BrokenLore: Don’t Lie review

There have been four BrokenLore games released in the last two years, and if you’ve played any of them you’ve probably got a good idea of what to expect from the fifth, BrokenLore: Don’t Lie. This short psychological horror isn’t the deepest game in the world, and neither it is all that scary. But at the heart of it lies a story that might just get under your skin.

A young woman called Junko is at the centre of the tale here. Prone to telling lies, she’s become very lonely, and as a result has retreated inwards. She wants to try and make friends, though, but after being rejected time after time, she resorts to drastic measures to get what she wants, egged on by an A.I. chat companion.

Needless to say, the premise of BrokenLore: Don’t Lie is an intriguing one, especially with the current loneliness epidemic. In the age of so-called social media, isn’t it ironic that more of us feel lonelier than ever, struggling to forge meaningful human connections? This is a game that explores the dangers of feeling cut off from the world, with Junko eventually struggling to determine fantasy from reality.

While many similar short indie horror games are nothing more than walking simulators with jump scares, BrokenLore: Don’t Lie does differentiate itself by having some varied gameplay elements. It’s still pretty basic all in all, however.

Between exploring liminal spaces and making your way through surreal environments, you’ll play a retro 2D platformer called Fantasy Boy, and eventually find its characters forcing their way into your world where you’ll have to combat them with a sword.

There’s also a minecart section, and multiple areas in which you’ll be pursued by a creepy stalker, with you needing to cover your eyes to protect yourself. While there’s nothing too deep or complicated here, then, it is at least unpredictable and engaging.

Still, it’s somewhat problematic that a horror game such as this is pretty devoid of any real scares. And despite being a short game, BrokenLore: Don’t Lie doesn’t feel particularly polished, with a number of visual artefacts and performance issues being present.

If you go into BrokenLore: Don’t Lie expecting to spend the entirety of its duration on the edge of your seat, you might be disappointed. This is far from terrifying. But if you just want to unravel an engaging story over the course of a lazy evening, you’ll get some enjoyment out of it.