Tell Me Why Reviews

Tell Me Why is ranked in the 83rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Loved
Aug 31, 2020

DONTNOD giva us a more intimate, personal and familiar journey than the rest of its games, full of heart and emotion.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

Aug 27, 2020

"Tell My Why" is not a perfect game, but it is definitely very important because of what it shows and how it shows it. Great story, full of interesting and colorful characters, which it was a pity to part with.

Review in Polish | Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Oct 12, 2020
Tell Me Why (ACTUAL Game Review) [PC] video thumbnail
7 / 10.0
Sep 14, 2020

But let’s be honest. You aren’t going to decide to pick up and play Tell Me Why based off of how it performs, how it looks, or even how it sounds. You’re going to pick this up and play it because Dontnod Entertainment has shown that they know how to make an engaging choose-your-own-adventure style of game. As usual for anything published by Xbox Game Studios, the game is available through Xbox Game Pass, and for that reason alone, it’s worth a handful of hours of your time.

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7.6 / 10.0
Sep 25, 2020

Tell Me Why is an excellent narrative adventure that talks about childhood dramas and character diversity, but we would have preferred to play more and watch less.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Oct 11, 2020

Tell Me Why tells one of the most mature stories in gaming. It touches on the topics of domestic violence and transgenderism in an incredibly tactful way, creating a world where no character is morally black or white. Unlike in most of Dontnod’s games, there’s almost no fantastical elements to the game, making the story and gameplay surprisingly grounded in reality. Don’t expect much action here, Tell Me Why focuses on its character. The most action-packed moments were a plushie fight and a fishing minigame.

Review in Polish | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Oct 30, 2020

Everyone should play Tell Me Why for what it says about how we often neglect or don't recognize the love of those around us and how that can effect everyone, not just ourselves.

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8.5 / 10.0
Jan 24, 2021

Tell Me Why is a beautiful and interesting narrative game with charismatic and complex characters. Its artistic characteristics are well crafted and it discuss sensitive topics in a very respectful and natural way. Despite some specific technical problems, Tell Me Why is recommended to those who like investigative games with intense stories and immersive experiences.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

7 / 10
Feb 24, 2021

Tell Me Why struggles on the edge of irregular nuances: the game overflows with beautiful ideas, but on the other hand the potential of most of these ideas goes nowhere. Adventure opens you the door to another world, yet it can be one you won't like much at first. But as you dig deeper through the story, you realize that behind another social problem and „controversy" stands much larger narration with detective subtext in its core. Even though you want to compare Tell Me Why to Life is Strange, Tell Me Why is not Life is Strange: not with its story and not with its quality. And that's a shame, because Tell Me Why took some steps that brought the game so close to the line, which Life is Strange back then drew us. Only the small details left it a few steps before the finish line.

Review in Czech | Read full review

XGN.nl
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Aug 28, 2020

This first episode of the new Dontnod trilogy story is a bit of a slow starter but sets a beautiful scene of little-town Alaska where twins Tyler and Alyson grew up. The game brings everything we expect from a Dontnod game: exploration, tough decisions, and puzzles combined with the supernatural and more than one complex and difficult relationship.

Review in Dutch | Read full review

8.3 / 10.0
Aug 27, 2020

For the themes it deals with and above all for the way in which they are treated, Tell Me Why represents for Dontnod a test of maturity passed decisively successfully. Whether it is to represent a plot of family relationships, or a condition of marginality or a complex path like that of a transgender person, the game never takes shortcuts, carefully avoiding transforming their characters into two-dimensional figures defined only by their gender identity, their belonging to a rural community or their religious faith.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Oct 8, 2020

Tell Me Why features a compelling mystery that loses its depth the longer the story progresses but its strong characters and solid puzzles prove that Dontnod hasn’t missed a step.

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7.7 / 10.0
Aug 27, 2020

Tell Me Why tells an engaging story of twins unraveling a mystery and forming a bond after being separated for most of their childhood. It's a more mature narrative set in a cozy Alaskan backdrop that could draw the attention of gamers who are interested in story-driven experiences yet may have been put off by all of the teen drama featured in previous Dontnod titles.

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GameSpew
Top Critic
10 / 10.0
Aug 27, 2020

I’ve no hesitation in saying that Tell Me Why is Dontnod Entertainment’s best game yet.

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9 / 10.0
Aug 27, 2020

Tell Me Why is a conversational adventure that follows the vein of previous titles in the genre. But that, thanks to its history, its interesting playable elements, decisions and characters, it becomes a game of its own, without the need to enter into comparisons. And also in a pleasant surprise for Xbox Game Studios. We can't say much more. Just that you are encouraged to meet the Ronan twins because they will surely conquer you and we are waiting for many more titles like this to launch on Xbox Game Pass.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

69 / 100
Sep 3, 2020

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.

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VGN
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Aug 27, 2020

Tell Me Why diversifies from the usual narrative adventures, manages to strike deep thanks to a story based on hard and complicated themes.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8 / 10
Sep 5, 2020

Tell Me Why picks up the story just when the player feels it has nothing more to offer, and carries it until the very end. There are some weird gameplay mechanics going on, and the overall experience is not that solid, but there is no denying that Dontnod knows how to tell a story, and hopefully things will get even more exciting in upcoming season 2.

Review in Persian | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Aug 29, 2020

The first episode of Tell Me Why perfectly begins another groundbreaking story in the history of Dontnod. For lovers of genre, Life is Strange and serious themes, a must-have item!

Review in Polish | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Sep 9, 2020

Tell Me Why is a memorable experience that's done well. The adventure portions are a good reminder to adventure game fans that the classic experience of logical puzzle-solving is alive and well, but the narrative becomes the driving force for completing the title. From the natural reactions to the characters to the assurances that the subjects of culture and transgenderism aren't just there for show, everything is elevated to the level of some of the best television dramas. For those who want something that's still considered new in the gaming landscape, Tell Me Why is a title that's well worth checking out.

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