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Not Quite TimeSplitters
The time travel option is the one thing in the game which could make TimeShift stand out as being even vaguely unique. The graphics are on the lesser side of mediocre when compared to other recent Xbox 360 games and the combat in pretty basic and uninspired.The selection of weapons feels like it came to the developers pre-packaged, from the renaming of the shotgun to the ‘ShatterGun’ right down to the sticky-grenades which obligatorily find their way into all console FPS games just so console gamers don’t find things too difficult.
The A.I. is also pretty mediocre, fumbling about somewhere between impossible to defeat and impossible not to squash like a bug. For the most part you’ll be ploughing through the enemies like the time-travelling super-soldier you’re supposed to be and then the next second you’ll be reduced to the out-of-depth physicist you really are.
Enemies in large areas will come at you from all sides and pose a real threat, but the rest of the time men in turrets won’t even get out of their chairs as you circle-strafe around them and empty clips into their heads.
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The unfortunate thing is that the time travel stuff is poorly implemented in terms of puzzles and isn’t anything new in the combat department either since that trick got tired ever since the obscure Requiem: Avenging Angel allowed you to slow time down. Puzzles in particular are annoying because, while it would be fun and rewarding to actually solve them yourself you’re often prevented by two things. Firstly, the game is forever popping up with hints which tell you how to freeze things or where to rewind time in order to clear a path.
Secondly, and most oddly, the game automatically chooses the best time power to use so that all you have to do is tap the left bumper to activate it. In combat that’s actually pretty handy if you’re a bit flustered and you can use it to buy yourself some time. In puzzles it’s annoying though because it means all you ever have to do is tap the button to see what you’re supposed to do.
So, instead of finding a problem or obstacle to overcome you end up being guided round a puzzle which was meant to stop you. It kind of defeats the point. If faced with a load of burst gas mains which spurt out fire, you don’t have to spend ages wondering how to handle the problem – you just tap the bumper and walk forwards. If you get really stuck then you can just read the hints on the screen.
Now, I can see why that’s been put into the game by the developers as it means players won’t spend ages trying to master core mechanics and means that they’re never going to get stuck for long periods of time. Still, it kind of ruins some parts of the game and I can’t believe there wasn’t a more graceful solution.
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Conclusions
TimeShift isn’t a great game, an opinion I’ve probably already over-communicated, but it does have some redeeming features. The whole thing is pretty easy to pick up and gamers who want some mindless action will no doubt get a kick out of it. The environments are well detailed too, with some nice weather effects doing a good job of hiding some of the uglier graphics and more poorly designed levels.One thing I did like about the game though was the unlockables section, which lets players unlock extra little videos and snippets which explain bits of the story. Sure, it further evidences the fact that the story is poorly structured and told, but if you really get into it then it’s a nice way to build in detail slowly.
In the end though the game doesn’t do enough to make itself stand out from the crowd of truly awesome games this year. TimeShift has come at a time when it has to compete with the likes of Halo 3, The Orange Box and a host of other titles headed to the Xbox 360. By that measure the game ends up falling a little flat and, while it may be good to pick up from the bargain bin for a rainy Saturday (as long as you try not to take it too seriously), that may be just about all it’s good for and the game isn’t really worth the time of most players.
