"Tell Me Why" Surprisingly Thoughtful and Short Little Game

 

    I have finally finished this game. I'm going to be honest it took me a while to finish and commit to the entire game. Even after finishing and enjoying it, it's a very slow burn, and frankly your choices don't feel like they matter that much in this game. It is very much what I'd describe as a visual novel in the sense that you're basically just there for witness a story. Even still, this game was, surprisingly good? I mean this game is given out for free all of the time, and all things considered, if you like games in this genre (which I clearly do), why not give it a try? So let's talk about it.

    I know the first thing that people are going to point out is the whole transgender aspect of this game, to which I say it's really not that big of a deal. While it certainly is a discussed aspect of the game, I feel like the stronger theme of this video game is just about trauma, and how it can affect different people. Like I'd argue Alyson definitely needs more work on herself than Tyler does. And well Mary-Ann is just a whole Pandora's box of trauma. Frankly that's all I have to say about it. Trans rights, and if it disgusts you then you probably will think this game is dumb and stupid anyways so why are you reading it?

    Now obviously, a big complaint about many games in this genre is that your choices don't matter. Really the only big choice that feels like it matters to me is the very final one. I'm not saying that confessing to Eddy or forgiving Eddy doesn't matter, but you don't feel it at all until the very end. And even then you only really feel it in photo's/before it's too late. I will say, the whole goblins/fairy tale thing was very creative, and I would have loved to see that aesthetic incorporated into a different game that just had more to say. Because for better or worse this game is very contained, and it stays very locked in on that one story.

    The only time this really hurts the video game in my eyes is that it feels very small. You basically rotate through three locations, the Ronan house, the police station, and the general store. And while there is the presence of indigenous tribes and people, you don't really get to see it, considering the characters are both white. It's a bit nitpicky because like I said, this game is very focused on it's one story, and you never feel like it sidetracks from that, but it certainly does play and feel like a short game, with not much replayability to boot. Other than that, I think Michael's voice actor is kind of weak, but I have no more complaints about this game.

    I liked the twins having this sort of twin sense superpower, I thought it was more useful than just making people go through flashbacks. I thought the selection of side characters was decent if not sparse. I mean they aren't perfect but you start to get a decent feel for characters like Sam, Tessa and Eddy as you try and uncover this mystery. I really did not see the reveal of Tom Vecchi coming, but to be honest I guess if you read the Book of Goblins and realized he didn't have any character to tie him to you'd realize it too. I mean I don't think there needs to be much said about this game, it's relatively short, and I think the story is compelling, play it man.

Final Score: 75/100

    I chose the ending where they choose to believe Tyler's versions of events. I mean it may have actually played out differently, but they were kids. That was how they perceived it, and that's all you can do about it. I understand that with the new knowledge it might feel like Tom Vecchi's verison is more realistic, but he's also a douchebag that left them to deal with it all instead of helping his own literal children. Regardless of what actually happened Alyson in my version already accepted that she was indeed the one that did stab Mary-Ann, that Mary-Ann was deeply troubled, and that their family was failed by multiple people around them who were supposed to be their community. I mean Mary-Ann was also severely ill, and the kids had no idea what was happening, they did not kill her, the drowning did, so no matter what happened I don't think Alyson was at fault. I'm not expert on trauma, but I think she definitely did need that space to heal too. Is that so bad to say?