The PlayStation 5 release of 3 Minutes to Midnight brings the classic point-and-click adventure genre back into the spotlight for console players, blending it with attractive cartoon visuals and an eclectic cast of characters. Developed by Scarecrow Studio, this game invites players into a strange 1940s world where a mysterious explosion has left a small town’s residents with no memory of who they are. The narrative places you in the shoes of Betty Anderson and Mayor Eliza Barret, two protagonists with contrasting personalities, tasked with piecing together what happened and uncovering the secrets of this quirky town.
The game’s charm lies heavily in its humor and bizarre cast of characters, from a power-hungry mayor to a pig who’s hungry for revenge, all contributing to the surreal atmosphere. This playful tone, while unique, often overshadows the overarching doomsday plot that runs in the background, leaving some of the more serious narrative threads feeling less impactful, but this lighthearted approach also helps to maintain the game’s entertaining pace.
At its core, 3 Minutes to Midnight is a puzzle-driven experience that encourages players to think creatively. The puzzles themselves range from logical to more out-of-the-box solutions, and while this variety can be engaging, it can also result in moments of frustration due to a lack of clear direction or overly convoluted solutions – a bit of a staple of the genre for three decades now. Fortunately, the game’s interface on the PlayStation 5 is well-designed for console play, making the controls intuitive and easy to manage despite the traditionally mouse-heavy mechanics of point-and-click games.
The game’s visual presentation stands out, with beautifully hand-drawn backgrounds and character designs that evoke a sense of nostalgia for games like Broken Sword. On the audio front, the game features full English voiceovers, which add personality and depth to the characters, with some of the performances being a bit over-the-top, contributing to the game’s overall quirky nature.
One of the game’s highlights is its branching narrative, which offers multiple endings depending on the player’s choices throughout the adventure. This encourages replayability, as different paths can reveal new details and encounters. However, the consequences of these choices may not always feel significant, which can detract from the weight of decision-making in key moments. Don’t expect to do five playthroughs here, but it’s nice to know that your second one can bring new insights with it.
Overall, 3 Minutes to Midnight is a love letter to classic adventure games, filled with humor, challenging puzzles, and a colorful art style. While it has some narrative pacing issues and can be occasionally frustrating in its puzzle design, it remains a solid entry into the genre, particularly for those looking for an offbeat, humorous adventure. The game’s PlayStation 5 release benefits from streamlined controls, making it a welcome addition to the console’s library.
Score: 8.1/10
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