Twelve Minutes

63%
Game Brain Score Based on 6,365 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • grinding
Twelve Minutes Game Cover
A miniature time loop thriller that will burrow into your frontal lobe and stay there long after you've solved the mystery.
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"Twelve Minutes" is a real-time top-down thriller featuring James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe. You, as the player, are trapped in a twelve-minute time loop, during which a police detective accuses your wife of murder and beats you to death. The goal is to use the knowledge of each loop to alter the outcome and escape the cycle of terror. The game draws inspiration from films like "The Shining," "Rear Window," and the fragmented structure of "Memento."

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Android
  • Cloud
  • Mobile Platform
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

63%
Audience ScoreBased on 6,365 reviews
story1,171 positive mentions
grinding330 negative mentions
  • Engaging and unique story with unexpected twists.
  • Strong voice acting from a talented cast, including Willem Dafoe, James McAvoy, and Daisy Ridley.
  • Interesting time loop mechanics that encourage experimentation and exploration.
  • Repetitive gameplay that can become tedious, requiring players to repeat the same actions multiple times.
  • The ending is unsatisfying and leaves many plot holes, detracting from the overall experience.
  • Lack of clear guidance or hints, making it frustrating to progress without external help.
  • story3,678 mentions

    The story of "Twelve Minutes" is a complex and ambitious narrative that unfolds through a time loop mechanic, allowing players to piece together a mystery involving a husband, his wife, and a mysterious cop. While many players find the initial setup intriguing and the voice acting stellar, opinions diverge sharply regarding the plot twists and overall execution, with some praising the unexpected developments and others criticizing the story for being convoluted, predictable, or unsatisfying by the end. Ultimately, the game's narrative is seen as a double-edged sword: it captivates and engages but can also frustrate and disappoint, particularly due to its reliance on shock value and the repetitive nature of gameplay.

    • “The story is amazing and the puzzles are really satisfying.”
    • “The voice acting, the story, the puzzles, they all are very impressive and keep you captivated.”
    • “The story had me hooked from the start and while it didn't completely stick the landing for me it has so many cool moments along the way that I am not disappointed in the slightest.”
    • “Twelve minutes is all over the place; the story is very confusing and not compelling enough to keep you entertained.”
    • “It seems as if the game can't really create something solid with the script and relies on basic and so saturated storytelling techniques to try and keep you in it.”
    • “The story was captivating and kept me interested to the end, so I kept pushing through.”
  • gameplay1,093 mentions

    The gameplay of "Twelve Minutes" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its innovative time-loop mechanic and engaging narrative, but criticizing its repetitive nature and clunky execution. While some found the point-and-click mechanics intriguing and the puzzles challenging, others felt that the gameplay became tedious and frustrating, often requiring trial and error to progress. Overall, the game is seen as having potential but suffers from a lack of polish and depth, leading to a less satisfying experience for many players.

    • “Twelve minutes introduces players to an innovative concept with its time-loop gameplay and exceptional cast, promising a unique and engaging experience.”
    • “The mechanics are interesting and I love being able to use information from a previous loop into a next loop.”
    • “The gameplay is interesting, but you will hit a point where you're looping the same scenes over and over again trying to figure out what you're supposed to do, and there are some unskippable dialogue events that feel like they take forever after your 9 billionth loop.”
    • “The gameplay is tedious and repetitive.”
    • “Ultimately the gameplay and the story letdowns were too much to justify a recommendation.”
    • “The gameplay loop quickly crumbles on top of it as you end up doing the same steps to get a step further in the 'story', but you end up skipping all the text.”
  • grinding338 mentions

    The reviews overwhelmingly describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and repetitive, particularly as players progress through the time loops. Many users express frustration with having to repeatedly navigate the same dialogue and actions, often leading to feelings of boredom and annoyance. While the initial concept is intriguing, the execution results in a grindy experience that detracts from overall enjoyment, with some players recommending against purchasing the game due to its tedious nature.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The game forces you to try and find out through mistakes and repetitions; the process can be tedious and uninteresting.”
    • “The gameplay being repetitive in a time loop game is not a total dealbreaker, nor is it completely unexpected, but the puzzles are often solved with trial and error, and when you have to start the loop over completely from the beginning every time you hit 'error', it can become quickly tedious.”
    • “The game only gets interesting after the cop comes in with no way to skip through sections that have already been completed, so in later loops I spent a lot of time just waiting around and going through the motions until I could finally actually progress the story, which was just really tedious and boring.”
  • graphics288 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the cohesive and moody art style, while others criticize the visuals as uninspiring or sub-par, especially given the game's indie status. Many players appreciate the aesthetic and lighting, which contribute to the atmosphere, but note issues like glitches and basic character models. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered acceptable, they fall short of expectations for a game with such a unique premise and high-profile voice cast.

    • “The game presented numerous puzzles waiting to be solved, and the unstable, dangerous atmosphere was masterfully crafted through the plot and graphics.”
    • “The graphics are aesthetic and feel very well put together as the style is cohesive and moody.”
    • “Visuals are outstanding, it captures some moments so well that they will not leave my mind for some time.”
    • “Uninspiring visuals, not an intriguing story; the developers should have put some money into the development of the actual game instead of hiring well-known celebrities.”
    • “Poor graphics and clunky gameplay.”
    • “The graphics and detail quality are lower than desired, especially with all face models blurred.”
  • music174 mentions

    The music in the game has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the emotional depth of the story. Notable mentions include a beautiful soundtrack that complements the gameplay, as well as strong voice acting that adds to the overall experience. However, some reviewers found the music to be unremarkable or repetitive over time, indicating a lack of variety.

    • “The voice acting, music, and art direction of this game is fantastic.”
    • “This game is amazing - the engaging story that gets you hooked from the very beginning, the characters with their own backstories and motives, the soundtrack that really sets the mood when things got heated or emotional.”
    • “The soundtrack is really good and creates this captivating atmosphere that makes the game so much better.”
    • “In terms of music, it's equally trash.”
    • “Soundtrack was nothing special, like it didn't catch my attention.”
    • “The visual details and the music are on point but it's the horrible script that ruins everything (the plot twist is cringeworthy).”
  • optimization137 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some players reporting smooth performance and no major bugs, while others experienced frame drops and stuttering. Despite these issues, many praised the overall technical execution, noting that the game runs well enough to enjoy the stellar voice acting from its all-star cast. However, a few players highlighted a lack of graphic options and minor performance quirks that detracted from the experience.

    • “- Well optimized and no performance problems or major bugs except for some visual clipping.”
    • “There is no issue with optimization whatsoever in case you are wondering.”
    • “Getting towards the 'end' of the game (by which I mean you have seen a majority of the scene variations, made a variety of the choices, and optimized your path through the 12 minutes) the game does get really specific in terms of requiring the player to do certain actions to edge towards the final moments of the plot.”
    • “Overall cool game, only downside is some optimization and lack of graphic options other than 'high' 'low', so I had some lag but still.”
    • “It is so sad that the performance on my PC is so bad I cannot even play without a big drop in frames...”
  • replayability102 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is considered low, with many players noting that once the story is completed, there is little incentive to replay it. While some mention the presence of multiple endings, the consensus is that the experience does not warrant repeated playthroughs, especially given the game's short duration and high price point.

    • “I love the game mechanics and the game offers great replayability value.”
    • “Games are actually quite fun, replayable with multiple endings, and the cast is pretty impressive.”
    • “Very interesting concept, with huge replay value.”
    • “Now, I would like to say that this game will not be in my top 50 games that I played in my entire life; it is not replayable after getting the ending.”
    • “Paid full price for this game and ultimately, after barely 5 hours of just trying to get a few endings, it has zero replayability.”
    • “The number one problem with this is lack of replayability, which means the price tag might be a bit too high for some folk.”
  • emotional86 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highly polarized among players, with some praising its impactful storytelling and strong voice acting, while others criticize its repetitive dialogue and frustrating gameplay mechanics that diminish emotional engagement. Many reviewers noted that the narrative's twists often feel manipulative or poorly executed, leading to a disconnect from the characters' emotional journeys. Overall, while there are moments of genuine emotional resonance, the game's structure and pacing can undermine its intended impact, leaving players feeling frustrated or unsatisfied.

    • “This game is amazing - the engaging story that gets you hooked from the very beginning, the characters with their own backstories and motives, the soundtrack that really sets the mood when things got heated or emotional.”
    • “The ending was impactful, tragic, and emotional, and it's brought to life through the amazing voice acting.”
    • “Beautiful, compelling, and heart-breaking.”
  • stability78 mentions

    The game is widely reported to be extremely buggy, with frequent glitches affecting gameplay, animations, and character interactions. While some players find the bugs amusing or manageable, many express frustration over game-breaking issues and immersion disruptions. Overall, the stability of the game is a significant concern, particularly at launch, with players noting that these issues detract from the overall experience.

    • “I encountered multiple game-breaking glitches and more immersion-breaking bugs.”
    • “Visual glitches happen frequently, characters do weird animations, block each other's paths, and graphics clip through each other.”
    • “It's buggy, the gameplay is rough, and it can be extremely frustrating, but the story pulled me in and ate an entire day.”
  • atmosphere72 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive qualities, enhanced by strong voice acting and a captivating soundtrack that effectively sets a tense and engaging mood. While many players appreciate the well-crafted environment and intriguing ambiance, some critiques highlight issues with dialogue and pacing that can disrupt the overall experience. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal despite some execution flaws.

    • “The game presented numerous puzzles waiting to be solved, and the unstable, dangerous atmosphere was masterfully crafted through the plot and graphics.”
    • “As simple as the game is, the atmosphere it creates and the immersion it offers you is simply beautiful.”
    • “The soundtrack is really good and creates this captivating atmosphere that makes the game so much better.”
    • “While the performances, atmosphere, and premise of this game were all fantastic, it is ultimately a giant letdown.”
    • “There were some oversights like the protagonist always saying something along the lines of 'talk to you later' every time you want to exit a conversation, which sometimes overlaps with some very dramatic dialogue from other characters, completely breaking up the atmosphere and tone.”
    • “In terms of the art style, the character models and their animations leave much to be desired, but they compensate with good lighting decisions, which manage to generate an atmosphere throughout the game and allow them to accentuate particular moments in the story.”
  • humor34 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its absurdity and unexpected twists, often leading to unintentional hilarity through glitches and repetitive mechanics. Players find amusement in the exaggerated scenarios, particularly in interactions with the main character's spouse, and the voice acting enhances the comedic experience. Overall, the game successfully blends dark themes with a lighthearted approach, resulting in a uniquely funny experience that keeps players engaged.

    • “If you were looking for a game where you have to do something over and over and over and over and ... again, with a hilariously stupid story, full of unnecessary twists, this is certainly it.”
    • “I knew the basic concept and found it really interesting, but progressing through the game got more and more absurdly bad, to the point where I could barely make it through the ending because I was laughing too hard.”
    • “This is not a game that wants the player to experiment because experimenting frequently causes hilarious malfunctions in animation, voice acting, and continuity.”
  • character development14 mentions

    Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its depth and thoughtfulness, while others criticize it for being limited and linear, leading to a lack of emotional investment in the characters. While some players find the character arcs engaging and well-integrated with the story, others feel that the development is poor and fails to evoke genuine interest. Overall, the quality of character development appears to vary significantly among players' experiences.

    • “Brilliant game, well thought out, thorough in thought and character development.”
    • “It has good character development and storywise.”
    • “The story is great and deep and the character development is also great.”
    • “The characters' lines are limited in character development, and you end up not caring about what happens to them.”
    • “Poor character development, and some unrealistic reactions thanks to the extreme linearity of the game.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game relies heavily on high-profile advertising, which some players find cleverly executed, making it feel less like a cash grab despite its commercial nature. However, the presence of big-name actors is seen as primarily serving the advertising purpose rather than enhancing the game itself.

    • “The only well-crafted aspect of this game is the advertising, and it certainly fooled me.”
    • “- the actors are just here for loud advertising, let's be honest.”
    • “In some ways it was a sort of buzzword cast of huge actors, but at the same time, it was well executed enough to the extent that it doesn't feel like a cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

76% average critic score

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Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
4hMain story
8hCompletionist
3-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 86 analyzed playthroughs

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