#Twin mirror ps4 Ps4#

The Mind Palace, where Sam goes to re-experience painful memories or piece together mysteries, has potential. Yet for all its unhurriedness, the game impatiently thrusts us into its more abstract concepts with very little warm up.

From the way characters or ideas are introduced to investigation sequences that severely need tightening up, each scene lags painfully. Twin Mirror is also so eager to establish its weirdness that it fails to establish proper pacing. It’s hard to believe that the events have much impact on Sam at all. But Sam’s reticence is alienating, feeling forced and insincere. A walk through his friend’s wake takes us on a brief tour of the folksy characters meant to flesh out the town’s whimsy. As he reconnects with Anna and his deceased friend’s young daughter, many of the dialogue options feel inconsequential and risk-free, as if he were simply going through the motions. Who is Sam, and why should we care? The delay of this narrative context hurts our ability to engage with his inner thought life and undermines the other characters. It makes the simple act of reading a trailhead board or snooping through desk drawers horrifically dull, which means much of the game languishes for its tranquility. The game lacks the relaxed atmosphere that would make it pleasant to sit through Sam’s inner thoughts, and we’re introduced to them too early in the game to care about them in the first place. That is true of Twin Mirror, but without warm lighting, cute formatting flourishes, and the occasional Sufjan Stevens song, it’s a lot harder to get into the spirit. A large portion of their games rely on the player interacting with objects in their environment and listening to the lead character’s observations. The game culminates in a decision between these two conflicting forces as Sam draws closer to the truth of what happened to Nick, forcing him to choose between his unique powers and a chance to understand and reconnect with the people he loves.įrom the game’s opening moments, it’s clear how much of the Dontnod charm lies in its production details.

Meanwhile, he is pestered by a man known only as Him, an imaginary figure that weighs in on Sam’s actions as he converses with Anna and potential witnesses. Alienated from his former neighbors and friends and still in love with his ex-girlfriend Anna, Sam pursues the case by snooping around town and following leads, deciphering the sequences of critical events with the help of a supernatural headspace known as the Mind Palace. Almost immediately, he is pushed to investigate the death as a murder, forcing him to confront his past as the muckraker that shut down the town’s only coal mine years ago. In the game, former journalist Sam Higgs visits his hometown of Basswood, West Virginia, to attend the funeral of a friend who recently died in a car accident. But in straying from key factors of the Dontnod formula, Twin Mirror highlights what works about it and what doesn’t.

It’s more of a mystery detective thriller with puzzle elements than a poignant coming-of-age story. This latest from Dontnod, Twin Mirror, is different from its predecessors. Life is Strange, Life is Strange 2 and Tell Me Why all tell a deeply personal story of a person of marginalized identity, exploring some of the unique perspectives and formative events that comprise their lives. Generally, when you play a Dontnod game, you expect to have a sentimental, thought-provoking experience that deftly melds its dialogue with an innovative narrative device. “Yes, there are some supernatural elements in how we display Sam’s unique mind, but the story itself, the logic of what’s happening, the motivation of the characters, all of this is rooted in reality.Over the past several games to be released by Dontnod Entertainment, the studio has built itself a reputation. “You want people to be able to understand the mystery,” game director Florian Desforges says in a press release. Based on choices made, it’ll shape relationships and lead to various endings. The environment is interactive and players will use a supernatural feature called Sam’s “Mind Palace” to find clues to aid his investigation. There is something unsettling about the events surrounding the death and Higgs begins uncovering mysteries behind some of the town’s dark secrets. Higgs returns to his hometown of Basswood, West Virginia, after a friend’s death.

#Twin mirror ps4 Ps4#

Bandai Namco has just posted a new gameplay trailer for Twin Mirror, along with confirming a December 1 PS4 release date.ĭeveloped by Dontnod Entertainment, this story-driven adventure game follows a former investigative journalist by the name of Sam Higgs.