Twelve Minutes

There are games out there that cater to just about every type, from light-hearted fun to dramatic suspense to terrifying horror, but not every game is suited to every audience. Twelve Minutes is a prime example of a well-crafted and superbly performed story that's still likely to sit poorly on people's palate. From a gameplay perspective, there's almost too much freedom. It does little to nothing to guide the player's actions in each successive time loop. While the game accounts for most ideas the player might have, it never points out if it's even close to the correct course of action. Making matters more frustrating, it's easy to misuse, misinterpret, or simply overlook some key item or snippet of dialogue, forcing players to repeat themselves over and over and over again to the point of frustration. And then there's the story, the driving force behind why players are even invested in the experience.

There are a lot of different reasons to classify certain "Mature" entertainment as not suitable for kids. While Twelve Minutes might not show viscerally detailed depictions of violence, nor does it have graphic nudity or explicit sex, the game's already grim plot quickly spirals into much darker and disturbing subject matter that definitely isn't meant for younger audiences. Given the player's wide range of options in each time loop, it's possible to (and even likely) to participate in scenes that include violence against a pregnant woman, torture, murder, and suicide. And all of that is before the game's final twist that, while trying to avoid spoilers, paints the main character in a completely different and extremely uncomfortable light, with no "happy ending" in sight. While most games tend to leave you feeling fulfilled and entertained, Twelve Minutes leaves you feeling mentally spent, emotionally empty, and quite possibly in need of a long shower.