After producing successful live-action interactive film-type games in the past, including "Telling Lies" and "Her Story," Sam Barlow teamed up with publisher Half Mermaid Productions to create his newest experience, "Immortality." Released on August 30, 2022, "Immortality" uses a documentary crime thriller structure of sorts to chronicle the mysterious disappearance of an actress named Marissa Marcel, who starred in three films across three decades - none of which ever made it to the screen. Players are tasked with piecing together the truth of Marcel's vanishing using recently found footage from her movies, once believed to be lost to the world.
Since its launch across mobile devices, MacOS, PC, and Xbox Series X|S (available day one for Game Pass subscribers), "Immortality" has garnered acclaim from critics, with many considering it Barlow's best work so far. Reviewers praised the writing, acting, and investigation mechanics almost unanimously, marking it as a promising option for any curious gamer that fancies interactive stories. Those contemplating picking up "Immortality" may wonder about its length: just how much time can players expect to invest from start to finish?
While "Immortality" is technically a video game, players shouldn't go into it expecting a traditional gaming experience. Instead of elements like moving around or interacting with objects in an in-game environment, "Immortality" has players scrub through rolls of film in search of clues. Based on the accounts of critics, buyers shouldn't approach a project like "Immortality" expecting their playthrough to go into "Elden Ring" territory. However, it seems that the length of time people will spend investigating this mystery could vary - by a lot.
In their review for Kotaku, Ashley Bardhan said that "Immortality" takes at least five hours to complete. Eric Van Allen wrote that their playthrough lasted about eight hours in a review on Destructoid. In sharp contrast, Alexis Ong of Polygon shared that they spent 22 hours exploring "Immortality," indicating players can invest a significant amount of time searching for all the game has to offer.
The general consensus surrounding how long it takes to beat "Immortality" seems to be divided into two categories. If you're looking for a quick runtime, you can rush through in about 5 hours. However, if you want to immerse yourself and uncover every little detail, you can extend your playthrough dramatically.
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