Tell Me Why Reviews
Tell Me Why is more down to earth than its Life is Strange predecessors, but that is in no way a flaw. Its charming characters, beautiful Alaskan setting and slow-burning storyline that rewards the attentive player make it a great slice-of-life adventure.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
It doesn’t rely on stereotypes or tropes to find easy answers, and it could be a source of comfort to those who can empathize with these problems. That’s why I liked the tale. It treats all of its characters with a kindness and empathy that unsheathes their complexities.
Tell Me Why takes a more personal direction than previous Dontnod titles. Unlike the Life is Strange series which involved the lives of dozens, something hundreds, of people Tell Me Why has twin siblings simply looking for answers about their past. With a story that provides limited narrative diversity, simple branching paths, and an overall lukewarm ending. Tell Me Why is a checklist of everything a basic story needs to reach mediocrity.
Tell Me Why's exploration of the complexities of memory, the difficulties of knowing our loved ones, and a world that can be better for our transgender loved ones make it a game worth experiencing.
It's a game about trauma and how it affects all of us in different ways. How we treat it. How we self medicate and how we can move past it with help.
An atmospherically dense adventure with a sensitively told story, which, however, suffers from the typical Dontnod weaknesses.
Review in German | Read full review
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.
Tell Me Why is best experienced as an interactive move – discovering the unusual story of the Ronan siblings from this angle yields an extremely compelling experience. DONTNOD’s new game is worth your time and money not only because it has something important to say, but also because it does so in an extremely satisfying, and gracious way.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Tell Me Why is more of a PR product that suffers from typical problems of Dontnod Entertainment' games, where's the key story bits is exaggerated and backed up by nothing interesting, while the game tries to resonate with players by cheap controversy. The first episode is powerful, but then game descends into a pit of monotony and despondency. And this is sad.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Woke, but not broke. A great implementation of the first playable trans character in gaming; but overall, a really good story!
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
You could say that Tell Me Why is about the journey and not the destination, and that journey is indeed a compelling one. And it’s complex; with violence, dysfunction and mental illness featuring prominently, it’s a dark tale in many ways. But it is also one full of hope as well – in the unlikely love that can bring two outsiders together, in the mental bond that literally connects two siblings, and in the liberating power of the truth.
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.
Tell Me Why puts Dontnod's usual bag of tricks to good use in an empathetic but somewhat toothless narrative.
Despite the craft and heart, Tell Me Why feels like a game at odds with itself.
Tell Me Why is a good game but some flaws in the plot make the story a little too confusing and uninvolving in the end.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Quotation forthcoming.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
It’s less dramatic than some of Dontnod’s other outings (and probably not for those with short attention spans given the pacing), but Tell Me Why remains a good entry in their the library of stories about families and sad magic – and it’s probably the most hopeful one yet.
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
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.