Twelve Minutes features a couple of endings for you to get to. The narrative of the game is presented as such as that your choices basically drive the story forward. With that, the ending is also dependent on the choices you make. However, the game does have a definite “true” ending that explores just about everything the story offers, and getting to it requires making the exact choices.
While I highly recommended you play the game at your leisure and discover the game for yourself, this guide is for those who have either already played the game to a certain extent and can’t figure out how to proceed or those who simply want to discover the game’s “true” ending and how many loops it takes to get there.
Here is the path you need to take to get to the game’s true ending:
WARNING: This guide will redact certain story details, but there are moments I need to mention to make the guide comprehensive. With that said, be wary of spoilers.
1st Loop
Once you get inside the apartment, sit on the couch and wait for your wife to come up to you and sit beside you. Once sat, she will pull out a red book that you can interact with. Interact with the book twice to get her to quote a passage from it. This is important for later on. Once done, agree to have dessert with the wife. Notice how the light switch in the bedroom shocks her as she turns the light on in the bedroom. Help prepare the dinner table, have the night play out, react positively to the news your wife presents to you until the cop arrives at the door. Wait for him to come in and pin you and your wife down as he accuses your wife of her father’s murder. Later on, the cop will knock you out, which will then trigger the next time loop.
2nd Loop
During this time loop, head to the restroom and take the sleeping pills from the medicine cabinet. Without having your wife notice, put the pills inside a mug, place water in it. Once done, give the mug to your wife. A few moments after drinking from the mug, the wife will start getting sleepy. She will then head to the bedroom and pass out on the bed. Follow her into the room, switch the light on once, then turn it off again. After this, go back to the living room, keeping the bedroom door open. Head inside the closet, close the door and wait for the cop to arrive.
When the cop knocks on the door, stay inside the closet and wait for him to come in on his own. He will immediately head inside the bedroom after he notices your wife passed out on the bed. After entering, he will turn on the light switch, which will then shock him and send him unconscious. Quickly get out of the closet, head to the bedroom, and interact with the cop’s unconscious body. Take out his handcuffs, gun, and phone. Use the handcuff on him and wait for him to wake up.
After waking up, interact with the cop, but don’t choose the option that pleas your innocence. When he begins to stand up, shoot him in the leg. After this, you can then begin to interrogate him and he will tell you the truth. Ask him about the watch, the wife’s relationship with her father, the murder charges, and every prompt that follows. After he reveals everything to you, take out his phone and call “Bumblebee”, the cop’s daughter. This will make you remember her number for the next loop. Afterward, go back to the living room and go to the fridge. Take the polaroid from the upper drawer. This will make your character realize that your wife is indeed innocent. You can then either wait for the time to run out or step out of the apartment to begin the next loop.
3rd Loop
On this loop, proceed directly to the closet and close the door behind you. Scour the clothes section and take out the cellphone. Using this phone, call the cop’s daughter. Tell her that her father is coming to arrest your wife, and then tell her your wife is innocent. The daughter will then agree to call her father. This step is integral to make this loop count.
After this, return to the living room and take the polaroid from the fridge. Take this polaroid and give it to your wife. This will reveal the entire situation to your wife, but she will still need proof that you’re actually in a time loop and that a man is coming to get her. To make the wife believe you, go to the bedroom, take the gift out of the cabinet, and give it to her. She will then believe you and she’ll finally tell you the story of her past and the truth about her father. Tell her about the cop. Granted you have enough time, ask her as many questions as you can about her past.
When the cop arrives at your floor, he will receive a call from his daughter telling him to hear you out. When he finally knocks at the door, open the door for him and have the scene between him and your wife play out. He will finally believe that your wife is innocent, and they’ll come to the conclusion that it was her brother who’s actually responsible for the death of her father. He will then leave, promising to track the brother down. Once left alone, you and your wife will talk, optimistic about the future. However, it isn’t over yet. The next loop will promptly begin shortly after.
4th Loop
Do the same things from the previous loop, right up to the arrival of the cop. Wait for them to talk about the nanny. This piece of information is vital moving forward. Proceed to the next loop.
5th Loop
The husband will begin this loop by commenting on the nanny. Proceeding with this loop is still similar to the last one. However, this time, after telling the wife everything and while waiting for the cop to arrive, head to the bedroom, take the present from the cabinet and take the onesie from the box. Then, wait for the cop to arrive.
Have the scene play out as it did in the previous loop. However, just as the cop says the nanny’s name, present the onesie to him. In just a few moments, the next loop will begin. Only this time, it’s set way back in the past.
6th Loop
This loop is set at a different time and in a different place. Watch the scene play out and choose any option you wish. Whichever you choose here won’t matter since any choice will just send you back to the present day.
7th Loop
This particular loop is scripted. Just watch the scene play out and wait for the next loop to happen.
8th Loop
On this loop, proceed directly to the bathroom and take the stopwatch from the ventilation grid, underneath the medicine cabinet. Use the house key to pry the vent open. Scour the darkness for an “object” to get the pocket watch. Observe the stopwatch as it reverses time. As soon as the small hand arrives at two minutes to 12, you’ll be taken back to the library from the 6th loop.
9th Loop
Once back at the library, you can spot the same red book the wife reads on the bookshelf behind the husband. Click on the book, prompting a new dialogue. Just wait for this scene to play out. You will be given the option to change your mind. Don’t click on this option. Just wait until the dialogue ends, and the credits will start rolling. And with that, you’ve unlocked the Blissful Ignorance achievement and the game’s “true” ending.
It takes exactly nine loops to reach the game’s “true” ending. After the credits finish rolling, you’ll be taken back to the main menu once again. If you decide to replay the game, the husband will have no recollection of the previous events.
Better check our review of Twelve Minutes if you have a chance. The game comes out on August 19, 2021 for PC and Xbox consoles.