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Timelie

A few frustrating puzzles aren’t enough to drag down a fantastic puzzler buoyed by lovely graphics and near flawless gameplay.
Timelie Game Cover
86%Game Brain Score
gameplay, story
grinding, character development
92% User Score Based on 774 reviews
Critic Score 79%Based on 9 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchPCTabletAndroidMac OSPhoneiPadSteam DeckMobile PlatformiPhoneWindows
Timelie Game Cover

About

Timelie is a single player puzzle game. It was developed by Urnique Studio and was released on May 20, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"Timelie is a single-player stealth puzzle adventure game with a unique time-controlling mechanic, where you guide a girl and a cat with precognitive abilities through a vibrant world, solving puzzles and avoiding enemies by manipulating the timeline to plan your escape strategy."

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92%
Audience ScoreBased on 774 reviews
gameplay121 positive mentions
grinding10 negative mentions

  • Unique time manipulation mechanics that enhance puzzle-solving.
  • Beautiful graphics and a captivating soundtrack that create an immersive atmosphere.
  • Challenging puzzles that require creative thinking and strategy.
  • The game is relatively short, taking around 5-7 hours to complete.
  • Some puzzles can feel overly reliant on precise timing, leading to frustration.
  • The story is vague and may leave players wanting more context and clarity.
  • gameplay
    288 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Timelie" is widely praised for its innovative time manipulation mechanics, which allow players to rewind and fast-forward time to solve puzzles and navigate stealth challenges. Reviewers appreciate the game's unique approach to puzzle design, with a gradual introduction of new mechanics that keep the experience fresh and engaging, despite some criticism regarding the pacing and occasional sluggishness. Overall, the combination of intuitive controls, beautiful visuals, and a charming atmosphere contributes to a compelling gameplay experience that appeals to puzzle enthusiasts.

    • “A decent time-line based puzzle game with a unique mechanic of using previously completed levels to set up a new level, making some replayability and meta puzzle thinking required for later levels.”
    • “The time-forwarding/rewinding mechanics are extremely well done and very fluid.”
    • “The gameplay revolves around the ability to pre-plan the whole puzzle, with rewinding and editing the plan and use of two characters with special abilities.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay and puzzles were, as far as I got, terrible.”
    • “The puzzle mechanics are original and well thought-out, but the controls are clumsy, and you often cannot zoom out enough to see the whole puzzle board.”
    • “It's ironic that for a game that really loves making you use time efficiently, it absurdly wastes your time in anything that isn't gameplay related.”
  • story
    239 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Timelie" is characterized by its minimalist and abstract nature, relying heavily on visual storytelling without dialogue, which leaves much open to player interpretation. While some players appreciate the emotional depth and surprising twists, others find the narrative vague and lacking in clarity, often leading to confusion about the plot's meaning. Overall, the game offers a unique experience that intertwines its puzzles with a subtle, yet impactful storyline, though it may not satisfy those seeking a rich narrative.

    • “Timelie conveys a touching narrative, relying on visual cues and gameplay to unfold its story.”
    • “The story is interesting, the setting is great, and the puzzles are fantastic, thinky, but not too frustrating.”
    • “The game has some really interesting and surprising moments in its story too.”
    • “The story is conveyed only through icons that show on a long hallway Timelie runs across before reaching the last level of the chapter, and some icons are hard to make out, so I will probably be watching a video piecing out what the story is.”
    • “The story was a bit opaque, which made it a bit hard to engage there.”
    • “There is little to no story and the ending is extremely cliché and unsatisfying.”
  • music
    137 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its beautiful composition and atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Many players noted the soundtrack's ability to create a calming and immersive environment, with standout tracks that resonate emotionally, particularly the end credits song. While some found the music repetitive during challenging puzzle segments, the majority appreciated its soothing nature and how well it complements the game's visuals and mechanics.

    • “The game's polish is evident throughout, from its gameplay to its visuals and sound design; the music is a wonderful metronomic melody.”
    • “The soundtrack provides effective atmospheric tunes that enhance the overall experience.”
    • “The music, sound effects, and atmosphere are just about right to help you enjoy the game.”
    • “It doesn't help that the game reeks of mobile, has bland music, no enemy variety, and dull environments.”
    • “I had seen a new character team up with the player, but the almost non-existent music, the boring levels, and the missing story just made me question why I would choose this over all the other games out there.”
    • “Repetitive music, no story, clunky animations, re-enacting scenes make no sense, boring puzzles that are not about logic but about trying to match the perfect timing for hours; there is nothing overwhelmingly positive here, guys.”
  • graphics
    133 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, polished, and stylized visuals, which effectively complement the gameplay and music. Many reviewers appreciate the cute and minimalist art style, noting that it enhances the overall atmosphere and storytelling without overwhelming the player. While some mention that the graphics may not be groundbreaking, they are considered charming and well-suited for a puzzle game, contributing to a relaxing and engaging experience.

    • “The game's polish is evident throughout, from its gameplay to its visuals and sound design; the music is a wonderful metronomic melody.”
    • “I’ve never enjoyed playing a stealth game before, but this one won me over with its cute characters, nice gameplay, and beautiful visuals.”
    • “The game feels really polished, with quality artwork and visuals that successfully tell a story without words.”
    • “But the graphics definitely won't 'blow you away'.”
    • “Graphically it is minimalist almost to a fault.”
    • “First thing first, my hardware is somewhat slow and has no dedicated gaming GPU—why set the ultra graphic quality as default (and render the game very glitchy later) for me???”
  • emotional
    23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Timelie is praised for its emotionally resonant narrative, effectively conveyed through visual storytelling and gameplay mechanics, which culminate in a touching and often heartbreaking experience. While some players appreciate the depth and atmosphere, others criticize the emotional manipulation and lack of coherent storytelling. Overall, the game elicits a wide range of emotions, from sadness to satisfaction, particularly highlighted by its impactful ending and evocative soundtrack.

    • “Timelie conveys a touching narrative, relying on visual cues and gameplay to unfold its story.”
    • “It's an experience that stands out for its clever design and emotional impact, making it a top recommendation for puzzle enthusiasts.”
    • “There is no dialogue throughout the entire game, which is why the ending is particularly heartbreaking.”
  • atmosphere
    23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique blend of emotional depth, calming music, and visually striking graphics, creating a surreal and contemplative experience. Reviewers highlight the effective use of sound design and a subtle narrative that enhances the overall ambiance, making it a perfect fit for puzzle-solving. While the storytelling may be minimal, the atmospheric elements are consistently described as beautiful, engaging, and emotionally resonant.

    • “The atmosphere the game has is really good; it is just dark enough, has a unique sci-fi feel, and feels strong emotionally.”
    • “Incredibly atmospheric, beautiful, and even a bit emotional in all its simplicity.”
    • “There is no dialogue, but there is never any need; the audio design is wonderful and there is a quiet and mysterious atmosphere.”
    • “It reinforced the atmosphere of the game very well.”
    • “The game oozes atmosphere and charm, and the lighter gameplay makes it perfect for those tired evenings when you want to relax.”
  • grinding
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate that while the game features some grindy elements, particularly for those seeking collectibles or secret endings, it is generally well-designed and visually appealing. Players noted that the backtracking required for relics can feel tedious, but the overall experience is kept short (around four hours), which helps mitigate excessive grinding. The timeline mechanic adds interest, though it can also contribute to a sense of tedium at times.

    • “Tedious.”
    • “As it currently stands, it's unnecessarily tedious.”
    • “Fairly short though (4-ish hours for a playthrough), and while there are collectibles scattered throughout the levels it's unclear how to collect them (you have to finish the level with a specific optional, unlisted objective) which makes it a bit tedious to do.”
  • optimization
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game is well-optimized, delivering solid performance on both Mac and PC with beautiful graphics. However, some users with lower-spec systems report occasional stuttering, indicating that while the game performs well generally, it may struggle on less powerful hardware.

    • “Performance-wise, the game performs well on both Mac and PC.”
    • “The quality is polished and provides solid performance in my playthrough.”
    • “Beautiful graphics and well optimized.”
    • “Performance: I have to play on medium settings because my computer isn't very powerful, but it still stutters.”
    • “[h1]Technical issues and performance[/h1]”
  • character development
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews highlight a strong appreciation for the character design, noting its cuteness and appealing art style. Players express enjoyment of the protagonist and overall character aesthetics, indicating that the design significantly enhances their gaming experience.

    • “Great character design, nice polish, and the songs are great.”
    • “I really like the character design and gameplay in this indie game.”
    • “Not only the cute character design, which was my first impression.”
    • “An indie game that I quite like for its character design and gameplay.”
    • “Character design: I already like the protagonist being like this.”
  • replayability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers some replayability through its unique mechanic of using completed levels to influence new ones, encouraging meta puzzle thinking. However, many players feel that the overall replay value is limited, with a relatively short completion time and a disappointing ending that detracts from the experience. While some may revisit the game after forgetting the puzzles, the lack of substantial replay options remains a notable drawback.

    • “A decent time-based puzzle game with a unique mechanic of using previously completed levels to set up a new level, making some replayability and meta puzzle thinking required for later levels.”
    • “It's a fun game with unique mechanics, but 7 hours to get 100% completion feels a bit short, and there is not much in terms of replayability.”
    • “Could have been great, were it not for one major flaw (other than the total lack of replayability): the ending is excruciatingly disappointing.”
    • “Since it is a puzzle game, there might not be too much replayability, but once I forget the puzzles, I'm definitely replaying it.”
  • stability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, users report mixed experiences with stability; while some have experienced significant issues like glitches on the second screen, others have noted a smooth experience without any bugs, crashes, or freezes.

    • “The second screen glitches, making it impossible to see anything.”
    • “I experienced frequent crashes and freezes during gameplay.”
    • “The game is plagued by stability issues, often causing it to crash unexpectedly.”
  • monetization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization of the game is viewed positively, with users noting that the DLC adds a substantial amount of content for a fair price, and the overall experience does not feel like a rushed or exploitative cash grab.

    • “The monetization model feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
    • “I find the in-game purchases to be excessive and they detract from the overall experience.”
    • “It's frustrating that so many features are locked behind paywalls, making it feel like a pay-to-win scenario.”
  • humor
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the humor in the juxtaposition of a stealth strategy game being described as both relaxing and a comfort game, highlighting its unique charm and appeal.

    • “It sounds kind of funny to say that a stealth strategy game is relaxing and a comfort game for me, but I think that’s why it’s great.”
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8h Median play time
8h Average play time
6-10h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Timelie is a puzzle game.

Timelie is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, Phone and others.

On average players spend around 8 hours playing Timelie.

Timelie was released on May 20, 2020.

Timelie was developed by Urnique Studio.

Timelie has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Timelie is a single player game.

Similar games include FRAMED Collection, Lara Croft GO, The Bridge, Children of the Sun, Path of Giants and others.