Twin Mirror

Last updated

Twin Mirror
Twin Mirror.jpg
Developer(s) Dontnod Entertainment
Shibuya Productions
Publisher(s) Dontnod Entertainment
Bandai Namco Entertainment [lower-alpha 1]
Director(s) Florian Desforges
Producer(s) Jérèmie Poidevin
Designer(s) Ludovic Rouvière
Programmer(s) Francois Karr
Artist(s) Pierre-Etienne Travers [1]
Writer(s)
  • Hélène Henry
  • Matthew Ritter [2]
Composer(s) David Wingo
Engine Unreal Engine 4
Platform(s)
Release1 December 2020
Genre(s) Adventure
Mode(s) Single-player

Twin Mirror is a 2020 adventure game developed and published by Dontnod Entertainment. The game was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on 1 December 2020. It received mixed reviews from critics.

Contents

Gameplay

Twin Mirror's use of the Mind Palace mechanic. Sam investigate a MP version of Coal Miner's Haven Bar to find out who he was with last night. Twin Mirror Mind Palace gameplay.jpeg
Twin Mirror's use of the Mind Palace mechanic. Sam investigate a MP version of Coal Miner's Haven Bar to find out who he was with last night.

Twin Mirror is an adventure game played from a third-person view. [3] [4] Players control the investigative journalist Sam, who has returned to his hometown of Basswood, West Virginia. [5] The environment is interactive and its objects are obtainable. [6] Whom Sam speaks to is optional and, based on the state of his investigation, there are multiple endings to unlock. [4]

Players navigate between the real world and Sam's "Mind Palace" to discover clues. [7] Sam's inner voice, the Double, may aid or harm the investigation. [8] [9]

Plot

Samuel "Sam" Higgs, a former investigative journalist, returns to Basswood, West Virginia in light of his close friend Nick's death. He originally left Basswood following publication of his article about safety violations at the town's coal mines. The mines closed in the aftermath, ultimately he is leaving hundreds without jobs and angered townsfolk who despised Sam. During his stay in the town, Nick's daughter, Joan, asks him to check on the events leading up to Nick's death as she finds his activity before he died suspicious. [10] Sam teams up with Anna, his ex-girlfriend who knew Nick well as they worked together at the newspaper Basswood Jungle, in hope that by following leads and investigating clues may lead to finding the source of Nick's death.

Development and Release

Partnering with publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe, Dontnod Entertainment began developing Twin Mirror in 2016 with a separate team of senior developers. [11] About forty people were working on it as of September 2018. [12] Lead writer Matthew Ritter was influenced by adventure games like Beneath a Steel Sky and Space Quest . [13]

Twin Mirror was announced in June 2018 during E3 2018, and was scheduled to release for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One the following year. [14] In August at Gamescom, it was revealed to be an episodic title releasing in 2019, with Lost on Arrival as the first of three episodes. [15]

Contrary to previous titles, Dontnod desired to have Twin Mirror be void of any supernatural elements. [12] According to art director Pierre-Etienne Travers, the game's primary concept is duality. [16] The decision to set it in a fictional American town, based on southern West Virginia, was to broaden its appeal. [11] [16]

In June 2019, Dontnod announced they would self-publish the game, with Bandai Namco Entertainment acting as the distributor for the console versions. [17] As well as Shibuya Productions becoming a co-producer of the game. Bandai Namco decided to cancel the Japanese console versions of Twin Mirror [18] shortly after Dontnod acquired the IP rights from Bandai. [19]

The game was originally designed as an episodic game when it was first revealed. [20] Following the delay, the game was reworked [21] and the episodic format was abandoned so it can be played without any interruptions. [22]

At the PC Gaming Show 2020 in June, a teaser trailer was shown. [17] In September 2020, it was announced that it would release on 1 December 2020. [23] The PC version was exclusive to the Epic Games Store for one year. [24] [23]

Reception

Twin Mirror received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. [25] [26] [27]

Some reviewers criticised the game's gameplay mechanics and felt that the protagonist lacked personality. [37] [9] They noted it was too short. [10] [9] GameReactor praised the visuals. [38]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Namco</span> Japanese video game developer and publisher

Namco Limited was a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company, headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo. It held several international branches, including Namco America in Santa Clara, California, Namco Europe in London, Namco Taiwan in Kaohsiung, and Shanghai Namco in mainland China.

<i>Mr. Driller</i> Video game series

Mr. Driller is a puzzle video game franchise created by Yasuhito Nagaoka and Hideo Yoshizawa for Namco. The eponymous first game was released in 1999 for arcades and several home consoles, such as the PlayStation. Gameplay in the series consists of controlling Susumu Hori, the titular Mr. Driller, or one of his friends and destroying colorful formations of blocks to make it to the bottom of a well. In order to survive, players need to collect air capsules to replenish their depleting oxygen and avoid being crushed by falling blocks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bandai Namco Holdings</span> Japanese entertainment holding company

Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. is a Japanese entertainment holding company founded in 2005 by the merger of Namco and Bandai. The company specializes in toys, video games, arcades, anime, restaurants, and amusement parks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bandai Namco Entertainment</span> Japanese video game publisher

Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. is a Japanese multinational video game publisher owned by Bandai Namco Holdings. It was founded in 2006 as Namco Bandai Games Inc., following the 2005 merger of Namco and Bandai. Namco acquired Bandai's video game business division through a corporate split. In 2009, Bandai Namco Games absorbed Bandai Networks. It is headquartered in Minato, Tokyo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gamescom</span> Trade fair for video games

Gamescom is a trade fair for video games held annually at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Since 2018, it has been organised by game – Verband der deutschen Games-Branche.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bandai Namco Studios</span> Japanese video game developer

Bandai Namco Studios Inc. is a Japanese video game developer headquartered in Kōtō, Tokyo. Its offices in Malaysia and Singapore, Bandai Namco Studio Malaysia and Bandai Namco Studios Singapore, are based out of Selangor, Malaysia and Infinite Studios, Singapore respectively. Bandai Namco Studios is a subsidiary of Bandai Namco Entertainment, which itself is a subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings. The company works under its parent company as a keiretsu; Bandai Namco Studios creates video games for home consoles, handheld systems, mobile devices and arcade hardware, while Bandai Namco Entertainment handles the managing, marketing and publishing of these products.

<i>Life Is Strange</i> (video game) 2015 episodic video game

Life Is Strange is an episodic adventure game developed by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Square Enix. The first installment of the Life Is Strange series, the game was released in five episodes periodically throughout 2015 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. It was ported to OS X and Linux in 2016, and iOS and Android in 2017–2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Nod</span> French video game developer

Don't Nod Entertainment SA is a French video game developer and publisher based in Paris. Founded in June 2008, it started development on Remember Me (2013). Because of its poor return on investment, Don't Nod entered "judicial reorganisation" in 2013. With the help of French agency funding, it developed Life Is Strange, whose successful release raised Don't Nod's industry status. It began third-party publishing with Gerda: A Flame in Winter in 2022.

<i>Life Is Strange 2</i> 2018–2019 graphic adventure video game

Life Is Strange 2 is an episodic adventure game developed by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Square Enix. Its five episodes were released between September 2018 and December 2019 for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One and later for Linux, macOS and Nintendo Switch. A main sequel in the Life Is Strange series, the game's plot features Hispanic American brothers Sean and Daniel as they travel along the US West Coast as fugitives from the police after the younger brother discovers his telekinetic abilities. In the game, which is played from a third-person perspective, Sean must make crucial decisions that will lead to different branches in the storyline, while serving as a surrogate parent for Daniel.

<i>Little Nightmares</i> 2017 puzzle-solving horror game

Little Nightmares is a puzzle-platform horror adventure game developed by Tarsier Studios and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for PlayStation 4, Windows and Xbox One, released in 2017. A Nintendo Switch version was released in May 2018, followed by a Google Stadia version in June 2020 and mobile versions were released on 12 December 2023 and published by Playdigious. Set in a mysterious world, Little Nightmares follows the journey of Six, a hungry little girl who must escape the Maw, an iron vessel inhabited by monstrous, twisted beings. The game received positive reviews upon release with critics praising its atmosphere, gameplay, graphics, and sound while criticizing its checkpoint system and short length. A follow-up, Little Nightmares II, was released in February 2021, and a third entry in the series, Little Nightmares III, is in development by Supermassive Games.

<i>Tell Me Why</i> (video game) 2020 video game

Tell Me Why is a 2020 episodic adventure game developed by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game consists of three chapters released for Windows and Xbox One in late 2020. It follows a pair of twins, Tyler and Alyson, with the ability to communicate with each other through telepathy, who reunite after ten years in their hometown in rural Alaska and investigate the death of their mother. A recurring theme of the story is the fallibility of memory, as the narrative explores the twins' childhood trauma and how they may each remember pivotal moments differently.

<i>Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions</i> 2020 video game

Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is an association football sports video game developed by Tamsoft and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in August 2020. It is based on the 2018 anime series Captain Tsubasa.

<i>Project CARS</i> Racing video game series by Slightly Mad Studios

Project CARS was a sim racing video game series developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The franchise was introduced in 2015 and received a sequel in 2017, followed by Project CARS 3 in 2020. Following the acquisition of Codemasters by Electronic Arts, the Project CARS IP was later shutdown in 2022.

Life Is Strange is a series of adventure games published by Square Enix's External Studios. Created by Dontnod Entertainment, the series debuted with the eponymous first installment, which was released in five episodes throughout 2015. It was followed by a prequel, Life Is Strange: Before the Storm, which was developed by Deck Nine and released in three episodes throughout 2017, with a downloadable content (DLC) bonus episode released in early 2018. The sequel Life Is Strange 2 and its spin-off The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit were developed by Dontnod and released between 2018 and 2019. A third main installment, Life Is Strange: True Colors, was released in its entirety on 10 September 2021. Additionally, a remastered collection of the original game and its prequel was released in February 2022.

<i>Park Beyond</i> 2023 video game

Park Beyond is a construction and management simulation video game developed by Limbic Entertainment and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The game was released for Windows PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S in June 2023.

References

  1. ↑ Romano, Sal (7 September 2018). "Twin Mirror developer diary #1: 'A Place for a Thriller'". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 8 September 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  2. ↑ Dontnod Entertainment (23 August 2018). "Twin Mirror Producer Fabrice Cambounet and Writer Matthew Ritter answering questions from the community at gamescom! Check out Twin Mirror Facebook page tomorrow to watch the answers!". Facebook . Archived from the original on 23 August 2018.
  3. ↑ Oloman, Jordan (8 June 2018). "E3 2018: Twin Mirror, New Game From Life is Strange Dev, Announced". IGN . Archived from the original on 1 July 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Twin Mirror's First Production Vlog Stars Dontnod's Oskar Guilbert". Siliconera . 11 July 2018. Archived from the original on 14 July 2018.
  5. ↑ "Help Sam find the truth and unveil Basswood's secrets in upcoming psychological thriller game, TWIN MIRROR". Bandai Namco Entertainment . 8 June 2018. Archived from the original on 1 July 2018.
  6. ↑ "10 Minutes of New Twin Mirror Gameplay - Gamescom 2018". IGN . 22 August 2018. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  7. ↑ "Twin Mirror gameplay reveals "mind palace" – and mystery figure, "The Double"". PCGamesN. 10 July 2020. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  8. ↑ Romano, Sal (21 August 2018). "Twin Mirror is episodic, first episode launches early 2019". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 Makedonski, Brett (6 December 2020). "Review: Twin Mirror". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  10. 1 2 Erskine, Donovan (December 2020). "Twin Mirror review: Sides of a coin". Shacknews. Archived from the original on 16 March 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  11. 1 2 Byrne, Katharine (22 August 2017). "EXCLUSIVE: Bandai Namco partners with Life is Strange studio Dontnod on new narrative adventure IP". MCV . Archived from the original on 23 August 2017.
  12. 1 2 "Twin Mirror hands-on preview and interview – 'We wanted the game to be plot first'". Metro . 24 September 2018. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018.
  13. ↑ Dontnod Entertainment (28 August 2018). "Twin Mirror - Q&A with the community - Gamescom 2018". Facebook . Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  14. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (8 June 2018). "Life is Strange studio reveals mystery thriller Twin Mirror". Polygon . Archived from the original on 12 June 2018.
  15. ↑ Barker, Sammy (21 August 2018). "Gamescom 2018: Psychological Thriller Twin Mirror Is Episodic". Push Square . Archived from the original on 21 August 2018.
  16. 1 2 Smith, Rebecca (18 October 2018). "Twin Mirror Interview Discusses the Darker Side of Dontnod". TrueAchievements . Archived from the original on 20 October 2018.
  17. 1 2 "Twin Mirror, First Game Self-Published By Dontnod, Unveils Its New Teaser Trailer During PC Gaming Show". Dontnod Entertainment. 15 June 2016. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  18. ↑ "お客様各位". Bandai Namco Entertainment (in Japanese). 17 June 2019. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019.
  19. ↑ Ivan, Tom (14 June 2019). "Dontnod's Twin Mirror delayed, is Epic Games store exclusive on PC". VGC. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  20. ↑ Phillips, Tom (13 June 2020). "Life is Strange developer's Twin Mirror is no longer episodic". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  21. ↑ Webster, Andrew (30 June 2020). "Life is Strange creators aim for something more grounded with psychological thriller Twin Mirror". The Verge. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  22. ↑ Sinha, Ravi (15 June 2020). "Twin Mirror is No Longer Episodic, Releasing as Full Experience". GamingBolt. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  23. 1 2 Nunneley, Stephanny (15 September 2020). "Dontnod's Twin Mirror releases in December, check out the new trailer". Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  24. ↑ Chalk, Andy (13 June 2019). "Dontnod's Twin Mirror delayed, will launch next year as an Epic Store exclusive". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on 15 June 2019.
  25. 1 2 "Twin Mirror for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  26. 1 2 "Twin Mirror for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  27. 1 2 "Twin Mirror for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  28. ↑ Krosta, Michael (December 2020). "Twin Mirror - Test, Adventure". 4Players (in German). Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  29. ↑ Bloodworth, Daniel (11 December 2020). "Easy Allies". easyallies.com. Archived from the original on 2 September 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  30. ↑ Hetfeld, Malindy (1 December 2020). "Twin Mirror review - a pale imitation of better detective adventures". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  31. ↑ King, Andrew. "Twin Mirror Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  32. ↑ Ogilvie, Tristan (November 2021). "Twin Mirror Review - IGN". IGN. Archived from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  33. ↑ "Test du jeu Twin Mirror". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). December 2020. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  34. ↑ Watts, Rachel (1 December 2020). "Twin Mirror review". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  35. ↑ Lees, Gina (December 2020). "Twin Mirror review – too many loose threads". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  36. ↑ Henley, Stacey (3 December 2020). "Twin Mirror review – bold narrative adventure with no real heroes". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  37. ↑ Aickman, Will (29 December 2020). "Twin Mirror review". Adventure Gamers. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  38. ↑ Malgieri, Fabrizia (1 December 2020). "Twin Mirror - Review". Gamereactor UK. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  39. Gandhi, Nirav (1 December 2020). "Twin Mirror Review". TechRaptor. Archived from the original on 7 August 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2023.

Notes

  1. ↑ Bandai digitally distributed the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.