TimeShift

About

TimeShift is a historical shooter game with both single-player and multi-player modes. Its compelling gameplay and good graphics allow you to master time and become the ultimate weapon in a battle against Dr. Aiden Krone's alternate reality. The game is very atmospheric, with a good story and disturbing elements in the rain-soaked Alpha District.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 469 reviews

story63 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Innovative time manipulation mechanics that allow players to slow down, stop, and rewind time, adding a unique twist to the FPS genre.
Fun gunplay with a variety of weapons, including an explosive crossbow and a flamethrower, providing satisfying combat experiences.
Decent graphics for its time, with a strong dieselpunk aesthetic and enjoyable environmental design.

Bland and forgettable story with poorly developed characters and a lack of narrative depth.
Repetitive gameplay loop with linear level design that can feel tedious over time.
Technical issues on modern systems, including crashes and compatibility problems, making it difficult for some players to run the game.

story
259 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
63%
13%
The story in this game is widely criticized for being bland, poorly explained, and often confusing, with many players feeling it serves merely as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a compelling narrative. While some appreciate the potential of the time manipulation concept, the execution leaves much to be desired, resulting in a disjointed experience that fails to engage players. Overall, if you're seeking a rich story, this game may not meet your expectations, as it is often described as forgettable and lacking depth.
- “The story is relatively simple, but actually much more original than modern games.”
- “It's been too long since we've had a good rebellion story and this game does it convincingly, with lots of foreshadowing and exposition in the background.”
- “The story is interesting enough to complement the game and graphics are good if we look at the release date for this game.”
- “The story is almost non-existent and is pretty much just an excuse to run around and murder people with time manipulation mechanics.”
- “The 'story', for want of a better word, is pathetic, and turns out to be merely a weak pretext for moving you along from one set of stuff that you have to blow up to another.”
- “It's clear Saber Interactive didn't want story to be the selling point of this game, but there's so much wasted potential in how nonexistent the story is that it's barely cohesive.”
gameplay
232 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
56%
6%
The gameplay of "Timeshift" is characterized by its unique time manipulation mechanics, which allow players to slow, stop, or reverse time, adding a fresh twist to standard first-person shooter mechanics. However, many reviews highlight that the gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth, with a linear mission structure and a reliance on basic shooting mechanics that detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the fun and innovative aspects of the time control features, others find the execution underwhelming, particularly in terms of level design and enemy engagement.
- “The gameplay is fun, especially when it comes to the time stopping, reversing, and slowing.”
- “The time manipulation mechanic works to keep combat fresh, as well as a puzzle-solving tool.”
- “The powers are what makes the gameplay incredibly fun and probably the source of its cult status.”
- “The gameplay loop is way too repetitive and boring, and it starts the moment you start the game.”
- “The game relies entirely on having time powers as its gimmick, but left everything else unpolished - and unfortunately the time mechanics aren't enough to carry it.”
- “And that's one of the other issues about the gameplay, all your objectives are really boring, it pretty much consists of pressing buttons or pulling levers all game, and there's no exploration at all.”
graphics
119 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
57%
10%
The graphics of the game, released in 2007, are generally considered above average for its time, showcasing a distinctive diesel-punk and art-deco aesthetic that has aged reasonably well. While some players appreciate the nostalgic visuals and solid graphical options, others note that the character models and environments can appear dated and repetitive, particularly in the latter stages of the game. Overall, the graphics receive mixed reviews, with many acknowledging their limitations while still finding them enjoyable within the context of the era.
- “Graphics are quite nice for its time, definitely above average for 2007.”
- “The graphics hold pretty well for being a game from 2007.”
- “The graphics are excellent (and brownish) for an older game, the music is good, the gameplay is fantastic, like a mashup of Halo and The Journeyman Project.”
- “The graphics haven't aged well; the character models looked basic back then and have aged even worse.”
- “The graphics are dated.”
- “The art style is very generic and colorless; the storyline is laughably generic and sounds like half a dozen other shooters.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
The music in the game is generally described as fitting the dark and atmospheric tone, enhancing the overall experience, though it lacks memorability and is not likely to be enjoyed outside of gameplay. While some players appreciate the soundtrack for its ability to set the mood, others find it forgettable and not particularly engaging during combat. Overall, the music serves its purpose within the game but does not stand out as a highlight.
- “Overall, the player is constantly surrounded by a grim dark atmosphere and the music does its work perfectly.”
- “The nonstop torrential rain, haunting somber music, and omnipresent propaganda broadcasts do a great job of putting you in the right mood for the game.”
- “Great soundtrack and the cutscenes were surprisingly well done.”
- “Music is okay, but I don't think anyone will be making a playlist or having it on in the background whilst working or anything like that.”
- “A dark and atmospheric soundtrack fits the entire adventure well, but once the enemies are cleared from an area, that music usually fades out completely and you're just left with an empty landscape visually and musically.”
- “The soundtrack wasn't anything special.”
atmosphere
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
15%
23%
The atmosphere in the game is described as grim and dark, effectively enhanced by a fitting soundtrack and sound effects, though it often feels empty after combat encounters. While some players appreciate the unique settings, such as a steampunk dystopia or Orwellian themes, others find the overall experience lacking due to a weak story and forgettable elements. Despite its attempts to create an engaging atmosphere, many reviewers feel it falls short compared to more successful titles in the genre.
- “Overall, the player is constantly surrounded by a grim dark atmosphere, and the music does its job perfectly.”
- “The atmosphere is also somewhat unique, consisting of a 1939 steampunk dystopian world.”
- “The story doesn't have much going on, but it does a decent job of creating a grim, futuristic atmosphere.”
- “Tries to tell the story through atmosphere similar to Half-Life, with subpar results.”
- “And Half-Life, yet completely lacking in atmosphere and devoid of any interesting characters.”
optimization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
44%
33%
The optimization of the game is a significant concern among users, with many reporting random stuttering and poor performance on both NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards, even on modern systems. While some players noted that performance improved after initial stuttering, the overall consensus highlights substantial issues that detract from the experience, suggesting that better support from the publisher could have enhanced its performance.
- “Nice lighting and rain effects that hindered performance not at all.”
- “++performance is excellent.”
- “But you will very likely face stuttering randomly as you play.”
- “Performance seems to be the biggest point of contention when discussing the game.”
- “People failing to get the game working, awful performance on NVIDIA and AMD cards even on modern systems and Steam running an inferior version of the game.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
88%
The stability of the game varies significantly across platforms, with Xbox users reporting a smooth experience while Steam players frequently encounter freezing issues during loading. Although some minor glitches and jarring transitions are noted, many players experience no major bugs, indicating that stability may depend on specific configurations or settings.
- “The game looks great, and I encountered no glitches throughout my playthrough.”
- “I was impressed by the stability of the game; everything ran smoothly without any crashes.”
- “The performance was solid, with no lag or bugs to disrupt my experience.”
- “Played the heck out of this on Xbox, but on Steam it freezes on loading.”
- “If I continue, I get a few screens, the NVIDIA logo, and then it freezes 3/4 through the loading bar.”
- “I tried changing the FOV (the default is 56) and it glitches the game any time I try to.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
Overall, the game's replayability is considered low, with many users noting a lack of content that encourages multiple playthroughs. While some mention the potential of multiplayer, the single-player experience is described as short and lacking in replay value, often rated around 4/10.
- “The game offers decent replay value.”
- “I'm not sure there is much replay value in this, but I have not tried the multiplayer.”
- “The game is mercifully rather short—about 8 hours—without much replay value.”
- “Thus, no replayability.”
- “Content/replayability: 4/10”
- “The game is mercifully rather short - about 8 hours, without replay value.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized as tedious, monotonous, and uninteresting, with many players finding it to be a slog. While some appreciate the inclusion of puzzles that utilize time abilities, the overall sentiment leans towards the experience being overly grindy and lacking engagement.
- “It's a slog, tedious, boring, monotonous, uninteresting.”
- “One long, tedious grind.”
- “Boring and tedious Half-Life 2 ripoff.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its slapstick elements, such as characters being comically blown away by explosive weapons and their exaggerated ragdoll physics. Players appreciate the absurdity of the gameplay, including the chaotic interactions with the environment and the amusing effects of time manipulation, which add a lighthearted touch to the first-person shooter experience. However, some users note that the lack of guidance and context can detract from immersion, making the humor feel random at times.
- “It is humorous watching them be blown away and ragdoll across the area when killed by some of the more explosive weapons.”
- “It’s hilarious how they react to such events.”
- “Also, it's always funny to stop time, charge in, shoot a few people in the head, start time again and see them thrown back.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a cash grab, with users expressing frustration over the lack of ads but feeling that the game still prioritizes profit over player experience, leading some to seek refunds.
- “Just another Valve cash grab, so I'm refunding due to not being able to play it.”
- “The monetization system feels exploitative and ruins the overall experience.”
- “I can't believe how much they want for in-game items; it feels like a money grab.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by moments of tension and strategy, where players must navigate challenges while managing their powers, creating a sense of urgency and engagement. This dynamic can evoke feelings of anticipation and satisfaction as players find creative solutions to overcome obstacles.