Contradiction: Spot The Liar

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,355 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • humor
Contradiction: Spot The Liar Game Cover
Contradiction rebuilds the FMV genre in a smart, sensible way
Starting at €12.79Buy now
Get on Steam

Contradiction: Spot The Liar is a unique murder mystery game that uses live-action video for gameplay. Players interview characters, spot their lies, and collect evidence to solve the case. The game offers a high level of playability, with smooth movement and constantly changing events in the game environment. Unfortunately, the Mac version of the game does not support Steam achievements or cloud saving.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Mobile Platform
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,355 reviews
story476 positive mentions
replayability7 negative mentions
  • Engaging story with interesting characters and a unique contradiction mechanic that keeps players invested.
  • High production quality for a small budget, with well-acted performances that add charm to the game.
  • Fun to play with friends or family, making it a great social experience.
  • Gameplay can become tedious due to repetitive backtracking and the need to ask every character about new clues.
  • Some contradictions are difficult to spot, and the game does not allow cross-referencing statements between different characters.
  • The ending feels rushed and leaves many plot threads unresolved, leading to disappointment for players hoping for a more satisfying conclusion.
  • story1,041 mentions

    The story of "Contradiction" is generally praised for its engaging and intriguing plot, featuring a mix of quirky characters and a murder mystery set in a small British village. While many players found the narrative captivating and enjoyed the unique mechanic of spotting contradictions in character statements, several noted that the ending felt rushed and left numerous plot threads unresolved, suggesting a potential for a sequel. Overall, the combination of solid acting, a compelling storyline, and a humorous tone contributed to a fun and immersive experience, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and linearity.

    • “The writing was pretty solid, the plot was interesting, the acting, filming, and sounds were very well done.”
    • “I felt hooked on the story the entire time, and wish it lasted longer!”
    • “The story is engaging and the acting really helps the overall quality.”
    • “The menus are awful, progression is often arbitrary, many story threads are left completely hanging with no satisfactory conclusion and the big reveal comes out of nowhere with almost no buildup at all, a careening left turn from what's been foreshadowed at the literal last second.”
    • “The ending completely ignored the vast majority of the story you uncover.”
    • “Unfortunately the story had so many holes and unanswered aspects, that it just left me feeling underwhelmed and rather frustrated.”
  • gameplay351 mentions

    The gameplay primarily revolves around a unique contradiction-finding mechanic where players interview characters and identify inconsistencies in their statements, reminiscent of classic detective games like Ace Attorney. While the mechanics are simple and can become repetitive due to the linear nature of the story and frequent backtracking, many players find the process of uncovering lies engaging and satisfying. Overall, the combination of live-action video, campy acting, and a compelling narrative enhances the experience, despite some frustrations with the gameplay's limitations and occasional clunkiness.

    • “The gameplay mechanic of finding contradictions is a nice touch; however, some contradictions are incredibly tough to spot.”
    • “The contradiction-finding mechanic is challenging, but not so hard as to be off-putting, and the ability to call your chief at any time really helps.”
    • “The gameplay consists of interviewing people and listening to their stories, finding items and connections or contradictions between the things you find out.”
    • “The gameplay can get a bit repetitive as you have to go back and forth between locations many, many times as you uncover more information, and sometimes it's very not obvious what to do when you get stuck.”
    • “Gameplay is repetitive and time-wasting, a lot of travelling around just to see if anything has changed.”
    • “The gameplay is barely existent but that is kind of the point.”
  • humor124 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mix of intentional and unintentional comedy, with many players finding the over-the-top acting and quirky character performances to be both charming and hilarious. While some moments are genuinely funny, others come off as campy or poorly executed, leading to laughter that may not align with the game's serious themes. Overall, the humor enhances the experience, making it an entertaining blend of mystery and comedy that resonates well with fans of quirky narratives.

    • “The story is really serious, but Jenks adds a great amount of humor that seems to flow really well with the entire game without it seeming forced.”
    • “The acting and writing were great, with just the perfect amount of campy humor.”
    • “Contradiction is a game as charming as it is hilarious.”
    • “I know it sounds like it's obviously some sort of joke, but the writing is bad in places where it's not funny too.”
    • “The attempts at humor feel forced and often fall flat, making the experience more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
    • “While the game tries to be funny, most of the jokes miss the mark and come off as awkward rather than humorous.”
  • music121 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to create an immersive and atmospheric experience, enhancing the overall mood and tension throughout gameplay. Composed by Tim Follin, the soundtrack is noted for being both fitting and engaging, contributing significantly to the game's charm and sense of mystery. While some users mentioned minor audio issues, the consensus is that the music effectively complements the narrative and setting, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “The background music sets the mood of wandering around in this small picturesque village with a touch of mystery really nicely.”
    • “The music makes it super atmospheric and eerie.”
    • “The music properly sets the mood, and the village itself is visually a rather charmingly beautiful little slice of English countryside.”
    • “The music volume control, despite turning it completely off, still bleeped deafened me every time it sprang up.”
    • “Aside from the music, the extremely cheesy acting is another standout in contradiction, especially with the actor portraying Jenks who loves to smirk at his suspects with his trademark goofy deductive grin.”
    • “Overall, it's been a ton of fun and the only real qualm I have about it is sometimes the music got too loud... even when I had ambient music turned off so that it wouldn't echo in my chat with my friend.”
  • optimization108 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players experiencing issues such as video flickering and stuttering, particularly on Mac systems. However, many users noted that the game runs smoothly on various setups, including older laptops, and praised the engaging performances that enhance the overall experience despite any technical hiccups. Overall, while there are some optimization concerns, the strong acting and immersive storytelling largely compensate for these issues.

    • “Contradiction is a fantastic game with some of the most memorable FMV performances, an intriguing plot line, and a solid central mechanic that revolves around spotting lies between the lines.”
    • “The performances by all of the actors are exquisite and really add to the overall charm of the experience.”
    • “Contradiction manages to complement a dark, complex murder mystery with campy performances and goofy self-awareness.”
    • “There's video flickering, stuttering, and there are spots where you literally can't click on anything or exit the screen.”
    • “His performance is truly cringe-worthy; the guy dreadfully overacts every single line, so he comes off more like a circus clown instead of a police inspector.”
    • “In fact, Jenks is so excitably overanimated and the acting in general is so cheesy that it makes me wonder if it was an intentional directorial choice or if the director actually thought his actors were delivering believable performances.”
  • atmosphere91 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by a well-crafted setting in a quaint English village, engaging music, and effective acting that balances humor and seriousness. Reviewers note that the combination of atmospheric visuals, sound design, and character development creates a captivating experience, despite some instances of exaggerated performances. Overall, the game successfully evokes a sense of mystery and intrigue, making it a standout in the murder mystery genre.

    • “The atmosphere was fantastic, the twists of the stories got my heart racing, the music and ambience was quite top notch.”
    • “The setting and atmosphere is dense and well executed in true 'British crime' manner.”
    • “The game is pretty low budget and it shows in that there’s not many varied locations and the like but they also worked really well within these constraints because its real quality, the FMV is very clear, it's shot well, and the game is really atmospheric.”
    • “And while I did like the atmosphere at the start of the game, it was difficult to take the story seriously because the acting gets really cheesy at times.”
    • “I must say though, that the main character Detective Jenks and the bad guy Junior Ryan both super overplayed (probably actors in a theater, rather than TV actors), which sometimes created an atmosphere of a C movie.”
    • “The atmosphere, story, dialog, and acting are a bit cliché for a detective game; having said that, the concept of looking for contradictions is very good.”
  • graphics44 mentions

    The game's graphics have received praise for their unique use of full motion video, creating a lifelike and immersive experience that enhances the storytelling. Players appreciate the charming aesthetic of the village and the realistic environments, although some have reported occasional glitches and issues with video quality. Overall, the visuals are considered engaging and contribute significantly to the game's atmosphere, despite some criticisms regarding the execution of certain graphical elements.

    • “I like the aesthetic, the sense of the village being a 'character' itself, the locations and camera angles are all great and visually appealing. The ambient background sounds, like the wind gently blowing while looking at the leaves on trees swaying, enhance the experience. Just being able to click around the street and woods and get a sense of being in a village is cool.”
    • “Beautiful graphics; they look so lifelike!”
    • “Using only filmed footage and photographs in place of computer-generated graphics, it works remarkably well in presenting a gorgeous environment and sets, along with aesthetically pleasing costume designs.”
    • “Before you play this game, it's best to configure the game via the beta branch so that you play the legacy edition instead of the new version because it unfortunately glitches the graphics and, in the worst-case scenario, crashes your computer, leaving a blue screen.”
    • “The corny acting and pixelated, low-res video was jarring against the blocky 2D (or faux-3D) graphics of the era.”
    • “Another 'tell' that corners were cut in the visuals department.”
  • replayability36 mentions

    Overall, the game suffers from extremely low replayability, with many players noting that once the story is completed, there is little incentive to play again due to its linear structure and lack of branching paths or multiple endings. While the initial experience is engaging and well-executed, the absence of replay value is a common critique, making it more of a one-time experience rather than a game to revisit. Players suggest that future installments could benefit from incorporating more choices and outcomes to enhance replayability.

    • “I just wished they would've made multiple endings so that there would be some replay value besides getting the achievements.”
    • “I'm not sure about the replay value (it's a pretty linear experience), but honestly, it was entertaining enough that it's worth getting it regardless.”
    • “I could also see replay value in trying it again after some time, like The Wolf Among Us, and it would be a delight to share with friends and watch them try to unravel the mystery.”
    • “I'm unsure about the replayability; if the outcome is the same every time, I already know how the story goes.”
    • “Game play is fun if you are into FMV games, and perhaps the only downside is limited replayability, with one playthrough being enough to reveal all the secrets.”
    • “There isn't really any replay value, though I hope that if a sequel comes to fruition, it will offer more branching options, endings, and choices, as this story is very much linear.”
  • stability35 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with users reporting frequent video glitches, crashes, and a generally buggy interface across various platforms, particularly on Mac. While some players experienced minor issues that did not significantly hinder gameplay, others faced game-breaking bugs and frustrating UI problems that detracted from the overall experience. Despite these technical shortcomings, many still found the game enjoyable and worth playing.

    • “I played the PC version, and once I understood how the interface worked, it was easy to play, had no glitches or game problems at all, and was just fun.”
    • “Before you play this game, it's best to configure the game via the beta branch so that you play the legacy edition instead of the new version because it unfortunately glitches the graphics and, in the worst-case scenario, crashes your computer, leaving a blue screen.”
    • “However, be aware that the Mac version is basically unusably buggy - it repeatedly crashed for me, and manually saving the game didn't work.”
    • “One tragic problem this game does have, however, is that it is horrifically buggy.”
  • grinding34 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite tedious, particularly due to repetitive tasks like asking the same questions to multiple characters and navigating the same locations frequently. While some appreciate the engaging story and character interactions, many feel that the gameplay becomes monotonous after several hours, detracting from the overall enjoyment. Despite these criticisms, some players still recommend the game for its intriguing narrative and character depth, suggesting that improvements could enhance the experience.

    • “But about halfway through it, maybe 6-7 hours in, it just became the most tedious thing in the world, going through the motions of - oh this person just told me something, I need to go ask everyone else about it for the 50th time.”
    • “The game is split up by hour of the evening and some events only trigger by visiting every area of the map again, which is very tedious.”
    • “However, walking up and down the same street asking the same few suspects about each item found became rather tedious and automatic, rather than requiring investigative inferential thinking.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the characters in the game, particularly to the protagonist, Inspector Jenks, whose exaggerated expressions and interactions evoke both humor and depth. While some scenes may feel disjointed, the writing effectively balances lighthearted moments with darker themes, creating a mix of heartfelt and unsettling experiences that resonate with players. Overall, the emotional engagement is heightened by the cultural nuances of the British setting, making the characters feel both relatable and compelling.

    • “I've developed an emotional attachment to Jenks.”
    • “I mean, these in-game characters... I don’t know, there’s something really special about them and the way they act. It’s important to note that they are all British, so it’s definitely a cultural thing here - they are so emotional, and sometimes you just can’t stop enjoying their expressions and the way they talk.”
    • “This made me feel sad that as fun as playing a detective solving a mystery can be, the story is still dealing with a tragedy.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect enhances the overall experience by integrating interactive elements, allowing players to engage more deeply with the narrative rather than relying solely on passive animations. The developer's background in advertising and film contributes to a well-crafted experience that feels rewarding.

  • character development1 mentions

    The game excels in character development, creating a rich and immersive experience that is further enhanced by its captivating music.

    • “A great game for character development, and the music provides an engrossing atmosphere.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

Buy Contradiction: Spot The Liar

Play time

8hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
6-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 18 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games