Overall a good looking game, decent gameplay.
User Rating: 7.5 | TimeShift (2007) PC
TimeShift could be considered slightly under-rated when you look at it's many mixed and average reviews. What I'd compare it to most is F.E.A.R. Sure it's missing the dark horror scares and a story, but the gameplay is very similar. While in F.E.A.R. you're forced to use bullet-time constantly during combat, TimeShift takes bullet-time one step further and turns it into proper time control. You can slow time down, completely pause time or, at some points during the game, reverse time - which is very, very cool. To balance things out from being too easy, your ability requires recharging so you can't just use it constantly. But you do need it all through the game in order to survive. The gameplay is fun and well-balanced, although the enemies and weapons could have done with some more variety.
On the other side of board, the 'looks' of the game hold up well. And this respect it completely demoralises F.E.A.R. The art direction, textures, level design all look great. The engine is well up to 2007 standards; not the best around, but adequate enough. There's also enough variety in settings that it never becomes repetitive. You battle through the usual military sci-fi settings with a bit of snow and outdoor areas thrown it, capped on either end by a city setting. All good looking with the occasional set-piece.
Overall a good looking game, decent gameplay.
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