Tell Me Why
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Tell Me Why
Despite the craft and heart, Tell Me Why feels like a game at odds with itself.
Another excellent narrative adventure that combines topical issues and emotional drama.
Tell Me Why is a good story in a charming world but the choices and plot fail to enthrall.
Ultimately, Tell Me Why taught me how to not be defined by my past, and gave me the tools to thrive in the future. In a time where I needed hope perhaps more than ever, Dontnod delivered it. For that, their masterpiece has firmly cemented itself as my absolute favorite video game I've had the pleasure of playing.
Tell Me Why offers a much-needed reshaping of the choose your own adventure games, moving away from cliffhangers and dramatic, distinct choices towards a more gentle and meaningful experience. The game features bouts of magic realism, but is most magic in its human moments. All the major choices shape your character's experience more than their actions, and while the first, introductory chapter occasionally feels shallow, later chapters are overflowing with depth.
Tell Me Why shines brightest when it's focusing on the powerful bond between twins Tyler and Alyson, but the overall story and memory mechanics don't ever reach the same high bar
Tell Me Why puts Dontnod's usual bag of tricks to good use in an empathetic but somewhat toothless narrative.
While still supernatural, Tell Me Why provides more of a mature tale overall than Life is Strange. It's surprisingly dark, but uplifting at times as well. This game takes chances with the cast of characters in ways that are mostly a resounding success. It's exciting to see a LGBTQ lead character and a storyline that doesn't plunge headfirst into tropes. Here's hoping that this is a sign of where Dontnod will go in the future, because Tell Me Why is a step in the right direction.
