First of all, I would start by saying that three stars isn't a 'bad' score nor do I mean it as one. This game is certainly a game. It has gameplay, a story, themes and I believe anyone who picks this up that is vaguely interested in horror or thrillers will have some fun with it (I certainly loved seeing old school text adventures being rep'd in the modern day) and it has value in being what it is, a short, concise playthrough that tells a story and ensures you have some fun doing so. As some good points, I personally love how gameplay is switched up and changed between episodes, I think graphically the game is impressive in its own unique way, perhaps an odd compliment but the keyboard sounds in game were oddly fitting and pleasant and that attention to detail is admirable and, to reiterate, I like that this game is what it is, not aiming to be a world renowned tour de force spoken of in artistic myth, it is a short game that tells its story without trying to mess the player around. I also appreciate how the game handles horror, there are no spoopy, blood drenched jumpscares here, nor tortured allusions to insanity straight out of a high school drama club's interpretation of the DSM-5 like some other games I could mention. It has atmosphere and oddities and it does it well. However this does come with the caveat that you need to go into this game expecting to play it, enjoy it and not pick it up again which, again, isn't necessarily a bad thing, more just an expectation to be aware of and managed. You will have *some* fun with this game (how much really depends on your appreciation of puzzles and what this game is trying to accomplish) and for the price? It's worth checking out if this game is your kind of thing. Though as a final note, do be aware of some scenes with heavy amounts of flashing lights.
I picked up this game fresh off the heels of finishing The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker as it seemed like something similar and in a way it is, in some ways it's not. What you can expect from playing, or, I suppose experiencing this story, is a vastly interesting narrative with a case of well rounded characters. The acting was overall pretty damn good give or take a scene or two where things are a little wooden but, that's to be expected from time to time. Without wishing to spoil anything, the game is what you make of it. You could finish this in a couple of hours or you could spend days pouring over everything that there is to find and I feel the game rewards you well for exploring every angle, which is far from a chore. My only critique that I had going into the game was there isn't an immediate sense of what to do but I get the sense that was very much intentional. If you're up for really working to put pieces together without hints or tips popping up, I highly reccomend giving this game a try. It's one of those rare times where if you're new to this kind of thing you can adapt quickly to it and if you are used to it you may still find it interesting and a tad puzzling. I can see why some reviews say there's not much gameplay to Telling Lies but just speaking from personal taste, I think this game isn't meant for you to present a case or 'win' particularly, more, this game is here for you to put together all the pieces of a story and find satisfaction in every new blank that gets filled in.
