Timemelters

About

Timemelters is a single player and multiplayer tactical role playing shooter game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Autoexec Games and was released on October 11, 2022. It received very positive reviews from players.

A SNIPPET of our INDIE STRATEGY GAME TimeMelters about witches and time travel!Rewind time and create Echoes of yourself, manage time distortion, and be at multiple places on the battlefield at the exact same moment! Can you save all 3 sorceresses using your time rewind ability? Good luck, witch! PS If you like the core mechanics, there's a 2-hour demo on Steam coming out today! We could not post…

Skip User Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 153 reviews

gameplay53 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Innovative and unique time-rewinding mechanic allowing cooperation with past selves as echoes, blending tower defense, puzzle, action, and strategy genres into a fresh gameplay experience.
Engaging and challenging puzzles and levels that encourage experimentation, strategic planning, and replayability, enhanced by multiple game modes including co-op campaign with free friend pass and challenge modes.
Strong, thematic storytelling with witchcraft and time travel lore providing emotional context; complemented by solid UI, soundtrack, and thoughtful level design despite modest graphics and minor presentation flaws.

Somewhat short main story campaign with an abrupt cliffhanger ending, causing dissatisfaction and desire for more content or a sequel; limited spell variety and tactical diversity at times.
Trial-and-error gameplay can feel repetitive or tedious, especially in later levels where puzzle solutions become more rigid; certain mechanics and abilities are insufficiently explained.
Visual and audio polish issues include stiff character animations, minimal voice acting, occasional bugs or glitches, lack of 4K resolution support, and some unpolished controls that detract slightly from the experience.

gameplay
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
46%
3%
Timemelters offers a uniquely engaging gameplay experience by blending tower defense, real-time strategy, and puzzle elements centered around an innovative time-rewinding "echo" mechanic. The game challenges players to manipulate multiple timelines, creating complex strategic layers that are both mentally stimulating and satisfying, especially in co-op mode. While visuals are modest, the well-paced introduction of mechanics and diverse mission designs keep gameplay fresh, rewarding experimentation and mastery of its inventive time-based systems.
- “Timemelters is an inventive action–strategy hybrid that confidently builds its entire identity around the manipulation of time, offering an experience that feels both mechanically fresh and mentally demanding.”
- “Developed and published by autoexec games, the title blends real-time combat, tactical planning, and puzzle-like problem solving into a single cohesive loop, anchored by a narrative that gives emotional context to its systems rather than treating them as abstract mechanics.”
- “One thing that stands out about the game is that every mission in the campaign has many unique ways to tackle it and the constant addition on new gameplay mechanics keeps the game feeling fresh.”
- “It can sometimes make the gameplay feel repetitive, especially if used excessively.”
- “Nothing detrimental to the gameplay per se, but it's a little rough around the edges.”
- “- one or two gameplay mechanics that slow down the pace a bit.”
story
85 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
62%
6%
The story centers on Teagan, a young woman accused of witchcraft and saved by temporal forces, delivering a dark, high-fantasy narrative that integrates well with the gameplay’s time-manipulation mechanics. While generally praised for its engaging lore, unique setting, and intriguing time travel twists, some find it a bit linear, short, or overshadowed by gameplay, with occasional stiff voice acting and pacing issues. Overall, the story enhances the strategic puzzle experience without overwhelming it, appealing especially to fans of witchcraft and time travel themes.
- “The story follows Teagan, a young woman accused of witchcraft and saved from execution by a mysterious temporal force.”
- “The narrative is delivered through a mix of dialogue, environmental storytelling, and optional lore, allowing players to engage as deeply as they choose without overwhelming the pacing.”
- “Not only does it have a novel concept, it executes it well, with a good story that's better than a lot of AAA games and ties in perfectly with the gameplay.”
- “The story's complete garbage, but nobody came for the story.”
- “The (minimal) voice acting is bad, the animation is stiff, and the storyline is pretty basic even with time travel mixed in.”
- “The story itself certainly fills space.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
55%
17%
The graphics are generally described as charming and functional rather than cutting-edge, with a distinctive indie art style that shines especially in certain cutscenes. While not AAA-level, the visuals complement the game's atmosphere and mechanics well, offering enough appeal without overshadowing gameplay. Players appreciate the effort of the small development team and find the graphics engaging enough to enhance immersion despite some technical and aesthetic limitations.
- “The setting is interesting (dark medieval Scottish high fantasy), the characters are interesting, the lore/backstory is engaging, the story is enthralling, the graphics are good, and the star of the show, the mechanics, are simply superb.”
- “Additionally, the game is as well-polished as most AAA titles making it very immersive, with wonderful graphics and music.”
- “However, let's be real: while Time Melters dazzles with its gameplay, the visuals are more 'charming indie' than 'blockbuster spectacle.' But considering this game was whipped up by a trio of developers, it's pretty impressive what they've managed to conjure up.”
- “While the graphics and character models may not be top-notch, the art style in the cutscenes is charming.”
- “The presentation and visuals of the game are probably the most lacking part of this experience.”
- “The game definitely lacks quality in graphics, controls, physics, and plot.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric fit and ability to heighten tension without being distracting, with many players considering the soundtrack exceptional and memorable. It complements the game's mood perfectly, contributing significantly to the immersive experience. Overall, the soundtrack is regarded as a standout feature, often described as energetic, epic, and a top-tier gaming soundtrack.
- “The audio design supports the atmosphere with restrained but effective music and sound cues that heighten tension without becoming distracting.”
- “I love gaming soundtracks since the 80s, heard hundreds of them and this one absolutely belongs in my top 20.”
- “The soundtrack also perfectly complements the mood the game is going for at any given moment.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's replayability is notably strong, driven by diverse challenge modes and multiple solution paths that encourage experimentation. While the core story doesn't compel repeated playthroughs, the varied challenges provide fresh and engaging experiences each time.
- “This mode significantly enhances replayability and offers a different perspective on challenges that may feel overwhelming alone.”
- “The game's design encourages experimentation with multiple solutions to each level, enhancing replayability.”
- “Very replayable, with lots of variety in challenge modes.”
- “Replayability is achieved via challenges rather than by compelling you to replay the story and check out all alternative choices.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a cohesive experience that emotionally engages players by integrating narrative depth with gameplay mechanics, evoking nostalgic feelings of youthful excitement. Despite minor technical issues, it offers a wholesome and heartfelt journey that resonates on a personal level.
- “Developed and published by Autoexec Games, the title blends real-time combat, tactical planning, and puzzle-like problem solving into a single cohesive loop, anchored by a narrative that gives emotional context to its systems rather than treating them as abstract mechanics.”
- “This game made me feel like I felt when I was younger and had more time and less money for video games, and every game was fresh and exciting.”
- “Aside from minor performance issues on very rare occasions, and a couple of glitchy textures here and there, I'm happy to say it's a wholesome experience which I hope the devs continue to expand upon.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game runs smoothly and stably on Linux, particularly when using CachyOS and its Proton setup, with no noticeable glitches commonly found in multiplayer games. Overall, users report a reliable and glitch-free experience.
- “I installed this game a week ago and it runs great on Linux.”
- “I used CachyOS with CachyOS Proton, and it runs great.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The grinding in the game is engaging and strategic rather than tedious, requiring players to cleverly manage resources and time-travel mechanics. Players must experiment with spells, timing, and multi-timeline strategies, making the process challenging but never overwhelming or monotonous.
- “The game is challenging while not being tedious or overwhelming (played on medium difficulty).”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is effectively enhanced by its restrained yet impactful audio design and complementary soundtrack, which heighten tension without distraction. Although the graphics and character models are modest, the charming art style in cutscenes contributes positively to the overall mood.
- “The audio design supports the atmosphere with restrained but effective music and sound cues that heighten tension without becoming distracting.”
- “While the graphics and character models may not be top-notch, the art style in the cutscenes is charming, and the soundtrack complements the game's atmosphere well.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally well-optimized, with only occasional minor performance issues and occasional texture glitches. Recent updates have significantly improved stability, resulting in a smooth gameplay experience.
- “Aside from minor performance issues on very rare occasions and a couple of glitchy textures here and there, I'm happy to say it's a wholesome experience which I hope the devs continue to expand upon.”
- “Edit on 2023: A good bunch of updates, now the game runs smoothly!”