(Image credit: Luis Antonio)

Finally, the indie thriller Twelve Minutes releases for both Xbox and PC on August 19, 2021. The Load Screen is excited for this time loop game since its E3 2019 trailer. Annapurna Interactive and the developer bolstered the unique gameplay with an all-star cast of voices since then, and this article will cover some of the basics of the new title before it releases.

Twelve Minutes is an interactive experience but expect deeper gameplay than others in the genre. Players control an unlucky man trapped in a time loop with his mysterious wife and a killer detective. RPG elements are layered within the game, and items can unlock additional scenarios. Loops repeat when the character dies, but fortunately, he retains any information like the movies Groundhog’s Day or Happy Death Day. The developer emphasized the story, so combat and other elements are plot devices with less interaction from the player.

The narrative section of Twelve Minutes is deep despite having such a short time limit per loop. Annapurna Interactive and developer Luis Antonio brought in some of the best actors possible for the three main characters. James McAvoy from Split and Daisy Ridley star of Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker lend their voices to the married couple trapped in the apartment. Willem Dafoe, star of both screen and stage with four Academy Award nominations going back to his role in Platoon, is rounding out the cast as the murderous antagonist.

Interactive experiences or thrillers usually show up in the VR genre, where developers imagine the player as the lead in a dramatic movie with limited movement and gameplay. Twelve Minutes has plenty of point-and-click options, and various combinations of actions lead to different results. Expect to lose often in memorable ways since the developer built unique scenarios for the characters to meet their demise. The Load Screen team eagerly awaits this different take on a time loop genre, especially when it comes to Xbox Game Pass.

Twelve Minutes

• Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

• Developer: Luis Antonio

• Publisher: Annapurna Interactive

• Release Date: August 19, 2021