Tender Loving Care (video game)

Aftermath Media

Company type	Private
Industry	Video games, Interactive movies
Founded	1998
Founder	David Wheeler, Rob Landeros
Headquarters	United States
Products	Tender Loving Care

Tender Loving Care is an interactive movie that debuted on August 12, 1998, through Aftermath Media. This psychological thriller features performances by Michael Esposito, Marie Caldare, Beth Tegarden, and John Hurt portraying Dr. Turner. The project was both written and directed by David Wheeler, with production and interactive design led by Rob Landeros. Originally slated for release under the Trilobyte brand, Landeros was dismissed prior to launch. Consequently, the title was issued via his newly formed company, Aftermath Media, on CD-ROM, enabling audiences to either watch it as a full-length movie or engage with its interactive elements.

In October 2012, the game saw a re-release on Apple's iOS platform under the Trilobyte Games label. The narrative is adapted from Andrew Neiderman's 1984 novel Tender, Loving Care.

Plot

Michael Overton (played by Michael Esposito) and his wife Allison (Marie Caldare) grapple with the devastating loss of their daughter in a car accident. Allison remains emotionally paralyzed and detached, unable to process her grief or resume normal life. Dr. Turner (John Hurt) recommends hiring a live-in nurse to support Allison’s mental health recovery. They bring in Katherine Randolph (Beth Tegarden), whose unconventional therapeutic approach generates friction within the household.

Interactivity

Rob Landeros, serving as producer and designer, characterized Tender Loving Care as a cinematic experience infused with interactive gameplay aspects. The narrative progresses through episodic segments, interspersed with user interaction. Following each episode, Dr. Turner poses questions to gauge the player's understanding before granting access to an illustrated reconstruction of the Overton residence for further exploration of plot details. Advancement requires completing a brief Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) designed to assess the player’s psychological profile. The film incorporates alternate scenes and multiple possible conclusions shaped by user choices.

Development and release

David Wheeler, who co-wrote Trilobyte's The 11th Hour, initially envisioned Tender Loving Care as a purely cinematic piece but transitioned to an interactive format following production challenges. Wheeler partnered with Rob Landeros to establish Aftermath Media in order to finalize the project amid difficulties faced by Trilobyte.

While the DVD-Video version achieved modest success in North America, it performed notably better in European markets—particularly Germany—backed by significant promotional efforts. Nonetheless, royalties from the German distribution were owed to Trilobyte, which had ceased operations by then. Landeros acknowledged that production expenses were never fully recovered. The 2012 iOS edition underwent content modifications to comply with Apple's App Store policies.

Reception

Harold Goldberg, in his publication All Your Base Are Belong to Us, criticized Tender Loving Care as representing an unsuitable direction for Trilobyte.