Twin Mirror

Twin Mirror is a narrative adventure game by Dontnod Entertainment. It was co-produced by Shibuya Productions and released on 1 December 2020 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Gameplay
Twin Mirror is an adventure game played from a third-person view. Players control the investigative journalist Sam, who has returned to his hometown of Basswood, West Virginia. The environment is interactive and its objects are obtainable. Whom Sam speaks to is optional and, based on the state of his investigation, there are multiple endings to unlock.
Players navigate between the real world and Sam's "Mind Palace" to discover clues. Sam's inner voice, the Double, may aid or harm the investigation.
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 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. 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
Partnering with publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe, Dontnod Entertainment began developing Twin Mirror in 2016 with a separate team of senior developers. About forty people were working on it as of September 2018. Lead writer Matthew Ritter was influenced by adventure games like Beneath a Steel Sky and Space Quest.
Contrary to previous titles, Dontnod desired to have Twin Mirror be void of any supernatural elements. According to art director Pierre-Etienne Travers, the game's primary concept is duality. The decision to set it in a fictional American town, based on southern West Virginia, was to broaden its appeal.
In June 2019, Dontnod announced to self-publish the game, with Bandai Namco Entertainment acting as the distributor for the console versions. As well as Shibuya Productions becoming a co-producer of the game. Bandai Namco decided to cancel the Japanese console versions of Twin Mirror shortly after Dontnod acquired the IP rights from Bandai.
The game was originally designed as an episodic game when it was first revealed. Following the delay, the game was reworked and the episodic format was abandoned so it can be played without any interruptions.
Release
Twin Mirror was announced in June 2018 during E3 2018, set to be released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One the following year. 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. At the PC Gaming Show 2020 in June, a teaser trailer was shown. In September 2020, it was set for release on 1 December 2020. The Microsoft Windows version was exclusive to the Epic Games Store for one year.
Reception
Twin Mirror received "mixed or average" reviews, according to Metacritic. Some reviewers criticised the game's gameplay mechanics and felt that the protagonist lacked personality. They noted it was too short. GameReactor praised the visuals.
References
Notes
External links
2020 video games
Adventure games
Bandai Namco games
Detective video games
Don't Nod
Fiction about murder
PlayStation 4 games
PlayStation Network games
Psychological thriller video games
Science fiction video games
Single-player video games
Unreal Engine games
Video games about amnesia
Video games about the paranormal
Video games developed in France
Video games set in West Virginia
Windows games
Xbox One games