Telling Lies Review Summary

Exceptional acting and performances: Players consistently praised the high-quality acting, particularly noting standout performances by recognizable actors and the overall immersive delivery. This significantly enhanced the narrative experience and realism.

Engaging and immersive gameplay: The gameplay loop, particularly the detective-style mechanics and interactive narrative, was frequently described as addictive and engaging. Players appreciated the twists, suspense, and replayability.

Well-executed Korean localization: The Korean language support, including search functionality and translation, was noted as well-implemented, with only minor flaws. This expanded the game's accessibility and immersion for Korean-speaking players.

Interesting and ambitious concept: The game's premise and unique approach to interactive fiction were frequently highlighted as innovative and thought-provoking. Players appreciated the modern themes and psychological engagement.

Excessive video filler and silence: Videos contain long stretches of silence, minimal action, or irrelevant content, making them feel padded and boring. Players note that over half of video time is spent on filler, reducing engagement.

Poor video navigation controls: Players consistently report frustration with the lack of basic video controls, such as a timeline scrubber, 'jump to start' button, or practical rewind/fast-forward mechanics. This disrupts immersion and makes rewatching content tedious.

Tedious and repetitive gameplay: The core gameplay loop is criticized for being slow, repetitive, and overly long. Players spend excessive time rewinding videos or navigating disjointed content, making the experience feel like a chore.

Unengaging and clichéd story: The narrative is criticized for being predictable, shallow, and lacking twists or complexity. Players compare it unfavorably to the developer’s previous work (e.g., *Her Story*), calling it clichéd and uninteresting.

Unsatisfying endings: The game’s endings are described as abrupt, nonsensical, or tonally jarring, with no clear payoff or replayability. Players feel the story lacks cohesion and fails to deliver a satisfying conclusion.

FMV-based detective gameplay: The game revolves around Full Motion Video (FMV) mechanics, where players watch and analyze 170+ video clips to piece together a narrative. Keyword searches and detective-style investigation are core to the experience, drawing comparisons to titles like 'Her Story.'

Keyword-driven video search: Players use keywords to search through a database of video clips, uncovering plot details and connections. This system is central to gameplay but requires careful attention to subtitles and metadata for effective navigation.

Manual video rewinding issues: Videos start mid-clip and lack a 'return to start' button, making rewinding slow and cumbersome. Players must manually rewind second-by-second, which is critiqued as tedious and disruptive to immersion.

Fragmented one-sided conversations: Conversations are split into separate video clips (e.g., one per character), forcing players to manually piece together dialogue. This design creates long silences and requires rewinding or finding paired clips for context.

Variable video lengths and pacing: Video clips range from 15 seconds to 10 minutes, with some featuring long silences or pauses. Players can skip or focus on specific parts, but the lack of consistent pacing may disrupt immersion.

Game runs smoothly with minor glitches: The majority of players experienced smooth gameplay with only minor, non-game-breaking glitches. This indicates a generally stable performance with room for minor improvements.

Achievements system malfunctioning: Several players reported that the achievements feature does not work as intended, which may impact long-term engagement and completionist goals.

Navigation issues on dual screens: Some users encountered navigation failures when using the game on dual-screen setups, suggesting compatibility issues with multi-monitor configurations.

No custom resolution support: Players noted the absence of custom resolution settings, limiting flexibility for users with non-standard display setups or preferences.

Windowed mode fixes Chinese input: Users found that switching to windowed mode resolves issues with Chinese input methods, indicating a potential workaround for localization-related problems.

Avoid if impatient or price-sensitive: The game is repeatedly advised against for players unwilling to endure a slow start, high price, or technical flaws. Strong warnings are given to avoid wasting time or money.

Best for FMV/detective fans on sale: The game is frequently recommended for fans of FMV (full-motion video) games, detective work, or Sam Barlow's catalog, but almost always with the caveat that it’s only worth buying on sale or at a discounted price.

Mixed but leaning positive recommendations: The majority of feedback recommends the game despite its flaws, particularly for fans of narrative-driven or story-rich experiences. However, a notable minority explicitly advises against playing it in its current state.

Prefer predecessor 'Her Story': Many players suggest 'Her Story' or 'Immortality' as superior alternatives, often recommending them over this game due to shorter length or fewer issues. This reflects a strong preference for the developer's earlier work.

Niche appeal for completionists: The game is primarily recommended for FMV genre enthusiasts, collectors, or completionists, rather than a broader audience. This limits its mainstream appeal but solidifies its cult following.

Improve rewind and playback controls: Players frequently request enhanced rewind functionality, dual-video playback options, and additional guidance to improve usability. These features would streamline navigation and enhance the overall experience.

Add subtitles for accessibility: The absence of subtitles in the game files poses challenges for non-English speakers, limiting accessibility. Including subtitles would make the content more inclusive and user-friendly.

Moderate occasional erotic content: Some players noted the presence of occasional erotic content, which may not align with all audiences' expectations. Reviewing and moderating this content could improve appropriateness for broader audiences.