Time Symmetry Breaking is a text adventure game aimed at a female audience, featuring multiple male leads. Players can choose different routes, and the choices made in dialogue often determine the final outcome of the game. In this article, we will share the plot guide for Time Symmetry Breaking, discussing the general flow of the game and how different dialogue choices with the male leads lead to different endings. If you are interested, read on!
[Initial Setup and Basic Gameplay]
Before starting the game, the system will guide you through creating your character's attributes, including vision, hearing, sense of direction, dietary preferences, and allergies. These settings will affect whether you can enter certain areas, notice specific clues, and the impression other characters have of you. For example, "mild pollen allergy" will trigger a plot prompt in a specific scene, while "poor sense of direction" may cause you to take a longer route during exploration. The core mechanism of the game is a time loop: after each failure, you will restart from 7:00 AM on December 31st. The goal is to find the mastermind behind the scenes and break the death loop by 9:10 on the twelfth day.
[Common Route (First Loop)]
Day 1 to Day 3: Early Exploration
The starting point is the [Station] scene. It is recommended to freely explore and familiarize yourself with the map and the time flow mechanism. Do not immediately contact any characters; instead, prioritize collecting nearby items and information, such as newspapers, envelopes, and ticket fragments. Important: During the station event, choose "look around some more" rather than immediately seeking help, or it will lock the Jing line and affect subsequent branch freedom.
Day 4 to Day 8: Branch Building Period
Start interacting with characters: Lv (friend, calm and rational), Xin (former lover, mysteriously missing), Feng (enthusiastic, abnormal behavior), and Jing (a seemingly knowledgeable stranger). Only one major interaction per day is allowed, and the frequency of interactions will determine which character's personal line you ultimately enter. It is suggested that players use multiple save files to prepare for branches. Pay attention to clue assembly: The system will automatically record investigation results in a notebook and connect keywords, aiding in gradually piecing together the full picture of events during puzzle-solving.
Day 9 to Day 12: Countdown to Death
9:10 AM on the twelfth day is the endpoint of the timeline. Regardless of whether the goal is achieved in the current playthrough, the story will enter the ending judgment. If the truth has not been revealed or the correct choice has not been made, it will directly force a Bad End (BE) or return to the second playthrough. This is when preparations for unlocking multiple endings begin.
[Second Playthrough Key Branches and Ending Directions]
How to Trigger Endings
Cycle Ending (Bad Ending): Always avoid the truth, do not contact others, and make no critical decisions at any stage. The game will fall into an infinite December 31st loop, which is a failed ending.
Breaking the Cycle (Normal Ending): At key points, cooperate with Xin or Jing, dismantle the surveillance system, recall memory fragments, successfully avoid the fatal moment, and enter the third playthrough main storyline.
Sacrificial Rebirth (Triggered in the Third Playthrough): When the player attempts to act alone but fails to uncover the true culprit, Lv or Jing will sacrifice themselves to protect the protagonist, triggering a plot twist and forcing a jump to the third playthrough main storyline.
Decision Tips: The SMS system can be unlocked at the beginning of the second playthrough. It is recommended to prioritize establishing a communication channel with "Xin." Multiple interactions will hint at his memory confusion and reveal that he is also part of the cycle. If the player actively contacts Jing, the plot will turn towards the "joint escape" side quest and enter the surveillance device destruction event. The Feng branch requires responding to his probing invitations multiple times, showing trust but maintaining boundaries, and being cautious not to get locked into a reverse line.
[Third Playthrough and Conditions to Unlock Four Major Character Lines]
After the third playthrough officially begins, the protagonist will have more foresight and intervention means. Each character has independent mainline unlock conditions, requiring consistency in common line choices to avoid interrupting branches.
Jing Line (Truth Type)
In the first round, frequently request Jing's help and choose to trust him before the final showdown. In the third playthrough, continue to actively cooperate in the investigation and complete the task of destroying the surveillance system to enter his line, revealing the core source of the cycle mechanism.
Xin Line (Emotional Type)
In the main line, do not actively seek help from others, and consistently maintain high interaction tendencies with Xin. Choose dialogues like "I am willing to believe in you" and "Waiting for you to come back" multiple times in the SMS. The Xin line reveals the reason for his past disappearance and his true connection to the cycle system.
Feng Line (Mystery Type)
Respond to Feng's invitations multiple times in the common line, choose to forgive and rely on him in conflict situations, and avoid deep contact with Jing and Xin. Complete the special commission tasks proposed by Feng. The Feng line is a key channel for clues related to multiple personalities and event manipulation.
Lv Line (Rational Type)
Refuse Jing's help, stick to self-investigation, and maintain cooperation with Lv. Prioritize choosing rational options such as knocking on the door and waiting. Complete the evidence organization and logical analysis tasks proposed by Lv.
[Puzzles and Hidden Elements]
The notebook keyword connection mechanism is a unique feature of this game. It is recommended to unlock reasoning conclusions by connecting keywords. Some password-related puzzles (such as the hotel computer, station cameras) require comparing time records and dialogue content, paying attention to details such as "date format" and "mirror reversal." Important puzzles often require combining materials from multiple days, such as obtaining "Jing's eavesdropping device blueprint" from his office, the scrap workshop, and information provided by Feng.
There are also easily missed hidden plots. If the protagonist goes to the rooftop late at night on the fourth day, it will trigger a monologue and a "self in the mirror" conversation, laying the groundwork for the true ending. If the protagonist does not interact with anyone in the cafeteria for three consecutive days, it will trigger a "disappearing self" side quest. In a certain playthrough, accidentally touching Jing's backpack will reveal a hidden voice recorder. It is suggested to repeatedly explore this location.
Above is the main content of the plot guide for Time Symmetry Breaking. The game has a slow overall pace, emphasizing logical coherence and the development of character emotions. It is recommended to focus on exploration in the first playthrough, not necessarily pursuing specific characters, and comprehensively collect clues. Then, in the second and third playthroughs, target specific character interaction options, using multiple save files to preserve key points and experience all character endings and the truth mainline.
