Mouthwashing

Developer : Wrong Organ

Publisher : CRITICAL REFLEX

Platform : Steam

Release Year : 2024

Low Fidelity Horror

I know this will surprise absolutely no one who knows me, or who has been reading this blog, but I love the low poly PS1 inspired look so many indie games are rocking as of late. Take that aesthetic, and mix it with and a combination of science-fiction, cosmic and psychological horror, and I am in. This is the kind of beast Mouthwashing is, and even though it was only 6 or so hours long, I cannot recommend this game enough. If you are a fan of the strange and unique ways video games can tell stories, as well as unsettling narratives, then Mouthwashing is something you do not want to pass up.

They Say No One Can Hear You Scream in Space

Mouthwashing is a non-linear tale about the freighter starship, Tulpar, and her crew that are now stranded and adrift in space. The narrative jumps back and forth between the days leading up to the accident and the present where the crew are trying to survive. I don’t want to get into anymore details regarding the story, or even how it is told, because experiencing it is the whole point of the game. Saying anymore than that would be doing this game a huge disservice. I will say that it is a deeply unsettling and disturbing story, and one that I was thinking about long after I finished.

The crew of the Tulpar are a dysfunctional group, and I found them to be compelling and interesting people. There is no voice acting here, and I am more than okay with that; the lack of voices helps to convey the growing unease and tension. How these souls deal with the present situation, as well as events that happened before this dire problem, is the soul of the game’s story. Like before, I don’t want to say much more, because learning about the crew and their relationships is the bedrock of the narrative.

Retro Future

Mouthwashing looks like it is straight out of 1998, and I am all for the game’s PS1 inspired low polygon look. I feel that the low-res look of the game adds to the horror of the situation and gives the ship that extra level of grime and grim despair. The look of the ship is heavily influenced by Alien and the Nostromo, with its ‘70s industrial futurism; the Tulpar is not a sleek and sexy ship, it is a little more than a flying warehouse. Its fantastic, but I very much understand that this look is definitely not for everyone.

While the narrative and atmosphere are the high points of the game, the gameplay is very basic, bordering on mindless walking simulator territory. There are some simple puzzles to solve, and a few more ‘action’ oriented sections (and calling them action is being generous), but aside from that you will mainly be wandering about the small map talking to your crew members. If fast paced and riveting gameplay is what you’re looking for, this game is definitely not for you; think of Mouthwashing as an interactive story rather than a classic ‘game’, for better or worse. The short nature of the game helps with this, because if it went on for any longer, the lack of any real gameplay would become more and more apparent.

Short and Bleak

Just like this piece, Mouthwashing is short and bleak, at only around 5-6 hours. But in that time, you get to experience once of the best horror games I have played in a long time. This is not a game like Resident Evil of Dead Space where you are fighting for your life with an arsenal at your disposal, Mouthwashing is more like Silent Hill with its eerie and unsettling subject material; you are going to be left feeling disturbed and dirty once the credits roll.

I cannot recommend this game enough, and I think anyone who is a fan of horror games, movies, and stories, should board the Tulpar and experience this unique story of dread and unease.