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E3 06: VU Games snags TimeShift

Publisher secures rights to Saber Interactive's time-trotting action game on PC and Xbox 360; Xbox version canned?
By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot
Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:28 pm PT

VU Games hosted a pre-E3 event for game journalists in the heart of San Francisco today, and one of the games in the publisher's lineup stood out for reasons beyond the game itself. Once the property of publisher Atari, Saber Interactive's first-person shooter TimeShift has officially become a VU Games release.

The game was previously set to be published less than a month from now by Atari, which announced the project as an Xbox and PC game in January of 2005. Atari later delayed the PC game to a May 2006 release, added an Xbox 360 version, and pushed the Xbox version back to June.

The full extent of the changes that will result from the transfer of the rights to VU Games isn't yet known, but a representative of the publisher did say the release date on its latest acquisition had not yet been determined. "We are going to release the product when it's ready," a VU Games spokesperson told GameSpot.

Additionally, VU Games announced only that it would be releasing the game on the PC and Xbox 360, leaving the Xbox version's fate in serious doubt. Attempts to contact Atari regarding the Xbox version of the game were not immediately returned.

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55 Comments

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Mehfuz

It will be another mediocre game

Posted Apr 19, 2006 7:07 pm PT
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tuff_gong92

Should have left it to Atari. Less pain for VU.

Posted Apr 19, 2006 4:49 pm PT
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comthitnuong

timeshift wasnt that good...

Posted Apr 19, 2006 4:33 pm PT
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Jdiddy1

This game look bad

Posted Apr 19, 2006 3:44 pm PT
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Jdiddy1

This game look bad.

Posted Apr 19, 2006 3:42 pm PT
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xbox_gamer1

I hope the xbox version comes out,its to soon to see it go even though I have an Xbox 360.

Posted Apr 19, 2006 3:08 pm PT
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Urine2323

STOP DEMOS ARENT EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted Apr 19, 2006 1:32 pm PT
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StealthyBurrito

this is not next gen

Posted Apr 19, 2006 12:53 pm PT
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russianelvis

The demo was short but pretty good. Did any of you numnuts ever think that Atari put out a lame ass demo because they have lousy QA?

Posted Apr 19, 2006 11:50 am PT
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d429

the demo was not good. i was looking for it to be better

Posted Apr 19, 2006 11:12 am PT
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d429

i hope they delay it and maybe this could change things. it could even go to the ps2.

Posted Apr 19, 2006 11:11 am PT
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Fallout_red

It still needs a lot of work.

Posted Apr 19, 2006 11:04 am PT
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DixieNormS

Well, atlest the xbox owners won't get a crappy game coming to them.

Posted Apr 19, 2006 11:01 am PT
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qwonq

Someone above said that we should give the demo a chance by playing it "the way the developer intended". I think your point only helps the argument that the demo was underwhelming and not immersive-- if a player has to figure out what the "developer intended" it pretty much makes a game more like a static piece of media instead of interactive media. Its like those old pc adventure games where you had to stand *exactly* where the "developer intended" in order to find the right pixel to click in order to advance a story. No thanks. I think that the rise of more open-ended games that give the player flexibility are more popular and more highly rated for a reason-- it simply is not fun to figure out "what the developer intended" for our experience. The more you have to be reminded that you are supposed to do something b/c the developer "intended" you to do so just makes any game less immersive. I am not saying that this game needs to be open-ended like a GTA-clone, but I am saying that if players cannot use their own intuition but instead have to rely on the developer's intentions, then it is going to really hurt the experience-- as it did for many of us. I think that is a big part of why you see so much disapointment in the OXM demo.

Posted Apr 19, 2006 10:37 am PT
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flareside4x2

Is the 360 demo available on xbox live? and if not,...what is oxm? (sorry, i know, i'm a 'tard)

Posted Apr 19, 2006 10:10 am PT
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starstreak7

hmm

Posted Apr 19, 2006 10:09 am PT
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teru-zefah

Someone posted that the demo reminded them of Soldier of Fortune. I thought the exact same thing when I played it. Its that feeling of super cheesiness that you get when playing something that is so unimmersive you can barely justify what you are doing.

I do think the time reverse effects and the flame thrower looked pretty cool though! Its just that the entire feel of the game is extremely unimmersive and shallow. I don't think I could ever even get myself to play the game for more than 5 minutes or so much less pay money for it.

Posted Apr 19, 2006 8:50 am PT
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neomorph03

Ummmm..for those of you who think this game sucks because of a stupid demo obviously doesnt play video games. Demos always suck..because it's not the complete version. Never base a game because of a demo thats stupid.

Posted Apr 19, 2006 8:21 am PT
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gunnplay

If you think the demo sucks, then you have no idea how to play Timeshift. The time powers are there for you to manipulate the A.I., and it does so exceedingly well. Step out from behind a wall, stop time, then move to another hiding spot...the A.I. will "lose" your position and begin to hunt for you. Also, conversely, rewinding time and hiding will actually cause the A.I. to "forget" you were even there. Now imagine the interplay between an enemy who's seen you, and one who hasn't...Saber Interactive has added dialogue that allows NPC's to communicate, to hilarious results. These are things I didn't find out until I GAVE THE GAME A CHANCE and played it with the DEVELOPER'S INTENTIONS IN MIND. You don't go play F.E.A.R, and then try to play it like Halo 2, no. You play F.E.A.R the way the developer INTENDED, using your time powers to your advantage. Timeshift has very deep implications, so long as you play it WITHIN IT'S CONTEXT. Give the game a chance, people...

Posted Apr 19, 2006 7:06 am PT
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ElementalFire

Yeah, if Atari itself gave this title up, it must be REALLY bad, considering the crap that Atari regularly churns out. Didn't VU games publish some big titles, though?

Posted Apr 19, 2006 6:56 am PT
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ewjim

It can be something like Time Splitters, if you know what i mean...

Posted Apr 19, 2006 6:47 am PT
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bioniccommando1

Is ATARI completely gone? I would love to see another AD&D Heroes!!

Posted Apr 19, 2006 6:08 am PT
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Maquis_UK

hahah VU ''games'' keep them there in the bad idea bin. BEST TIME TRAVEL IMPLEMENTATION = OCARINA OF TIME deal.

Posted Apr 19, 2006 5:12 am PT
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Maquis_UK

hahah VU ''games'' keep them there in the bad idea bin.

Posted Apr 19, 2006 5:10 am PT
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chrisdojo

ok.

Posted Apr 19, 2006 4:48 am PT
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SoralinkGS

This game is going to get a 4.9/10 for being unplayable, but having the coolest flamethrower ever.

Posted Apr 19, 2006 1:16 am PT
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acesion

hopefully VU will fix the problems since this game looks promising and was the demo for xbox or 360?

Posted Apr 18, 2006 10:38 pm PT
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AbuSharkas8

this game needs more work

Posted Apr 18, 2006 10:30 pm PT
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ValkyrieJ

The demo did suck like most everyone here said. The game felt like you were wandering around, and the enemies and "puzzles" were there just for filler. I guess I'm trying to say it sure wasn't an immersive experience, that's for sure.

Posted Apr 18, 2006 9:38 pm PT
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Sapaca

I feel bad for Saber Interactive. Their engine is lousy and their gameplay sucks. Will Rock was decent but it was so simple it would have been really hard to screw up.

Posted Apr 18, 2006 9:31 pm PT
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wokisan

If the demo is any indication....they got a long way to go to make the game good enough for me to want to buy it. The demo turned me off big time.

Posted Apr 18, 2006 8:42 pm PT
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runstalker

TimeShift might have some cool scripted stuff (you're guided towards it) where time effects make some very cool-looking things happen (bridges reforming, etc.) but I fear it'll be inconsistent.

Posted Apr 18, 2006 8:33 pm PT
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tomamagic

What is with all this travel back in time concept? Prince of persia . . .Full auto . . .now in a shooter?? I guess people like to un-do their mistakes right there and then, huh?

Posted Apr 18, 2006 8:18 pm PT
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Pumper

LOL- from the frying pan in to the fire. VU games as a Publisher makes Atari look like UbiSoft.

Posted Apr 18, 2006 8:11 pm PT
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paradyme777

I'll have to play a the demo from my OXM to see if I care that this is delayed but I know someone does so that is bad news.

Posted Apr 18, 2006 8:00 pm PT
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Spirr

A Very Big Piece Of Crap. The Demo Sucked Big Time!!!!! Don't Waste Your Money On This One.

Posted Apr 18, 2006 7:45 pm PT
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Flavour666

I think Atari is nearly bankrupt (again) and thus can't handle the release of another game anymore... Driver 4 was a HUGE flop. Retail is groaning about slow sales. It's over for Atari.

Posted Apr 18, 2006 7:39 pm PT
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TintedChimes

CHEAP GAMES, CHEAP GAMES!

Posted Apr 18, 2006 7:30 pm PT
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Erebus

The demo for the PC was great. Unfortunately, the game contained within it was horrible. Sorry, TimeShift trips into too many pitfalls that transforms a good idea into a bad experience. This game reminds me of Soldier of Fortune -- including the feeling that it should have been released more than five years ago.

Posted Apr 18, 2006 7:25 pm PT
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offsprnvid24

The demo for the pc was fine it was a cool shooter In my opinion!

Posted Apr 18, 2006 7:19 pm PT
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GameonDerek

The demo sucked bad. I won't be getting this no matter what platform it comes out on.

Posted Apr 18, 2006 7:15 pm PT
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NeoJedi

I'm so lost, I thought this game was already out!
Anyways, looks half-decent... but not a must-buy.

Posted Apr 18, 2006 7:11 pm PT
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gdogg4210

this game still isn't out yet

Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:57 pm PT
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ONI5

The game didn't scream "Buy Me" but whimpered "Please rent me, at least"

Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:56 pm PT
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racer360

maybe they will change the game and actaully make it playable

Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:55 pm PT
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hirushubi2

Hopefully they will delay and make it better. (PLZ)

Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:55 pm PT
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hirushubi2

I feel sorry for vu games.

Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:54 pm PT
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JLCrogue

I played the demo and thought it was interesting, but ridiculously hard! I'll wait until the game and reviews come out before I decide how good it is.

Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:50 pm PT
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its_inevitable

If Atari don't want it, there must be something seriously wrong.

Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:48 pm PT
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donut349

The demo sucked... the game itself will most likely also

Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:48 pm PT
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