Like, imagine working on a big murder mystery where a man was found dead inside a locked room with no windows. You gather tons of clues, interview countless people searching for a motive, spend a lot of time putting together all the pieces and… It turns out he simply tripped and hit his head.
That’s a great way to put it. The game’s ‘feeling’ wasn’t managed well, I think. They did some great atmospheric tricks, with some good tension by using the very fact that you’re playing a game to lead you down a particular thought pattern. I even thought it was a good ending that fit everything, but it just felt like that switch in tone you describe wasn’t really done in a way that was pleasant to experience.