Compare this game
Telling Lies

Review · Adventure · PlayStation 4 · Nintendo Switch · macOS

Telling Lies

Reviewed: 12 May 2026

PlayStation 4 · Nintendo Switch · macOS · PC · iOS · Xbox One

Annapurna Interactive · 2019

Ludograph rating

C

Mixed

49 /100

Automated review

Telling Lies is an adventure simulation that builds critical thinking, problem solving, and memory, though it contains mature sexual content and language.

06010030Benefit →Low risk →B 35 · R 16
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

35

Risk (RIS)

16

Daily limit

90min

Age guidance

15+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.58
B2Social-emotional
0.30
B3Motor
0.00

Telling Lies offers significant cognitive benefits, particularly in critical thinking, problem-solving, and memory. Players must actively analyze fragmented information, draw inferences, and construct a coherent narrative from disparate video clips. This process strongly engages reading comprehension and learning transfer as players adapt their investigative strategies. The game also fosters empathy through its intimate portrayal of characters' lives and ethical reasoning as players confront complex moral dilemmas. Its unique non-linear storytelling promotes a deep engagement with the material, requiring careful attention to detail and synthesis of information.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.00
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.06

The primary risks in Telling Lies stem from its mature content, including moderate sexual content and language, and mild violence and substance references. While the privacy risk is minimal, it's inherent in the game's premise of watching secretly recorded conversations. There are no significant compulsion-loop design or monetization risks.

Content (not in risk score)

R4.1Violence Level
0.33
R4.2Sexual Content
0.67
R4.3Language
0.67
R4.4Substance References
0.33
R4.5Fear / Horror
0.00

Content risk is displayed separately and does not affect the time recommendation.

Regulatory design checks · DSA — Assessed: meets criteria·GDPR-K — Not yet assessed·ODDS — Assessed: meets criteria

  • DSA:What Ludograph checks: whether the game's design gives minors the transparency the EU Digital Services Act expects: plain terms, honest defaults, and clear reporting routes.: Estimated from review data. No dark pattern or child-targeting concerns found.
  • GDPR-K:What Ludograph checks: whether age assurance and consent flows are designed for under-16s, in the spirit of GDPR Article 8.
  • ODDS:What Ludograph checks: whether paid random-reward drop rates are disclosed, as required in China, Japan and South Korea.: Estimated from review data. No paid random-reward mechanics found, so drop-rate disclosure requirements do not apply.

These reflect Ludograph's assessment of the game's design practices against each framework's criteria, not a legal compliance determination.

Avg playtime~4 hReviewedMay 2026Report a data error →How scores are calculated →

Parents ask…

Is Telling Lies safe for kids?

Ludograph gives Telling Lies a rating of 49/100, recommended for ages 15 and up. It delivers genuine benefits but carries design risks that deserve a close look.

What age is Telling Lies appropriate for?

Ludograph's rubric recommends a minimum age of 15+ for Telling Lies, based on benefits, risks, and content review. That is more lenient than ESRB M: industry ratings reflect content intensity, while ours also weighs how the game is designed to be played.

How long should kids play Telling Lies?

Our session recommendation for Telling Lies is up to 90 minutes per day. It is derived from the game's own structure (natural stopping points, compulsion-loop design, monetization pressure, and social dynamics), not from a universal screen-time dose.

Session recommendations are design-based heuristics. Evidence linking specific daily durations to child outcomes is limited, and context matters as much as time; treat this as a starting point for household rules, not a clinical threshold.

What are the main risks of Telling Lies?

The primary risks in Telling Lies stem from its mature content, including moderate sexual content and language, and mild violence and substance references. While the privacy risk is minimal, it's inherent in the game's premise of watching secretly recorded conversations. There are no significant compulsion-loop design or monetization risks.