Game:

Tell Me Why (2020)

Duration: 34:28

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Tell Me Why (Metacritic 75%)

is an episodic narrative adventure game developed by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios. Tell Me Why consists of three episodes released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox One. It follows Tyler and Alyson Ronan, a pair of twins with the supernatural ability to communicate with each other through telepathy, who reunite after ten years in their hometown in rural Alaska to investigate the truth behind the death of their mother, Mary-Ann Ronan. A recurring theme of the story is the fallacy of memory, as the narrative explores the twins' childhood trauma and how they may each remember pivotal moments differently.

Announced in November 14, 2019, Tell Me Why attracted media attention during its developmental cycle for being the first AAA video game to feature a transgender character as one of its main characters. The team consulted relevant experts such as GLAAD, a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded to monitor media coverage of LGBT people, to ensure that its portrayal of LGBT characters would be regarded as authentic and respectful. Dontnod also enlisted a trans man as the voice actor for Tyler Ronan, who had transitioned during his time away from his sister.

Tell Me Why received generally favorable reviews, with critics praising the complex characters, voice acting, narrative design and setting, as well as its competent handling of culturally sensitive subjects such as transgender topics. Common criticisms included inconsistent storytelling and lack of engaging gameplay.


Contents
1 Gameplay

Gameplay
Players control a pair of American twins, Tyler Ronan (voiced by August Aiden Black) and Alyson Ronan (voiced by Erica Lindbeck), as they revisit their childhood home following a traumatic event which resulted in the death of their mother Mary-Ann Ronan and a decade-long separation from each other.[1] Besides their old home, which is maintained by Mary-Ann's friend Sam, the twins will also revisit parts of their fictional hometown of Delos Crossing in the U.S. state of Alaska and interact with its local residents. The twins share a supernatural bond that allow them to telepathically communicate with each other, and experience visions of past events which often manifests in vivid detail. The central gameplay mechanic of Tell Me Why involves players guiding the twins as they experience recollections and visions of what had transpired in a series of scenarios spread across three episodes, and piece together the plot by watching them unfold, with each individual having different interpretations of what happened. The player will make decisions for the pair based on which version of the past events they want their avatar character to believe, which will impact the outcome of the game's narrative.[3] Players can sometimes alternate between the perspectives of both siblings, whether in their interactions with the residents of Delos Crossing, or when going through the storybooks they played with as children. A majority of the game's puzzles are derived from decoding the metaphors compiled in the storybooks, which delve into the fairy tale life Mary-Ann imagined for herself and her struggles to manage her own reality.

Tyler's identity as a trans man is occasionally discussed or referenced within the game's narrative. Tell Me Why explores the culture of the Tlingit people, an indigenous community in the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America, and features several Tlingit characters such as Delos police chief Eddy Brown and Michael, a friend and colleague of Alyson as well as Tyler's potential love interest. Aspects of Filipino-American culture and Filipino Catholicism are explored through Tessa Vecchi, a former friend of Mary-Ann and employer of Alyson. Tessa runs a local café and convenience store alongside her husband, Tom Vecchi, who is running as a candidate for Delos Crossing's mayor during the game's events.The player's decisions during their interactions with the aforementioned non-player characters will define the circumstances of these characters as well as their relationships with the twins. The twins' bond with each other may be tested, depending on whether their attitude and behavior validates the other twin's convictions or memories.