Tell Me Why

I’ve no hesitation in saying that Tell Me Why is Dontnod Entertainment’s best game yet. Its narrative may be somewhat small in scope, but the subject matter it deals with packs a punch much greater than any tall tale of time manipulation ever could. Its characters are some of the most well-realised I’ve come across in a game yet, and their story is one that’s not going to leave me any time soon. Dontnod deals with difficult subject matter bravely and commendably, but that’s not why Tell Me Why is so special. It’s the combination of everything altogether – its characters, actors, visuals, story...

Tell Me Why isn't a major deviation from what we expect from episodic narrative experiences, but it's one of the few that feels like it has really gotten the storytelling format right for video games. At three episodes in length, the series feels concise and well-paced, and with its new chapters releasing weekly, players won't experience a protracted wait between new episodes that happened with Life is Strange. More importantly, Tell Me Why manages to craft an engaging story that's worth seeing through to the very end, especially in regard to its well-developed characters and core relationship...

The pacing makes this one a very slow burn, but Tell Me Why is a good entry into Dontnod's library of stories about families and sad magic.

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.

When all is said and done, though Tell Me Why doesn’t necessarily disturb the established Dontnod template too much, it executes it well enough that that doesn't ever seem like an issue. Excellent characters, strong writing, and a deeply personal plot help the player connect with the story. In the end, that most criticisms of the game can be boiled down to “I wish I had had more time to spend in its world and with its characters” should, ultimately, be all that really needs to be said about Tell Me Why.

It’s been days since I’ve finished Tell Me Why, from DONTNOD, but I’m still thinking about it. To answer your first question, no it’s not another Life is Strange game. But it could have been. It’s got a lot of the same aspects – a choice-based episodic story, duel protagonists, a small town setting, a search for the truth. But it feels different somehow, more mature. The story of Alyson and Tyler Ronan as they dig up the past to find out where their lives went to hell just grabbed me from the start and didn’t let go. I would give it full marks in every aspect, except for the disappointing way ...

There's no singular moment or element that stands out to make it an amazing experience, but looking back I'm quite happy that the game exists and that I got to play it. The story of Tyler and Alyson is worth experiencing and will live with you long after the credits roll.

The new game from the creators of Life is Strange brings a surprisingly sensible approach to difficult subjects, as well as some very powerful emotions and messages.

Tell Me Why puts Dontnod's usual bag of tricks to good use in an empathetic but somewhat toothless narrative.

Tell Me Why is one of those games you're best experiencing for yourself. The narrative's engaging and mysterious, its characters are well-written and likable, and the varied gameplay keeps things fresh to help you push through to the end.

Tell Me Why’s well-written dialogue, mundane yet charming exploration, and whimsical fairy tale angle makes digging into the town of Delos Crossing a good story with decent puzzles. It’s just that the low-stakes decisions and an underwhelming mystery plot left me searching for more depth and consequences in the search for the truth.

Dontnod's adventure fails to live up to its grounded premise.