12 Minutes Review

Only one developer, just a few minutes to escape a mysterious time loop and a cast full of well-known names. Although it may not seem very exciting at first, Annapurna Interactive's title is innovative and worth a look. Luis Antonio is the only developer of 12 Minutes. Today I will tell you all about the game, which is now available exclusively for Microsoft's ecosystem. Here is my 12 Minutes review on PC.

Feeling tripped?

Even with the game following the classic lines of Point and Click, 12 Minutes is a very particular title. Your protagonist lives in his apartment with his wife. After a long day of work, the couple plans to have a romantic evening. However, their plans change in an instant after the raid of a police officer. After breaking into their apartment, the agent accuses her mother of murder.

After putting her down on the ground, he decides to kill your alter-ego. The epilogue of the story, contrary to all odds, is not the end of the protagonist but the beginning of an endless time loop. You will be trapped here, and you will live the story again indefinitely. You will need to find the solution and live a normal, happy life.

THE CLOCK IS TICKING

The entire story can be read in twelve minutes, as you can see by the title. This is the exact time you have to solve the mystery. The game's basic formula is Point and Click. This formula is supported by an aerial camera that allows you see each room and can be controlled from above.

To move your character around your house, you will need to gather key objects. This is essential to your story's progress! These key objects must be combined in order to solve the puzzles presented to you by the game. There are two fundamental rules of Annapurna Interactive's 12 Minutes.

The first is that the loop will restart in the event of death, or loss of consciousness. The second is that the loop will restart if the mystery is not solved within 12 minutes. This allows a game that would normally last just over an hour to be played in a way that takes you on a journey, bit by bit, to discover the truth behind the mystery.

Luis Antonio

TRIAL AND ERROR

The core strength of 12 Minutes is certainly the narrative, and more precisely, the dialogues that carry the story forward. The dialogue between the characters during the loop reveals every detail that you need to discover and combine. The choices made during the loop will have repercussions that will make it possible to obtain details and information about the woman and the cop. It will become possible to slowly investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of her father.

This will allow you to identify who is lying and how you can solve the problem. The gameplay is straightforward and repetitive. This often leads to trial-and-error. The story will not be completed if most of the loops are inconclusive. Luis Antonio's game will force you to replay the sequence dozens of times in vain to find the missing piece in the story. It is also due to the lack of an internal game saving system.

FUNCTIONAL AND BEAUTIFUL

When I first started playing, the strong cinematic influence and the artistic choice of Luis Antonio for his game stood out to me. Graphically and technically, the game is simple but beautiful. The air chamber allows you to control each room and its related objects with no problems. A simple, but effective graphic sector is also included.

The delicate lighting effects and the details in the environment deserve my gratitude. The brief musical interludes that frame the main theme perfectly frame it without being too repetitive or exaggerating. The end credits of Annapurna Interactive's film are clear, revealing the developer's true intent.

12 Minutes is a really well-orchestrated dystopian thriller, enhanced even more by the cast who voices the three characters. The voices of your protagonist, his wife and the police officer are actually by James McAvoy and Daisy Ridley respectively. This is an exceptional cast that adds even more meat to an already large barbecue.

Point and click

ARE THERE BUGS

The game is a gem in the Game Pass's indie scene, but there are a few issues that prevent it from earning full marks. First, there are a few minor bugs that can taint the gaming experience. Sometimes, the lines of the code may replace certain dialogues. Sometimes your wife will get stuck and prevent you from continuing the loop. This will make it necessary to wait until the time runs out before you can start again.

The second, and more serious, problem lies in the previously mentioned trial-and-error. In particular, in Annapurna Interactive's 12 Minutes, there is a hidden key object which is not properly arranged on the screen. You will continue to do this looping process dozens upon dozens of times, without ever finding the answer. Yes, I get that the game's goal is to help the player build the story piece-by-piece. It is insane to repeat the same actions over and over again for hours without any clue.