Mouthwashing

2024-12-31
The first action you take in Mouthwashing sets in motion the torrent of shit that follows for the passengers of the Tulpar. And in doing so the developers make the player complicit. It's a delightful flourish of game design in a game chock full of such flourishes. The biggest flourish is the narrative itself. It is excellently paced, it is riveting, it is chock full of emotions (confusion, disbelief, disgust, hatred, despair, despair, despair). Time-skipping to and fro the narrative answers questions just as quickly as it births new ones and I kept going, craving a resolution just as surely as I knew I wouldn't be one I'd like. God, it's good.

The packaging around the narrative elevates it as well. Our current visual-aesthetic belle-of-the-ball, PS1 graphics, feels perfectly at home. There is a fantastic blurring affect used between scene changes that lends to the surreal, mind-warping nature of the narrative structure. And that same blurring effect is used in one of the best scenes in the story after Daisuke goes in the ducts, seemingly to represent the mental block the character has on seeing the consequences of their actions. Chef's kiss. Those visuals are paired with some exquisitely choice sound design. I mean really some of the best character development is conveyed through the noises that are made as Jimmy violently forces then gently administers painkillers to Curly. It's phenomenal and reminds me of Obra Dinn in the best way possible.

Mouthwashing is not without its blemishes. There are some horror sections mixed in that drag on. The horse one especially started off incredibly cool and creepy and then the same "reveal" happens over and over and becomes drudgery as you slowly make your way through the cargo hold. The whole "Take Responsibility" end section went on too long for my taste. At this point all the narrative twists have been resolved, you know how the chips lie, and are waiting for an ending. But the team seemingly tried to shove in as many creepy set pieces as possible at the last minute. This whole protracted denouement left me feeling a bit "Ok we get it, he's fucked..." instead of "Wow what a resolution!"

Fundamentally Mouthwashing is a brilliant work of art and well and truly worth all the praise I've been seeing out and about. I hope if you've read this far you've already played it. If not, I think it's time to override that autopilot, captain.