Corina has become unstuck in time, but she probably won’t end up in the Dresden bombings or an alien zoo. Her story is our Kickstarter game of the week, Time Wanderer. A top-down sci-fi RPG of a girl lost in various time periods.
This 2D title uses dynamic combat in the form of abilities. These powers are used in combat and to solve puzzles instead of traditional weapons. Rather than retro-pixel art, Time Wanderer uses a sharp cartoon style. Each time zone should have a genuinely different feel with this look. Developers are aiming to make 7 different time zones/areas.
Time Wanderer opens far in the future, where the earth has been conquered by aliens. To prevent this disaster the player character Corina is sent back in time in a faulty time machine. Lost between different time periods, you have to survive long enough to find a way home and hopefully prevent the alien invasion. However, if you cause too much damage to the past you’ll create a paradox. A unique mechanic handles these paradoxes and cause and effect.
The Chaos System
This chaos system is the most exciting aspect of Time Wanderer. This mechanic keeps track of the amount of chaos you cause in each time period. It ensures you don’t make too many changes from your original timeline. Too many changes and you’ll do so much damage as to undo your own birth. Thankfully, Time Wanderer doesn’t try to implement more realistic interpretations of The Butterfly Effect and Chaos Theory. Less literal interpretations always make for more fun storytelling. It keeps the implications of time travel in the story. However, this doesn’t weigh your experience down. It’s not exactly Primer.
This system will end your run of a level if you upset the flow of time too much. This makes keeping your footsteps to a minimum an important consideration. It adds an entirely new level to the traditional RPG set up. It’s a fun innovation and if combined with a compelling enough time travel story it should help keep the gameplay attached to the larger plot.
Corina’s elemental powers are on display in the trailer. You can shoot both fire and water. It’s a nice change from the usual Zelda-like hack-and-slash with a sword. Other powers include turning into a ghost for a few seconds to drift by guards. While their exact context is unknown, this should help avoid the cliche of using the new item or power only in its own area. Combinations of these keep the possibilities for different styles of play open, the ghost power could allow a stealth play through.
Should You Back The Time Wanderer On Kickstarter?
The RPG aspects in Time Wanderer look fun. However, it’s the sci-fi elements, time travel setting, and chaos system that really make the project stand out. If you’re a fan of media that plays around with time travel, then it’s a game to take a look at.
The developers are only looking to raise £7,850. This is an achievable goal for a game on the platform. It’s aiming for a Steam release with consoles planned as stretch goals. Time Wanderer received a nomination for a PlayStation award. Which makes not aiming for a console release a little strange, or perhaps the Kickstarter is using ambiguous language. The developers are looking to add voice acting in both Spanish and English. A Rougelite mode is also under consideration if funding is successful. If the funding goals are hit this would make a nice package. The developers aim to complete the game in Q2 of 2019, or so it goes.
