Time Machine VR

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 80 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Time Machine VR Game Cover
A great first impression soon fails to deliver on its potential, with the promise of time travelling adventure soon falling to education. Mind you, getting eaten by massive underwater monsters is really cool.
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"Time Machine VR" is a gaming experience that transports you to the Jurassic era to study ancient sea creatures. As a time-traveling cadet, utilize advanced tools to track and examine aquatic dinosaurs like mosasaurs and megalodons, all with scientific accuracy. Discover the connection between a prehistoric virus and the extinction of these marine giants. The game has recently been updated for easier motion control use and improved performance. [ 390 characters]

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Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 80 reviews
gameplay5 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • The underwater environments are visually stunning and immersive, providing a captivating experience of exploring prehistoric marine life.
  • The game offers a unique educational aspect, allowing players to learn about dinosaurs and their behaviors in a fun and interactive way.
  • The controls, once familiarized with, provide a decent level of maneuverability, enhancing the overall experience of piloting the mini-sub.
  • The game is criticized for being short, with many players completing it in under two hours, leading to feelings of it being overpriced for the content offered.
  • Controls are often described as clunky and frustrating, with many players experiencing motion sickness and difficulty in executing tasks.
  • The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks variety, with some players expressing disappointment in the limited environments and lack of engaging content.
  • gameplay24 mentions

    The gameplay is generally perceived as repetitive and lacking in variety, with some users noting that it feels more like edutainment than an engaging experience. While the controls and mechanics have potential, particularly for multiplayer, many find the core gameplay elements dull and the overall length unsatisfying, often leading to a grind for completion. Despite these criticisms, some players appreciate the smooth experience and educational aspects, especially in a VR context.

    • “I think the mechanics and flight system could make an interesting multiplayer fight game!”
    • “This game has the courage to let you move around other than the teleport mechanic so many other VR games use.”
    • “The environments are beautiful, and the gameplay is both fun and educational.”
    • “The game seems kid-oriented; gameplay is somewhat repetitive and edutainment flavored.”
    • “However, the actual game mechanics are a little dull and extremely repetitive.”
    • “Plus once you go through all of the portals, the story is 'technically' done, and then in order to reach 100%, it becomes a grind where you literally have to scan everything to get there... it's cool to begin with, but the '10 hours' of gameplay will literally be 'two hours of interesting content' then probably '8 hours of grind' at least that's what it appears to look like... if that is also the case, the price is rather high.”
  • graphics22 mentions

    The graphics in the game are generally praised for their immersive and atmospheric quality, particularly in VR, where players appreciate the stunning visuals and smooth headtracking. However, some critiques highlight a lack of detail in creature rendering and an underwhelming environment that fails to support the scale of the creatures, alongside issues with optimization and bugs. Overall, while the graphics are impressive, there is room for improvement in detail and performance.

    • “Absolutely stunning in immersion and graphics.”
    • “The VR graphics are amazing, a real sense of actually being there with all the vulnerability that would accompany that.”
    • “The visuals are quite well done and I felt more presence than in most of the demos I have tried for the Oculus DK2.”
    • “However, the graphics were never optimized, bugs never fixed and content was left lacking.”
    • “*update* now tested on Vive and has horrible graphical latency, conclusion: avoid”
    • “Had some issues initially because the graphics glitched out and the game crashed on my DK2.”
  • story21 mentions

    The game's story revolves around executing research missions that transport players back to the Jurassic period, where they tag and identify aquatic creatures to gather data for developing a vaccine against a virus. While the narrative is engaging and features a solid backstory, many players feel it is too short, with the main storyline taking around 1.5 to 2 hours to complete, leading to a grind for 100% completion. The missions are described as amusing but could benefit from more tension and variety to enhance the overall experience.

    • “Eventually, your research missions will uncover enough information about the virus to support the rollout of an effective vaccine, and you will save the world.”
    • “It is mission-based with an original plot that justifies your presence in the game - you are not merely an observer.”
    • “Although it is in early access, they have developed a good backstory and some interesting gameplay mechanics.”
    • “Plus once you go through all of the portals, the story is "technically" done, and then in order to reach 100%, it becomes a grind where you literally have to scan everything to get there... it's cool to begin with, but the "10 hours" of gameplay will literally be "two hours of interesting content" then probably "8 hours of grind" at least that's what it appears to look like... if that is also the case, the price is rather high.”
    • “Only gripe would be it was too short and I was able to finish the main storyline in like 1.4 hours.”
    • “Its noticeable this is in early access, I really hope the story arc gets more and more added, more levels, creatures, mechanics.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly in tasks like data extraction and tool use. While some appreciate the educational elements and the slow-time ability that alleviates some monotony, many feel that the overall experience can quickly become unenjoyable, especially for those who are more seasoned gamers.

    • “I did enjoy getting to see these prehistoric creatures, and the little scans were not too tedious, especially with the useful slow-time ability.”
    • “They become tedious quickly, as does the avuncular voiceover of AI 'Rob'.”
    • “If you're a bit older and more jaded, but still like dinos and/or scuba diving, or Jacques Cousteau specials on TV, then you may still find it fun despite the tedious bits.”
    • “Whilst learning about the lifestyles of these creatures is not without interest, the tedious nature of the data extraction and repetitive tool use killed the enjoyment for me.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players report that the game evokes strong emotional reactions, with some feeling intense discomfort and nausea shortly after starting. The experience is likened to a disorienting amusement park ride, detracting from the intended excitement of time-traveling adventures.

  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability for an early access release, with only minor glitches reported. While some bugs are present, they do not significantly impact the overall experience, and the game performs well even on modest hardware.

    • “Despite being in early access, there are a few bugs here and there, but they don't detract from the overall experience. The game also runs great on my modest GTX 680.”
    • “The stability of the game is impressive for an early access title, with only minor bugs that don't interfere with gameplay.”
    • “I was pleasantly surprised by how stable the game feels, especially considering it's still in early access. Performance is solid on my setup.”
    • “Some minor glitches, but ultimately very stable for an early access release and strongly recommended to anyone with a DK2.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
    • “I experienced several bugs that disrupted my gameplay experience, which is disappointing.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its fantastic and immersive qualities, characterized by graphics that create a claustrophobic and intense environment.

    • “Fantastic and very atmospheric.”
    • “Graphics are atmospheric and claustrophobic.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers high replayability, providing a fun and educational experience that immerses players in a prehistoric setting, making it an enjoyable choice for those seeking engaging content to revisit.

    • “Very fun and educational! It feels like a trip back to the time of dinosaurs. If you're looking for something enjoyable with great replay value, this is a fantastic choice.”
    • “The variety of choices and outcomes keeps me coming back for more. Each playthrough feels fresh and exciting!”
    • “I love how every decision I make leads to different experiences. The replayability is off the charts!”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization has been criticized for poor graphics, unresolved bugs, and insufficient content, leading to a subpar overall experience.

    • “However, the graphics were never optimized, bugs were never fixed, and content was left lacking.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

60% average critic score

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Play time

3hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
3-3hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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