Tell Me Why Episode 2 Review (Video Game, 2020)

Tell Me Why is an episodic adventure game from Dontnod Entertainment in three parts. Twins Alyson and Tyler reunite after 10 years following the death of their mother, Mary-Ann. Mary-Ann attempted to kill Tyler because he is transgender, so Tyler killed her in self-defense.

The twins are now trying find out exactly what happened with their mother leading up to her death from the town locals who helped them out. There’s Sam (a neighbor who helped with odd jobs and repairs around the house), Eddie (a detective and Mary-Ann’s brother who eventually adopts Alyson), and Tessa (the owner of the local grocery story who always made sure the family had food to eat, clothes to wear, and work for Mary-Ann to do). They all hold insight into the life of Mary-Ann, but none want to share it as the memories are still painful.

Episode 1 was about establishing the gameplay mechanics and the relationship between Tyler and Alyson. Episode 2 is all about defining a timeline of when people knew Mary-Ann was a potential threat to her family.

I mentioned in the Episode 1 review that there were not enough gameplay elements in Tell Me Why, but I anticipated Episode 2 would feature more; I was correct. Once you get through a beautiful introduction scene of Tyler and Alyson playing in their childhood house, jumping back and forth between their child and adult forms, you’re immediately in control. As Alyson, you help Tyler go through the house and decide what furniture and memories are worth keeping and what belongs in the trash. This is the quick tutorial to remind you of the mechanics and it works well.

Then you dive straight into the substance of the story. This chapter is devastating. Everything Alyson and Tyler learn about their childhood, all the secrets hidden by the adults in their lives, is heartbreaking. The timeline of Mary-Ann’s death goes back days, weeks, even months with the people in her life having to give up on her for their own safety and well-being. Mary-Ann was always a loner, but she was never a violent person until the end.

Or was she? As with Episode 1, you get to pick if Alyson or Tyler has the more accurate memory of their mother. You replay both versions of the memory, then have to choose which is correct. Did Mary-Ann really throw a framed photo at Detective Eddie, or did it fall from her hands when Detective Eddie gave her bad news? Why did Tessa show up to the police station the night Mary-Ann died? How did Sam actually treat Tyler and Alyson when Mary-Ann demanded perfection?

There are some great moments of levity in the game that stop it from being just a miserable experience. Tyler gets to bond with Alyson’s best friend Michael by helping him close the grocery store. Alyson gets to explore all the secrets of the house while Tyler sets up the fireplace. While the closest people in their lives had mixed responses to Tyler’s coming out, many of the locals welcome Tyler with open arms as an adult.

Episode 2 of Tell Me Why is all about forgiveness. Tyler and Alyson are looking for more information about Mary-Ann, which forces them to confront some not-so-great choices made by the people they trusted. The biggest decisions you make in the game are whether or not to forgive Sam, Detective Eddie, and Tessa for their roles in Mary-Ann’s death.

This is one of those choice-driven games where you can see the statistics of what percentage of people chose specific game-changing options and I did not pick the popular choices when it came to Tessa’s character. I think the specific language used regarding her original reaction to Tyler coming out is chosen to make the audience not trust her, but she’s also the most welcoming of Mary-Ann’s friends when Tyler returns. Sam and Detective Eddie get much more…balanced portrayals. I’m withholding further commentary until I finish episode 3, as I trust Dontnod to make this make sense.

Tell Me Why is available on PC and Xbox One.

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