Is Telling Lies Game Inappropriate? A Deep Dive into Content and Age Suitability
The short answer is: yes, Telling Lies is generally considered inappropriate for younger audiences, particularly those under 17. While the game’s innovative storytelling and interactive design are commendable, its mature themes, explicit content, and complex narrative make it unsuitable for children and young teens. It’s a game best enjoyed by adults or older teenagers who can engage with its nuanced themes and potentially disturbing elements.
Why Telling Lies Is Not Suitable for Younger Audiences
Telling Lies is not your typical video game. It’s an investigative thriller centered around a cache of secretly recorded video conversations. You, as the player, are essentially a digital voyeur, piecing together the narrative by searching for keywords, watching videos, and drawing conclusions. This format, however, comes with a significant caveat: the content of those videos.
Mature Themes
The game delves into some heavy and mature themes, including:
- Betrayal and Deception: The core of the game revolves around lies, manipulation, and the destructive nature of deceit.
- Violence: Graphic depictions of violence are present, including shootings, terrorism, and violent arrests. There are even suggestions of suicide.
- Sex and Intimacy: The game contains adult themes involving relationships, some of which are of a sexual nature. One character is explicitly described as a sex worker.
- Surveillance: The game explores the invasive nature of surveillance and its impact on personal lives and relationships.
- Complex Morality: The characters are morally ambiguous, and it’s often difficult to discern the “good guys” from the “bad guys.” The game does not shy away from portraying “good things happening to bad people”, blurring the lines of right and wrong.
Presentation and Narrative Complexity
Beyond the thematic content, the very nature of the storytelling makes it unsuitable for younger audiences:
- Non-Linear Narrative: The game’s non-linear progression requires a high degree of patience and critical thinking. Young audiences may find it frustrating to piece the story together.
- Subjective Interpretation: The game encourages viewers to interpret the videos and situations, which can be challenging for younger viewers who may have difficulty understanding complex motivations and emotional nuances.
- Lack of Traditional Guidance: The game provides minimal guidance, expecting players to be proactive and figure things out on their own. This style may leave younger gamers lost and disengaged.
- Emphasis on Observation and Detail: The core gameplay is focused on meticulous observation and analysis, a skill that many younger players haven’t yet developed.
The Age Recommendation
Many sources agree that Telling Lies is best suited for older teens (17+) and adults. The game has been rated M for mature by many rating boards. The content is certainly not appropriate for tweens or early teens. While some younger teenagers may be mature enough to handle the content, it is generally best to err on the side of caution.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Telling Lies
What type of game is Telling Lies?
Telling Lies is an investigative thriller game with non-linear storytelling. It revolves around a cache of secretly recorded video conversations.
Is Telling Lies similar to other games?
Yes, it’s often described as an expansion of the ideas presented in Her Story, another video game by the same creator, which also uses video recordings to weave a story. While not identical, there are definite similarities.
What is the story of Telling Lies?
The story centers on David Smith, an FBI agent infiltrating an eco-activist ring. Forced to relocate and separated from his family, the game follows his interactions with three women, primarily through recorded video calls. The player uncovers this complex and interwoven story by piecing together the available video clips.
Who are the main characters in Telling Lies?
The game focuses on four primary characters: David Smith (aka David Jones, David Miller), played by Logan Marshall-Green, who is an FBI agent investigating a group; Emma, played by Kerry Bishé, who is David’s wife; Max, played by Angela Sarafyan; and Ava, played by Alexandra Shipp.
What are the gameplay mechanics in Telling Lies?
The gameplay is heavily reliant on observation and deduction. Players watch video clips and search for keywords to find other relevant videos within the database. The progression is non-linear, with the only goal to watch and bookmark the videos.
Is Telling Lies a good game?
Many reviewers and players consider Telling Lies to be an excellent game, praising its sharp writing, believable acting, and twisting plot. However, some criticisms exist, including technical intricacies and the need for patience to fully engage with the experience.
What are the main disadvantages of Telling Lies?
Aside from its mature content, the game’s main disadvantages include its non-linear nature that can make the experience difficult to grasp at first, and the technical intricacy of having to find the right videos. Some find the gameplay slow and the story difficult to follow, if not enough patience is given.
Is Telling Lies connected to Her Story?
Yes, Telling Lies is considered a successor to Her Story, expanding on the use of video recordings for storytelling and interactive gameplay. It’s not a direct sequel but follows a similar concept.
Is Telling Lies a sequel?
Yes, in a conceptual sense, it can be considered a successor to Her Story. It expands on similar mechanics and thematic concerns, but tells an entirely different story with distinct characters.
Is Telling Lies better than Her Story?
This depends on personal preference. Telling Lies is more ambitious in scope and length, but some might prefer Her Story’s more focused and straightforward narrative.
Why is Telling Lies rated M?
The game is rated M for mature due to its explicit adult themes, violence, sexual content, and strong language. It explores dark themes and morally complex situations, making it unsuitable for younger audiences.
What is the end goal of Telling Lies?
The game doesn’t have a specific “end” in the traditional sense. The goal is to search, watch, and bookmark videos, thereby piecing together the story through your own investigation. The narrative experience is subjective.
Why is my 14-year-old lying?
While the game itself is inappropriate for most 14-year-olds, understanding why children might lie is important. Teens often lie because of fear of punishment, disapproval, or lectures. The game itself highlights the complexity of lying and its impact, showcasing how lies often have consequences.
Is there a Telling Lies board game?
There is a board game version also named “Telling Lies,” but it is an entirely different experience. This board game uses truth and lie cards for a social deduction mechanic, unlike the video game.
Who is Karen in Telling Lies?
Karen is a character in the game played by actress Katie Michels. She is a supporting character who appears in some of the video recordings.
Conclusion
Telling Lies is a game designed for mature audiences. Its complex narrative, explicit content, and morally ambiguous characters make it unsuitable for children and young teenagers. If you are considering playing the game yourself or for an older teen, be prepared for mature themes and a story that will challenge and engage with thought-provoking content. However, due to the mature subject matter, this is not a game that should be recommended or available to younger gamers.