MOUTHWASHING plunges players into a chilling narrative aboard a freight ship, where characters grapple with their own minds and horrific truths. Read our review to see what it did well, what it didn't do well, and if it's worth buying.
MOUTHWASHING Review Overview
What is MOUTHWASHING?
MOUTHWASHING is a survival horror game that grips you with fear from the moment you start. Set aboard a freight ship in space, you control two central characters—Curly, the captain, and Jimmy, the co-captain—who are among a crew trapped after a crash. What begins as a survival story quickly twists into a psychological horror journey that blurs the line between reality and delusion.
MOUTHWASHING features:
⚫︎ Visually Disturbing
⚫︎ Fractured Mental States of the Characters
⚫︎ Claustrophobic Setting
⚫︎ Retro Inventory
⚫︎ First Person POV
| Digital Storefronts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Steam |
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| Price | $12.99 | ||||
MOUTHWASHING Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
 Gripping Psychological Story with Plot Twist Seamless Visual Transitions Well-Developed Characters |
Short Playtime Limited Map |
MOUTHWASHING Overall Score - 88/100
MOUTHWASHING is a rare horror gem that taps into psychological fears rather than relying on cheap thrills. Its ability to unsettle and disturb is enhanced by an ever-shifting visual style that reflects the characters' fragile minds. Although short in length, the game compensates with a memorable experience that stays with you long after the credits roll. The overall execution of story, atmosphere, and gameplay earns MOUTHWASHING its place for being one of the most thought-provoking horror experiences in recent memory.
MOUTHWASHING Story - 10/10
The story of MOUTHWASHING is what sets it apart from other horror games. It's the backbone of the entire experience, blending psychological horror with rich character development. The narrative explores themes of isolation, mental illness, and the darker side of human nature. Each of the five crew members trapped aboard the Tulpar has a role in unraveling the mystery, and the interplay between them is gripping. What's even better is that the game doesn't tie everything up neatly—there are loose threads and unanswered questions that leave you pondering the events long after you finish the game. This ambiguity adds to the replayability, as you’ll want to dive back in to see if there’s something you missed.
MOUTHWASHING Gameplay - 9/10
Gameplay in MOUTHWASHING is primarily about exploration and narrative progression, but what stands out is how it merges survival elements with the psychological breakdown of its characters. You aren't fighting against external monsters as much as you're fighting against your own mind, which the game portrays brilliantly through environmental changes and visual glitches. At times, you're sneaking around to avoid something that may not even be real. The objectives you complete gradually peel away the layers of the story, making you more invested in the mystery.
MOUTHWASHING Visuals - 8/10
MOUTHWASHING uses its limited setting to its advantage, creating a claustrophobic atmosphere that plays with your sense of reality. The game’s most effective tool is how it seamlessly shifts between the real world and a darker, more twisted version of it. These transitions are not only visually disturbing but are also used to reflect the characters’ mental states. It's hard to shake the feeling of unease when you see the world around you slowly morph into something horrifying, especially when it happens without warning. These visual shifts feel reminiscent of the Silent Hill series but add a unique flair that helps define the game’s identity
MOUTHWASHING Audio - 8/10
Sound design plays a critical role in any horror game, and MOUTHWASHING doesn’t disappoint. While the audio cues may not be the most groundbreaking aspect of the game, they do a fantastic job of building tension and enhancing the atmosphere. The moments of silence, broken by sudden distortions or distant sounds, make you feel like something terrible is just around the corner. The music, too, is perfectly timed, swelling at key moments to heighten the sense of dread. It may not be the most memorable soundtrack in horror gaming, but it’s effective where it counts.
MOUTHWASHING Value for Money - 9/10
For $12.99, MOUTHWASHING offers a tight, intense horror experience that lasts around three hours. Some might find the length short for the price, but the quality of those hours more than makes up for it. The narrative depth and psychological horror elements ensure that you’ll be thinking about the game long after you finish it. The game also encourages replayability, especially if you're the kind of player who enjoys digging into every clue and piecing together the story’s layers. Given the level of immersion and the overall experience, I would say it's well worth the investment.
MOUTHWASHING Review: Disturbingly Good
From the moment I started playing MOUTHWASHING, I knew I was in for something unsettling. There’s an immediate sense of dread, like something’s creeping up on you before you even see it. That’s the sign of a great horror game—when the fear starts before the monsters show up. This game manages to get under your skin quickly, not with jump scares, but with an atmosphere so heavy and twisted that it leaves you paralyzed. The freight ship you’re stuck on feels like a prison, and the way the environment shifts between reality and delusion is masterfully done.
The pacing of the narrative works to heighten this tension. It’s slow, deliberate, and never overwhelming, but it keeps you on edge. Every decision the characters make feels like it’s leading them deeper into their own madness. Visuals shift, objects morph, and suddenly, you find yourself in a different version of the ship, a dark reflection of the Tulpar that mirrors the characters’ mental decay. The seamlessness of these transitions is impressive and adds a layer of disorientation, making you question everything you see.
The story’s strength lies in its characters and their unraveling mental states. Each time you think you’re safe, the game finds new ways to unsettle you, either through an unexpected narrative twist or a shift in the visual landscape. By the time you reach the end, the pieces of the story click together in a disturbing and satisfying way, leaving you to wonder how much of what you saw was real.
A Perfectly Crafted Atmosphere
The atmosphere in MOUTHWASHING is where the game truly excels. You’re trapped aboard a freight ship in space, but it doesn’t feel like a typical sci-fi setting. Instead, the Tulpar feels more like a haunted house—a labyrinth of narrow corridors, dark corners, and oppressive silence. Every sound, from the creaks of the ship to the distant echoes of something lurking in the shadows, adds to the sense of dread.
What’s remarkable about the atmosphere is how it evolves with the story. As the characters lose their grip on reality, the ship itself seems to warp. The game’s visual glitches aren’t just a technical quirk; they are intentional, a way of showing the characters' unraveling minds. One moment you’re walking through a dimly lit hallway, and the next, the walls are changing, or you’re thrown into the abyss. These transitions happen so fluidly that it feels like the world itself is alive, responding to the characters’ mental states.
This atmosphere is enhanced by the game's audio design, which is equally unsettling. Silence is used as a weapon, and when the music kicks in, it feels like a warning that something is about to go horribly wrong. It’s a careful balance of sound and silence that keeps you on edge, never letting you feel comfortable. The Tulpar itself becomes a character in the story, and by the end, it feels like you’ve spent hours trapped in a waking nightmare.
Characters Fractured by Isolation
The cast of characters in MOUTHWASHING is small, but each of them plays a critical role in the story. What starts as a survival narrative quickly shifts into a character-driven psychological thriller. Each crew member on the Tulpar has their own demons to deal with, but it’s the isolation and confinement aboard the ship that exacerbates their problems. Over time, the pressure builds, and cracks start to form in their relationships and mental states.
Curly, the captain, carries the weight of responsibility, though he’s accused of doing something horrible, which only adds to the tension aboard the ship. Meanwhile, Jimmy, the co-captain, pretentious and imposing, shows that he’s unraveling as the story progresses. Anya, the nurse, is reserved and mentally vulnerable, struggles to maintain her composure. Swansea, the mechanic, is prickly and hard to approach, but his pessimistic nature keeps him grounded, making him one of the more real characters on the crew. Lastly, Daisuke, the intern, is just trying his best to navigate the growing chaos around him, bringing a sense of youthful determination to an otherwise bleak situation.
The game’s psychological horror thrives because of how well it portrays the mental collapse of its characters. You aren’t just fighting external monsters; you’re witnessing the internal battles of each crew member as their fears, insecurities, and anxieties manifest in the most disturbing ways. By the time you learn who is responsible for the horrifying events on the ship, it all makes sense, and yet, it leaves you shaken by how easily things could spiral out of control in such an isolated, claustrophobic environment.
A Survival Game Without Death
One of the more unique aspects of MOUTHWASHING is how it approaches survival mechanics. Unlike traditional survival horror games where death is a constant threat, here, death is less of a concern. You can’t really "die" in MOUTHWASHING—at least not in the way you might expect. The real enemy is the psychological toll that the ship, and the situation, take on the characters.
The gameplay revolves around exploration and puzzle-solving, but the tension comes from the environment itself. There are moments when you need to move quietly to avoid the monster lurking in the shadows, and other moments where you’re forced to equip a weapon. But what makes this gameplay loop interesting is how the real battle is in your mind. The environment shifts and changes based on the characters' mental states, creating a dynamic sense of danger that feels more psychological than physical.
There’s a constant sense of urgency in everything you do. Every new task propels the story forward, and while the game isn’t long, each moment feels meaningful. This focus on mental survival rather than physical death is a refreshing take on the horror genre, and it adds depth to the gameplay that makes it stand out from other horror titles.
The Monsters Inside Us All
The monsters in MOUTHWASHING aren’t the traditional creatures you’d find in most horror games. Instead, the game takes a more psychological approach, portraying the true monsters as the characters' own minds. Jealousy, insecurity, and isolation breed the real horror in this game, and the results are terrifying. The scariest moments come not from external threats, but from the realization that the characters are trapped in their own delusions.
One of the best decisions the game makes is leaving certain elements of the story open-ended. It doesn’t tie everything up neatly, which gives the player room to interpret what they’ve just experienced. This ambiguity makes the horror more effective, as you’re left wondering what was real and what was just a product of a broken mind. By the end, the plot twist is a gut punch that recontextualizes everything you thought you knew about the characters and their motivations.
The game’s exploration of mental illness is handled in a way that feels both terrifying and empathetic. It doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of the human psyche, but it also doesn’t demonize its characters for their flaws. Instead, it portrays them as victims of their own minds, and that’s where the true horror of MOUTHWASHING lies. You’re not just fighting a monster; you’re fighting the very essence of what it means to be human.
Is MOUTHWASHING Worth It?
Absolutely, If You’re Ready to Face the Madness
MOUTHWASHING is worth every minute. It may be short in length, but it’s packed with intense moments that will stick with you long after the game is over. The way it blends narrative, atmosphere, and gameplay creates a seamless horror experience that stands out in the genre. The characters are compelling, the story is gripping, and the visual and audio design pull you into a world where nothing feels safe or certain.
The $12.99 price tag is more than reasonable for what you get—a thought-provoking horror experience that begs for a second playthrough. Whether you’re a fan of survival horror or psychological thrillers, MOUTHWASHING delivers on all fronts. While the game does have its limitations, particularly in terms of its short playtime and limited environments, it more than makes up for it with its rich storytelling and disturbing atmosphere. If you’re looking for a horror game that will mess with your head in the best way possible, MOUTHWASHING is a must-play.
| Digital Storefronts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam |
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| Price | $12.99 | ||||
MOUTHWASHING FAQ
Why is the game called MOUTHWASHING?
In a later part of the game, mouthwash plays a crucial role in a series of truly unhinged events that trigger the characters’ mental unraveling. The use of mouthwash in this moment is bizarre, yet it symbolically ties to the themes of cleansing and control, though in a twisted way.
Why is The Ending of MOUTHWASHING Like That?
The ending comes down to a series of bad decisions, mostly by Jimmy, whose inability to handle the mounting pressure leads to the group’s downfall. His choices, driven by insecurity and delusion, push the narrative toward its unsettling conclusion.
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MOUTHWASHING Product Information
 |
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| Title | MOUTHWASHING |
|---|---|
| Release Date | September 27, 2024 |
| Developer | Wrong Organ |
| Publisher | CRITICAL REFLEX |
| Supported Platforms | PC (Steam) |
| Genre | Horror, Adventure, Indie |
| Number of Players | 1 |
| ESRB Rating | N/A |
| Official Website | Developer’s Website |
