I was really looking forward to diving into Mouthwashing. Until then, my only experience with horror as a genre had been Resident Evil 1 Remake HD, which is more on the survival horror side, so taking on a game more focused on psychological horror really interested me, as I was wondering what kind of themes could be explored. Mouthwashing seemed like a good first experience because of its length and the reviews it had received, and I was not disappointed, far from it.
I played the game twice. I had the feeling that I had missed a few elements/details during my first run, and I have to say it was worth it because I really saw the game and everything it had to offer from a different perspective, even more disturbing than the first time.
It is difficult for me to write a traditional review as I usually do because so many different feelings are mixed together after finishing this game.
Now, for the categories:
Level Design — 3,5/5:
Very Good. I particularly appreciate the way the Tulpar is used to tell the story and for navigation. It is small but remains effective in what it offers, especially in the sections before/after the crash, where we can clearly see it deteriorating as the game progresses, with trash and foam taking up more and more space, creating a palpable feeling of claustrophobia. However, when it comes to the rest, especially the hallucination sections, the progression was quite linear, sometimes too much so, and although these hallucinations were unpleasant and anxiety-inducing to experience, the progression was mostly tedious throughout these sections.
World Design — 2.5/5:
Not much to say about this one. It is clearly not the focus of the game, and that is not necessarily a problem. It works well for the setting of the game and what it is trying to offer, but that's about it.
Main Character — 4/5:
This is quite a complicated category to evaluate in this particular case, since in my opinion the protagonists are Jimmy and Curly (to an extent), but from my point of view, they are also, above all, the antagonists of this story, the ones responsible for the tragic events that have happened or are going to happen. Personally, I quickly felt that something was making me uncomfortable about Jimmy, especially when he gives Curly the painkillers, where the scenes are clearly disturbing, or in the way he interacts with the rest of the crew. Despite this duality, Jimmy works very well as a protagonist because the further we progress, the more we realize that everything about him is rotten, and my second run really emphasized this aspect.
Villain — 5/5:
As an antagonist, Jimmy is exceptional. The way he is presented, the actions we carry out through him, the pieces we slowly put together, gradually revealing a character for whom there is absolutely no redemption possible, leaving you with a feeling of deep disgust at the thought of continuing to embody him until the end. I think he is also memorable and frightening because, as many people have said, he represents the kind of men who exist everywhere, convinced that they are the heroes, that they are misunderstood, convinced that they can "fix" the problems they created while refusing to take responsibility, running away from their responsibilities and their guilt, firmly believing that they are never the problem.
Even his conclusion is memorable. In his final moments, he still thinks he acted as a hero. After sending the rest of the crew to their deaths, he thinks he is saving Curly, but instead condemns him (imo) to 20 more years of suffering.
That being said, I have no sympathy for Curly either. He is just as responsible for Jimmy's actions in the sense that he failed to protect his crew, even though that was his role, in order to help his friend. They work so well together because it is such a classic pattern: men who fail to see how bad and harmful their friends/people around them are, but decide to look the other way because of their friendship. My second run made me disgusted by the interactions between Curly and Anya and Curly and Jimmy. He is a pathetic character who deserves everything that happens to him.
Cast — 4/5:
There are only 5 characters in the game, and 2 of them I consider to be the protagonists and antagonists of the story. Despite that, the cast as a whole is very well done. They all have distinct personalities and are, overall, really well written. Their interactions are memorable, with some of them being chilling, i.e. the conversation between Anya and Curly at night about the lack of locks on the bedrooms. I have nothing else to add, other than the fact that it works.
Story — 4.5/5:
Excellent story, especially in the way it is told. We are given disconnected pieces of information, and it is up to us to put the pieces of the puzzle together. I found that fascinating, especially when we understand important elements at certain points in the game and get that chilling feeling. The environmental storytelling is also excellent. The Tulpar and the hallucinations really add a feeling of discomfort, claustrophobia and decay as the game progresses, perfectly reinforcing the psychological horror aspect.
However, some sections felt unnecessary and broke the pacing a little, mainly the "action" and "chase" sections.
Ending — 4.5/5:
Excellent, of course reinforced by Jimmy who, as I said in the category dedicated to him, thinks that even in his final act, he is acting as a hero and that he has finally managed to "fix" the situation, despite the fact that he probably gave his friend a cruel extension of his suffering.
Gameplay — 1/5:
Just bad. Of course, this is not where the focus is, but that is not an excuse. The game is short, so you can overlook it, but that does not change the fact that the gameplay is just deeply boring and is there to justify the work as a video game. The "action" and "chase" sections feel out of place to me and could be removed; they add nothing to the experience, quite the opposite. As for the rest, it's just go to this place, talk to this person, bring this item, use it, which very quickly becomes repetitive and boring despite the game's short length.
Soundtrack / Sound Effects — 5/5:
Whether it is the music or the sound effects, everything works. They really reinforce the horror aspect that the game is trying to create, throughout the entire game.
Art Direction — 4/5:
Very unique and immediately recognizable. The visual choices are really interesting and work perfectly with what the game is trying to achieve, especially when it comes to the lighting.
Final Score — 4/5
The average of my categories comes to 3,9/5, which I round up to 4/5.
I can't say that the experience was enjoyable, quite the opposite, but the game left a very strong impression on me that I will remember for a long time. I immediately wanted to play it again to understand more things, and I can't help but read people's reviews to see what they liked or disliked, their interpretations of certain events... A truly memorable experience.
