Verdict
As DONTNOD’s first self-published sport, the hassle that’s gone into Twin Mirror’s world constructing must be counseled. Between the added gameplay components launched by The Double and Sam’s Mind Palace, to not point out the colorful solid of characters dwelling in Basswood, Twin Mirror had my consideration from the get-go, however its brief size prevents it from delivering an emotional journey comparable with something the studio has accomplished earlier than.
Pros
Fantastic premise
A extra mature story than earlier DONTNOD titles
The Mind Palace is a visible feast
Cons
It’s simply too brief
Minor glitches
Key Specifications
Review Price: £27.99
Developer: DONTNOD
Genre: Narrative Adventure
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: December 1, 2020
Twin Mirror marks the primary self-published title from DONTNOD, the critically acclaimed studio behind the beloved Life is Strange franchise.
DONTNOD has had fairly a run as of late. After the near-perfect Life is Strange 2 reached its epic conclusion earlier than the arrival 2020, the developer broke new floor with Tell Me Why, a three-part household drama that put a transgender character within the limelight.
Now, it’s again but once more with its first-ever self-published expertise, which for any developer is a big achievement. My hope with Twin Mirror was that it will showcase the studio’s full potential as one in all this medium’s pioneers on the subject of narrative-driven interactive experiences, and whereas I loved my time Twin Mirror, it saddens me to say that it additionally left me feeling upset – however let’s again issues up for a second.
In Twin Mirror, gamers step into the sneakers of Sam Higgs, an ex-investigative journalist who has clearly been burned by the occasions of his previous, now dwelling in a state of emotional disconnect from the individuals who had been as soon as closest to him. Sam’s story picks up as he returns to his small American hometown of Basswood, the place the sudden demise of an previous buddy forces him to confront all the things he tried to neglect.
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Things take a wierd flip when the younger daughter of the lately deceased appears to suspect foul play, begging Sam to take her claims significantly and examine the demise for himself. Before lengthy, Sam’s plan to have a fleeting go to turns right into a a lot deeper affair, because the hidden underbelly of Basswood begins to disclose itself, exhibiting simply how a lot has modified within the time since Sam’s been away.
With Sam and the important thing residents of Basswood being a good bit older than the main characters in Life is Strange, the narrative feels much more mature. Complex themes are explored resembling unemployment, drug abuse and the unpredictable perils of grownup relationships.
Many of those themes are secondary to the sport’s central conceit: details versus emotions. I’m conscious of the fashionable political connotations related to that phrase, however within the case of Twin Mirror, it relates particularly to Sam’s previous occupation and the way a journalist’s quest for fact can typically have unintended, real-world penalties.
For instance, Sam’s magnum opus was an article denouncing the horrendous working situations discovered at Basswood’s mines. While undoubtedly a noble endeavour, Sam’s investigation resulted within the closure of the mines and mass unemployment in Basswood – a reality that’s consistently thrown at him by the city’s ex-miners.
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Having been burned as soon as earlier than, Sam should now contemplate the choices at hand. Investigate additional into the demise of his buddy, doubtlessly placing previous acquaintances in hurt’s means in a bid for the reality, or try to be there on an emotional degree for many who are grieving, main them away from hazard all through the journey.
To supply some assist on this regard, Sam’s psyche seems to be a multifaceted arsenal, with two hidden superpowers: The Double and the Mind Palace. The Double is a well-dressed manifestation of Sam’s empathetic attributes that solely Sam can see. His presence permits for some entertaining forwards and backwards as the implications of an impending motion are weighed up in actual time.
Alternatively, serving to indulge Sam’s analytical facet is the Mind Palace (contemplate Superman’s Fortress of Solitude and also you’re not far off) – a stunning visualization of the inside workings of Sam’s thoughts the place time stands nonetheless.
Diving into the Mind Palace, Sam is ready to view recollections with pinpoint precision and even consider a criminal offense scene by scanning varied clues within the atmosphere. It’s a useful software however above all else it’s unimaginable to take a look at, with shiny, clear visuals that distinction the muted and murky color palette featured in Basswood.
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The Mind Palace can flip on a dime nevertheless, as its look is immediately linked to Sam’s feelings. If he’s in panic, the Palace turns into extra of a psychological jail, as Sam’s anxiousness tries to maintain him in a state of confusion. These moments are notably thrilling because it reminds the participant that the Mind Palace can’t be relied on persistently as a refuge from all the things that’s occurring round them.
It’s such a disgrace then that with these distinctive mechanics, and after establishing an attention-grabbing solid of characters, Twin Mirror is over earlier than it. Unlike DONTNOD’s earlier titles, Twin Mirror will not be an episodic journey, with the complete sport accessible proper from the beginning.
With that in thoughts, I nonetheless assumed that Twin Mirror would roughly stack up with the identical size of these earlier experiences, when in truth it’s quite a bit shorter than any of them. At roughly six hours, it’s solely barely longer than the common time it takes to finish simply over two episodes of Life is Strange.
Opting for a shorter sport isn’t in itself problematic, however it’s when Twin Mirror nonetheless acts as for those who’ve been enjoying the sport for a couple of dozen hours and dissecting it as you’ll within the ordinary breaks between episodes. The subject is that the narrative’s main twists and plot factors don’t land with the identical impression that they’re clearly anticipating.
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Without spoiling an excessive amount of, the obvious instance of this comes simply earlier than the climax, the place the participant has to make a definitive choice to go forth with the intent of discovering the reality above all prices, or prioritising the security of Sam and people closest to him.
The choice is preceded by some character constructing for The Double himself, however my comparatively brief time with the character prevented me from connecting with the emotional stakes (and that is coming from somebody who cried like a child when enjoying Life is Strange).
Compared to the multi-state highway journey of Sean and Daniel in Life is Strange 2, Twin Mirror doesn’t give the viewers practically sufficient time to heat to its solid of characters, and I’m wondering if the sport might need fared higher if it merely launched fewer characters into the combination to spend extra time with the one’s that truly matter.
It’s value stating that I additionally encountered a couple of glitches alongside the best way and whereas none of them had been game-breaking, they did supply mild-frustration resembling when a button immediate merely refused to seem.
Verdict – Should you purchase Twin Mirror?
It’s a testomony to how a lot I take pleasure in DONTNOD’s storytelling and world-building that my major gripe with Twin Mirror is that there isn’t extra of it.
It establishes an enticing premise that had me desirous to dive right into a juicy thriller, alongside a number of impressed mechanics that might have set it on the trail to greatness, but it surely’s throughout so rapidly that it by no means totally delivers on the promise of an unforgettable narrative.
Twin Mirror continues to be lots of enjoyable to play, and the varied endings invite the participant to return greater than as soon as, however don’t count on it to have the identical emotional resonance as Life is Strange or Tell Me Why.
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