The Invisible Hours

Caveat Emptor if you are only buying this game to play in VR mode right now, like I was. Currently, a number of players are experiencing a crash every time they attempt to start the game in VR due to some "Unreal Engine Error". For me, the game would only run in regular mode, which is why I am asking for a refund. The Devs have been virtually unresponsive in regards to helping me resolve this issue, or even to give me confidence that they acknowledge the issue and are working on a prompt fix. If you just want to play the game in regular mode, I'm sure it's a great game. Me, I won't spoil a game by playing through the story in regular mode when I bought the game to experience the story in VR. It is not the kind of game that you can enjoy playing over and over again once you fully experience the story.

의도한 건 아니지만 니콜라 테슬라 탄생 169주년(7월 10일)에 게임을 하게 되었네요. 네, 이 게임은 토마스 에디슨도 나오고 일론머스크 이름도 잠깐이나마 등장하는 팩션게임입니다. 그래서 지루하게 느껴질까 걱정했는데 역사적 기반의 지식 따윈 전혀 필요 없었어요. 대신 에디슨 옹호가라면 좀 불편할 수 있는 내용들이 많습니다. 이 게임은 99퍼 관찰로만 진행됩니다. 여러 등장인물들이 나와 각자 행동하고, 유령같은 존재인 플레이어가 저택살인사건 스토리의 진상을 알기 위해 흥미로운 사람 한명씩 쫓아다니며 진실을 파악하는 거예요. 전형적인 저택미스터리 클리셰(비오는 배경, 숨겨진 공간, 미로같은 저택, 탐정캐릭터 등)를 좋아한다면 무시할 수 없는 게임입니다. 찰흙얼굴이 부담될수있지만 졸졸 따라다닌다고 뒤통수 많이 보니 괜찮아요. 나온지 8년은 된 게임인데도 인터페이스도 딱히 불편한 거 없었습니다. 엔터키를 치면 나오는 화면에서 등장인물 각각의 타임라인과, 제가 보지못해 비어있는 시간대, 그리고 모은 단서들 확인할 수도 있고, 자동세이브라 하다가 중간에 나가기도 편했어요. 그리고 영알못인데 할만했어요. 시간을 정지할 수도 있고 되돌릴 수도 있고 빨리감기도 됩니다. 창모드는 설정에 따로 없지만 alt enter로 테두리없는 창모드로 전환가능해서 mort번역기로 느긋하게 스토리 감상할 수 있었습니다. 편지는 파파고이미지번역 쓰면 되고요. 워킹시뮬레이션 넘치는 시대에 이건 게임이 맞다고 생각됩니다. 단순히 살인사건 범인만 눈으로 보고 끝내는게 아니고 플레이어가 적극적으로 테슬라의 일기와 기사를 모으고 도전과제 the room service를 완료해야 모순적으로 보이던 내용들의 진상을 알 수 있거든요. 아무튼 신선한 느낌을 준 게임이었습니다. 잘 끝나서 여운은 없네요.

Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 343: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆☆ (7/10): I was surprised by how much I liked [i] The Invisible Hours[/i]! I don't think I could bump it up to an 8/10, which to me is a recommend to everyone, but for players who like walking simulators, story-heavy games, and character-driven games, this is a hidden gem. [i] The Invisible Hours[/i] is a game (I use the term loosely) where you play as an invisible narrator investigating Nikola Tesla's murder and his rather colorful associates. You can’t touch anything, can’t change anything, can’t “solve” anything. You just float around Tesla’s mansion watching these characters unravel a murder mystery in real time. The hook is that you can rewind, fast-forward, and follow whichever character you like. Miss one scene? Rewind and stalk someone else. When it works, it’s brilliant: layered storytelling, strong acting, and the joy of piecing together how everyone’s timelines intersect. But if you’re coming in expecting puzzles, branching choices, or an ending you can change, you’ll leave disappointed. This is pure narrative voyeurism. 📹[b] Pros: [/b] [list] [*] First, I have to shout out the VAs. This sort of game lives and dies by its voice acting, and I was impressed by the quality of the VAs. It's hard to explain, but the acting is way above average game standard. Everyone talks like an actual person; accents are (to me) easily identifiable and well ... nice sounding. Anger, sadness, confusion, joy, etc. is clear in each voice. ♥♥♥♥ Hollywood; I don't need no actors. [*] Rewind/fast-forward mechanic. It’s liberating to just scrub through events at your own pace and it's super good for people who zone out easily, like me. It's also available from the first second of the game, so you don't have to unlock it or anything. [*] Unique structure. There have been games where you play as an invisible observer and games where you have power over time, but I struggle to recall a game that blends both. Usually, players need player agency, but in this game, you have none. Still, it adds to the building tragedy of the game—I personally adore when a character is "trapped in the narrative" or cause their own deaths. Even more, the real-time overlapping stories give you that satisfying “a-ha” moment when you catch one scene from two angles. [*] Replayability. Replaying the game is almost needed tbh. My first playthrough got me the answer to the big murder mystery but also left me with a lot of questions. [*] Collectibles. The collectibles are usually easy-to-find and relevant to the story. It also gives you insight to the characters' background and motivations. I wished for more, honestly. The house was rather empty when I found them all. [*] Strong atmosphere. The game takes place on an island with all the mystery clichés: rain and thunder, boat leaving the characters alone, rich eccentric, etc. But the well-known background only serves to create both a cozy and uneasy feeling! Even the inside of the mansion is a sort of Gothic mystery: hidden passages, crackling fireplaces, and looming ceilings. [*] Cool map. The map includes a record of where you walked and at what time, along with where all the other characters are. So you could find out you followed one of the characters at 7 p.m. before breaking away to follow another character at 8 p.m. [/list] 📽️ [b]Cons:[/b] [list] [*] Zero interactivity. You cannot control the characters; you do not make choices. You merely just watch sadly. [*] Slow pacing. While there are some action-esque chase scenes, most of the game is listening to characters talk. There will be a lot of walking and monologuing, which can test your patience if you’re expecting a more traditional mystery game. [*] Short. A single playthrough is about 2 hours, and though replayability is encouraged, a full playthrough is about 8-9 hours. While all my questions were ultimately answered, [i] The Invisible Hours[/i] is definitely a short game. [*] Ending might be unpopular. I liked the ending! And I thought it was rather surprising, but other players might not like the rather tragic end. [/list] [hr] If you enjoyed this review, please check out my curator page to find more: [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45814768-Verdict-Play-or-Pass/]Verdict: Play or Pass. [/url] Also, please leave a like and visit [url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/Indie_Gems]IndieGems[/url] and our YouTube channel for more reviews like this one. [/hr]

This is one of my absolute favourite games on here, though it's not really a game... more an experience. You are trying to discover how Tesla died, and you can follow around the cast of characters and basically be like a detective but not be seen. You can rewind, fast forward, and see all events from everyone's perspective to try and figure it out. I had so much fun figuring it out and really enjoyed the story and cast of characters. It was so immersive, I really hope they do more.

Comme il se décrit lui-même ce n'est ni un jeu, ni un film mais une pièce de théâtre interactive.... Il n'y aura donc rien à faire à part suivre les différents personnages sur les 4 actes pour y découvrir l'histoire & les points de vue de chaque personnages, en cherchant les quelques objets/indices/journaux en cours de route... Les 4 actes se dérouleront en 1h30 environ qu'on refera avec un menu dédié à tous les persos pour y découvrir toute les intrigues avec aussi un système d'avance & retour rapide. Concept intéressant & bien réalisé avec un design stylisé & une bonne histoire qui s'entremêle mais forcèment au gameplay hyper-limité. Il est en français intégral avec un très bon doublage. P.S.: En mode VR, quand démarré via Steam VR Home, le jeu n'aura pas de sons... il faudra le lancer via la bibliothèque Steam en étant en VR. (sous HTC Vive Pro 2)

I was skeptical about this game for at least two reasons. 1) I was tired of Tesla’s mythological reputation. 2) For years, story based 3D adventure games (e.g. Agatha Christie, Blacksad, The Council, State of Mind, Frogwares games) have largely failed to deliver on their promises, with the exception of Telltale Games. But wow, was I wrong. I haven’t finished the game yet, but I’m about halfway through, and it’s been a blast so far. I’m not particularly drawn to gameplay-focused games unless they have psychologically fleshed out characters, interesting relationships, and good voice acting. This game ticks all those boxes, and it has managed to pull me in so thoroughly that I’ve found myself playing for hours on end. Sadly, as is often the case with a specific type of games I enjoy, it hasn’t sold well. It seems to me that story based games (except the pseudo-deep ones like Disco Elysium, Talos Principle, Undertale, A Plague Tale, Oxenfree, This War of Mine, Bioshock Infinite, and for some reason Doki Doki), have been struggling for years to find an audience, as evidenced by the downfall of Telltale Games, unless they’re paired well with good gameplay or interesting atmosphere (e.g. SOMA, Outer Wilds, NieR Automata, Hellblade, Pathologic, Stanley Parable, Enderal, Firewatch, original Bioshock, Mass Effect, and lots of point-and-click games). So I think Tequila Works needs to sugar their upcoming pills with unique settings if they want people to give them a chance. Spec Ops The Line had the same problem, a nice story with not-so-interesting gameplay and setting. I mean, make Tesla a cyber-cat or something, I don’t know.. Oh and it's not a one hour game unless you're rushing to the end, which is basically skipping the game.

Wow, I'm late to the game here, but just played through Chapter 1 last night in VR and was completely and totally hooked. The vibe of the game feels very much like a "Knives Out" story but plays similarly in a way to "Return of the Obra Dinn", though I should note both were released after "The Invisible Hours". The mechanics of pausing, rewinding, and fast forwarding make for a super intriguing "whodunit" unraveling of mysteries as you replay scenes from different persons' perspectives, and follow them as they splinter away and rejoin one another, uncovering hidden motives and connections between characters. The planning and care that must have gone into all these interwoven subplots while maintaining a super compelling overarching narrative track is just incredible. The conceit of the theatre as hub for this story is perfect and the user interface and tools presented at the chapter summary are so ingenious and perfect as well. The inclusion of Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison as major players in the story adds another layer of intrigue and allure, considering the historical context of their real-life relationship which was adversarial to say the least. These historical figures add some wonderful grounding and weight to the scenes and situations. Can't wait to go back!

A really fun whodunit style mystery with a similar gameplay mechanic to [i]The Sexy Brutale[/i], where multiple scene play out simultaneously while you move around and manipulate time in order to piece everything together.

C'est très bien.

A genuinely unique visual novel-like experience where you can follow the story by following different characters around. You get to the end of one story and think you 'understand' what is going on only to follow someone else later and realize you had it all wrong. Only by following each character can you finally piece the whole story together. Great use of VR.