Tender Loving Care
- March 30, 2017
- Aftermath Media
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Tender Loving Care" is a psychological thriller adventure game focused on the player's interactions with characters in a mysterious suburban home. The game features a unique "Tender Lovescore" mechanic, where player choices shape their relationship with the protagonist and influence the story's outcome. Psychologist Dr. Turner, played by Michael Hurst, guides players through emotional storylines that blur the line between reality and imagination.
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PC
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Reviews
- The game offers a unique and interesting narrative experience, blending psychological themes with interactive elements.
- John Hurt's performance adds a level of gravitas to the otherwise campy and cheesy acting, making the experience more enjoyable.
- The exploration of the house and the various items provide depth to the characters and story, enhancing the overall immersion.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including freezing and unresponsiveness, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration.
- Many players feel that their choices have little impact on the story, leading to a sense of futility in the decision-making process.
- The video quality is dated and can detract from the experience, making it feel less polished compared to modern titles.
- story87 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Tender Loving Care" is a complex and often bizarre narrative centered around a couple grappling with the loss of their daughter, interwoven with psychological themes and interactive elements that allow player choices to influence the outcome. While the plot features campy moments and a mix of engaging and weak acting, it is praised for its unique storytelling approach through FMV segments and exploration of the environment, which adds depth to the characters and narrative. However, some players feel that their choices have limited impact on the story's progression, leading to a mixed reception regarding the overall effectiveness of the narrative experience.
“The story is gripping, nuanced, and complex, and the way the bits of information found through exploration (journals, emails, etc.) give you extra insight into the characters and the overall narrative is top-notch.”
“Your answers actually influence the plot of the movie, and there are 8 different endings that can be achieved - the game's ability to spin the plot into different directions is probably one of its strongest points.”
“Tender Loving Care has an interesting story that is told in an unusual manner.”
“The story takes a turn for the worse as the guy gets anger issues and the nurse gets confrontational, and my choices didn't seem to affect the outcome much, at least not in the way that I hoped.”
“Unfortunately, the story is very contrived. The author was unable to create the intended drama in a believable way, so the nurse has to neglect the most basic rules of her craft, and the husband has to act in a rather immature way, so that the plot can progress toward the dramatic finale.”
“That story behind the story takes over the main one, and before you realize it, you will be more focused on watching inappropriate scenes with the nurse than on the real tragedy behind.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily an interactive movie experience, featuring occasional FMV cutscenes and simple mechanics like reading journal entries and completing psych evaluations that influence the story. While the narrative and storytelling techniques are intriguing, many players find the gameplay simplistic and lacking in depth, with limited interactivity and character development. Overall, it appeals to fans of FMV games and those who appreciate a strong narrative, despite its shortcomings in traditional gameplay elements.
“During gameplay, once in a while you get an FMV of a storyline that is going on, then later you get to interact with the house, being able to view not just locations, but also items around the house.”
“The story changes depending on your choices during the gameplay sections where you'll be reading through journal entries, emails, and answering a psych evaluation.”
“Simplistic gameplay and some weak acting, but the storytelling techniques are some of the most interesting I've seen, making for an enjoyable experience.”
“The gameplay isn't really exciting, but if you like FMV games, heavy 90s vibe and a movie with good story but poor quality, well, this is for you.”
“It was originally a DVD game, so the gameplay is really simple; it's more of an interactive movie than anything else.”
“Other than that, the rest of the interactivity consists of constant psych evaluations, which are supposed to influence the outcome of the story, but I found this mechanic to be a bit too obscure to be fully enjoyed in the end.”
- humor14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a blend of intentional and unintentional comedy, featuring absurdly invasive questions posed by John Hurt and a campy 90s setting that adds to its charm. Players find the interactions and character dynamics to be hilariously manipulative and absurd, with laugh-out-loud moments stemming from both the dialogue and the bizarre scenarios presented. Overall, it appeals to those with a taste for quirky, offbeat humor, despite some shifts in tone as the game progresses.
“The 'tats' aimed at profiling the player psychologically contain pretty funny questions, in my opinion, and you can see what the results are in between each episode from the main menu.”
“But as a game, it's an insanely hilarious camp-fest featuring John Hurt asking you wildly invasive, sexually probing questions, rippled with classic movie clips and deranged diary entries from the characters.”
“A weird and funny FMV game where John Hurt asks you sexual questions and a man is pushed to his limits when asked to get pizza and organic herbal shampoo.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are notably dated, reflecting the low-quality visuals typical of the 80s and 90s, with no options for enhancement. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm of the FMV assets, they acknowledge that the graphics can feel repetitive and less convincing over time. Overall, those open to a unique experience may still find enjoyment despite the lackluster visuals.
“Charming in its mid-90s FMV heyday values, the game certainly gets repetitive after a while, but we can't shake off the feeling that no matter the age, FMV assets draw the player into the game much more than modern-day PC graphics.”
“If you are open to something new that is different from anything else and are okay with the not-so-stellar graphics/videos (but still recognizable), then this might be something you would like to play.”
“There are no graphics options at all.”
“The game was made a long time ago, but sadly nothing has been done about the original footage, so you know what you get... low quality graphics from the 80s and 90s.”
“The graphics are a bit dated, and not all of the actors are entirely believable.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game is solid, with strong performances from notable actors like John Hurt enhancing the experience. However, some performances, particularly from key characters, lack depth and can detract from player immersion, highlighting inconsistencies in the acting quality. The age of the footage contributes to a generally favorable performance assessment, despite some script-related weaknesses.
“Performance was great, which was no shock given the age of the footage.”
“I found the premise interesting and the acting pretty good for a 90's FMV game - John Hurt delivers the spotless performance that can be expected from him, Esposito conveys his character's emotions well.”
“Acting is well done overall, but one of the actors who plays a crucial character dealing with heavy psychological issues delivers a rather flat and unconvincing performance, which serves to the detriment of the player’s immersion.”
“Acting is well done overall, but one of the actors who plays a crucial character dealing with heavy psychological issues delivers a rather flat and unconvincing performance, which detracts from the player's immersion.”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally considered weak, with users noting that it consists of short, low-volume loops that can become repetitive and annoying, especially during lengthy reading segments. However, some ambient sounds effectively create tension and enhance the atmosphere in specific areas. Overall, while the music is not a standout feature, it has moments that contribute to the game's mood.
“Some of the ambient sound or music in the rooms can invoke some serious tension or dread, as well (I'm looking at you, Jody's room).”
“The acting is decent (lifetime original movie level), the sounds and music are fine.”
“The weakest part of exploration is the soundtrack.”
“It's not even a soundtrack; it's more like short looped 30-second music with low sound volume.”
“At times it becomes so annoying when you are reading pages and pages of a book and there is nothing you can hear. I reached a point where I alt+tabbed just to play some music on YouTube to keep me going.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting interface freezes that necessitate restarts and cautioning against saving during these moments to avoid loading a frozen state. While some players find the experience enjoyable despite the bugs, the Steam version is particularly noted for its instability.
“Occasionally the interface will freeze, and you will need to restart the game. Be sure not to save when it freezes, or it will load back up frozen.”
“I can barely get into the game when I click on objects, as the game just freezes up and I can't get out of the screen.”
“I will say I did like the game, but don't play the Steam version; it's very buggy.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while searching for items can become tedious and repetitive, some still find it rewarding enough to keep playing through to the end. The limited exploration and interaction with objects contribute to the feeling of it being a chore, despite moments of enjoyment.
“In between the cringe-worthy movie clips and seemingly pointless questions, you get to 'explore' the house in a very limited way and interacting with a very limited set of objects, which quickly becomes a tedious chore.”
“Oddly enough, while this doesn't sound like much fun and seems (and actually is sometimes) a bit tedious, I found myself playing this title all the way to the end in pretty much one go.”
“It gets a bit tedious to look for them all the time at the same place, but it's sometimes very rewarding to fully check out everything.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a heartbreaking and compelling narrative that explores themes of manipulation, psychological thrills, and boundary violations, despite some uneven acting. The story's intensity is heightened by its portrayal of a dysfunctional relationship and the dark consequences of emotional immaturity.
“Despite some not-so-great acting at parts, it had a very heartbreaking and compelling story filled with psychological thrills and horrid gaslighting.”
“I'm a fan of the 'manipulative and emotionally immature rich couple hires live-in ice queen for their too-big house for some contrived reason, things get spicy' narrative, and the absurd 'psychiatry' does its job in causing the characters to go places and say things in this horrifying universe where nobody has any boundaries!”
“The emotional depth of the characters really drew me in, making me feel their struggles and triumphs as if they were my own.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable enough to revisit, others feel it lacks variety due to repetitive movie scenes, limiting its overall appeal for multiple playthroughs.
“I have to say that I really enjoyed this game, and it has some replay value.”
“For me, it had very little replay value due to most of the movie scenes being repetitive and similar.”
“Once you complete the game, there's not much incentive to go back and play it again.”
“The lack of diverse outcomes makes replaying the game feel tedious and uninteresting.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
While the acting, particularly John Hurt's narration, is praised, reviewers express a desire for deeper character development and more interactive gameplay elements, such as encountering characters during transitions between rooms.
“The acting is decent, and John Hurt's narration is excellent, reminding me of Patrick Stewart. I just wish there was a little more character development and perhaps more gameplay elements, like the possibility of encountering characters while transitioning between rooms.”
“The acting is decent, and John Hurt's narration is excellent, reminding me of Patrick Stewart, but I just wish there was a little more character development and maybe a little more gameplay, like the possibility of running into characters while transitioning from room to room.”
