TimeShift

Release date(s): Xbox 360 & Microsoft Windows: October 30, 2007 PlayStation 3: January 2008

Genre(s): First-person shooter

Mode(s): Single player, multiplayer

Platform(s): Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

TimeShift is a sci-fi, first-person shooter from Vivendi Games for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It was developed by Saber Interactive, the same developers behind the game Will Rock, using a new proprietary engine. A few pieces of Will Rock carry over to TimeShift, from the way gibs are shown to some of the unique weapon designs. On August 31, 2007 a demo of Timeshift was released on Xbox Live Marketplace. Following this, a PS3 demo was released onto the Playstation Store on November 1, 2007. The game was released on Xbox 360 and PC on October 30, 2007 in the United States; November 1, 2007 in Australia; and November 2, 2007 in Europe. It is scheduled for release in January 2008 on the Sony Playstation 3.

Story

Modern-age scientists have begun to work on time travel. The antagonist Aiden Krone goes back in time using the alpha suit (the suit from the original build of TimeShift) and does not return. When he reaches the past, he remakes the world in his image, creating a dystopia where Krone rules. The anonymous protagonist uses the Beta time travel suit to travel back in time to see how Krone changed time and stop him.

The protagonist arrives in the Alpha District and proceeds to assist the Occupant rebellion in fighting against the Krone Magistrate. After fleeing the city in a Zeppelin, the protagonist and a group of Occupants are attacked and forced to abandon the Zeppelin in search of Beta Company.

Gameplay

The unique feature of TimeShift is that the player is able to control time: stopping, rewinding, or slowing it down more or less at will, similar to the Prince of Persia series. Unlike in the Prince of Persia game, the player is not affected by their time manipulations. This allows a player to stop time in order to dodge an incoming projectile or steal an enemy’s weapon. Specific time-related puzzles also require these abilities. The main difference between the two games is death: while the player can reverse their own death in the Prince of Persia series, the same is not true here.

Delay

The game was originally going to be published by Atari, but publishing rights switched to Sierra on April 20, 2006. On August 31, 2006, TimeShift was delayed for a second time. The game was finally released on October 30, 2007.

Because the game had been delayed several times and was not mentioned very much in gaming news, the press thought that the project had been abandoned. However, on April 10, 2007, Vivendi Games announced that they were giving TimeShift a complete overhaul and were fixing many bugs. The most striking difference is the change in visual style, after claims that the original look “couldn’t compete in the post Unreal Engine 3 world” and that the original steampunk style “didn’t resonate with people.”

One of a number of changes is that Michael Swift, the game’s original protagonist, will not be appearing in the game. After the retooling of the game, Saber introduced “the suit” as the time control device, making the protagonist anonymous. Saber said that this change was to let the player imagine that “you are the protagonist”.

Initially, TimeShift was announced for the PC and Xbox 360, but at the 2007 SCEA Gamer’s Day, it was announced that the game will also be appearing on the PlayStation 3.