Truer Than You Review (PC)

More and more games are incorporating LGBTQ+ representation in their narratives, even though at a relatively slower pace than necessary. And not just quickly brushing over the subject, or the more prominent creation of your own character in an RPG. Most of the games with LGBTQ+ representation barely scratch the surface of the real socio-political issues we face in the real world. After all, games are the channel through which we escape from reality, and more practically, face the problems in our society head-on. 

Indie developer and publisher Transcenders Media is the latest studio to launch Truer Than You, an LGBTQ+ game that isn’t afraid to be authentic and realistic about diversity. They transcend beyond in-game characters you see yourself in, and place them in real-world scenarios you’re likely to face. Sure, the end product may have a few kinks that still need ironing out. However, it’s definitely a bold step toward attaining a peaceful world we can all freely co-exist in. 

If you’re still on the fence about grabbing a copy, now available via Steam and itch.io at $14.39, our Truer Than You review should help make a clear decision for you. 

Impersonista

I can see myself in Rin, the non-binary 26-year-old protagonist in Truer Than You. They are an up-and-coming actor, just arrived in the big city, and looking to make ends meet. They sign up for the Truer Than You secretive company to take on gigs of all kinds. A bored housewife might want you to make their rich husband jealous. A climate change activist might need you to help them take shady pictures of a protest. You might play the role of the estranged father of a girl for the day. 

These are all scenarios you have to immerse yourself in, to act and behave as if they were your real identity. It’s the job description prescribed for you upon taking up the gig-working actor job with Truer Than You company. You’re not to expose who you truly are. You’re not to make connections with the random people you meet. And most importantly, you’re not to fall in love. Otherwise, there will be consequences to pay. 

The premise alone sparked my interest, simply thinking about all the wild scenarios I’d be thrust into. You do have some leeway in the gigs you decide to take, how you interact with the people you meet, and potentially build a long-lasting relationship with them. But one step at a time. First, you have to get to know them: their backgrounds, personalities, and quirks. And while they become more open with you, a spark may be lit. 

Beautiful Penmanship

Truer Than You has truly nailed the writing. Every character, including Rin, is instantly relatable, if not likeable. And the more eccentric characters you meet, the more you draw closer to them. Even the bored housewife has depth and may even be endearing to you, especially with the authentic reasons developed for their actions and behavior. You quickly learn that the characters are real people you might run into in the real world, and thus, carefully navigate your conversations with them. 

As an LGBTQ+ visual novel, you can definitely expect to have sensitive conversations. Truer Than You is certainly unafraid to tackle complex issues, transcending identity and into loss, finding your place in life, and even climate change. These are indeed thought-provoking and intriguing conversations, you feel pressed to chase. 

I will say, though, that Rin feels the most intriguing. By taking up different gigs, you may have to lean more on Rin’s masculinity, femininity, or otherwise. You’re flexible to the needs and responses of your clients, at times, because you ultimately need to satisfy them to earn positive reviews, and others because of the societal pressure to fit in certain boxes. Truer Than You finds an impeccable way of capturing the ways in which we censor ourselves for the sake of others’ peace of mind by selecting from interesting dialogue choices or staying silent altogether.  

Fork in the Road

You can essentially choose to build a reserved Jin personality or one who speaks up about sensitive issues. It’s a challenge of its own, regulating the way you interact with different people. And the freedom to choose the dialogue route to take goes further into the actions Jin makes. During a date, for instance, you might hold out until there’s a spark that prompts you to kiss your love interest. 

Speaking of love interests, Truer Than You may start with relatively straightforward paths to take. But they soon branch into multiple endings. You’ll soon develop connections and even romantic interests with the people you meet, enough to want to see them again, even when you’re off work. 

While sadly, breaking your employment contract doesn’t seem to incur any heavy consequences, it does introduce new story paths to chase. With over 1,000 dialogue choices, your visual novel stories grow more profound, taking you to worlds unknown. 

Facing Your Past

You even begin to look back at your own past, and its influence on your present self and identity. The past Rin has been running from becomes too important in the present to be cast aside. And it unravels in the form of a compelling mystery via a new character you can’t help wanting to learn more about. 

Love, loss, community, all delved into from a queer perspective, is the very essence of Truer Than You, and the reason to play it. It doesn’t just scratch the surface of real and true issues of our world, but relays them in some of the most endearing and engaging ways. And all along, the most soothing soundtrack plays along, cementing you in deep relaxation. 

I’m not too sure that the visuals will be stunning for every gamer. Transcenders Media has chosen to use bright blue and pink colors, which are great, except the character skins don the same color palettes as well. For a game that thrives on diversity and addresses the sensitive socio-political issues of the LGBTQ+ movement, one would hope that race would be just as important in its development. 

Last Stretch

The entire playthrough wraps up in under two hours, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The truth is, most of the issues expressed in Truer Than You have no direct resolution. And for the game to wrap the different stories you unravel in a neat, tight bow would feel unrealistic, if not disappointing. 

It’s beautiful that you’re left pondering over the stories, drawing realistic connections to your own life. And potentially, influencing your perspective for the better. But to explore some of the loose ends, you can always head back into Truer Than You on multiple playthroughs. Your discoveries about certain characters might influence how you interact with them a second time around. And in the end, you’ll discover new stories and endings. 

Still, some loose ends feel unfinished, especially ones that reveal an intriguing aspect of a character and leave it hanging. There are certainly story directions you’ll want to pursue further, only to realize that even on multiple playthroughs, they simply are unfinished. In those cases, I would hope that Transcenders Media launches new updates. It wouldn’t hurt also to chase new story threads in the already intriguing writing style of Truer Than You. 

Verdict

Visual novels have something sweet and spicy about them. They can easily grip your attention, reveling in the warmth and cozy tales of often compelling characters. In Truer Than You, they take a realistic approach, exploring complex themes such as love, loss, climate change, and more from a queer perspective. 

There are definitely moments for love to bloom, allowing you to pursue romantic interests with different genders and personalities. You discover their unique quirks and backgrounds, revealing more about why they behave the way they do. And in turn, their lives influence yours, pushing you to dissect your past from a different perspective. 

As a non-binary protagonist, you’re often in awkward situations that you can choose to walk away from or face head-on. And Truer Than You affords you the opportunity to choose when and how to respond. You shape your character’s behavior and actions in some of the most real and authentic ways seen in gaming. 

Even with everything Truer Than You gets right, though, the characters’ depth and thought-provoking dialogue in particular, there are aspects that might still need more polish. The art style uses a pink and green color palette that applies to the characters’ skin as well, which hardly reflects the different races in the real world.

Meanwhile, some decisions lack meaningful impact, like deviating from your employee contract or heading back for multiple playthroughs. Worth noting also are certain loose ends, leaving you with more questions than answers. Overall, though, Truer Than You is a pretty cozy visual novel, which doesn’t just provide comfort after a long day, but also intrigues with its complex ideas on identity, diversity, and community.