Mouthwashing

I remember studying game design and game story development in the 2010s, when our teacher explained that games, by their nature, should be fun and inspiring. A game centred on the macabre and offering a purely miserable experience would break the illusion and, therefore, be a bad video game. It was an idea that honestly was part of the norm at the time. Imagine playing a game adaptation of Funny Games, and spending 12 - 15 hours only to have a Godless venture that left you questioning everything. Even the infamous Manhunt has a resolution of sorts, and you get the bad guys. But that was then… and Mouthwashing is now.


What the hell is Mouthwashing?

Mouthwashing is a deeply bleak, first-person psychological horror game and a recent contender in the low-fi horror scene that will certainly turn your stomach through its unsettling themes, demanding cruelty, and meaty-themed visuals.

The Tuplar starship has suffered a catastrophic crash, leaving it and the 5-person crew stranded in the vast emptiness of space. What occurs next is a hopeless, slow death of the crew, with an observation of what hope dying looks like, and the darker side of the human condition coming forth.

We take on the roles of Curly, the ship’s captain before the crash, and co-pilot Jimmy, who has taken command since the horrific accident. Through a fragmented narrative, we unravel how the disaster came to be, revealing a disturbing tale of guilt, responsibility and the darker side of human nature as the crew’s morality and faith in themselves dwindle into nothingness.

Mouthwashing feels like a transformative version of an old and highly controversial point-and-click game from the 1990s, bringing together exploratory gameplay, disturbing set pieces, and moments of unhinged brutality; you’ll likely want to bathe in bleach afterwards.


Rinse, repeat, suffer

Mouthwashing’s unpleasant edge in every aspect of its story, and presentation throughout. It’s a game that knows how to make you unbelievably uncomfortable through its flesh colour, yet beautiful low-poly visuals, to the framing of cutscenes, Dutch angles, and close-ups of extreme, fleshy textures, down to the design of the ship which spells out “Corporate” with a big old, capital C.

I found myself reflecting on it long after the credits rolled, particularly its ideas on accountability, living with the decisions you make, and the abuse of influence and power. A remarkable amount is going on beneath its grim exterior, with so many heavy themes woven together into a horrifying, somewhat dire parody of capitalism. I think the writing is fantastic, the pacing is excellent, and the level of bleakness is masterfully handled. It's deeply uncomfortable, but equally gripping, and I found it increasingly difficult to look away even at the worst the game had to offer.

One of the things I respected most is how Mouthwashing brings up unpleasant topics that people tend to look away from, and does so in an extremely claustrophobic space. The burden of looking after someone close to death is a major concept that plays through the story and gameplay. The unravelling of willpower and the decay of hope in the face of death.

It’s fascinating how video games can make you participate in events that you might otherwise find abhorrent. It reminded me a little of Spec Ops: The Line, where you're controlling horrific actions and are made to confront them. There's a strange sense of complicity at play, and I think Mouthwashing handles this particularly well.

I can’t and don’t want to reveal too much about what occurs with its characters, as it will ruin the experience for those looking to pick up and play. Undoubtedly, Mouthwashing explores the themes of accountability and personal gain through the suffering of others. I found myself thinking of Obsession and how it handles similar themes also. But for that film, I felt there were gaps and more of a PR marketing push on how you should feel and view the film. Mouthwashing does not f*** about, and gives you the cards bluntly, yet with purpose.

For what horrible things characters may do, we can understand why they are there and then. It gives us character details which we can all relate to and even sympathise with. Yet never pushes us into siding with them. And this is what is so brilliant: the idea of understanding the monster, and realising we could become one. It’s a truly disgusting thought and one that makes us think “That will never be me”, but then again, it could’ve been.

The writing is undoubtedly the strongest part of the experience, but there's plenty else that helps bring this miserable little journey together. The low-poly visuals are fantastic, with the game's surreal environments and increasingly bizarre set pieces giving it a distinct identity. There's a constant sense that something isn't quite right, and the game does a wonderful job of making the Tuplar feel overwhelmingly oppressive. Its pacing is also excellent, knowing when to let things breathe and when to throw something truly disturbing your way. And then there's the sound design, which is phenomenal. It reminded me of Dead Space, and how even the smallest soundbite could be unpleasant and scratch that nerve in your brain to make you recoil.

Some of the noises in Mouthwashing are genuinely nightmarish, particularly the swallowing sounds coming from the disfigured captain. Jesus, it's the sort of audio that makes your skin crawl, and your gag reflex have a party where you’re invited.


This is going to hurt ….

Mouthwashing’s gameplay is largely exploration-based, with players going through the ship in different moments in time, piecing together what has happened, and resolving the aftermath in any feasible way possible.

There is a lot of backtracking and wandering around the ship, yet the surreal shifts in time and displacement kept me interested and voided any tedium. It can be an interesting slow burn, and one that reflects more on the themes of the story rather than presenting fun gameplay. And fun is not a word I would use to describe the most visceral and memorable moments of this game. Even Outlast and the like are fun in their nature, even scary and disturbing.

There's nothing particularly wrong with a game going against the grain, but it's also simplistic, and the core gameplay can feel a little unimaginative at times. Mouthwashing didn’t need to be a survival horror game with crafting, resource management or a collection of elaborate mechanics, as that would arguably detract from what it's trying to achieve. It goes beyond the likes of Silent Hill, where intertwined puzzle solving, exploration, and doses of combat win a nightmare. Mouthwashing is mainly focused on exploration, putting the pieces together of how you came to be facing death, and trying to avoid the elephant in the room when speaking with your crew mates, and doing some of the tedious tasks at hand.

But Mouthwashing does grab you by the throat and puts you somewhere you'd rather not be. Committing horrid acts of violence or simply feeding painkillers to a man who has no skin on his body, almost causing him to choke at times.

And while I would say there are some enjoyable puzzles and lateral gameplay elements scattered throughout, they usually are particularly unpleasant and downright creepy. One towards the end of the game involving valves being turned had my muscles curling up. It’s grim to say the least, and I would understand if some people just switch off, as there is no avoiding the tenser, bloodier, and more upsetting moments.

So, gameplay. It resembles a classic point-and-click adventure and video nasties with deep artistic merit. It can be a slow burn; there are a lot of discussions aiming to avoid the crushing reality, and moments of horrid meaty horror that will certainly churn your stomach.


Overall?

Mouthwashing is a game that ultimately left its mark on me. I can’t say I really enjoyed it, but it is remarkable in how uncompromising it is with its themes and gameplay.

It's a deeply unpleasant experience, but in the most profoundly complimentary way. Its story, characters and uncomfortable themes are what make it so compelling, and I think there's something quite special about a game that can leave you with scars and deep in thought for days after finishing it.

There was a lot I could reflect on, and what it means to be in a bad place, where you feel the world is against you and what you should do. It has something to say about accountability, the decisions we make and the damage people can inflict when they're allowed to abuse their position. And it doesn't offer particularly comfortable answers in the long run. But it gives you a lot to think about.

I’ll be thinking about Mouthwashing for a long time – When alone at night trying to sleep. When the air in the work office is unpleasant. And especially when I’m rinsing my mouth with mouthwash.

Highly recommended. Provided you have the stomach for it.

++ Beautiful low-poly visuals and presentation
++ Gripping narrative and themes
++ Brutal and horrific gameplay

- Can be a bit hard to handle
- Core gameplay loop can be a little repetitive at times

A PS5 review key of Mouthwashing was kindly provided by the publisher