Telling Lies is a narrative thriller built around a single idea: the truth is buried in hours of video, and you have to dig it out one search term at a time. You play an investigator who has come into possession of a stolen NSA database holding two years' worth of secretly recorded video chats. Four people are caught on those recordings, all tied together by one pivotal event. Your job is to type keywords, pull up clips, and decide for yourself what actually happened.
This page covers what the game does, how its unusual search-driven structure works, what you need to run it on Windows, and how to get it installed from the direct GOG installer package. If you enjoy interactive storytelling where the plot lives in the details rather than in cutscenes, this one is built for you.
Technical Specifications
| Version | Estimated current release (publisher does not list a version number) |
|---|---|
| File Size | 5.20 GB |
| Operating System | Windows |
| Category | Narrative thriller / interactive movie adventure |
| License | Free |
| Developer | GOG Unlocked |
Download Telling Lies
Size: 5.20 GB
What Telling Lies Actually Is
Most mystery games hand you a scene and ask you to click the right object. Telling Lies does something different. It gives you a database and a text field. You type a word — a name, a place, a phrase you overheard in another clip — and the game returns every recorded conversation in which that word was spoken. From there you scrub through the footage, watch the faces, listen to the tone, and start building a timeline in your head.
The footage is live-action, not animated. You're watching real actors deliver real dialogue in webcam-style framing, which makes the whole thing feel closer to sorting through someone's private files than playing a traditional game. The four central characters each carry their own version of events, and those versions do not line up. Your understanding of the story shifts as you find new clips, which means two players can finish the game with genuinely different reads on what happened.
The structure is deliberately non-linear. There is no chapter select pushing you forward. You decide which thread to pull, how long to stay on it, and when you've seen enough. That freedom is the game's biggest strength and, for some players, its biggest hurdle — more on that below.
Key Features
- Keyword search gameplay: Type words and phrases into the database to surface matching video clips instead of following a fixed script.
- Live-action footage: Two years' worth of recorded video chats performed by a real cast, presented as webcam-style conversations.
- Four interlocking characters: Each person's story connects to a single pivotal event, and the connections only become clear as you cross-reference clips.
- Non-linear investigation: No forced order. You choose which leads to chase and when you're satisfied with the answer.
- Personal interpretation: The game doesn't hand you a verdict. You assemble the truth from what you've watched and what you've chosen to believe.
- Direct GOG installer package: One-click install flow with a standard setup application, no launcher dependency required.
How the Investigation Loop Works
You'll spend most of your time in two places: the search interface and the video player. The search interface is where the real work happens. Early on, your vocabulary is thin — you only know a handful of words worth typing. Every clip you watch tends to introduce a new term, a new name, or a new location, and that term becomes your next search. The game rewards attention. If a character mentions a city in passing, that city is probably a searchable lead.
The video player lets you jump around within a clip rather than watching it start to finish. That matters, because a single recording might contain three or four separate conversations at different points on the timeline. Scrubbing through and catching a fragment of dialogue is often how you find your next thread. You can also revisit clips after you've learned more, and lines that seemed harmless the first time can read very differently once you know who's lying to whom.
There's no combat, no inventory, and no puzzle-box logic. The challenge is entirely investigative: remembering details, connecting names to faces, and noticing when two accounts of the same moment don't match.
Who This Game Is For
If you liked the idea of piecing a story together from scattered evidence rather than being led through it, Telling Lies fits that appetite well. It suits players who read closely, take mental notes, and enjoy character drama more than action. Fans of mystery fiction, detective shows, and interactive narrative games will find a lot to work with here.
It's a less comfortable fit for players who want clear objectives, a score, or a definitive ending handed to them. The game trusts you to make your own connections, and it doesn't always confirm whether you got it right. That ambiguity is intentional, but it's not for everyone. If you'd rather have a lighter, more playful interactive experience, something like Octodad: Dadliest Catch Free Download sits at the opposite end of the spectrum and makes a good palate cleanser.
Pros & Cons
- Pros: Genuinely original search-based structure; strong live-action performances; story depth that rewards careful watching; no filler — every clip is a potential lead; short install size at 5.20 GB relative to the amount of footage.
- Cons: The open structure can leave you unsure where to go next; no in-game confirmation that you've reached the "correct" conclusion; heavy reading and note-taking; the slow-burn pacing won't suit players who want action.
System Requirements
The published requirements are modest, which makes sense for a game built around video playback rather than 3D rendering:
- Windows 7 / 8 / 10
- 2.0 GHz Dual Core Processor
- 2 GB RAM
- GeForce 8800 or equivalent
- DirectX Version 11
- 1 GB available space
Note that the download package itself is 5.20 GB while the listed install space is 1 GB. Plan for the larger figure during extraction and setup, and keep some headroom on the drive you're installing to.
Version Freshness and Publisher Details
The input for this listing does not specify a numbered version, so treat the version field above as an estimate rather than a confirmed build number. The developer field lists GOG Unlocked, which is the source of the direct installer package on this page. If you want to confirm you're on the newest available build, check back on this page — the download link and file size (5.20 GB) are the reliable markers to compare against.
No changelog was supplied with this release, so there are no patch notes to summarize here. Rather than invent update details, this page sticks to what's confirmed: the file size, the operating system, the license terms, and the installer flow. If a changelog becomes available, it belongs here.
Installation Instructions
- Click the Download button below and you will be redirected to UploadHaven.
- Wait 5 seconds and click on the blue 'download now' button. We recommend using a download manager for faster download speeds. (You can use FDM which is free here, or any other download manager).
- Once the game is finished downloading, right click the .zip file and click on "Extract to Telling Lies.zip" (To do this you will need 7-Zip, which you can get here, or you can use the built in windows extractor).
- Double click inside the Telling Lies folder and run the setup application. Accept the EULA, and install the game. Then, launch the game through the desktop shortcut.
A few practical notes on that flow: the 5.20 GB download benefits noticeably from a download manager, especially on a connection that tends to drop. Extract to a drive with room to spare rather than straight into a system folder. And if Windows blocks the setup application, check the file properties before running it rather than assuming something is wrong.
Download Telling Lies
Download Telling Lies
Size: 5.20 GB
Reminder: This download is completely free and won't cost you a penny. However, If you love the game and want to purchase it, you can support the developers by doing so here.
Screenshots
If You Like Mystery and Intrigue
Telling Lies sits in a small cluster of games that treat narrative as something you assemble rather than something you're shown. If that approach clicks with you, the mystery-and-deception theme carries over into other titles worth a look — Vendir: Plague of Lies Free Download (v1.2.101) takes a darker, more combat-driven angle on the same idea of buried truth, while Of Lies and Rain offers another story-first experience if you want to keep exploring the genre.
What sets Telling Lies apart within that group is the restraint. There's no HUD, no objective marker, no hint system nudging you toward the next clue. You get a search field, a video player, and your own judgment. For the right player, that's the whole appeal.
Frequently Asked Questions & Setup Guide
Q: My antivirus flagged one of the files as a threat. Is this game safe?
A: Yes, all files on our site are 100% verified clean. Antivirus software may occasionally flag steam_api.dll or crack files as false positives due to modified game binaries. Temporarily whitelist the game directory before extracting.
Q: I get a missing DLL error (e.g., VCRUNTIME140.dll, MSVCP140.dll, or D3DCOMPILER). How do I fix it?
A: Missing DLL errors indicate missing Windows system libraries. Ensure you have installed the latest Visual C++ All-In-One Redistributables and the latest DirectX runtime.
Q: Where are my game save files located?
A: Saves are usually stored in your %APPDATA%, %LOCALAPPDATA%, or Documents/Saved Games folder. Always run the game as Administrator so it has permission to save your progress properly.
Q: Can I play online or multiplayer with friends?
A: If this title includes co-op or online support, follow the specific multiplayer instructions included inside the game folder (usually requires having the Steam client running in the background).
