The 11th Hour (video game)

The 7th Guest Part II: The 11th Hour
Developer(s)	Trilobyte
Publisher(s)	Virgin Interactive
Designer(s)	Rob Landeros
Series	The 7th Guest
Engine	Groovie
Platform(s)	DOS, Microsoft Windows, Macintosh
Release date(s)	MS-DOS: December 13, 1995 Mac: NA August 9, 1997
Genre(s)	Puzzle
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	BBFC: 18 ESRB: Mature
Media/distribution	CD-ROM, GOG.com download

The 11th Hour is a 1995 puzzle computer game with a horror setting. It is the sequel to the 1992 game The 7th Guest. It was developed by Trilobyte and used a later version of the "Groovie" graphic engine than that used by The 7th Guest. Like its predecessor game, The 11th Hour features the music of George "The Fat Man" Sanger and Team Fat.

In 2012, the game was re-released for the PC, as a download from DotEmu.com and GOG.com. This is the first time it has been available for the PC in over a decade.

Gameplay

Overall, the game plays exactly like its predecessor with the same puzzle-based game play structure, but with the additional element of a treasure hunt and more graphic scenes.

Story

The game takes place 60 years after the events of the first game. It is now 1995 and the player, as Carl Denning Jr., is an investigative reporter for the television series "Case Unsolved." Robin Morales, his producer and lover, has mysteriously vanished while gathering background information surrounding a series of grisly murders and disappearances in the otherwise quiet little town of Harley-on-the-Hudson. Denning's only solid lead is a portable computer called the Game Book which was delivered to him — postmarked Harley, NY. It may have been sent by Robin. Or perhaps it is the evil handiwork of Stauf himself, updating his craft to meet the demands of the '90s.

Plot summary

The game starts when Carl steps into the mansion. The guests from the first game make cameo appearances usually to mock Carl and insisting that his search for Robin is "hopeless". Throughout the game, bits and pieces of Robin's investigation and the mystery behind her disappearance are viewed from the gamebook. Most of the videos by themselves are short and vague. However, once the hour has struck, all the videos accumulated in that hour are strung together to form a ten minute movie that clears most of the confusion.

The game opens with the games protagonist, Carl Denning, watching the evening news in his small home. The news canon reports that police have called off the investigation of Denning's producer and apparent love-interest, Robin Morales who was last investigating the Stauf Mansion several weeks ago. The reporter also points out clues from of the events from the first game by stating that seven other guests where reported missing or otherwise dead at the Stauf Mansion sixty years ago. Worried, but somewhat annoyed, Carl clicks off the television right when the doorbell rings. Delivered to his doorstep is the Gamebook, where a confused Carl sees Robin frantically begging for his help. The game then shows several scenes of Carl driving on a motorcycle, apparently heading towards Harley-on-Hudson, where the Stauf Mansion is located. Various flashbacks are seen between two's relationship and how quickly it soured.

Robin, after a long drive to Harley-on-Hudson, stops by a diner to try to get a bite to eat before she starts her investigation. She meets a waitress by the name of Eileen who has her right hand missing. Robin is annoyed by Eileen's incompetence as a waitress, but she still attempts to converse with her. Eileen upon realizing that Robin is the producer from "Case Unsolved" is curious why Robin is in Harley of all places. When Robin admits that she is investigating the Stauf Mansion, Eileen is shocked and is silent. When Robin points out that Eileen is the only person who has encountered the mansion who has lived, Eileen suddenly gets defensive and in denial. Robin remarks that the newspaper stated that Eileen was bitten by a guard dog, thus giving Eileen an alibi for her hand. However, Robin is skeptical and presses on, which Eileen refuses to do so and states that she must get back to work.

Release

The 11th Hour was very late to market and failed to meet sales expectations upon its release. Also, at the time, Microsoft Windows had become the standard gaming platform for PCs; however, the first release of the game was made specifically for MS-DOS, resulting in many customers being unable to play it properly. Early into its development, a port to the 3DO was planned, but this was ultimately cancelled. Trilobyte has confirmed that the game will be released on both the iPhone and iPad platforms, sold through the iTunes App Store. The release for iOS was scheduled for summer 2011, but Trilobyte has since postponed the release indefinitely due to serious technical challenges.

In 2012, The 11th Hour was re-released for the PC, as a download from DotEmu.com and GOG.com.

Reception

Reviews of the game upon initial release were mixed. Arinn Dembo writing for Computer Gaming World gave the game 3 stars. In 2010, UGO included the game in the article The 11 Weirdest Game Endings.

Awards

The 11th Hour won the following awards:

• 1995 New Media Invision Awards - Gold-Games Strategy/Puzzle
• 1995 New Media Invision Awards - Bronze-Consumer Interactive Movies
• 1995 International Cindy Competition - Honorable Mention - Consumer Games
• 1995 CD-ROM Today "Rommie" Awards - Best Graphic Adventure

Development

The makers of the game originally intended for it to contain more adult content in its cut scenes; the script for the game (published as part of a walk-through guide) included several R-rated sex scenes. Rumors immediately surfaced that an "uncut" version of 11th Hour existed, leading to the game makers announcing that the R-rated sequences, though planned, were never filmed.

External links

• The 11th Hour at MobyGames
• The rise and fall of Trilobyte - Detailed article on the company, including the making of The 11th Hour.