and actually enjoyed LIS 2 as well, that said this game overall disappoints me. Chapter 1 was predictable and I didn't find any of the characters incredibly interesting. With it being as short as it is, I still found myself bored enough to take a break in the middle. I was really looking forward to this game as a fan of DONTNOD but now I am just glad I'm playing it on Game Pass and I didn't pay for my own copy. Expand
  32. Jan 21, 2021
    0
    So utterly devoid of anything remotely fun or interesting. This has to be one of the most awful video games ever made - 1 star
  33. Sep 10, 2020
    10
    Great game. Everyone is just review bombing because it’s an xbox game.If it we’re a playstation game the reviews would be higher. That are just upset xbox did something right.
  34. Sep 3, 2020
    0
    super boring. pretty lame game, wont hold your interest, no thinking or skill involved, decisions have no real affect on anything. you will be bored the whole time
  35. Sep 3, 2020
    0
    Lack of good story, only arrogant dialogue options, boring gameplay where you only have to search for things in an open area. Besides all of this, the game is featuring a lot of politics.
  36. Aug 31, 2020
    5
    This game has no story, pretty damming for a stroy driven game.
    you can't just put a trans male in a game and that's it, that's the sum total of your story.
    life is strange worked so well because the story was so great and the bi/gay characters were the icing on the cake. conversely this game has a trans character with a story that has no real substance.
  37. Sep 6, 2020
    1
    Wow. Life is strange 2 got a bit woke but was still a good story with some interesting characters. This felt like it's only purpose was to be woke. I'm all for representation but it feels like it's at the expense of the story here. The main character Tyler, is just a bit of a brat. The gameplay was dull and slow paced and it's constantly talking about how he's trans. It panders to a tinyWow. Life is strange 2 got a bit woke but was still a good story with some interesting characters. This felt like it's only purpose was to be woke. I'm all for representation but it feels like it's at the expense of the story here. The main character Tyler, is just a bit of a brat. The gameplay was dull and slow paced and it's constantly talking about how he's trans. It panders to a tiny minority and unfortunately, trans identity is just not a subject that resonates with most people. When will the entertainment industry learn that we go to them for entertainment and not lectures Expand
  38. Sep 6, 2020
    1
    Boring game that is constantly pandering to the current political climate. Stopped playing halfway through chapter 1 because the narrative felt so forced and repetitive. Glad it was accessed through PlayPass and didn't actually buy it.
  39. Sep 6, 2020
    2
    At first, I was optimistic about the game before the release, but now, after playing it I regret every second I spent on this game. The Game dialogues are weak, the narrative sucks, the game is longer than it should be in every act, it is boring, forcing you for specific choices, etc. The Walking dead telltale season 1 had great dialogues for an old game, why don't they learn from theirAt first, I was optimistic about the game before the release, but now, after playing it I regret every second I spent on this game. The Game dialogues are weak, the narrative sucks, the game is longer than it should be in every act, it is boring, forcing you for specific choices, etc. The Walking dead telltale season 1 had great dialogues for an old game, why don't they learn from their writings?. I am really disappointed.
    The ONLY thing I liked about the game is the mountains, snow, locations. Anything else is a DISAPPOINTMENT.
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  40. Aug 29, 2020
    0
    There is really nothing outstanding about this game from story to characters to pacing to the dialogue it really is just a bad game with no redeeming factors.

    This game is a story based game with a bad story. A game made for American audiences but it seems the English script can be off at times. The story has cliche story points where story points are just there to fill in time.
    There is really nothing outstanding about this game from story to characters to pacing to the dialogue it really is just a bad game with no redeeming factors.

    This game is a story based game with a bad story.

    A game made for American audiences but it seems the English script can be off at times.

    The story has cliche story points where story points are just there to fill in time.

    The story's pacing and writing is just a bore and it is excruciating to finish it really is.
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  41. Sep 10, 2020
    2
    Mundane actions to perform in game, Tran main character is not likable, is a very self involved individual.
  42. Feb 24, 2021
    3
    There are games that touch on social/political issues - then there is "Tell Me Why". Many times developers will attempt to weave a message into a game to provide some balance. NOT Tell Me Why. From the first dialogue and continuing through to the entire game, all you will hear about is Tyler's transgender transformation and insecurities. I'm all for representing every group and all,There are games that touch on social/political issues - then there is "Tell Me Why". Many times developers will attempt to weave a message into a game to provide some balance. NOT Tell Me Why. From the first dialogue and continuing through to the entire game, all you will hear about is Tyler's transgender transformation and insecurities. I'm all for representing every group and all, but this felt as the author made a conscious decision to bring up his transgender identification every 15 words, which made the game very uninteresting. Initially, I was hopeful but 30 minutes in, it just continued happening and it just made the whole game about that one thing. I wasn't enjoyable after that. Had they explored the twins trias as well, it would have balanced it out. I Expand
  43. Jan 14, 2021
    8
    This game hit me way harder than I was expecting. I don't really relate to what the characters are going through and it still nearly had me in tears like 5 time. Also, Tyler is definitely my favourite portrayal of a trans character in a video game so far.

    The game is weak on the gameplay side but the beautiful story makes up for it.
  44. Aug 22, 2021
    0
    Если после шедевральный первой части и приквела к ней вторая казалась местами слабовата, то эта часть просто позорище, зауши притянутые персонажи с такими же проблемами
  45. Sep 19, 2020
    10
    Another great DontNod game. Ignore all the "not a game cuz I ain't got no boom boom pew pew" fortnite fanboy reviews.

    Great concept, amazing world building, insane work of concept artists as always. Music is awesome, great story, and I loved the fresh supernatural twist as in previous games. Very cool children book inspired puzzles and little stories full of beautiful metaphors. An
    Another great DontNod game. Ignore all the "not a game cuz I ain't got no boom boom pew pew" fortnite fanboy reviews.

    Great concept, amazing world building, insane work of concept artists as always. Music is awesome, great story, and I loved the fresh supernatural twist as in previous games. Very cool children book inspired puzzles and little stories full of beautiful metaphors. An awesome search for truth in the blur of childhood memories, it's great, fresh, I loved the game and I LOVE DontNod. Keep making games like this, we need them.

    This game is relatable in many ways. A ton of people can't stand the trans element of this story. For god sake, just get past that. Yes it's a story about sexual identity, but it also has more depth than that, it's about dysfunctional families, it's about brothers and sisters, it's about moving away and going back home, it's about remembering your childhood, it's about overcoming your past, closure, forgiving, searching for truth, moving on. It's so sad people get caught up hating on a single dimension of a story when there is so much more. I loved it so much.

    DontNod, I beg you, DO NOT cater your next game to the negative reviewers. Keep doing you.

    If you like point and click adventure games, or like the previous life is strange games, this game is not going to disappoint you.
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  46. Sep 24, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Its a solid story, which is lacking some of the shining moments LiS had. I really enjoyed the Game and hat a lot of fun getting the coilectables, lurking for more informations in this world and just experience this very well made Story of the two siblings.

    Both characters were well chosen.

    It just felt a bit to rushed in the transition from Episode 2 to 3. I wanted a little bit more processing with the character of Alysson. We could have needed probably a longer Episode 3 or an Episode 4 to get a clean package here.

    But all in all they did a fantastic job with their narrative and highlighting some serious themes (depression, climate change, transgender). Besides the Depression which is main part of this game with also the Forgiveness and being done with memories, the other themes were very subtle and smart brought into the game.

    For me 8/10
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  47. Sep 13, 2020
    10
    One of the best stories of the year. Whoever adds 0 to any game here doesn't know what video games are, and clearly hasn't played this one
  48. Sep 3, 2020
    1
    Tell me why I should buy an Xbox? lol
    This game is boring af, man.
    Xbox has no games.
  49. Aug 30, 2020
    9
    Do not trust bad reviews (review bombing). Attention, this is a narrative-driven game or interactive storytelling.
    Will you find action? No. Will you find (a lot of) dialog? Yes.
    This game (and genre) is not sold as action or gameplay which requires skills (i mean, fast response time), if you expect something like that, this is not for you. So let's review the game by what it is. From
    Do not trust bad reviews (review bombing). Attention, this is a narrative-driven game or interactive storytelling.
    Will you find action? No. Will you find (a lot of) dialog? Yes.

    This game (and genre) is not sold as action or gameplay which requires skills (i mean, fast response time), if you expect something like that, this is not for you. So let's review the game by what it is.
    From the same studio as Life Is Strange, we see they learned a lot from the previous game. First, the narrative pace is a lot better: the surprises and twists do not as long to occur as they did in LIS. Most cutscenes add up to the story meaningful details. You can choose how deep you will go in the scenario / environment or if you would prefer a more fast narrative (doing only the necessary to progress in game).

    Just from the beggining (frst scene), we see the story will revolve around the two brothers overcoming their mom's death trauma by trying to revive these memories. From the first episode (the only release yet), it's soon to judge character development and script, but so far they have been very well done.
    Character's personalities are very defined and clear in their actions. Their motivations are also not hollow, there are not "villains versus heroes", but people with different perspectives and believes
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  50. Aug 29, 2020
    10
    Game with good story, good interaction and good narrative..................
  51. Sep 2, 2020
    1
    The Spanish translation is disastrous, horrible. I am sick of the mistreatment by Microsoft towards its Spanish users.
  52. Aug 29, 2020
    10
    Perfect game to keep me busy. Excited for the new episodes. Very happy this came to Gamepass.
  53. Aug 29, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Dondnot sabe fazer jogos com histórias Magníficas,e Tell me Why não seria diferente.
    Simplesmente joguem e não deixem esses FANBOYS estragarem suas experiências !!
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  54. Aug 29, 2020
    4
    Life is Strange was AMAZING! This however is not as good. Zero connection or caring about the characters. I don't dislike or like them they are just meh. The game was designed for a specific group of players (which I am not one of) so that's probably why I feel a complete disconnect. So the first chapter was enough for me to know I'm all set with it.
  55. Aug 28, 2020
    10
    Fantástico, melhor que life is strange 2 por exemplo, os gráficos melhoraram muito e ainda por cima a história é tão boa e nem um pouco forçada, estão de parabéns o novo Xbox games Studios está ótimo até agora
  56. Aug 29, 2020
    10
    Jogo maravilhoso. Os irmãos são muito carismático, a história é linda e sensível... te prendendo do começo ao fim, e os gráficos melhoraram desde o último jogo da empresa. Vale muito a pena jogar, não vão se arrepender.
  57. Dec 10, 2020
    0
    Tell me why does this sh*t exist? Another sh*ty game with agenda. Tlou2 at least had amazing story, visual, sound and gameplay. This trash has nothing at all. Never play this garbage
  58. Aug 28, 2020
    10
    Un excelente videojuego Narrativo que nos llega a sumergirnos en la historia de los personajes, espero que los prox capítulos sean tan buenos como el primero.
  59. Aug 29, 2020
    1
    Just like "Tell Tales Studios" before them that went out of business out of nowhere "Dont Nod Studios" is following the same pattern. Getting lucky on their first game with a charming little story with quirky relatable characters, people overlooked the flaws as they were a small team. But as time has gone they refuse to innovate, evolve or improve quality. Sticking to the same budgetJust like "Tell Tales Studios" before them that went out of business out of nowhere "Dont Nod Studios" is following the same pattern. Getting lucky on their first game with a charming little story with quirky relatable characters, people overlooked the flaws as they were a small team. But as time has gone they refuse to innovate, evolve or improve quality. Sticking to the same budget releases even though they are now making good money. They cant recreate the same lovable indie vibe as the first games, writing has gone down the toilet and Graphics and animations still look like high res XB360 games. Worst of all its still to same dull style of game play where you just wonder why they didnt just make a small badly animated cartoon it so basic and boring.
    From the very first line in the game the Cringe and off putting, it try to be shocking but with the awkward voice acting, banal diagonal and jerky animations it just painful.
    These story based games where the only interaction is slowly walking around looking at mundane objects while a character blabs out exposition are a chore at the best of times, but when the whole game feels budget and rushed it just all the worse. The story is no where near as compelling as whoever wrote it seems to think it was the character are not likable or dislikable, they are just there, the whole thing is just boring.
    Feels like the whole game was made for one specific type of person to give specifically high scores and if they did dont, they would run the risk of being called un desirable things on twitter and throughout the industry. Its trying very hard to be a thing of its times but just fails as an out of touch.
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  60. Aug 29, 2020
    10
    Great story... Good graphics... Love this episode games from dontnod.
    Can't wait for episode 2 and 3.
  61. Aug 31, 2020
    0
    Очень слабый проект. Я не понимаю, как можно было создать такое? Трансгендеры, вы довольны?
  62. Sep 7, 2020
    9
    FYI, like other people have mentioned, do not trust the negative reviews on this. They predominantly comes from whiny people who have not actually played the game and simply want to hate it because it features a transgender protagonist. If you want a better ratio, including the number of hours players have played in this game, I recommend checking out the Steam reviews instead. At leastFYI, like other people have mentioned, do not trust the negative reviews on this. They predominantly comes from whiny people who have not actually played the game and simply want to hate it because it features a transgender protagonist. If you want a better ratio, including the number of hours players have played in this game, I recommend checking out the Steam reviews instead. At least you can tell who has actually played the game.

    Now as for the game itself, I never actually played this genre of game before, prior to this game. I always adored story-based games, though I came into it having previously played mostly RPGs, JRPGs, exploration games, etc. Hearing that there was a transgender man featured as a protagonist, and having it be first transgender male protagonist in major video game history, I wanted to try it out, being a transgender man myself. This said, I was not necessarily expecting to be all that engaged in the game, as it is not from a genre that I normally have much interest in, but this game really surprised me at how excellent it really is.

    Obviously, this genre is not a fast-paced action game but is instead a story-based game where the player unravels the world and builds a deeper connection to the characters and the story. The story and characters in this game have been excellent, and the game is emotionally quite moving. It really provides the full range of emotions, from bitter anger, to guilty regret, to confused grief, and to everyday silliness. The characters in this story are multifaceted, and their backgrounds and stories are incorporated into their personalities and development. There is quite a lot of artistic morality and nuance within the game, and I really love how characters who were otherwise horrible people have the opportunity to change and explore a better side of themselves.

    The only real complaints that I have are relatively small. Some of the animations can be a bit clunky, some of the dialogue at the beginning of the game is fairly awkward, and your twin will occasionally decide to body block you into rooms (which is also pretty funny, to be honest). Other than that, there were no real downsides to the game. If you like slower-paced story games, especially from this particular genre, then you will probably love this game.
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  63. Dec 27, 2020
    0
    Woke boring crap, replies in conversations only give you agenda driven answers. Tyler is one arrogant unlikeable character. stopped playing it .
  64. Aug 30, 2020
    0
    Fraco! História fraca, personagens toscos. Apenas perdi tempo jogando isso, espero que melhore nos próximos episódios.
  65. Aug 29, 2020
    4
    So it seems that DONTNOD really are a one hit wonder. The original Life Is Strange was such an amazing game, great characters, compelling story and a fantastic soundtrack. Sadly nothing the studio has put out since has been much good at all. I was really hoping Tell Me Why would be a return to the LIS quality of game, Unfortunately this first episode is a massive let down. Gameplay wiseSo it seems that DONTNOD really are a one hit wonder. The original Life Is Strange was such an amazing game, great characters, compelling story and a fantastic soundtrack. Sadly nothing the studio has put out since has been much good at all. I was really hoping Tell Me Why would be a return to the LIS quality of game, Unfortunately this first episode is a massive let down. Gameplay wise it's pretty much the same formula they've been using since day one, with a couple of tweaks here and there, but nothing that really improves the gaming experience. The writing is fairly mediocre and the characters are just a bit flat and not particularly likeable. You just don't get that immediate connection with them as people that you had with Max and Chloe from LIS. Maybe this will pick up in the next 2 episodes, but LIS 2 started pretty drab in the same way, and that never got off the ground. So i'm not holding out much hope for this either. Tell Me Why (so far) is not a bad game, it's just a rather mediocre forgettable game that doesn't break from DONTNODs same old formula. Expand
  66. Aug 29, 2020
    4
    Sorry, but this game isnt good.
    Empty and purposeful characters,within real souls.
    If you want to say something important, maybe write the article in the newspaper, but dont make the game. Its boring and somehow unfair to players.
  67. Aug 29, 2020
    10
    Jogo muito bom, com estória muito cativante que apresenta personagens com relações diferentes, gostei muito do game. Parabéns pela sua criação.
  68. Aug 28, 2020
    10
    this is the best game iv ever played - there really are only stories you can tell through an interactive medium and Tell me Why is the best story iv ever witnessed even only one episode in.
  69. Aug 30, 2020
    10
    No spoilers. THIS GAME IS MAKING XBOX AND MICROSOFT THE NEW GEN CHAMPIONS. The fluidity and open mindedness of the developers and Microsoft Game Studios really shines throughout the story of this game. I have enjoyed and completed each section of Chapter 1 and CANNOT wait to get my hands on the rest. Thank you Microsoft and DONTNOD for giving me such an exhilarating and thought provoking campaign.
  70. Aug 28, 2020
    10
    Jogão muito bom do começo ao fim, história cativante espero que lance logo o próximo capitulo
  71. Aug 31, 2020
    0
    Esto no es un juego, es solo una plataforma progre y política que da verguenza y no tiene nada que ver con los videojuegos

    Primero Sony con TLOU 2 y ahora Microsoft con esta panfleto progre

    Intentando justificar un asesinato de un trans... si fuese un hombre blanco y hetero ni habrían echo el juego, a la cárcel directamente

    VERGUENZA
  72. Aug 31, 2020
    0
    Horrível triste e sem graça ,dispensável é lento na narrativa poderiam ter feito mais e melhor
  73. Sep 4, 2020
    10
    Such a good game so far. I can’t wait to play ep2. I have a theory on what happened, so I can’t wait to find out.
  74. Sep 7, 2020
    10
    Great game i am just at the beginning but i love the atmosphere and the mechanics.
  75. Sep 12, 2020
    10
    Great game that has a GREAT trans representation. We need more games like this.
  76. Tmz
    Aug 28, 2020
    9
    Esse jogo é incrivel, personagens bem escritos, narrativa bem conduzida e profunda aliados a uma direção de arte fenomenal. Em campos de decisões o jogo pode decepcionar mas em geral é uma experiência narrativa emocionante
  77. UMK
    Aug 29, 2020
    10
    Very Good..................................
    Best story.................................
  78. Aug 30, 2020
    0
    Don't know, le développeur français de chez nous qui ne sait pas faire de jeux, surtout quand ils sont "vidéo" revient avec une daube épisodique dont il a le secret ! c'est une sorte de psychodrame familial à la petite semaine bien niais et ennuyeux, un mélange de telenovela, de "Plus belle la vie" et des "Feux de l'amour" !

    Mais avec une grosse couche de #vivre_ensemble et de
    Don't know, le développeur français de chez nous qui ne sait pas faire de jeux, surtout quand ils sont "vidéo" revient avec une daube épisodique dont il a le secret ! c'est une sorte de psychodrame familial à la petite semaine bien niais et ennuyeux, un mélange de telenovela, de "Plus belle la vie" et des "Feux de l'amour" !

    Mais avec une grosse couche de #vivre_ensemble et de trans-quelque chose (aussi) ! c'est en vérité l'équivalent d'un film français intello-bobo standard qui se regarde le nombril en version adulescente avec dialogues lénifiants, choix ridicules et une lenteur à dormir debout... Le "jeu" en tant que tel est à peine et vaguement interactif et les voix sont toujours en anglais... remarquez, ce serait gâché et du temps perdu que de doubler une chienlit pareille en français.

    Graphiquement, ce n'est pas si laid et presque joli mais toujours très lisse, ce qui le met quoi qu'il en soit dans le haut du panier des étrons indés, soit quasiment un étron indé de luxe ! quasiment... ce plumage est en tout cas à l'image du ramage lisse et mièvre, tel un "ça te barbera"... On ne sait pas pourquoi on regarde ça ni pourquoi on "joue" à ça...

    C'est à dormir debout de bêtise et de ridicule pathétique... non, on n'y "joue" déjà plus, on l'a désinstallé rapidos mais une question demeure néanmoins : pourquoi faire un tel jeu de merde ? tell me why...
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  79. Aug 28, 2020
    10
    Mais uma MASTERPIECE da MS, muito melhor que tlou2, pode chorar poneyzada da Sad games
  80. Aug 29, 2020
    1
    eu odiei esse jogo, história fraca e forçada, representatividade forçada, plot forçado dms, e mt ruim, dou nota 1 pela direção de arte, mas o resto é uma bela duma bosta
  81. Aug 31, 2020
    9
    Amazing game, c'mon. Just play it and enjoy this beautiful history about the best sisters that I ever see.
  82. Aug 28, 2020
    10
    História muito boa. Te prende na frente do vídeo game. Personagens carismáticos.
  83. Aug 28, 2020
    10
    Superbe histoire tres bon film interactif juste dommage qu'il n'y est pas de VF
  84. Sep 18, 2020
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game's story could of been good, one of the biggest problems is Tyler he is probably one of the most insufferable main characters ever. He is just to woke for my taste. I could forgive this if the story had a satisfying ending but you don't get one to be honest you get to decide how you remember things which is kind of cool but the problem with this is you have no idea if your thoughts line up with what actually happened. Also the biggest disappointment is how paper thin things are by the end we have no idea why Mary-Ann did what she did. which is the whole point in discovering what really happened that night. was it malice, was it depression, was she going insane. Expand
  85. Jan 15, 2021
    0
    Incredible in it's boringness. Gets high scores just for including minorities. Please make the stories better or whenever someone see's a game with minorities they'll think it's trash.
  86. Oct 7, 2020
    0
    Pure trash and definetly the worst DotNot game ever made Boring gameplay, boring story and too much wokeness
  87. Jan 9, 2021
    0
    Worst snoozefest ever! Just imagine being stuck with a bratty, judgemental SJW who turns everything into drawn-out, unskippable virtue signaling lectures.
  88. Aug 29, 2020
    2
    El gameplay del juego es nefasto.
    Nada que ver a juegos como Gears of war, the last of us parte 2 y Death stranding. Es una serie interactiva realizada para rellenar el pass
  89. Aug 29, 2020
    0
    Horrible representation of the trans community i can't believe they allowed this
  90. Aug 30, 2020
    10
    Muy buen juego excelente historia y además muy recomendado, al verdad, siempre crean grandes historias.
  91. Sep 11, 2020
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After playing all 3 chapters, can safely say that this is no LIS or LIS2. It feels like DONTNOD was trying to be edgy with a trans lead, however, the story was not completely engaging. Chapter 1 was okay and held enough interest but chapters 2 and 3 the story felt rushed. I had Tom guessed as their father at the end of Chapter 1 and was correct as the story was too generic. Their gift felt like it was an afterthought of DONTNOD as the story would have progressed more fluidly without it. The very end where Tyler is talking to a character’s voicemail that had never been mentioned before in the entire game was definitely out of place. Had I been 12 and killed my mother by accident, I highly doubt I would be able to function in the same capacity as they wrote Alyson which absolutely destroyed a good chunk of liking this story. I applaud DONTNOD for groundbreaking a Trans lead character, which is fantastic and so long deserved. However, it needs to accompany a more deserving story and thought out plot. Unfortunately, this game did not live up to the hype. This game is no where near the quality of their previous work and that’s a shame. Expand
  92. Aug 29, 2020
    10
    Just like "Tell Tales Studios" before them that went out of business out of nowhere "Dont Nod Studios" is following the same pattern. Getting lucky on their first game with a charming little story with quirky relatable characters, people overlooked the flaws as they were a small team. But as time has gone they refuse to innovate, evolve or improve quality. Sticking to the same budget… Expand
  93. Aug 31, 2020
    9
    I thought the story was interestingly done, contrasting how it was laid out in Life is Strange. Instead of gradually learning new information on a completely new situation with either minimal/no prior information about it, you learn more details about a prior event the main characters are familiar with. Although some people argue this makes the story seem bland, I think it keeps the playerI thought the story was interestingly done, contrasting how it was laid out in Life is Strange. Instead of gradually learning new information on a completely new situation with either minimal/no prior information about it, you learn more details about a prior event the main characters are familiar with. Although some people argue this makes the story seem bland, I think it keeps the player on their toes - they can never fully come to a conclusion as every little event seems to throw a new detail into the mix that completely shakes up what you had in mind. I have only played Chapter One, however, so I’m not sure how this affects the later chapters. The graphics are definitely a step up from those of Life is Strange, though animation still seems janky in some places. The facial animation more so, as it is very noticeable if a character doesn’t seem to express emotion visually to the level expected of what they are feeling/saying. Overall so far I think it’s a good game, but minor visual things hold it back. Expand
  94. Sep 3, 2020
    10
    Great game, honestly lots of fun, more like a playable movie. Interesting story
  95. Aug 29, 2020
    10
    A wonderful character-driven story. The slow pacing works in its favour and the character writing is a step up from the Life is Strange series, in part due to its focus on adult characters and a less dramatic plot. The landscapes and aesthetic are cozy and beautiful, and each environment feels detailed and lived-in. The mechanic of choosing between two people's recollection of the sameA wonderful character-driven story. The slow pacing works in its favour and the character writing is a step up from the Life is Strange series, in part due to its focus on adult characters and a less dramatic plot. The landscapes and aesthetic are cozy and beautiful, and each environment feels detailed and lived-in. The mechanic of choosing between two people's recollection of the same childhood event is intriguing, even if the other "twin telepathy" power feels a bit too cliche. All in all, I enjoyed this a lot. Expand
  96. Sep 12, 2020
    0
    Pior jogo que já joguei, desenvolvimento extremamente lento, as escolhas não fazem a menor diferença, nem mesmo no final é mais parecido com uma novela em que você escolhe a próxima cena do que um jogo em si, não há jogabilidade é decepcionante
  97. Dec 17, 2020
    3
    Compared to previous Dontnod games (ok, really just Life is Strange 1 and 2, I haven't played the others), the story is extremely weak. There were important things at stake in other games. Saving a town, saving lives, etc. Tell Me Why has no such stakes. A brother and sister are on a mission to... fill in the blanks of their childhood memories. A quest for education. Nobody is in danger.Compared to previous Dontnod games (ok, really just Life is Strange 1 and 2, I haven't played the others), the story is extremely weak. There were important things at stake in other games. Saving a town, saving lives, etc. Tell Me Why has no such stakes. A brother and sister are on a mission to... fill in the blanks of their childhood memories. A quest for education. Nobody is in danger. If they fail, nothing would be lost, they would just go on living life like they always have.

    Also it's locked to 30fps even on series X.
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  98. May 6, 2021
    2
    this game is a boring mess you have no motive to keep playing, I love interactive movie like games such as quantic dream games and life is strange and even some telltale games, but tell me why is so slow and boring and it's story as a whole isn't good for a video game the only good thing about it is the visuals
  99. Feb 1, 2022
    2
    Bad setting, bad strory, very borring. Oppressed minorities. Waste of time.
  100. Jul 25, 2021
    5
    I was hopeful playing a game by the creators of the esteemed Life is Strange would capture some of the charm or passion of the work so often praised… unfortunately, I now have a better understanding of why no one has talked about Tell Me Why since it’s release. This is one of the most exceedingly average games I’ve ever played, created with a clear lack of love or care for their world,I was hopeful playing a game by the creators of the esteemed Life is Strange would capture some of the charm or passion of the work so often praised… unfortunately, I now have a better understanding of why no one has talked about Tell Me Why since it’s release. This is one of the most exceedingly average games I’ve ever played, created with a clear lack of love or care for their world, characters, story, and so utterly devoid of anything that could be called “fun.” This story was promoted as a sort of supernatural mystery game, with two twins using psychic powers to interrogate people and learn the truth of their past. Instead the final product is a depressing adventure in a tiny town filled with the most bland and uninteresting cast, with the only mystery to be found being how awful they all are. Every time you think the plot may go somewhere, it completely and inappropriately halts for nonsense scenes and dialogue that means nothing to the story. This gets so bad at a point where you go from needing to interrogate a store owner, to instead having a plushie battle with one of her employees. Another time a character goes from talking about how emotional they are learning details of their deceased mother, to talking about plastic surgery they want to have after selling their house. That’s this whole game in a nutshell - Every time you think something cool or mysterious will happen in the plot, inappropriate filler actions/conversations force themselves in. It’s a mess.

    What’s truly tragic here is this game was a very good chance to introduce inclusion as a normality for those playing it, maybe even giving them a chance to learn more about people in the demographic and understanding them better. Instead they decided to focus so much on a message they were attempting to portray it not only killed any chance this game had for a good story or characters, it killed any chance it had to be a good game. Completely predictable plot that lead absolutely nowhere, characters who spent the game whining instead of developing, some of the easiest puzzles ever solved, and completely devoid of any charm. It’s been a long time since I’ve played a game with so much wasted potential, and while I can’t say I hate it, I certainly can’t say I liked any of it either. A laugh here, or a cute moment there, sure. A good game, story, lovable cast, or memorable experience? No where to be found.
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Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 45
  2. Negative: 0 out of 45
  1. Oct 31, 2020
    80
    When all is said and done, though Tell Me Why doesn’t necessarily disturb the established Dontnod template too much, it executes it well enough that that doesn't ever seem like an issue. Excellent characters, strong writing, and a deeply personal plot help the player connect with the story. In the end, that most criticisms of the game can be boiled down to “I wish I had had more time to spend in its world and with its characters” should, ultimately, be all that really needs to be said about Tell Me Why.
  2. Sep 17, 2020
    75
    Tell Me Why tells a compelling story with some of the most memorable characters in videogames of recent years, but the narrative sometimes feels rushed and some of its best moments feel a little bit too short.
  3. Sep 15, 2020
    90
    Tell Me Why on Xbox One is DONTNOD's strongest game to date. It is quiet, introspect, mature and superbly written and performed, with visuals that are easy on the eyes - the novel release approach also helps things. There are still some factors holding it back from perfection, but I sincerely hope this is the start of a great partnership between Xbox and DONTNOD, as I feel this game is a perfect example of the type of content Game Pass is perfect for delivering.