From Sam Barlow, the visionary creator behind the groundbreaking Her Story and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, comes Telling Lies—a deeply intimate and intense investigative thriller. This non-linear, full-motion video adventure places you directly into the shoes of a digital voyeur, tasking you with uncovering the truth hidden within a stolen cache of confidential government footage.

An Immersive Investigation Through Digital Fragments

Telling Lies operates through a unique, simulated operating system known as "Castle." You find yourself sitting before an anonymous laptop loaded with a leaked NSA database containing over 200 non-linear videos. These recordings, spanning roughly 15 months of footage, consist of private, Skype-like conversations and intimate moments captured via webcam.

The gameplay mechanics are centered around a powerful search function. By typing specific keywords or phrases into the search bar, you can trigger the retrieval of video clips where those exact words were spoken. This method allows you to piece together a complex web of events, but it requires meticulous attention to detail; you must listen closely to one side of a conversation to find the context clues necessary to search for the next lead.

As you navigate the database, you will use a media player equipped with a scrub tool to move through footage. While some clips are brief, others can span nearly ten minutes, offering deep dives into the lives of the subjects. The experience is designed to be an exercise in discovery, where the player decides which threads to follow and which truths to uncover.

A Web of Espionage, Murder, and Human Connection

The narrative of Telling Lies is an intricately woven tapestry of neo-noir motifs, ranging from betrayal and obsession to espionage and murder. The story follows the interconnected lives of four individuals—David (played by Logan Marshall-Green), Emma (Kerry Bishé), Max (Angela Sarafyan), and Ava (Alexandra Shipp)—whose paths collide due to a shocking incident.

As you scrub through the footage, the scope of the story expands far beyond a simple crime investigation. You may find yourself uncovering evidence of political eco-terrorism and government conspiracies, or conversely, stumbling upon deeply personal, slice-of-life moments: a father bonding with his daughter, a mother coping with family struggles, or a couple falling in love. The game does not provide a set path; instead, it offers a "choose-your-own-interpretation" experience where every search term leads you deeper into a rabbit hole of secrets.

Key Features of Telling Lies

  • Non-Linear Storytelling: No two investigations are exactly alike, as the narrative unfolds based on the keywords you choose to pursue.
  • Full-Motion Video (FMV) Gameplay: Experience a highly realistic and cinematic atmosphere driven by live-action performances.
  • Intense Detective Mechanics: Use a simulated OS to search, scrub, and analyze stolen surveillance footage.
  • Expansive Narrative Scope: Explore a vast collection of over 200 videos that reveal a complex world of crime and human emotion.

Telling Lies is an essential experience for fans of interactive narratives, mystery enthusiasts, and players who enjoy "detective" style games like Her Story. If you enjoy dissecting clues, analyzing character motivations, and piecing together fragmented histories, this haunting investigation awaits.

Platform Availability

Experience the mystery of Telling Lies on a variety of platforms, including PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and iOS.