DaRmaZat From the very intro screen of Mouthwashing, you’re drawn into a hypnotic ambient atmosphere, carried by ethereal synthesizers. A mummy seared into your mind—or maybe “just” a severely burned person? Either way, the opening scene proves to be just one of many juxtapositions in this game that wields tragicomedy with such striking efficiency. And while the OST—one you’ll want to purchase immediately—completely envelops you, it soon becomes clear that even its masterful sound design is secondary to the overwhelming narrative.
What is Mouthwashing actually about, you might ask? Well, let’s just say everything and nothing. Or perhaps… the absurd, the transcendent, the mundane, and the almost-mundane madness. You meet Polle, the sickly pony who is both the mascot and a source of dread. All the while, you grapple with existential crises and frequently find yourself hopelessly lost. But being lost here doesn’t mean aimless wandering. The game constantly challenges you to think differently, to find alternative solutions—which sometimes means retracing your steps or pausing to confront whatever obstacle stands in your way.
The Tulpar, under the Pony Express corporation, is now your home. For over a year, this cargo ship has drifted through space on its mission, as time and reality themselves begin to blur. Yes, there was a crash. But flashbacks and flashforwards twist events into such an intricately spun web that you’ll never fully unravel it—and that’s exactly why it hits so hard. The somewhat caricatured characters share every experience with you in an unmistakable way. Voiceless, yet brimming with razor-sharp depth. As Jimmy, the ship’s unofficial leader, you find yourself primarily caring for the former—but now gravely injured—captain, helping him swallow his morphine. Meanwhile, the rest of your crew needs you just as much: the sometimes clumsy Daisuke, the unpredictable Swansea, and the emotionally torn Anya.
The universe of Mouthwashing is defined by dark hallways and endlessly repeating spaces, coated in styrofoam-like textures, bursting with symbolism, and frequently interrupted by suggestive black screens. Humor, drama, and horror meld seamlessly in this unique indie game, creating a psychotic trance where everything—from cuddly ponies to life-threatening situations—carries a cosmic, profoundly emotional weight. You have no idea where to go, and yet, somehow, you always do. Mouthwashing toys with time, space, your soul, and your mind through its surreal, oppressive, absurd, but above all, brilliantly elegant design.
Play it.
