Mouthwashing is an indie sci-fi horror that’s a bit like Alien – except you play the monster
Share:
Mouthwashing is one of the most chilling experiences of 2024, but not for the exact reasons you would think. It might now be the new year, but I still catch myself in a state of reflection. Writing lord knows how many listicles, ‘Best Of’ articles, and video game rankings will do that to you, I suppose! However, one of the benefits is being able to check out some 2024 games I missed based on what friends in other gaming circles are recommending. One particular viral indie horror hit that came up time and time again is Mouthwashing. It's a difficult game to write about given that it’s one of those experiences best played completely cold. Yet for the sake of (hopefully) getting more PC players to try it out on Steam, I feel implored to share my thoughts on developer Wrong Organ’s expertly paced and written sci fi tale, and how it made me feel about roleplaying as one of the most despicable characters ever.
Primarily set aboard the freight ship Tulpar, Mouthwashing doesn’t waste time spinning its wheels and instead grabs you right away with an arresting countdown sequence. Facing the control board in the cockpit, you’re swiftly informed that the ship is about to hit an asteroid. This would normally lead one to assume that the character you’re playing as would want to set a course away from the impending disaster. Instead, however, the actions that you as the player make have the opposite effect. You adjust the controls so that the Tulpar crashes on purpose, kicking off countless devastating ramifications for yourself and the entire crew (who you’ll soon get to know) that means they're forced to survive adrift amidst dwindling resources. The rest of Mouthwashing’s time-hopping horror story is then spent trying to work out two factors: what kind of person would do this and why?.
