https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2586001700

Here's The Thing:
A husband, James McAvoy, comes home to his loving, occasional baker and jedi wife, played by Daisy Ridley. Everything appears to be the stuff of fairy tales one minute but the next all hits the crapper… That is when a cop, Willem “The Foe” comes pounding at their door rooting out secrets, lies and won’t think twice resorting to violence. But James has a secret of his own; he’s stuck in a 12 min loop! Now go crazy persuading, intervening and learning the truths~



:) GAMEPLAY- OR RATHER PLAY TIME~
Quite a few games have incorporated time loops; Bioshock Infinite, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare but none have been as minimalist and drilled in your head as TVM’s! And no, the Sims-like controls don’t make it any easier or happier as time plays an integral role. The first few attempts will be overpowering but soon through experimenting with deaths, crank calls, thorough apartment inspection, you can begin to regain some control and access shortcuts.

Some design choices are delightfully clever; the pause menu is a real-time clock and there you can observe, take note of which events start on the schedule. Employ these to your advantage to prove points, contradict or confront characters, bad cop style. Soon the shenanigans pile up, stink eyes are given before bitter realities set in… TVM will occupy you for hours on end with its various endings and getting to exhaust every possible reaction there is from the single setting and ensemble cast is a deliverance in itself~

TIPS:
1) Messed up somehow? Walk out the door.
2) Combine objects even without picking them up!


:) ALL ABOUT THE PRESENT
Has one of the most burning, multifaceted plot I’ve ever lived through in a video game, which is a marvel because you’d expect this sheer level of detail to analyze more from a book or film. A story caked in suspense, deceit and obsession. Think of it as an onion, just as you think you’re done with its many layers, you’re not and look you’re tearing up. The pivotal theme is time- and the loops become even torturous and your sense of it, transient…

With each one, new facts can surface, meaning gets developed but also lost, feeling more illusory the further you’re adrift in the temporal maze. You make connections of your own, read into every line of dialogue or quote seemingly to no end. Like the husband, you just want it to stop and enjoy the evening with your wife no matter how short-lived. Luckily, there’s a point to all this madness and though it may be a contested take as it’s heavily “cliched”, it’s executed with tact and poise, I excuse it~


:) OVER-MY-HEAD NIGHTMARE!
The top-down perspective got me startlingly anxious. For one thing, it prevents the audience from fully gleaning emotion. Not that they all have faces, as you’ll soon find out from a few first-person viewings. Instead, you have to trust the weight in their words and mannerisms. It’s unpleasant and there’s a jarring detachment between characters and yourself… The apartment is essentially a gritty stage or set piece, one that is exposed to flashes of lightning, smeared with blood but for all intent, framed perfectly still.

But you rarely get tired of it, if ever. Thanks to the rich, ample motion-capture animations and simple but shocking changes in mood lighting. Passage of time flows when examining an item and a reflection of what’s behind you get cast, wherever you’re positioned. It’s like an interpretation of a painting, where your conclusion changes depending on your state of mind at a given moment~
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2586003508


:) WILL YOU PLEASE LISTEN?!
The star-studded casts’ voices were barely recognizable, except for Willem Dafoe who is as iconic as ever. Both James McAvoy and Daisy Ridley portray, deliver believable and emotionally-laden American accents… I was really taken by them, their transition from a field that relies on facial expressions, body language to game voice-overs was a major success I’d say, though not without issues. More on that later~

Sound design is magnificent, with all those ordinary household and street noises to give a sense of normalcy but that plunges to shi* and hell thanks to the score. Which arranges from casual, romantic to “make it go away” tenseness. Then advances to more tragedy has struck, deepened nihilism and tears you can’t jerk out anymore. It’s a roller-coaster of emotions, all in such a short duration~



:( TIME-OUT. TIME OUT!!
Some dialogue paths and choices are insultingly linear, for even though you “safely” bypassed that stubbornness or ignorance- speaking out of turn, or trying to show an item in your possession even when the situation has been defused, could get you choked, shot or walloped to rib-tickling effect.

Characters’ bipolar emotional swings and their change of hearts so instantaneous are also distracting. While I appreciated how more summarized versions of explanations are made available for use, certain options are locked out and require that exact phrasing, prodding to progress~


:( NOT ON MY WATCH...!
The voices are great but sometimes there’s a hint of their accents breaking and you can tell a lot of work went into fabricating the voice that it doesn’t come off naturally. That’s also what I meant earlier with “barely recognizable”. Also, some lines just sound amateur, in terms of the script. I’m not wholly convinced of the married couple’s relationship, let alone eight years of history. Again, it could be because of the “12 minutes” selling gimmick~


:( CAN’T BUY TIME, OR CAN YA!?
TVM’s $25 isn’t exactly worth it at this period. Sure, there are many endings, subtle line changes, intonation for the most part- but everything will get tiresomely linear fast and its flaws become apparent over time. Which I guess is the point, seeing as it’s a game about a 12-minute loop after all~


x Wife's head faces the foot of the bed.
x Cop's trajectory gets stuck by characters' feet or objects. I had to try to escape to let him kill me.
x Voice lines being lined up wrong / awkwardly continue.
x Woke up stuck inside wall unable to interact or see anything besides black
x Husband’s tie cuts his spine.
x Everyone phases through objects and each other!


~ That one "...babe!?" line is unflattering. On the level of Heavy Rain's "JASON"!
~ Making open phone calls and revealing incriminating information in the presence of other characters have no effect (save for one response).
~ Actions feel sluggish even during heated moments; a delay between thinking and doing!
~ The way the “skip dialogue” works will give your finger a workout.


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2586005061

Last Words?
TVM will drive you curious, annoyed, mad and on your knees as it subjects you to an eternal hell. Its biggest achievement is having stood the test of time but ironically also its ultimate downfall~

If you like a modern game gushing out classic thriller nuances from its exhibition to its mind-bending plot where you can write a detailed analysis essay afterwards. If you’re someone pressed for time, rest assured for you can squeeze TVM’s brief sessions at least once or thrice daily then continue on weekends. If you’re a fan of the three prominent celebs and want to see them in different, yet similar content to their filmography- this is as good as it gets~

[code]Curator page here-->[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/37670120/] DaRevieweD #124 [/url]<-- [i]New review every Weekend[/i][/code] [h1]"Minutes...? Try 12 Hours!!"[/h1] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2586001700 [u] Here's The Thing:[/u] A husband, James McAvoy, comes home to his loving, occasional baker and jedi wife, played by Daisy Ridley. Everything appears to be the stuff of fairy tales one minute but the next all hits the crapper… That is when a cop, Willem “The Foe” comes pounding at their door rooting out secrets, lies and won’t think twice resorting to violence. But James has a secret of his own; he’s stuck in a 12 min loop! Now go crazy persuading, intervening and learning the truths~ [h1][+] PROS;[/h1] [b]:) GAMEPLAY- OR RATHER PLAY TIME~[/b] Quite a few games have incorporated time loops; [b]Bioshock Infinite, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare[/b] but none have been as minimalist and drilled in your head as TVM’s! And no, the Sims-like controls don’t make it any easier or happier as time plays an integral role. The first few attempts will be overpowering but soon through experimenting with deaths, crank calls, thorough apartment inspection, you can begin to regain some control and access shortcuts. Some design choices are delightfully clever; the pause menu is a real-time clock and there you can observe, take note of which events start on the schedule. Employ these to your advantage to prove points, contradict or confront characters, bad cop style. Soon the shenanigans pile up, stink eyes are given before bitter realities set in… TVM will occupy you for hours on end with its various endings and getting to exhaust every possible reaction there is from the single setting and ensemble cast is a deliverance in itself~ [b]TIPS:[/b] 1) Messed up somehow? Walk out the door. 2) Combine objects even without picking them up! [b]:) ALL ABOUT THE PRESENT[/b] Has one of the most burning, multifaceted plot I’ve ever lived through in a video game, which is a marvel because you’d expect this sheer level of detail to analyze more from a book or film. A story caked in suspense, deceit and obsession. Think of it as an onion, just as you think you’re done with its many layers, you’re not and look you’re tearing up. The pivotal theme is time- and the loops become even torturous and your sense of it, transient… With each one, new facts can surface, meaning gets developed but also lost, feeling more illusory the further you’re adrift in the temporal maze. You make connections of your own, read into every line of dialogue or quote seemingly to no end. Like the husband, you just want it to stop and enjoy the evening with your wife no matter how short-lived. Luckily, there’s a point to all this madness and though it may be a contested take as it’s heavily “cliched”, it’s executed with tact and poise, I excuse it~ [b]:) OVER-MY-HEAD NIGHTMARE![/b] The top-down perspective got me startlingly anxious. For one thing, it prevents the audience from fully gleaning emotion. Not that they all have faces, as you’ll soon find out from a few first-person viewings. Instead, you have to trust the weight in their words and mannerisms. It’s unpleasant and there’s a jarring detachment between characters and yourself… The apartment is essentially a gritty stage or set piece, one that is exposed to flashes of lightning, smeared with blood but for all intent, framed perfectly still. But you rarely get tired of it, if ever. Thanks to the rich, ample motion-capture animations and simple but shocking changes in mood lighting. Passage of time flows when examining an item and a reflection of what’s behind you get cast, wherever you’re positioned. It’s like an interpretation of a painting, where your conclusion changes depending on your state of mind at a given moment~ https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2586003508 [b]:) WILL YOU PLEASE LISTEN?![/b] The star-studded casts’ voices were barely recognizable, except for Willem Dafoe who is as iconic as ever. Both James McAvoy and Daisy Ridley portray, deliver believable and emotionally-laden American accents… I was really taken by them, their transition from a field that relies on facial expressions, body language to game voice-overs was a major success I’d say, though not without issues. More on that later~ Sound design is magnificent, with all those ordinary household and street noises to give a sense of normalcy but that plunges to shi* and hell thanks to the score. Which arranges from casual, romantic to “make it go away” tenseness. Then advances to more tragedy has struck, deepened nihilism and tears you can’t jerk out anymore. It’s a roller-coaster of emotions, all in such a short duration~ [h1][-] CONS;[/h1] [b]:( TIME-OUT. TIME OUT!![/b] Some dialogue paths and choices are insultingly linear, for even though you “safely” bypassed that stubbornness or ignorance- speaking out of turn, or trying to show an item in your possession even when the situation has been defused, could get you choked, shot or walloped to rib-tickling effect. Characters’ bipolar emotional swings and their change of hearts so instantaneous are also distracting. While I appreciated how more summarized versions of explanations are made available for use, certain options are locked out and require that exact phrasing, prodding to progress~ [b]:( NOT ON MY WATCH...![/b] The voices are great but sometimes there’s a hint of their accents breaking and you can tell a lot of work went into fabricating the voice that it doesn’t come off naturally. That’s also what I meant earlier with “barely recognizable”. Also, some lines just sound amateur, in terms of the script. I’m not wholly convinced of the married couple’s relationship, let alone eight years of history. Again, it could be because of the “12 minutes” selling gimmick~ [b]:( CAN’T BUY TIME, OR CAN YA!?[/b] TVM’s $25 isn’t exactly worth it at this period. Sure, there are many endings, subtle line changes, intonation for the most part- but everything will get tiresomely linear fast and its flaws become apparent over time. Which I guess is the point, seeing as it’s a game about a 12-minute loop after all~ [h1]BUGS:[/h1] x Wife's head faces the foot of the bed. x Cop's trajectory gets stuck by characters' feet or objects. I had to try to escape to let him kill me. x Voice lines being lined up wrong / awkwardly continue. x Woke up stuck inside wall unable to interact or see anything besides black x Husband’s tie cuts his spine. x Everyone phases through objects and each other! [h1]NITPICKS:[/h1] ~ That one "...babe!?" line is unflattering. On the level of Heavy Rain's "JASON"! ~ Making open phone calls and revealing incriminating information in the presence of other characters have no effect (save for one response). ~ Actions feel sluggish even during heated moments; a delay between thinking and doing! ~ The way the “skip dialogue” works will give your finger a workout. [h1]"Still, It's Time for Another~"[/h1] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2586005061 [u]Last Words?[/u] TVM will drive you curious, annoyed, mad and on your knees as it subjects you to an eternal hell. Its biggest achievement is having stood the test of time but ironically also its ultimate downfall~ If you like a modern game gushing out classic thriller nuances from its exhibition to its mind-bending plot where you can write a detailed analysis essay afterwards. If you’re someone pressed for time, rest assured for you can squeeze TVM’s brief sessions at least once or thrice daily then continue on weekends. If you’re a fan of the three prominent celebs and want to see them in different, yet similar content to their filmography- this is as good as it gets~ [h1]8.5 / 10[/h1] [code]Don't forget to follow my curator [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/37670120/] DaRevieweD[/url] for more games!![/code]