Mouthwashing: a PS1-Style Psychological Torture
What would you do if you were stranded in space after a terrible accident, leaving you on a meteor with depleting resources, sanity, and an endless supply of mouthwash? What if it wasn’t an accident? This is the terror that Mouthwashing encapsules.
Mouthwashing is an indie psychological horror game released on September 26th 2024, developed by Wrong Organ, an indie studio based in Sweden. Following the game’s release across multiple platforms, it gained a cult following almost immediately. With a recent collaboration with toy company Youtooz and cosplays galore, it’s difficult to ignore its popularity.
Mouthwashing bounces between the perspectives of Curly and Jimmy, two of the five members aboard the Tulpar cargo ship before and after crashing onto an unknown meteor. As the events of the game unfold, we learn disturbing details about what happened prior to the crash. The farther along the game goes, the further into insanity the crew plunges.
Skillfully built characters get the player invested into the story. Each character has multiple layers of depth and stands out in their own way. A young adult struggling with making his family proud, an irritable older man falling back into addiction, the one woman of the crew fearing for her safety while struggling with her dreams of being a nurse, and so forth.
The cruelest thing a horror game can do is get you attached to the characters. Subject matters in this game are incredibly grim with a gut-punch of an ending. Through the majority of the game, you’re in the position of Jimmy. The game forces you to commit and witness firsthand multiple horrendous actions. For example, the consistent torture of fellow crew member and playable character Curly. The visceral visuals and sound effects make every action feel disgusting, almost as if the blood is on your own hands for clicking the button.
Taking a cinematic angle and being heavily story driven, the Mouthwashing experience almost feels like an interactive horror movie. The visual style takes on a retro PlayStation 1 feel, similar to other game studios such as Chilla’s Art and Puppet Combo, other horror game studios that specialize in this retro style. You’re thrown into dreamscapes, nightmares, and tight corridors all throughout. Mouthwashing uses the mundane nature of repetition to lower the player’s guard, making the terror all the more impactful. It feels like a true descent into madness.
Mouthwashing is a filthy game. It’s an uncomfortably unforgettable experience. This indie game has been nominated and won some awards. The game received honorable mentions for excellence in audio and in narrative at the 2025 Independent Games Festival. At the 2024 Steam Awards it was nominated for the Outstanding Story-Rich Game award. The Horror Game Awards in 2024 awarded Mouthwashing the Best Narrative and Players’ Choice awards. It couldn’t be more deserving of these accolades.
big agree, i watched someone play this but i still loved watching the game play andhim slowly realizing the horrifying truths about characters
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