As a fan of the Life is Strange franchise, when I heard of a new adventure game from the original developers: Dontnod Entertainment, I was quite excited. Imagine, my dismay, then, that I heard it would be an exclusive to Xbox. Until, of course, that I learned that it was also possible to obtain it on PC. Once Tell Me Why became available, I wasted no time on adding it to my Steam wishlist and waited for the perfect moment of sale discounts and when I had ample money in the wallet.

When June 2021 rolled around and offered the game for free in celebration of Pride Month, I jumped at the chance for securing the title – already anticipating the adventures I would be having with the Ronan twins as they tried to deal with the traumatic events that they experienced at the end of their first ten years of life.

Tell Me Why tells the story of Alyson and Tyler Ronan. Identical twins that were separated due to a most heinous crime: the death of their mother. The opening moments of the game serve to highlight the fraught nature of the night, with Tyler confessing to the crime as he sits before the officer in the interrogation room. It’s clear from the outset that there is something more to the crime than meets the eye. Why would their mother attempt to kill Tyler because of a new haircut? The mystery dangling before us, the game skips ahead in time.

Ten years have passed and finally, the Ronan twins reunite in order to sell off their old house and begin the next chapter in their lives. Alyson, excited and nervous, is preparing to pick up her brother from Fireweed, a residential centre for troubled teenagers. Tyler, on the other hand, waves goodbye to his second home wherein he was accepted for who he was and could finally take the steps necessary to transition.

Despite the years that they have been away from each other, both Alyson and Tyler are able to both encompass the easy camaraderie between siblings and the awkwardness that comes from being almost a decade apart after being joined at the hip in their younger years. Bonded by the life they once shared, and the memories of their childhood, they return to their old house where they had lived with their mother: Mary-Ann.

As they explore the house, they uncover the Book of Goblins, a collection of stories that they and their mother had penned. Awash with memories of their childhood, they begin to question the events of their shared trauma and their mother’s passing. Tyler, in particular, begins to wonder if their understanding of events was correct after discovering a book in Mary-Ann’s room about raising a transgender child as well as a pamphlet for conversion therapy.

Confronted by Sam, the Old Bear, from their storybook, they set out on trying to figure out what might have motivated their mother to turn a shotgun on Tyler (or Ollie, as he was known at the time). Their first stop is to Veni Vedi Vecchi General Store to talk with Tessa, an old friend of Mary-Ann, who had looked out for the twins as they were growing up. After they use their gift to relive their memories and sleuth out additional proof hidden in Tessa’s computer and old record-keeping journal, they learn more about the pressures their mother was going through while she was trying to raise her two children in Delos Crossing, Alaska.

It is outside the General Store that Tyler first meets Michael, Alyson’s best friend and co-worker. And though the banter is light between the two, it’s clear that there’s an immediate spark of interest.

Armed with new clues about what their mother might have been going through, they leave the store and head to the police station to talk to Eddy Brown – Alyson’s adopted father – about their mother’s death and, possibly, the events leading up to it. But when the Ronan twins enquire about the case file, Eddy is unable to hand it over without good cause.

The day ends with the twins no closer than they were before to uncovering the reasons behind her actions on the night that had sent one twin away and the other grappling with guilt for her actions. For, it is revealed that it was not Tyler that had killed their mother in self-defence, but rather Alyson, trying to protect her sibling, that had stabbed her with a pair of scissors.

The next day, as they’re cleaning up the old house, they reminisce over their childhood and what they had learned. Using their bond, they see a memory of Eddy talking to their mother not long before her death, despite him telling them that he had not interacted with her in the months prior.

Knowing that he is hiding valuable information from them, they return to the police station. They confront Eddy but the police chief refuses to speak to them or entertain the idea of providing them access to confidential police files. Left with no choice, the twins create a distraction and manage to sneak upstairs – breaking into the archives to search for answers.

As Tyler searches for answers, he uncovers reports that indicate that Tessa had reported their mother to child services – with the possibility of the twins being removed from Mary-Ann’s care. Before they can leave with their ill-gotten knowledge, Eddy discovers them and scolds them for their actions. He also tells the twins that it was his friendship with their mother that saw him pay a visit to their house and warn Mary-Ann of Tessa’s actions.

Armed with this new knowledge, they head to the General Store. Tessa, however, is not present and, accompanied by Michael, they head to the cemetery. At Mary-Ann’s grave, they confront the woman and learn that over the months leading up to her death, their mother had further isolated herself and that though they had once been friends, Tessa feared that Mary-Ann was not providing enough for the twins: whether that was food or moral guidance. In fact, she advised that their mother had been stealing from the store and even had the kids shoplifting supplies and groceries.

After learning what their mother had experienced, the twins return to the old house, only to find the barn alight and the arsonist fleeing from the crime. With the fire put out, they explore the barn and ponder why anyone would choose to set it ablaze. For their efforts, they find a box with two letters inside instructing their mother to get an abortion.

During this harrowing set of events, Tyler is reminded of the Mad Hunter that he had glimpsed on the night of Mary-Ann’s death. As they head over to the boathouse, the twins remember their mother speaking a man. But try as they might to recall the events that had happened, Alyson breaks down – consumed by guilt and anxiety and the desire to stop trying to seek out the truth behind the events of what had happened.

The third day sees the twins separated and Alyson haunted by her actions. As her mental health deteriorates, she goes through a panic attack before visiting Sam and asking if he might have been their biological father. As she talks to the man that had dropped almost everything just to be there for their mother, she learns that there is more to the barn than meets the eye. Resolved to finally putting the mystery to rest, she returns back to the old house.

Tyler, on the other hand, struggles to bring forth the memory without the aid of his sister. When his efforts bear no fruit, he is visited by Michael and the two head out on the lake to do some fishing – leading to a romantic moment (if the player so chooses) between them.

As they explore the hidden compartment of the barn, they learn that their mother, Mary-Ann, had led a troubled life: from being born into an overbearing family to running away with her baby, who did not survive. It becomes clear that Mary-Ann also had her own demons to combat, and which were exacerbated by a harsh winter and Tessa calling in social services.

They also learn that Tom Vecchi was their biological father, a man who had been taken in by their mother’s charms, but who had refused to offer any support or even acknowledge the twins as his own.

During their confrontation with the store owner, and political candidate, Tom reveals that Mary-Ann had not intended to kill Tyler. Instead, faced with the threat of losing her children and enduring a harsh winter alone, Mary-Ann was at the end of her rope and had chosen to take her own life.

There is a lot to unpack with Tell Me Why. In the end, I chose the options that would bring the twins closer together without sacrificing their own needs and wants. By the time the credits rolled, it was Tyler that was closing up shop, with Alyson in therapy. This, I felt, was the true and proper ending (even though I wasn’t quite sure if Mary-Ann truly intended to kill herself or if she was intent on a murder-suicide).

Throughout the game, it was clear that Tyler was more in touch with his emotions and his needs, whereas Alyson was still grappling with the trauma and not given the opportunity to properly heal. It also seemed evident that she never had the chance to properly talk about the events of what had happened – instead, accepting Tyler’s lie that it had been him that had killed their mother. And being constantly reminded that she was the ‘good’ twin and he was the troublemaker when it could not be further from the truth.

So, it came as a no-brainer for me to have Alyson admit to Eddy what had actually happened.

Lies beget more lies.

And when it comes to mental health, it is only the truth that can set you free.

The game also shows how unreliable memory can be. Particularly after the course of many years. Events can change. Interpretations can differ depending on prejudice. Alternate facts can spring forth to mind and become a hodgepodge of what actually happened.

As someone who studied criminology and did a course in forensic sociology, it should be noted that eye-witness testimonies are not very accurate at all. Memory is a fickle thing. As is mental health.

If you need to talk to someone, reach out. I would like to say that this post is sponsored, but I’m not a YouTube video and I don’t know if blogs can even have sponsorship deals. In any case, I’m in Australia and have no idea if services such as Better Help are even available here.

At the time of writing, Sydney has been enduring a lockdown for several weeks. Time has almost entirely lost all meaning and I can barely remember what I did last week because it’s difficult to differentiate it from the week before.

Even for this introvert that nine times out of ten, would choose to stay home, I’m feeling the effects of long-term hiatus from normal life. Apathy levels are on the rise and it’s very easy to simply let myself go and just sit as a potato on the couch.

Still, it’s also important in these times to take each day as it comes and be thankful for what we do have. Technology has meant that we can connect with people even though we are apart. It might not be the same as being face-to-face, but everyone needs to do what they can. And honestly, if we can’t contain Delta, there’s little doubt that Lambda will probably just devastate everything in its path.

Let’s hope that the above paragraph won’t be a warning for the days and weeks and months ahead.