Twin Mirror Reviews
Twin Mirror begins with an intriguing set-up but, disappointingly, ends up going nowhere.
Twin Mirror is a disappointing title, with a mediocre story and uninspiring characters, and some gameplay features aside, there isn't much to talk about there either. It's not necessarily a bad game but it's far below the standards set by Dontnod in their previous titles such as Life is Strange and Vampyr.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Twin Mirror has an intriguing premise but ultimately fails to do anything remarkable with it. While it's DONTNOD's most impressive game technically, Twin Mirror is a by-the-book thriller that only just manages to scrape through to solve its core mystery that's unfortunately lacking thrills.
Twin Mirror is the inferior Dontnod offering of 2020, and probably one of their most disappointing games yet. It is mediocre in every sense, failing to live up to the potential of its concept and the reputation of its developer.
Twin Mirror is a beautiful-looking game but doesn't have the same narrative punch that made previous games from Dontnod so memorable.
It's a shame that Twin Mirror manages to create such a compelling and interesting opening but just doesn't manage to stick the landing. It definitely didn't take me on the same kind of emotional journey as some of DONTNOD's previous games, and unfortunately I found myself not really caring too much about Sam or the residents of Basswood.
Twin Mirror is a good example of a game that tried to be bigger than what it is intended to be, this game is neither a small creative experience nor an exceptional big game, it is just a mediocre game that did a lot of bad things, unfortunately, the good things in this game could be presented better such as the characters, the idea of the Mind Palace could be used more and be relied on more but it just didn't happen, in the end, this game is a mirror that tried to reflect something beautiful but it turned out to be ugly.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
For every absolutely fantastic game DONTOND Entertainment gives us, we receive another one which unfortunately is not as good. Although Twin Mirror is not utterly bad and it offers a couple if interesting ideas, it also feels rushed and unpolished. Especially in the narration department as the story fails to grasp the player’s attention, boring them with rather dull dialogues between underdeveloped characters.
Review in Polish | Read full review
While the opening act of Twin Mirror sets up a rather strong and intriguing front, it falls short quickly with its underwhelming protagonist, lack of emotion between some of the main characters, and an anti-climatic conclusion.
Whilst not a true tragedy, Twin Mirror didn’t live up to expectations in my book. The visual and auditory style of DONTNOD is fantastic, and the way it ties into the gameplay is nice. However, it doesn’t stack up to its peers both inside and outside the developer’s library. The magical realism is a bit confusing and lacking in context and the eleventh hour save doesn’t pull it above criticism. A mystery existed but there just wasn’t enough meat on that bone. I can see this game aging well for me, as I remember only the nice parts and filter out the bad stuff. But as it stands, as I write this review, there is just too much of a gap between me and unqualified praise to be able to give it a proper stamp of approval.
Twin Mirror is something of a mixed bag. Dontnod has introduced some great concepts and strong visuals, and there's certainly potential within its characters and mechanics. However, it's let down by its lack of depth, a problem exacerbated by its compacted run time and occasionally awkward dialogue. Fans of narrative adventures will still want to give this one a shot as reception to its story will certainly vary, but it's best avoided by those who already have reservations about this style of game.
Alas, it wasn't meant to be. Twin Mirror is the rare game where I love the world, premise, and characters, but can't actually professionally recommend it. The foundation was laid, but a good story needs more than just the building blocks. In hindsight, following Life is Strange's episodic model might've worked wonders here, as it would've bought Dontnod extra development time along the way. All throughout Twin Mirror, people complain that Higgs abandoned Basswood and won't spend any time there. As it turns out, we need to spend more time in Basswood too.
Twin Mirror is a teaser for an exciting adventure that it never delivers. There are some good ideas here, like the interesting Mind Palace world and a helpful imaginary twin, but they needed to be expanded. Ultimately it has a short and bland story, with minimal interaction, limited player choice, and a lack of memorable characters.
Twin Mirror is an interesting experiment, I like the idea of a shorter narrative driven adventure but found this largely forgettable.
Twin Mirror's mediocre character development and disjointed plot, accompanied with lush visuals and diverse characters, leads to an intriguing but ultimately lackluster experience.
A Dontnod game without signature episodes and supernatural powers, but with an intriguing murder-mystery and tensions between all involved as protagonist Sam returns to his hometown to visit the funeral of his best friend - and his partner, Sam's ex-girlfriend. Dontnod introduces some interesting new concepts like the mind palace, but they are not fleshed out enough to be memorable.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
DONTNOD Entertainment’s decision to depart from their usual episodic format and release Twin Mirror as a full experience without interruption is a welcome change. However, the short length means that characters and plot points are not fully developed therefore hindering the emotional connection the gamers tend to have with the company’s deep and usually complex personalities. Although not as strong as some of DONTNOD’s previous efforts, Twin Mirror is still a solid Interactive Drama which includes some interesting mechanics. The introduction of the Mind Palace is great but is unfortunately underutilized. However, even with pacing issues, the intriguing story and characters will keep you hooked.
Twin Mirror delivers what it promises: a great investigation story that shows the journey for change and the acceptance of the past. Fans of the genre will appreciate the story, but will be disappointed by an arrogant protagonist, forgettable characters and the undeveloped unique gameplay mechanic.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
It’s really a pity, as I believe if Twin Mirror had a lot more development time and a bigger budget to refine and flesh out its story, it would have been a great narrative murder mystery to rival Life is Strange. This isn’t to say I hated my time with the game. I still enjoyed the world, characters, and especially its overall central premise, which I found to be less grandiose and more grounded. Unfortunately, the short length, rushed plot, and presentation issues bring it down a bit.