![]() There are worse titles out there, and even worse Dontnod games (I'm still not over Vampyr, thanks,) but that's not exactly a glowing recommendation. However, those bits and bobs just aren't enough to save the whole package, which plays out like the sort of low-rent mid-2000's thriller you'd rent at Hollywood Video when the movie you wanted was sold out. There are parts here that work - narrative beats that hooked me, characters that I cared about, revelations that surprised me. None of this, though, is to say that Twin Mirror is a bad game. Neither is particularly striking, and I was pretty disappointed that the game never showed me something novel or new in the visuals department. Instead, Twin Mirror trades in drab realism for its "real world" setting, and generic hexagonal futurism and "stuff floating in a skybox" for Sam's "Mind Palace" - a place where he retreats to reconstruct and contextualize certain memories. Gone are interesting color palettes, distinctive character designs, or unified elements of style. While this is certainly the most expensive-looking of their productions, it's also the flattest. ![]() Dontnod's signature visual panache is missing here, and in its place is a game full of questionable artistic choices. What I don't hope returns, however, is Twin Mirror's bland art direction. In Twin Mirror, every decision you make alters the course of your investigation, as well as your relationships in Basswood. I honestly expected more from a studio that's handled topics like police brutality, transphobia, and bullying with such a delicate touch, and miss that care here. Worse yet, when directly addressing these issues, the script stumbles in trying to actually say anything meaningful about living with multiple personalities, or trying to escape substance abuse. Both are played for the usual narrative trickery ("What happened last night? Oh, no, where did this bloody shirt come from!") and not given the gravity they ought to be treated with. I also take issue with the game's depiction of alcoholism and mental illness, which comes across as both trite and insensitive. Related: Tell Me Why Review: Not Defined By What's Broken It's far from a bad story, but it never swings for the fences in the same way I'd expect from this studio. Worse yet, certain narrative beats feel rote and done to death - ripped from mid-aughts psychological thrillers and neo-noir flicks. However, the biggest similarity between Life is Strange: True Colors and Twin Mirror. The central mystery ambles and sags, and the key players simply aren't as compelling as casts in Dontnod's previous works. Interestingly enough, Twin Mirror also features an arcade game that players can try in its local pub. But no matter your choices, your story is yours.Unfortunately, for all these little compelling pieces, all of these clever narrative contrivances that should make for an engaging story, nothing about Twin Mirror ever really comes together. Trust others or rely only on yourself in your hunt for the truth. In Twin Mirror, every decision you make alters the course of your investigation, as well as your relationships in Basswood. You must navigate the dangers of Sam’s conflicted thoughts and feelings together: will your Double become a trusted confidante or an unwelcome guest? You can also speak with your Double, who is the more social and empathic side of yourself that nobody else can see. Be careful, though-the Mind Palace is a reflection of Sam’s state of mind, for better or worse. ![]() There, you can go through possible scenarios, envision how things could’ve gone, and follow the clues to your next lead. He must decide how much he’s willing to risk to uncover the mysteries of his hometown.Įxplore Sam’s unique and analytical ways in his expansive Mind Palace, where you can revisit his past, relive old memories, and reconstruct events. Forced to face himself and the townsfolk, Sam struggles to balance the scales of reconciliation and his life-changing investigation. He soon becomes drawn into a dangerous web of intrigue as all is not as it seems in the small town of Basswood, West Virginia. But the death of his best friend Nick calls the former investigative journalist back to confront the town’s troubled past-and his own. Sam Higgs left his hometown, and everyone he knows, behind two years ago.
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