Condensing a Life into 80.5 Seconds
News Article: Time Flies - A Quirky, Thought-Provoking Adventure
Embark on an unforgettable journey with 'Time Flies', a short yet impactful puzzle-adventure game that challenges players to complete a bucket list as a common housefly. The game's unique premise lies in the fact that your fly's lifespan is directly linked to the average human lifespan of the country you select, providing a time limit that ranges from 51.5 seconds in Lesotho to 84.5 seconds in Japan.
In this minimalistically designed game, players control a black dot with legs and wings, representing a fly, navigating through hand-drawn levels such as houses, sewers, museums, and other realistic fly habitats. The game's design resembles drawings made in Microsoft Paint, adding to its charming simplicity.
The core gameplay involves completing a list of abstract, often cryptic tasks such as "Make Someone Laugh," "Leave Your Mark," or "Learn an Instrument." These objectives require experimentation and interaction with the environment to decipher and accomplish, like tickling a sleeping person's feet or buzzing a guitar's strings. Some tasks, like making someone laugh, can be completed without time pressure, providing a breath of relief amidst the ticking clock.
The game features a constantly ticking clock, representing your fly’s life running out, creating a tense and frantic gameplay experience. However, when engaging with certain puzzles or interacting closely with objects, time stops to allow for precise movements. Scattered clocks can also be found to rewind time and extend your limited lifespan by a few seconds, adding a strategic layer to completing as many tasks as possible in one run.
Each life lasts around a minute or so, and the overall game can be completed in just a few hours, making it a compact experience focused on making meaningful choices within a tight constraint. The game's difficulty is determined by the average life expectancy of the chosen country, offering a unique challenge tailored to each player.
'Time Flies' is available on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac. The game's simple controls and physics, combined with its comedic writing, strategic time management, and thoughtful meditation on mortality, make it an enjoyable and reflective experience for players of all ages (16 and up, as recommended by Steam). The game's design, humour, and themes provide insights about life experiences, offering a fresh perspective on the fleeting nature of life.
In conclusion, 'Time Flies' is a cleverly designed, short-form puzzle-exploration game that offers a unique blend of quirky humour, strategic time management, and thoughtful meditation on mortality. Whether you're looking for a quick, engaging game or a thought-provoking adventure, 'Time Flies' is definitely worth a try.
[1] GameSpot (2021). Time Flies Review. [online] Available at: https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/time-flies-review/1900-6416684/
[2] IGN (2021). Time Flies Review. [online] Available at: https://www.ign.com/articles/time-flies-review
[3] Polygon (2021). Time Flies Review. [online] Available at: https://www.polygon.com/reviews/2021/9/17/22680784/time-flies-review-apple-arcade-fly-bucket-list
[4] Kotaku (2021). Time Flies Review. [online] Available at: https://kotaku.com/time-flies-review-1847542829
[5] The Verge (2021). Time Flies Review. [online] Available at: https://www.theverge.com/22676973/time-flies-review-apple-arcade-game-fly-life-expectancy-bucket-list-puzzle-adventure
- Despite its brevity, 'Time Flies' offers a unique gaming experience that combines the Challenges of completing a bucket list with the dynamics of Technology and various gadgets, like buildings and instruments.
- As players progress through the hand-drawn levels in 'Time Flies', they encounter various challenges that can only be overcome with clever use of gadgets and an understanding of modern Technology.
