Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 81 | 59 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 82% | 76 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 86% | 79 | 41 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 112 reviews sampled · 117 total reviews in window · weighted 65.6 up / 10.8 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (93)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 75
“Tell Me Why is yet another example of proper storytelling in video game form. It boasts a compelling mystery, a cast of interesting and realistic characters, and also looks great on top of that while running well on modern hardware. As someone that plays a ton of story-driven games, I can definitely say it’s worth a look, even if the ending may have been unsatisfying.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Tell Me Why is more of a PR product that suffers from typical problems of Dontnod Entertainment' games, where's the key story bits is exaggerated and backed up by nothing interesting, while the game tries to resonate with players by cheap controversy. The first episode is powerful, but then game descends into a pit of monotony and despondency. And this is sad.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Tell Me Why struggles on the edge of irregular nuances: the game overflows with beautiful ideas, but on the other hand the potential of most of these ideas goes nowhere. Adventure opens you the door to another world, yet it can be one you won't like much at first. But as you dig deeper through the story, you realize that behind another social problem and „controversy" stands much larger narration with detective subtext in its core. Even though you want to compare Tell Me Why to Life is Strange, Tell Me Why is not Life is Strange: not with its story and not with its quality. And that's a shame, because Tell Me Why took some steps that brought the game so close to the line, which Life is Strange back then drew us. Only the small details left it a few steps before the finish line.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Tell Me Why is best experienced as an interactive move, discovering the unusual story of the Ronan siblings from this angle yields an extremely compelling experience. DONTNOD’s new game is worth your time and money not only because it has something important to say, but also because it does so in an extremely satisfying, and gracious way.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“So, all in all, Tell Me Why is a fun, story-telling video game with memorable protagonists.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Tell Me Why is more down to earth than its Life is Strange predecessors, but that is in no way a flaw. Its charming characters, beautiful Alaskan setting and slow-burning storyline that rewards the attentive player make it a great slice-of-life adventure.”
read full review ↗ - 76
“Tell Me Why is an excellent narrative adventure that talks about childhood dramas and character diversity, but we would have preferred to play more and watch less.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Tell Me Why features a compelling mystery that loses its depth the longer the story progresses but its strong characters and solid puzzles prove that Dontnod hasn’t missed a step.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Tell Me Why is a conversational adventure that follows the vein of previous titles in the genre. But that, thanks to its history, its interesting playable elements, decisions and characters, it becomes a game of its own, without the need to enter into comparisons. And also in a pleasant surprise for Xbox Game Studios. We can't say much more. Just that you are encouraged to meet the Ronan twins because they will surely conquer you and we are waiting for many more titles like this to launch on Xbox Game Pass.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The first episode of Tell Me Why perfectly begins another groundbreaking story in the history of Dontnod. For lovers of genre, Life is Strange and serious themes, a must-have item!”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Tell Me Why is a touching narrative adventure by Dontnod Entertainment that follows twins Alyson and Tyler, now a trans man, as they revisit their troubled past in a small Alaskan town. With familiar gameplay mechanics, telepathic connections, and a focus on progressive themes like trans identity and Indigenous rights, the game trades innovation for emotional depth and strong writing. Though the formula is becoming predictable, the story's sincerity and character development carry it through.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Tell Me Why is a solid experience that presents important modern social issues in a respectful and educational way, while also dealing with heavy emotional grief.”
read full review ↗
cublikefoot
GameMAG
INDIANTVCZ
GRYOnline.pl
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SpaceNerd.it
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Gamerheadquarters…and 81 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.