Technical Information

Developer: Luis Antonio
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
Release Date: August 19, 2021

Twelve Minutes is a narrative game with puzzle elements. You control a man who, during a romantic night with his wife, receives a visit from a police officer who immediately starts asking a series of questions, arrests him, and then kills him.
However, shortly after his death, you return exactly to the beginning of that night and begin an investigation that seems like it will never end due to this mysterious time loop.

Final Considerations – Analyzing the Game as a Whole

Graphics and UI

At the beginning, the game explains how to interact with objects and the environment.
It’s a simple and intuitive game, but not very agile for those playing with a controller. The selection of items may feel a bit slow at first, but after repeated attempts, I eventually got used to it.

It’s not a visually stunning game, but it has a minimalist beauty, with a nice selection of colors and contrasts (turning the light on and off becomes a constant action when trying to change the story), and scenes detailed just enough to confuse you.

The animations are well made, although they are simple and slightly “robotic.”

Soundtrack and Sound Effects

I didn’t find the soundtrack particularly memorable, but I’m sure the sound effect that plays when the loop starts again is something I’ll hardly forget. I think it’s one of the most distinctive elements of the game.

There’s no doubt that Willem Dafoe’s performance makes all the difference in the scenes where the police officer appears. His voice stands out much more than those of James McAvoy (the protagonist) and Daisy Ridley (the protagonist’s wife).
Maybe because the protagonist is confused and emotionally repressed, their performances don’t feel as impactful to the player.

Gameplay

I think the first thing I need to say about this game is how I got into it.
One day, a friend came over to my house and, while my husband and I were getting ready so we could all go out to a bar, he downloaded the game on Game Pass to pass the time. I ended up watching and getting interested in the story.
At that moment, I played with him until a certain point in the game (perhaps around one-third of it) and then never continued.

This is a game full of possibilities, but one that can feel tiring at times. The feeling that you’ve already tried everything is constant, until some small detail ends up making all the difference.
I couldn’t beat it without looking up a walkthrough in certain parts. I found it quite difficult in some sections, you really have to think outside the box to discover certain combinations of actions.

The localization in Brazilian Portuguese was very good. At no point did it feel like something translated automatically.

It was a fun game to play together with my husband. Two heads are better than one, and this game showed me the possibility of enjoying puzzle games with someone else. It’s a simple way to create good memories together.
For those who live with parents or grandparents, or are in a relationship with someone who isn’t very into games, it’s a great opportunity to create that kind of connection through video games.

The ending was a big plot twist for me. I felt a bit disappointed, though, I was expecting something more spectacular or conspiratorial.

Replayability and Game Retention

You won’t finish the game in twelve minutes, nor in half an hour. It’s more complex than it seems and can become tiring. I recommend using a walkthrough if you get stuck for too long, just to avoid frustration and losing interest.
I liked the game and its mechanics, I just didn’t really enjoy the ending. I don’t have specific criticisms of the narrative, it simply didn’t match my personal taste.

I played it through Game Pass, which was a good experience (especially because my husband helped me think through the investigation), but I wouldn’t personally buy the game to play again.