20 Minutes Till Dawn (2023)
If you like active action players, where everything explodes and flashes before your eyes in a frantic dance of shells, and the game character and enemies mix into illegible porridge-this game is for you.
20 Minutes Till Dawn – This is a mixture of unrestrained energy and excitement, which, although not immediately, but after a few minutes, when you pick up more interesting perks and improvements to weapons, you will no longer stop you. A wide variety of game characters with their own characteristics, minuses and pluses;An interesting choice of weapons, improvement and tree of skills that can make your race unique and incredibly spectacular.
And my separate passion is a pixel minimalistic graphics with muffled dark colors. And the fact that you have to wage a war against the creatures of the Lovecraft monsters and other undead only fuel interests.
In this case, the game is very simple, has no plot, there are minor disadvantages. However, they are lost in the whirlpool of opportunities that will make the cards re -surplus again and again, experiencing your dexterity, concentration, strategy and skill.
Can you hold out for 20 minutes in this bullet hell until dawn, when the undead with the rays of the sun? Choose any of the charming girls, weapons to taste and go into the depths of darkness.
“20 Minutes Till Dawn” -A game, whose demo version appeared on the Internet last year, and the official release took place June 8, 2023. The developer acted Flanne, And the publisher – ERABIT. Basic genres: action-clip and Shoot`em Up.
The game was released only in the summer, and already managed to collect a large number of positive reviews and assessments. This is not the final version, the developer promises to add more playable characters, weapons, enemy units and cards. So I think, soon the game will not be dry due to the limited locations and a meager set of monsters.
Also, the creator is expected from the spin-off of the main version-“20 Minutes Till Dawn: Emberpath “. In addition to new enemies and cards, an interesting feature will be added – players will have the opportunity to combine various abilities and artifacts to create an omnipotent character that can pump out entire hordes of monsters.
Unfortunately, at the moment, the release date is unknown, but it would be very interesting to evaluate this update.
20 MTD is often compared with the more sensational hit of the “bullet Hell” – “Vampire Survios”, last year. It also needs to hold out a certain amount of time before dawn, fighting off the waves of various kinds of nights. Only this game is more Gothic-classical, from the graphics it pleasantly blows antiquity and the sensation of retro.
I did not play this game, but what is happening looks extremely attractive to the amateur of Mesilov on the screen.
The structure of the game
There is no plot in this game, there is only one condition: to win, the player needs to survive 20 real minutes, which is not easy to do at all. You have to fight back from the images of the monsters of Lovecraft and just undead. The map does not limit movements, you can run in any direction, although in one of the locations such a luxury will not be presented. With every minute there are more and more enemies, and they are not visible to the end. In this case, it is time to choose more experience, pump your skills, open new ones and improve your weapons in order to get through this aggressive mass.
In this game, for a spectacular race and victory from the player, a high concentration and attention will be required, thawing skill and the speed of decision -making. If you apply at least minimal tactics, it will only be plus.
In total, in the game at the moment there are only 3 game locations so far: “Forest”, “Temple” And “Pumpkin patch” with 4-5 types of enemy units and 3-4 bosses per card. In all these places it is necessary to constantly pump your character and weapons in order to live 20 minutes. It sounds like simple, but I had to go through the last location for a very long time – there, in the last five minutes, wild meat begins (however, like at other levels). There are so many enemies that they fill almost all of the free space in the field of view and have to slip literally a millimeter so as not to encounter them.
Of course, when you pump at least up to 10 levels to choose your perfect strategy for survival, it will be much easier, and this will make the expectation before dawn not so painful.
The entire race can conditionally be divided into certain intervals. During the first 3-5 minutes, enemies do not eat so intensely (this cannot be said about the “pumpkin patch”-there all the merry begins literally from the first seconds)-this will give you the opportunity to look around, get used to the combat features of the chosen character and start collecting experience from enemies, discovering the first branches of weapons and abilities for yourself.
Further two bosses with an interval of several minutes, from which special improvements are falling, capable of increasing your character stats several times. But there are, of course, completely useless that you should not take. The final 5-7 minutes before dawn can mainly only run, clearing himself literally a path in a pile of enemies. Either you can collect really powerful perks to turn the battlefield into an empty plateau in an instant. This will already depend on good luck and your skill.
Of course, from the very beginning everything will go not as smooth and spectacular as I described. By the first, only one character will be available to you – Shan And the revolver. You will be slow and slow, and the weapon will not please the high characteristics. However, everything will change in the minutes when you get your first experience points. There is also an in -game currency that the player receives at the end of each race. You can buy new weapons, characters and improve the skills immediately before the run. They will not make the game significantly easy, but you will already have small advantages at the beginning.
In total, at the moment, 3 modes are available in the game: a regular, “fast game” (hold out 10 minutes before dawn) and endless mode. At the first acquaintance with the game, I recommend that you run several times in endless mode. This will allow you to quickly earn XPU and game currency, as well as find the perfect chains of perks to evaluate how they are combined with their own skills of a particular character. Although of course it is very disappointing when in this mode a character is such a strength that he would easily last at any of the levels. And when you play on the last location, luck turns with your back in the perk and in improvements.
There are a lot of skills themselves, also with their own development trifles. Conventionally, they can be divided into 2 categories: pumping weapons of weapons and the character himself, and the art of calling. It’s not difficult to guess, the first includes: an increase in HP, movement speed, the range of selection of experience points, the number of shells, the range and speed of shooting, damage and much more.
And the second category includes all kinds of abilities according to the type of elements: wind, electrical, freezing. There is an opportunity to call for various assistants who will apply additional damage and much more. The game gives ways to more efficient race ways for a more effective race. Thanks to this, each passage becomes unique and spectacular – it does not matter how many times in a row you are already playing.
Despite the only 3 game locations, the game draws into itself for a long time, because the excitement appears not only to go through the most difficult level, but also to make your character even stronger. When they have already collected a certain number of improvements, it is just a pleasure to observe the new battle technique. A large number of skills and heroes allows you to experiment with unexpected and interesting combat strategies.
Characters
I’ll tell you a little about each heroine, describe their features, and also briefly share my game experience when passing for each of them.
1) Shan – The very first game character, has 4 HP. Her ability is that a girl can change the set of perks for the level of experience if they do not like the player. A special perk that can be knocked out for her – “Halo Shanges”: rate of fire +50%, reloading speed +50%, viewing range +75%. In order to activate the halo, it is necessary to collect 3 of its fragments that accidentally fall out at the level of improvement, and then not every time.
This is a fairly basic character with an average HP, but if you collect a full halo, and also pump a revolver or shotgun, throw powerful perks, the Shan will not yield in strength and convenience to any other character.
2) Diamond – The only, however, a very effective feature of the character lies in the amount of his health – in Diamond 7 HP. None of the characters can boast of such survivability anymore.
Special improvements Character:
“Berserk” – constantly increases the speed of shooting and reloading by +10% with each player;
“Strong will” – when HP Diamond will be below half of the maximum HP, increases the breakdown of shells and a knockdown +25%;
“Increase volume” – the damage from shells and their size by +15% are constantly increasing with each healing.
Diamond – good tank with great potential for survival on the map. I liked to pump a shotgun or grenade launcher for her – they are well suited to the character, they also have a wide scatter and power of shots. The character without the original abilities shows himself very well in battle.
3) Scarlett -Every 3rd shot of weapons releases a fire wave, setting fire to enemies and applying 3 damage to them per second.
Improvements:
“Eternal Flame” – The burn lasts 2 times longer;
“Pyromaniac” – The speed of shooting increases by 10% every time Scarlett brings a burn enemy unit. The buff is discarded during reloading;
“Proximity to the arsonists” -Damage from shells -25%, damage from burn +67%.
It’s good for this character to play, especially if you add a burning warrior flamethrower or grenade launcher. It turns out a wonderful fiery show. You just need to be careful, because the character has only 3 HP, so I would not want to blow up my own shell. No matter how obvious, working synergies with Scarlett’s skills create fiery perks – this will increase its fiery power several times.
Fights with her look quite spectacular: when everything around turns into the earth covered with flame, and burning enemies burn around you – this is beautiful.
4) Hina – Right click for the call of the shadow that attacks the nearest enemies. The shadow completely copies the character damage.
Improvements:
“Improved shadow” – defeated damage +25%, the shadow clone attacks 3 times faster;
“Hidden blade” – Hina is now invincible during her throw. The character’s blow inflicts damage to enemies equal to dropping from her shells;
“Maneuver” – Hina automatically recharge her weapons after using the shadow.
For this Persian I did not like to play too much, since moving to the side and leaving the shadow can be confused, especially if you do it in the crowd of enemies. It is likely to come across the enemy at the most inopportune and losing valuable health. Hina has not much has much of him – only 3 hp. Well, at least personally it seemed to me this is not too comfortable mechanics.
5) Spark – shells beat with lightning, applying 5 damage.
Improvements:
“Electric fire” – blows with lightning, also cause a burn at a speed of 3 damage per second;
“Electro-Affinity” -damage from the projectile -25%, a blow from lightning +50%;
“Charged” -every 3rd stake of lightning causes double damage and generates 1 ammunition.
One of my loved ones. Take this girl that contains a zipper: an ally’s call, a fully collected Electro Tree, which will additionally strike the nearest enemies with heavenly charge. She can also put perks with the elements of fire – then very beautiful everything around you will pierce with electric discharges. It will seem that you find directly in the epicenter of a powerful thunderstorm cloud, where a dangerous phenomenon is formed.
I took a shotgun from the spark, increased reloading, the size of the shell, the speed of the shot and so on. With a certain perk, with each reloading, a bonus charge is possible with lightning, which gives just incredible potential to this character in battle.
Despite the low health (3HP) on this character, you can easily take out the card if you competently choose perks.
6) Lilith – calls the souls of murdered opponents applying 8 units of damage to the nearest enemies.
Improvements:
“Army of undead” – inflicted damage +35%, an attack speed +35%;
“Necromancer” – inflicted damage +20%, Lilith causes an additional spirit after the death of the enemy;
“Necrophil” – When killing the enemy, the speed of movement increases by 35% within 1 second.
Great character, also in the top of my loved ones. Interesting with it combines weapons “Salvo knife” – A knife with auto -assignment, which pierces the closest enemies from the first shot. At some point, the souls of the dead will fly around you with a veil, and Lilith herself impressively walk around the field to collect XPU from the defeated, as if she is here the queen of the dead. It all looks very impressive and juicy.
7) Abby – Right click for the quick shooting of the entire ammunition in random sides.
Improvements:
“Bullet storm” -shells +2, fire intensity -31%, spread +40%;
“Create rain” – doubles the firing speed of Abby while using its special skill;
“Vortex” – increases the speed of movement and reloading by 35% within 2 seconds after reloading.
Improvements of course sound just fine, but Abby is just the most unloved character for me by gameplay. Maybe I just did not give her a chance to open in battle, but to be honest about her special ability constantly forgot, just using weapons. Yes, she has HP higher, as much as 4, but she still remembered me the least.
8) Yuki -Every 6th shot calls an ice butterfly, periodically freezing the nearest enemies. If the enemy is already frozen, he receives a damage equal to the damage from the projectile.
Improvements:
“Fragile” – frozen enemies receive +30% of additional damage;
“Break into pairs” – send another ice butterfly into battle;
“Dance of the butterflies” – doubles the frequency with which the ice butterfly freezes or causes damage to the nearest enemies.
Yuki – A wonderful character whose combat potential is revealed very quickly and efficiently. Her ice butterfly plus with improvements, also with a complete tree of freezing – just an imba. Hordes of enemies within a radius of meters turn into ice, they also hurt the brothers with fragments after death. Just have time to run and collect XPU. It’s only a pity that I did not have time to reveal all potential, as I took the Yuki in a quick race. Here in this game is often an offensive situation: all successful and very strong chains of improvements do not open mainly a race, but in this “ten -minute”. And already in ordinary mode it is sometimes difficult to hold out and 5 minutes.
Be that as it may, I am very pleased to play for Yuki. It turns out to be spectacular and to some extent even elegant battles.
9) Moon – During reloading, creates a black hole attracting the nearest enemies. The direction of the black hole depends on where the moon is aimed, but is always at a certain distance. A black hole exists within 1 second, then disappears regardless of whether the moon will be reloaded during this time or not.
Improvements:
“Explosion” – When the black hole disappears, it inflicts damage equal to the damage from your shells;
“Parallel Star” – creates an additional black hole behind the moon;
“Cosmic explosion” – When a black hole disappears, it releases 3 shells that apply 50% damage to enemies.
An interesting character for which it was cool to play. Its ability can really facilitate the battle when a black hole attracts a large number of enemies in the crowd, so that later the moon fins them off with one shot, say, from a grenade launcher or onion.
10) Desher – every 10 seconds temporarily turns into a deer. Being in a deer form is invulnerable and inflicts 100 units of damage to enemies, whom he knocks down. The damage caused by a deer increases due to the total damage and the speed of movement.
Improvements:
“Blessing of nature” – character size +50%, movement speed +30%, damage from the call +30%;
“Bringing hail” – being in the shape of a deer, automatically shoots snowballs that cause damage equal to 25% of the damage of the deer;
“Deer Friend” – the call of another deer that causes 50% damage from damage.
If you want to quickly assemble XPU and get a greater chance to successfully undergo a location, then first of all, copy the decher. With its ability, you can safely dive into at least the thick of the enemies – the main thing is to get out of there before Desher returned to his human form. Experience quickly accumulates with this character, the main thing is to collect a really powerful set of perks. Just a deer keeper helped me go through the last difficult level, and even despite her strength it was hard.
11) Katana – after reloading, it causes a magical sword that applies 22 damages and operating 5 seconds.
Improvements:
“Master’s skill” – Damage from shells +40, the damage of a magic sword increases thanks to the bonuses to your damage from shells;
“Thousand blades” – after reloading, call an additional magical sword.
If you play for this character, you can open an excellent battle technique. I took a shotgun for her, there is a more common recharge, and already at the expense of this swords will appear more often – a stream of beautifully dancing weapons will fall on enemies. If you take the perks to the fast frequent reloading, the deadly halo will not leave you at all. You can also add a few improvements to a remote attack (my favorite chain – “Art of darkness” And “Art of Light”) – and then you will free yourself much more space from monsters. This is a new character that appeared in November.
12) Khartur – periodically calls the tentacle, which inflicts 30 damage when attacking enemies.
Improvements:
“Break” – tentacles are inflicted on 30 more damage;
“Call of the abyss” – calls the tentacles 2 times more often;
“Rightness” – tentacles are attacked 2 times more often.
You will get the character when surviving in the “Temple”. It is interesting to play for it, and improvements to the main ability make harthur even more deadly. The battlefield after time will constantly be covered with wriggling dangerous tentacles, not to run into which the monsters will be quite difficult.
13) Raven – calls the crow, which imposes a curse. It, in turn, causes damage equal to 200% damage from weapons.
Improvements:
“Shadow flame” – imposes a curse, which applies 35% damage from a burn;
“Baby Raven” – call on the second raven that causes damage equal to your damage from the projectile;
“Similarity with the shadow” -rate of fire -10%, damage damage +75%.
This beauty can be obtained as a reward for survival in “Pumpkin Patch”. Of course, the improvement of the “flock of raven” is simply fine, because even more monsters will become infected with a curse, and killing them becomes much easier.
I saw that with every girl you can do such spectacular and beautiful battles, even the jaw drops from viewing. And everyone will be good if you choose the right perks and improve the character. In no case do I want to belittle any of the heroes, these are just reasoning from the personal experience of the game.
As you can see, there are plenty of interesting characters with their pros and cons of the game, and I’m sure that in the near future there will only be more. I can’t wait to find out what heroes the developers will come up with.
And I am very joyful to observe the fan creativity for such a rather niche and not particularly popular game. You just look at these works.
By Windoki Tarot
Gameplay
Management is the most simple. Only the movement buttons and the left mouse button are needed (the right is used only when the character characteristics require it). The gamepad is also supported, but it was not too convenient for me to play on it.
In addition to passive pumping your character in the game there is synergy of different skills with each other, which can help create a very strong combo. She works pretty well, despite the crooked Russian translation, just like a machine. However, I did not rummage in synergia for long. I still liked to think over and choose skills more so that they are not only useful in battle, but also successfully combined with a specific character, because it will only make it stronger.
In general, you get used to management very quickly – it helps to plunge into the atmosphere and what is happening. At the very beginning, let everything go slowly, but then your battle becomes very dynamic. Of course, with every minute of playing time, the player will have to strain attention and concentration even more. If you cannot stand a huge number of small, constantly moving and attacking units on the screen, which still need to try not to run into – it will be quite difficult for you in this game, or you just abandon it.
My game experience
Although I am not some kind of super-experienced player or specialist of the “bullet hell” genre, but wanted to share small tips on the game for those who still decided to play 20MTD. Maybe someone will be interested or useful.
1) At the beginning of each race, it is recommended to collect the maximum number of perks that improve the speed and evasion of the character. It is better to immediately run enemies quickly so as not to be in the ring and not have time to get out of it.
Also from the first minutes it is better to pump your weapon for rate of fire: the percocks for reloading and skill are good “Light shells” (increases the reloading speed, shell speed; especially the effect is very useful for a shotgun).
2) If you want to have an advantage over large crowds of enemies, who only grow and grow since time, collect full chains of spontaneous perks: a blow with a lightning, “Air Mage”, “Freezing”. With the development of these skills, you can literally clear your way from monsters and simultaneously collect experience from them.
3) Good tactics at the beginning of the race: the first 3-5 minutes run in a circle and start monsters to the center of the ring, shooting them around the edges and collecting XPU from them. But in the last 6 minutes before dawn, enemies will become so many that the only way out is flight. Run in any direction only forward and be careful, because the monsters will have to run away often very close, almost in a millimeter.
It would be glorious if by this moment you have already gathered perks for quick clearing of the territory: the magic of wind, lightning, strong allies, improvement of weapons at a firing range and increasing damage.
4) Do not take a rush in a rush simply because he has a cool description or you are in the fuse of the battle. Anyway, when choosing skill, the game stops, so there is time to think. In the future, you simply can not collect a full tree of skills, but you will have in the arsenal a piece from each. In addition, they can be poorly combined both with each other and with the skill of the character.
5) If at the first increase in the level of choice there will be “Dragon Egg”, Take it without hesitation. It will hatch in 3 minutes and you can pump it so that the speed of attack and the damage of your pet will increase with each level, even if the baby is still in the egg. You have to wait, but then you will have a strong ally to the very death of the character.
6) My favorite chains of perks, which will serve you well: completely “Art of darkness” + “Magnetism” + “Art of Light” + The whole chain of the elements of wind and lightning + “Fierce gaze” (perfectly combined with the “art of darkness”.
These are the most generalized tips that I can give from myself, but, of course, it is always much more interesting to explore all the charms and pitfalls of the game yourself.
Visual design
The game immediately attracted me with my graphic style, while I wandered along the lists of games on Steam. I immediately noticed what I love most in games – pixels. Let the 20MTD not differ in the variety of landscapes (they are not here at all, everything that the player sees is a darkened plane with a large number of monotonous mobs), it is purely pleasant to look at the combination of black and dark green shades.
Compared with bright and juicy (and also pixel, hehe) visual “Vampire Survivors” 20MTD is pale and inconspicuous, but this is the essence, as it seems to me. With such a graphic style of the game, it is much easier to plunge into its atmosphere of struggle against evil spirits. It feels like we really waging a war with the creatures of the monsters of Mr. Lovecraft.
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