Games

Best of 2009 | 08 |07 | 06 | 05
Advanced Search

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.

TimeShift

EMAIL PRINT pc

8.0 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 30 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 25 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >

Game Info

Publisher: Sierra Entertainment

Developer: Saber Interactive

Genre(s): First-Person Shooter, Action

Players: 16

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Release Date: October 30, 2007

Summary

TimeShift challenges players to use their minds along with their weapons to battle enemies and solve complex gameplay puzzles. TimeShift changes the fundamental way gamers think about first-person shooters by using the fourth dimension: time itself. TimeShift empowers players with the gift of time manipulation, including the ability to slow down, stop and rewind the world around them, allowing them to move freely while opponents and game objects are frozen in time. TimeShift feature mores than 30 combat missions, each showcasing time control elements and challenges that players must solve using both their extraordinary capabilities and combat expertise. An array of devastating and unique weaponry from the world's alternate timeline is at the player's disposal, including bizarre incarnations of traditional sniper guns, machine guns, pistols and more, as well as never-before-imagined armaments from an era humanity has never seen. [Atari]

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Game Site

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Worth Playing

An excellent example of how a talented crew can break with the tired trend of modern urban combat in the Middle East and still produce an intense and memorable FPS experience. This is "worth playing," indeed.

Read Full Review >

GameTrailers

The time-stopping fun is handled really well, too. It’s especially fun to see individual raindrops freeze as you slow time down and run about disarming a whole group of enemies. In general, the game is as interesting to look at as it is to play.

Read Full Review >

PC Format

A big, dumb shooter that will no doubt become a guilty pleasure for plenty of FPS fans who don't hve the rig to play "Crysis." [Christmas 2007, p.64]

GameStar

After two hours of playing time, the thin story becomes obvious. A bit more depth would have helped regarding long-term motivation, but it's still a very good first-person shooter.

Read Full Review >

AceGamez

TimeShift offers FPS fans an often fun but sometimes unchallenging romp through a dystopic alternate past. The time powers are integrated well and make for some entertaining and sometimes funny gaming experiences.

Read Full Review >

GotNext

I just wish it had been a little less polished and a little more ambitious, focusing more on the story and developing additional abilities for the player to gain as the action progresses. It'll never be game of the year, but it's a solid experience no FPS fan should overlook.

Read Full Review >

YouGamers

TimeShift is a bag of old tricks that won't surprise the audience but will entertain them. It's also an encouraging example to game developers (or anyone else for that matter) struggling with a delayed, seemingly hopeless project.

Read Full Review >

GameZone

This game really deserves a better single-player campaign but sadly is only given a mediocre makeover from last year's version. The single saving factor of this game is being able to shoot and blow things up with complete control over time. It is just plain fun.

Read Full Review >

PC Zone UK

There's no doubt TimeShift is a master of the brand of shootery that cartwheels enemies high, high in the air; but without character, humour or a sustained tone throught the game it never leaps into your affections as much as it should. [Jan 2008, p.66]

PC Gamer UK

It's yesterday's testosterone nonsense clad in today's slickness, and savvy about the nature of fun. [Christmas 2007, p.84]

Read Full Review >

Game Informer

While it may not approach the craftsmanship or innovation of a "Half-Life 2," TimeShift introduces enough interesting elements to its derivative gameplay to make this game worth a look.

Read Full Review >

Jolt Online Gaming UK

The greatest shame is that developer Saber Interactive wasn’t bold or ambitious enough to really capitalise on the one or two good ideas they actually had, and that’s ultimately the difference between a game that is just good and a game that is great.

Read Full Review >

IGN

A great deal of work was done to bring the look and feel of TimeShift up to date, though an equal amount of time should have been spent on the design and presentation.

Read Full Review >

Computer Games Online RO

Had it been released in mid-summer at a lower price, TimeShift would have done very well. Do not misunderstand me; it’s a decent game, which unfortunately does not have too strong points, especially when compared to the likes of Crysis, Gears of War, Call of Duty 4 or Unreal Tournament 3.

Read Full Review >

GamerNode

TimeShift doesn't do a lot of innovative things, but it's still fun.

Read Full Review >

Gaming Target

TimeShift isn't a perfect game, but it certainly offers up some unusual first-person fragfest fun.

Read Full Review >

Games Radar (in-house)

If it had been released in 2004, TimeShift probably would've been the bee's knees. In 2007, though, it's merely a one-hit wonder in a sea of timeless gaming anthems.

Read Full Review >

Play Magazine

It's a decent game that feels ultimately out of its league. [Dec 2007, p.62]

PC Gamer

As far as cool new shooter innovations go, playing with time ranks up their with portal guns. It just hasn't quite reached its full potential. [Jan 2008, p.78]

Game Over Online

TimeShift is perfectly adequate for killing a few hours, as a rental perhaps, it never elevates itself from merely okay, and if you only buy one shooter for the holidays you can do much better than this.

Read Full Review >

GameDaily

With a convoluted plot that's difficult to follow and no motivation to achieve objectives apart from "because the random guy told me to," TimeShift doesn't leave a very strong impression.

Read Full Review >

GamingExcellence

Timeshift starts off with a bang, with impressive visuals and God-like powers at your fingertips. The bang, however, fails to last throughout the game, and you’ll constantly find it harder and harder to keep going.

Read Full Review >

Cheat Code Central

The time manipulation gimmick makes TimeShift an enjoyable if forgettable experience.

Read Full Review >

GameSpot

An interesting time-shifting mechanic and fun-to-shoot weapons can't make up for the rest of TimeShift's run-of-the-mill first-person shooter gameplay.

Read Full Review >

PTGamers

Far from being a bad game, it turns out as a slightly above average FPS, with a weak storyline, and mostly unbalanced overall.

Read Full Review >

ActionTrip

With fair potential, all TimeShift has become is another generic FPS, with a mediocre setting, underwhelming gameplay and absolutely no story, let alone any character depth. Its features are barely enough to keep you occupied for a few hours until something better shows up.

Read Full Review >

PC PowerPlay

It was a nice idea, no doubt about it. It just wasn’t presented in a way that it deserved. PC shooters have done some amazing things, but Timeshift, ironically, seems like a bit of a step backwards. [Jan 2008, p.51]

Thunderbolt

Half-Life 2 has a better story, F.E.A.R. has better combat (complete with bullet time) and Gears of War looks better.

Read Full Review >

1UP

A little Crysis here, a little Half-Life 2 there, TimeShift's patchwork construction definitely shows. What you wind up with is a standard shooter where you blast away until things go sideways, and then it's time to mash the "easy" button.

Read Full Review >

Game Revolution

Hopscotching its way from borrowed concept to borrowed concept, TimeShift is substantially less than the sum of its all-too-obvious parts.

Read Full Review >

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.0 (out of 10) based on 25 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Johnny M. gave it an8:
I was pleasantly suprised by this game. Graphically it's stunning, up there with Bioshock, HL2 and Gears of War (it has a similar style to this game). It's quite a long game for a shooter, and provides quite a challenge. The AI is decent though nothing special, there's plenty of variety in the levels, much of the environment is destructible, it has interesting weapons, and the timeshifting abilities are well implemented, being a core of the gameplay rather than a gimmick. The story's ok too. Give it a go; I can honestly say I enjoyed this far more than I did Crysis.

Kenny gave it a5:
The game is fun while playing around with the timeshift abilities but you're missing a lot of standard game features like a bossfight and a better story and endning. The audio setup was bad as if you play on standard settings you'll not be able to hear the radio chatter. It feels as if the game is lacking features, like "intercepting enemy radio" feature as the S.S.A.M even announces it near the beginning of the game but nothing happens. I don't know what they thought of when they thought of the story (probably Half-Life) but having you assaigned to missions without even talking to people really is weird if you have no real reason for it (Gordon did, TimeShift-dude didn't). Half of the pussles of the game are just push-a-button-and-run-across type of play since the AI knows what's best almost every time. I actually needed to press manualy one time throughout the whole game (thanks for that AI, took me 20 min to figure out that you where wrong). Most of the time the timeshifting abilities where great but you lacked a better use of the Rewind Time ability, since when you die you do it quickly and with almost no option of pressing the rewind keys. Do not expect anything huge from it. It can be very addicting at first time but after you've beaten it once there is just a slim chance you'll play it again within a month.

S. W. gave it a6:
Its a pretty fun game for the first hour or two. Most of the timeshifting is done by your fansy suit, almost all by itself. And when you do choose the slow down, pause, or reverse time you just run up to an enemy and shoot them in the face a few times. It gets a little repetitive. That said, I have recommended it to people with consoles who can rent it.

Steven B. gave it a9:
What an incredibly fun game. As the game goes on it gets more and more engrossing. It's not likely to win any awards for creativity, but it's a fun game for someone who likes a Half Life 2-like environment. It's much more difficult than Half Life though.

Marvin J. gave it a10:
This game is awesome. Playing with the time powers is so fun, and no other game has come close to the kind of time control you can pull off here. Multiplayer is like a completely different game, but no less fun. A must buy for any gamer looking for a unique shooter.

Nick B. gave it a9:
It's not "halo" or "half life" but it's damn well close. Not many other games let you bend time? It's at least good for one play through. The multiplayer is a bit like quake 3 and unreal tournament combined with time grenades.

Andy gave it a5:
It can be big dumb fun, but don't expect the world of it. The environments are detailed and the graphical overhaul looks teriffic, (just look at the shots of the old build that was going to be released!) but it just feels like so much wasted potential. The time-related "puzzles" are all canned, as the game tells you which power to use and there is no other way past them. Even if you see another way that seems perfectly logical, invisible walls will force you to take the route the developers intended. The AI dosen't really go beyond "stand still and shoot", "charge straight ahead and shoot" and "follow pre-scripted cover commands". The actual time-manipulation tricks are good fun for a while, but make the game far too easy. Add ridiculously powerful, unbalanced weapons (did a game that allows you to slow down time really need an auto-sniper with no downtime between rounds?) and you end up with a package that will appeal to genre newcomers or those who beat HL:E2 and need some affable fodder to slug through before Crysis arrives. Unless you really need another FPS immediately, wait for the barrage of titles hitting shelves throughout the holiday season or wait for the price to drop.

Games

Sony

Microsoft

Nintendo

Other Platforms

Upcoming &Recent Releases

TimeShift

Game Info

Summary

What The Critics Said

What Our Users Said

Upcoming &
Recent Releases