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Platform: PC, Xbox 360
Genre: First Person Shooter
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Saber Interactive
ETA: Spring 2006

 

 

 

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TimeShift

 

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Time has been a popular topic in science fiction for decades.  There have been countless stories about people traveling to the distant future, or being visited by someone from the future.  In recent years, the concept of people going back in time, changing history, and as such, creating a different future have become quite popular, and it is just such a premise that players will be greeted by as they play TimeShift, a FPS currently slated for the PC, and Xbox 360.

 

So, who is the game’s hero, and how does he get himself into such a temporal predicament?  In TimeShift, players take control of retired Colonel Michael Swift, who has been chosen by the US government to test their Quantum Suit and Quantum Transporter, which together can allow someone to travel through time.  As the test is about to start, a mysterious group attacks the laboratory, and as this happens, Col. Swift is temporarily sent to the year 1900.  Upon his return he discovers that somehow the timeline has been altered and things are no longer as they were.  Now players have to figure out what happened, and find a way to fix it.

 

Tapping into this time travel theme in the narrative, the game’s developer, Saber Interactive, will incorporate time into the gameplay mechanics of TimeShift.  Basically, players will be able to stop, slow down, and reverse the flow of time in-game through the use of Col. Swift’s Quantum Suit, as they navigate each level.  To a degree this sounds vaguely reminiscent to some of the time manipulation found in the Prince of Persia games, though in this case it doesn’t appear that this gameplay feature is intended as a sort of mulligan option.

 

The suit will also serve a more conventional role over the course of the game.  More obvious 

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abilities will include acting as armor while under enemy fire, as well as protecting Swift from nasty time distortions.  However, if players constantly dabbling with time, the suit will run out of power, and be unable to provide any sort of protection.

 

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While players are messing with time, and blowing things up, they can expect to play through approximately 35 different missions, all with some spiffy visuals.  This game has been in production for a while now, so we’re slowly seeing TimeShift come together for its June release.  It’s no mean feat to try and stand out in a genre as congested as that of the first person shooter, but hopefully this use of time manipulation will do the trick for TimeShift.

 

Mr. Nash

(March 1, 2006)

 

 

 

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