So first, huge thank you to Wrong Organ for providing the code for this journey. Also, a standing ovation because I loved my brief but insanely impactful time with Mouthwashing and can’t wait to see what they do next.
We flip positions as crew members of the doomed delivery ship ,Tulpar, stranded in space after a devastating collision. Resources are dwindling. Much of the already small vessel is sealed off but tufts of thick emergency gel. Tensions of a already weary and disgruntled crew are pushed vastly beyond their breaking points. The captain, Curly, seemingly purposefully caused the crash in a fit of insanity it seemed. Curly, now horrifically immolated, is confined to medical, leaving James in charge, adding to the swelling tension. All this misery, all this pain, and for what? What could possibly be worth the slow decay of five lives?
Normally, I’m not a fan of this kind of gameplay. It’s predominately point and click with some very light stealth and puzzle solving thrown in. The game thankfully doesn’t waste a minute and is expertly paced. The story griped me from start to finish and the characters have a pretty surprising amount of depth for a game that lasts roughly 3 hours. It’s extremely rare for a story to truly hit me and actually stay with me long after. Mouthwashing is the kind of story I wish I wrote. The superstars of it are the visual and sound designs. Visually, the game is absolutely disturbing with some incredibly unsettling visuals augmented by the claustrophobic, derelict setting reminiscent of Alien. The sound design grossed me out at times in the best ways and the music have me a Kubrick vibe that contrasted and complimented the visceral, cerebral horror at play.
In the end, I cannot recommend Mouthwashing enough. Its a terrific story that brings us face to face with some true fears. It’s refreshing to see cosmic horror that doesn’t lean on monsters, disease, or ghosts. Mouthwashing is the cruelest nail in the coffin of a cog in the corporate machine and the demons we can’t escape, even in the deepest reaches of outer space. I’d gladly give my experience on Ps5 a 10/10. May the gaming gods bring you glory.
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