Tell Me Why is a narrative adventure game in three chapters, developed by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios for PC and Xbox One in late 2020. It follows twins Tyler and Alyson Ronan, 21, who reunite after ten years apart and return to their childhood home in the fictional Alaskan town of Delos Crossing. Their bond is telepathic. Their memories do not agree.
Trailer, via DON’T NOD.
Tyler Ronan, the Playable Lead
Tyler is voiced by August Aiden Black, a trans man. Since the game was announced in November 2019, Tell Me Why has been noted as the first major studio video game with a playable transgender main character. Dontnod consulted expert groups on the portrayal, including GLAAD, the non-governmental organization that monitors media coverage of LGBT people. Tyler’s identity surfaces in the story the way it would in a life, through a conversation Tessa Vecchi had with Mary-Ann and through how Delos Crossing looks at him.
The Book of Goblins
Mary-Ann told her children fairy tales about a runaway princess and her two goblin companions, compiled into an illustrated journal called the “Book of Goblins.” Most of the puzzles come from decoding those metaphors. The device works because the stories are Mary-Ann’s own account of a life she could not manage, and the twins have to read her through them.
Two Memories, One House
The core mechanic asks the player to choose which twin’s version of the past to believe. Each remembers pivotal moments differently. Alyson’s flashback in which she stabbed Mary-Ann with scissors lands hard and leaves her with post-traumatic stress. The game does not settle the question for you.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tyler Ronan | Voiced by August Aiden Black; trans man; playable lead |
| Alyson Ronan | Voiced by Erica Lindbeck; adopted by Eddy Brown |
| Setting | Delos Crossing, Alaska |
| Structure | Three chapters, released late 2020 |
| Central mechanic | Choosing between the twins’ conflicting memories |
Eddy Brown and the Case File
Delos Crossing carries Tlingit characters, including police chief Eddy Brown and Michael Abila, Alyson’s colleague and Tyler’s potential love interest. Tessa Vecchi runs a convenience store with her husband. Decisions in these interactions shape the characters and their relationships with the twins. Eddy investigated Mary-Ann’s death and adopted Alyson. He declines their request to see the file, then admits he visited Mary-Ann to warn her at Tessa’s urging.
The Police Archive Break-In
The plot moves through the break-in, a confrontation with Tessa, and a burning barn. Tessa justifies herself, saying Mary-Ann isolated herself from the community and that her mental instability and parental incompetence endangered her children. The middle chapter sags. The puzzles rarely demand much.
Sam and the House
Mary-Ann’s friend Sam maintained the childhood home, and turned to alcoholism after her death. The house is still in disrepair when the twins arrive to sell it. That detail does more work than any set piece: the place they came back to sell has already been failing without them.
What the Score Reflects
Tell Me Why earns its 8.1 for the things that are hard to fake. Two leads written with real complexity, voice work that holds, and a setting rendered with care. Its flaws are real too. The story drifts, and the gameplay mostly stays out of the way. The memory mechanic is the part worth watching. It is the rare adventure game that treats uncertainty as the subject rather than the obstacle.
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