Tender Loving Care

Tender Loving Care is a live-action interactive movie that combines full-motion video with point-and-click adventure mechanics. The game casts the player as a therapist conducting sessions with a new patient, Allison, whose husband has recently died in a car accident. As the therapy unfolds, the player selects questions and responses from a menu, guiding the conversation and uncovering layers of deception, marital dysfunction, and potential murder. The narrative branches into multiple endings depending on the choices made.

Originally conceived under the Trilobyte label, the studio behind the iconic FMV game The 7th Guest, the project moved to a new company called Aftermath Media after designer Rob Landeros was fired from Trilobyte. Aftermath Media both developed and published the game on CD-ROM in 1998. The game offers two modes: an interactive mode where choices affect the story, and a passive “movie mode” that plays the entire narrative without player input, functioning as a feature-length film. In 2012, Trilobyte Games re-released the title on iOS devices, re-encoding the video for mobile resolutions and a touch-based interface.

The story, based on Andrew Neiderman's 1984 novel of the same name, features renowned British actor John Hurt in the role of the therapist. The mature content, including violence, sexuality, and psychological themes, earned the game an M (Mature) rating. The game is also categorized as an LGBT-themed video game, though specific details about LGBTQ+ content are not elaborated in available sources. Tender Loving Care holds a place in FMV history as a later entry in the genre, praised for Hurt's performance and its mature storytelling, while sometimes criticized for the limitations of the interactive movie format. [edit]

The gameplay revolves around therapy sessions presented as full-motion video clips. The player watches a scene and then chooses from a set of dialogue options or actions, which determine the next video segment. The interface is point-and-click, with the player selecting responses to guide the conversation or investigate objects. The game includes a passive “movie mode” that plays the entire story without interruptions, allowing it to be experienced as a film. [edit]

Based on Andrew Neiderman's 1984 novel, the story follows a therapist (played by John Hurt) who begins treating a woman named Allison after her husband dies in a car accident. As sessions progress, the player uncovers evidence of marital dysfunction, infidelity, and possible murder. The branching narrative allows for multiple endings, with different revelations about the husband's death and the true nature of Allison's relationship. [edit]