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?

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.

55 Comments

  • Mehfuz

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 7:07 pm PT

    It will be another mediocre game

  • tuff_gong92

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 4:49 pm PT

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

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 4:33 pm PT

    timeshift wasnt that good...

  • Jdiddy1

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 3:44 pm PT

    This game look bad

  • Jdiddy1

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 3:42 pm PT

    This game look bad.

  • xbox_gamer1

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 3:08 pm PT

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

  • Urine2323

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 1:32 pm PT

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

  • StealthyBurrito

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 12:53 pm PT

    this is not next gen

  • russianelvis

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 11:50 am PT

    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?

  • d429

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 11:12 am PT

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

  • d429

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 11:11 am PT

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

  • Fallout_red

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 11:04 am PT

    It still needs a lot of work.

  • DixieNormS

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 11:01 am PT

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

  • qwonq

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 10:37 am PT

    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.

  • flareside4x2

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 10:10 am PT

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

  • starstreak7

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 10:09 am PT

    hmm

  • teru-zefah

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 8:50 am PT

    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.

  • neomorph03

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 8:21 am PT

    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.

  • gunnplay

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 7:06 am PT

    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...

  • ElementalFire

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 6:56 am PT

    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?

  • ewjim

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 6:47 am PT

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

  • bioniccommando1

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 6:08 am PT

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

  • Maquis_UK

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 5:12 am PT

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

  • Maquis_UK

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 5:10 am PT

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

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 4:48 am PT

    ok.

  • SoralinkGS

    Posted Apr 19, 2006 1:16 am PT

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

  • acesion

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 10:38 pm PT

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

  • AbuSharkas8

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 10:30 pm PT

    this game needs more work

  • ValkyrieJ

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 9:38 pm PT

    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.

  • Sapaca

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 9:31 pm PT

    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.

  • wokisan

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 8:42 pm PT

    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.

  • runstalker

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 8:33 pm PT

    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.

  • tomamagic

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 8:18 pm PT

    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?

  • Pumper

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 8:11 pm PT

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

  • paradyme777

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 8:00 pm PT

    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.

  • Spirr

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 7:45 pm PT

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

  • Flavour666

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 7:39 pm PT

    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.

  • TintedChimes

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 7:30 pm PT

    CHEAP GAMES, CHEAP GAMES!

  • Erebus

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 7:25 pm PT

    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.

  • offsprnvid24

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 7:19 pm PT

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

  • GameonDerek

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 7:15 pm PT

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

  • NeoJedi

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 7:11 pm PT

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

  • gdogg4210

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:57 pm PT

    this game still isn't out yet

  • ONI5

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:56 pm PT

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

  • racer360

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:55 pm PT

    maybe they will change the game and actaully make it playable

  • hirushubi2

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:55 pm PT

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

  • hirushubi2

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:54 pm PT

    I feel sorry for vu games.

  • JLCrogue

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:50 pm PT

    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.

  • its_inevitable

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:48 pm PT

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

  • donut349

    Posted Apr 18, 2006 6:48 pm PT

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

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