12 Minute Review

In a medium full of constantly updating online shooters, open-world action adventures and RPGs, annual sports iterations, and more, it can sometimes feel like truly unique games are few and far between. Not only is it difficult for games to break into new genres, but new encounters emotionally and in terms of game mechanics seem rare. However, 12 Minutes is exactly that kind of title. While not perfect, 12 Minutes is a unique experience that provides a narrative rarely seen in games. The end result is a roller coaster of a story through a sometimes frustrating but overall enjoyable literal gameplay loop. The sixty-second pitch of 12 Minutes is that an unnamed man is trapped in an endless twelve-minute loop, and he must escape by solving an incredibly tense mystery. What starts as a sweet romantic evening with her unnamed husband quickly turns into a nightmare, as a “policeman” comes to the door and claims that her husband killed her father eight years ago. Things move quickly from there, and the “time loop” resets if the spouse/player dies, or when the twelve minutes expire. It’s a fascinating idea for a game, and developer Luis Antonio has put it all together so beautifully, that even Hideo Kojima is praising 12 Minutes. In an effort to figure out what’s going on, the player must take advantage of each loop to find clues and information. Talking to the wife and letting her know the player is in a time loop won’t help if the player hasn’t come up with reasons to prove they’re in a loop, for example. The player wanders around the apartment like a point-and-click adventure, although with an Xbox controller using the mouse feels more natural. The puzzles themselves are more about discovery and understanding than a true definition of a puzzle-genre video game. Each room tells its own story and is important in one way or another, although the game is definitely confusing, as players may want some tips in 12 Minutes every now and then when stuck. Some 12 Minute tasks can be completed using multiple tools or in different ways. However, there are other tasks that are very specific and can feel almost broken. It can be very frustrating to be stuck in the same time loop over and over again because something was given to the spouse too soon or the spouse has to look at something before giving it to someone else. Overall, 12 Minutes can be very complicated at times. But the feeling of being stuck in a time loop is exactly what the wife in the game probably feels, so maybe developer Luis Antonio is trying to convey that feeling. A big positive in 12 Minutes is how it handles its time loop design. A set of tasks in a time loop can take a full twelve minutes, and players may barely get through everything within the time limit. However, in the next loop, the husband will remember this and apply it to his questioning, reasoning, etc. For example, at a very early point, the husband has to prove to the wife that he is indeed in a time loop. It takes a lot of steps to do and is quite involved. However, in later loops, since the character now has new information at their fingertips, the player can prove that they are in a loop in a matter of moments. In any game where there is a timer that resets the clock (like The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask), time can almost be one of the enemies. Because of the overall smart loop design, it doesn’t feel overly unfair (unless there comes a time when the player actually gets stuck in a loop or two). Along with finding clues, the biggest element of the game is dialogue. Players will use dialogue to gather information, and the more clues discovered – both from finding things around the apartment and from talking in various loops – the more new conversation branch will be displayed. The communication between the star-studded cast of 12 Minutes is where the story is primarily told. The voice acting of this confusing story is very strong. James McAvoy stars in 12 Minutes and Daisy Ridley plays a caring wife with a potentially tragic and twisted background. Meanwhile, Willem Dafoe is the voice of the dangerous cop. Each character plays their role very well, and most of the lines hit home. Whether the wife is struggling with the madness of being stuck in an endless loop, the husband is lovingly offering a dessert he has prepared for the sentimental night, or the police are threatening and shouting, the performances are often absorbing the player into the disturbing story. There are a few instances where moments fall flat, or when the time loop element pulls players away after hearing the same lines multiple times (which can sometimes be passed quickly), but overall this element of 12 Minutes is strong, and it is exciting. to see three big name actors in an indie developed game. Ultimately, the story is the most important part of 12 Minutes. The reason the player will want to keep looking for answers and go slightly further into the next loop is to solve the mystery. The story of 12 Minutes is told throughout the world, but mainly through dialogue. And the ending of 12 Minutes, without spoilers, is worth getting out of multiple time loops. Although some sharp players may see hints of the final twist to come, the ending is a gut punch and it has the potential to be talked about for years to come. In a story-based game, the journey is incredibly important, but the ending is often the most important part. 12 Minutes allows for multiple endings, unlocking multiple 12 Minutes achievements along the way. However, regardless of some paths to the end game, the truth of the shocking story is set in stone. The players only have the choice of how they want to react based on the information they have now learned. 12 Minutes is a special game. The game design of the time loop is very well put together, though there are slight hiccups that can be frustrating. The voice actors do a great job of tying together the taut narrative, and there’s always a sense that the next clue is what will uncover this unfathomable mystery. While the game’s visuals leave some room to be desired, the art style and vibe make up for it. There’s always an underlying creepy tone to 12 Minutes that goes beyond the horrors within the apartment walls and those 720 seconds. And that’s forever true in the cold ending to 12 Minutes. 12 Minutes is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Today Technology reviewed 12 Minutes on the Neuron 4000D from Origin PC. Origin offers a variety of customizable PCs that can meet any gamers’ needs. Read more about Neuron here. MORE: 12 Minute Movie References Explained