The Longest Five Minutes

41%
Game Brain Score Based on 23 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • grinding
The Longest Five Minutes Game Cover
This JRPG contains scenes of hot springs and an amnesia plot. Viewer discretion is advised.
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In "The Longest Five Minutes," the protagonist must battle the Overlord and regain his memories before it's too late. By revisiting past memories, he gains strength and knowledge to face his opponent. Along with the main quest, players can take a break with three mini-games, adding variety to the gameplay. This nostalgic RPG combines an engaging story with unique mechanics, making every moment count in this intense five minutes.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

41%
Audience ScoreBased on 23 reviews
story16 positive mentions
grinding9 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique storytelling format that combines flashbacks with a classic JRPG experience, making it engaging for players who enjoy narrative-driven games.
  • The characters are well-developed and relatable, with a story that includes interesting twists and emotional moments that resonate with players.
  • The graphics and art style are appealing, reminiscent of classic JRPGs while incorporating modern touches that enhance the overall aesthetic.
  • The gameplay mechanics are shallow and repetitive, with battles often feeling too easy and lacking challenge, leading to a sense of monotony.
  • The RPG elements, such as leveling and equipment, do not carry over between flashbacks, which diminishes the incentive to engage with the game's combat system.
  • There are instances of poorly executed humor and sexist jokes in the dialogue that detract from the overall experience and may alienate some players.
  • story70 mentions

    The game's story, while rooted in a typical JRPG "save the world" narrative, is presented through a unique flashback format that adds depth and intrigue, allowing players to piece together the protagonist's lost memories. Although pacing issues and a reliance on standard tropes are noted, the characters are engaging enough to keep players invested, and the storytelling is enhanced by a wealth of choices and plot twists. Overall, the narrative is praised for its creativity and emotional resonance, making it a highlight despite some gameplay shortcomings.

    • “The title concept of the protagonist Flash struggling to recover his memories of who he is, who his friends are, what his quest is, and most importantly, how to use his ultimate attack... it's an interesting concept, even if it's just a vehicle for playing through a set of standard JRPG overworld sections/dungeons chopped up into 15 to 20 minute sessions regarding Flash's (roughly) chronological story of becoming a hero.”
    • “The story seems straightforward, but it has just enough twists to keep you playing for more.”
    • “For me, the story itself is good enough to cover any flaws the game threw at me.”
    • “The story is a fairly generic 'save the world from darkness' JRPG plot, but the characters are sympathetic enough for me to want to root for them to succeed when you already know that they're probably going to succeed either way because they're JRPG heroes.”
    • “Bland typical JRPG story ('hero' saves the world).”
    • “While the first part at the very least feels reactive, the second part ends up feeling less like you're a participant and more like you're being forced to watch someone else's carefully devised plot and suddenly it feels like everything you did in the first part was completely meaningless, because... as far as the game's concerned, it was.”
  • gameplay11 mentions

    The gameplay is criticized for being mediocre and heavily reliant on outdated mechanics, such as autobattling through most encounters, which detracts from the overall experience. While the dungeons feature unique gimmicks that nod to classic JRPG tropes, the lack of engaging gameplay and poor mechanics overshadow the otherwise strong story and character development. Overall, players find the gameplay lacking and not compelling enough to recommend the game.

    • “Gameplay is split between Flash, Yuzu, Regent, and Clover doing their best in present time to deal with the overlord's overwhelming firepower and generic evil monologues, and then flash cutting to a flashback to reveal a retroactive plot detail that is immediately used to save a party member's bacon.”
    • “Each dungeon has a unique gimmick that explores some JRPG tropes, from sliding ice floors to Pokémon's rock-pushing puzzles.”
    • “You can autobattle literally every fight in the game except the final boss, which leads to dragging empty gameplay for 99% of the game.”
    • “Gameplay's mediocre, but damn, the story and the characters are amazing.”
    • “You can autobattle literally every fight in the game except the final boss, and that leads to dragging empty gameplay for 99% of the game.”
    • “I can't recommend this game because of its utter lack of gameplay.”
  • grinding9 mentions

    The reviews highlight that the game intentionally avoids traditional grinding mechanics, allowing players to progress through story-driven content without the need for extensive grinding. While optional achievements may require some tedious pixel hunts, the overall design encourages a narrative-focused experience rather than time-consuming gameplay. Players seeking a grind-heavy experience may find this game unsatisfying, as it aims to critique the futility of grinding in gaming.

    • “The longest five minutes is an RPG (visual novel?) that does the anti-grind concept in the game but still gives the players the grinding tools, causing them to end up in a dilemma.”
    • “The concept is probably to teach the players (especially MMO players?) how much time we have wasted on useless grinding and how hollow it feels when the game goes reset and all that hard work goes poof.”
    • “If you are one of those players that only want one game to be played for their whole life (aka endless grinding), this isn't the game for you; it will try to teach you that your way is wrong.”
  • music7 mentions

    The game features an extensive soundtrack with over 400 background music tracks, complemented by a DLC that includes additional OSTs from other titles by the developer, Shupro-DX. Reviewers praise the quality of the music and its contribution to the overall experience, noting that it justifies the game's price despite some criticism of the combat system. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, especially for fans of old-school RPG music.

    • “The game's price is a little bit daunting, but it is justified, as the game's OST and art are very well made, and must have had many talented artists working on it.”
    • “Because of the long story and quite a lot of places to visit in this game, there are more than 400+ BGMs in the game, which makes the OST collection a pretty large one too!”
    • “If you buy the DLC soundtrack, they even throw in another CD filled with OST from other games Shupro-DX has made.”
  • graphics5 mentions

    The graphics are praised for their vibrant and lively presentation, effectively blending retro JRPG styles with fresh animations and spell effects that enhance the overall experience. While some users note that graphics aren't the primary focus of the game, they appreciate the quality and context-appropriate design of the visuals.

    • “Great graphics, in the style they are presented.”
    • “Being used to retro JRPGs, the graphics all seem so fresh, and you can feel that each sprite and each animation are way livelier than you'd expect this old style to be.”
    • “The fresher graphics (spell effects and such) also seem to fit the context perfectly, and never felt out of place.”
    • “The graphics don't matter in this game.”
    • “No full screen option for the graphics.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game features a mix of lighthearted dialogue and absurd choices that can lead to shocking outcomes, providing a unique twist on traditional RPG narratives. However, the presence of sexist jokes and inappropriate humor detracts from the overall experience, with many players finding these elements annoying and out of place. Overall, while there are moments of genuine humor, the reliance on problematic jokes may alienate some players.

    • “There are some funny, lighthearted moments related to the dialogue depending on some of the prompts you can choose in the RPG sections.”
    • “It came with hilarious choices given to the players to make, which we normally wouldn't get in a typical 'right and justice' RPG story.”
    • “The game features some odd glitches, but there are genuinely funny moments that can catch you off guard.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Users highlight the game's "infinitely replayable" nature, indicating that it offers a compelling experience that encourages multiple playthroughs without losing its appeal.

    • “Infinitely replayable.”
    • “The game offers countless choices that make each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
    • “With multiple endings and diverse character paths, I find myself coming back for more.”
    • “Once you complete the game, there's little incentive to play through it again. The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying feel pointless.”
    • “The game offers very few variations in gameplay on subsequent playthroughs, which makes it feel repetitive and dull after the first run.”
    • “While the story is engaging, there are no alternate endings or significant changes in gameplay that encourage replayability.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game's stability is marred by odd glitches and problematic dialogue, particularly sexist jokes that can detract from the overall experience, especially for players sensitive to such themes.

    • “There are some odd glitches that disrupt gameplay, and the sexist jokes in the game dialogue become very annoying quickly. Many of the male characters come off as creeps trying to peep on women, so if that brand of humor and the sexism in the game isn't for you, your experience might be dampened.”
    • “The game suffers from frequent crashes and stability issues, making it frustrating to progress.”
    • “I encountered numerous bugs that not only affected gameplay but also made it difficult to enjoy the story.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Reviewers feel that the game lacks meaningful character development, suggesting that the inclusion of mid-bosses or more substantial character arcs would enhance the overall experience and make battles feel more rewarding.

    • “It would have been nice if the game had a mid-boss or some sort of character development that made battles more rewarding.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

70% average critic score

Buy The Longest Five Minutes

Play time

12hMedian play time
11hAverage play time
7-14hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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