Mouthwashing [PC] | REVIEW

Mouthwashing… what a weird title for a game, right? That’s the thought that went through my head before playing, but after experiencing its peculiar yet utterly brilliant psychological-horror escapade, it somehow feels perfect.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Mouthwashing puts players in the role of Jimmy, who, alongside four other crew members, finds himself stranded within a space freighter after their captain has a psychotic episode and sends them crashing into an asteroid. With resources sparse and oxygen running low, they find their mental state deteriorating as they desperately cling onto the hope that they might be rescued. It’s up to you to take responsibility for the crew and ensure everyone survives the ordeal.

I really, really, REALLY don’t want to give away too many details regarding the narrative, because it’s the most important aspect of Mouthwashing. On the surface level alone, it’s a fight for survival, but there are so many intriguing themes at play and story threads to uncover that ensure the tale remains engrossing up until the very end. The characters each play their role perfectly within the narrative thanks to their unique personalities, whilst everything is expertly written to make for an intriguing scenario where you’ll really feel like you are part of the plight.

The story is told in a fragmented manner that switches between the days before the crash occurred and the months after it too, allowing players to slowly piece together the events that led to the crash and how it ultimately affected the fate of the crew. It’s utterly engrossing, and with a solid payoff (and plenty of eerie events that build up to it), players certainly won’t be disappointed.

“Mouthwashing is an engrossing psychological horror experience that kept me completely hooked in thanks to its captivating storytelling.”

When it comes to the gameplay, Mouthwashing is best described as a walking simulator, with the narrative taking centre stage throughout. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of moments of interactivity, whilst there’s even a little bit of puzzling involving using codes or mixing items together (and one particularly grotesque incident later in the game that I won’t get into here), but these moments felt like they were there to complement the storytelling as opposed to taking centre stage.

There are also a couple of stealth-based horror-driven sequence in the gameplay, which I won’t detail here, but that I wasn’t really a big fan of. I felt like they slowed down the pace of the experience a bit too much and swayed a little too far into the horror theming of the game instead of the more effective psychological side of it – which, personally, I think is its greatest strength. It’s nothing bad at all (and I’m sure most players will like it), but it felt a little misplaced for me.

Other than that, I loved simply getting to explore the ship and watch the story unfold around me. With the game switching things up across the narrative’s timeline, you’ll explore it both in an immaculate shape as well as a state of disrepair, whilst there are even sinister moments where it’ll seemingly change around you and leave you feeling a sense of discomfort when you realise that things just aren’t quite right. And by the end? I found it to be quite homely, in a weird kind of way – I would’ve loved to have spent some time in the lounge dancing away with Swansea, or tucking into a bit of cake…

Check out some screenshots down below:

I’ve got to give a big shout out to the visuals too, with the game utilising a PSOne-inspired aesthetic that gives the environment and its characters plenty of personality. It’s incredibly atmospheric thanks to the wonderfully designed ship that’s brought to life with eerie lighting and visual effects, whilst every area you explore feels like it has something unique to see. And the more sinister moments of the game? They look fantastic, especially when it involves Curly… play the game, you’ll see what I mean.

The only thing worth noting is that I managed to beat Mouthwashing in just over ninety-minutes, so it’s on the shorter side. There isn’t much replayability either, with the secrets of the narrative not packing as much punch the second time around. In fairness, the game isn’t too expensive, so you won’t feel short-changed purchasing it, but it’s worth bearing in mind if you were hoping for something to really sink some hours into.

Developer: Wrong Organ
Publisher: Critical Reflex
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed)
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2475490/Mouthwashing/