Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior

Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior uses a unique gameplay mechanic that has you working with clones of yourself to take down the foes that stand in your way. A compelling story and addictive gameplay make this a must-play title.

Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior from Sand Door Studio and publisher Spotlight by Quantic Dream is a fun action game that is driven by strategy and a sprinkle of good storytelling. The gameplay’s unique ability to offer the player several ways to succeed in a fight keeps the gameplay interesting and engaging, while the challenge to complete said fight in X amount of time will ensure the game’s longevity and replayability.

Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior is a passionate and engaging video game, which expresses its best through game design, one of the most valuable and focused that I have had in my hands. A greater commitment regarding progression would have been appreciated, but the work presents vast possibilities for different choices and approaches based on the clashes. It's a hack'n slash that achieves its goal, and much more, also supported by an exciting story.

Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior shakes up the action RPG formula with a genuinely creative mechanic. Simple to understand but often deviously challenging to execute, Lysfanga’s clone-based combat is addictive and clever. Maybe best of all, Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior doesn’t overreach, instead focusing on polish and the best possible execution of its original, core concept.

Quotation forthcoming.

Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior is a great puzzle action game that plays out very differently than you might expect. Whilst it holds onto some of its best puzzle ideas until relatively late in the game, the layered time-shifted combat is very satisfying as you take multiple runs at each encounter, trying out new skills and approaches as you go. All in all, Lysfanga is a good time that offers plenty of repeat value.

I can't help but applaud Sand Door Studio for their boldness, their staging, and their originality in giving a twist to the hack & slash genre. Lysfanga is a title that hooks, entertains, and above all, surprises. It probably won't go down in history as the game of the year, but it's undoubtedly a title that will enamor fans of the genre. Furthermore, the starting price of €24.99 helps a lot, and if you want to find out if this game is for you or not, there's a nice demo on Steam to try it out hassle-free.

Lysfanga is quite a special game. With combat that feels solid and impactful, time-hopping abilities that create a very unique set of puzzles; it’s the type of game that doesn’t come along too often - one that feels wholly original and intensely rewarding. A game that, when everything falls into place, can bring impressive levels of delight.

We need more games such as this one. Hack and slash is a trite genre, but Lysfanga manages to give it a new, fresh perspective. Not every aspect of the game is perfect, but its core is rock solid.

Inspired by Hades and Peaky Blinders: Mastermind, Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior succeeds in melding two genres into one relatively cohesive whole. The narrative may be stuck in the past and the exploration has little future, but the present moment-to-moment is jampacked with energetic combat, unique mechanics and compelling tactical decision-making. Imë’s journey is only just beginning, why not join her?

Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior is a fresh take on tactical hack-and-slash, blending simple yet clever combat with a rich, well-voiced narrative. The game's unique system, where you team up with past versions of yourself, adds a cool twist to battles, pushing you to think ahead and strategize. While the fights are thrilling and addictive, they can sometimes feel a bit repetitive. The world is beautifully built, packed with lore and ancient civilization vibes, but the exploration is pretty straightforward. Overall, Lysfanga doesn't hit every note perfectly, but its innovative combat and solid storytelling make it a solid pick for those after something new in the strategy realm.

Lysfanga The Time Shift Warrior is a true masterpiece. It's a beautifully crafted strategic action game, boasting exceptional artistic direction inspired by the tales of the Thousand and One Nights.

Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior delivers a fun, creative action-adventure with enough charm and new ideas to stand out.

Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior is a refreshing, fun and addictive game. Its challenges are well measured and satisfying. The game pushes us to be better, and that challenge feels great. Its final stretch should have been shorter to be an outstanding game.

Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior manages to stand out as an acceptable option within the hack and slash genre with puzzle elements. However, its main drawback lies in the lack of rewards, an essential element to keep players engaged. Despite this limitation, it is commendable as a noteworthy achievement by a group of students graduating with honors.

Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior is a video game that presents a concept of time as charming as all the installments in that narrative thread, but it does not inspire much more than that. Its detailed environments are dull and tiresome. They do not captivate the player but allow you to have a good time amidst echoes that initially seem ideal but wear out quickly.

With a unique twist that gives it a puzzle-game feel, Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior is a solid title that definitely stands out in the hack-and-slash genre. The emphasis on combat, the absence of RPG-like mechanics, and reliance on trial-and-error impact the experience slightly, making the game a worthwhile purchase only for die-hard fans of the genre who are tired of the constant grind for better loot.

Overall, I’ve enjoyed my play through of Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior. The replayability is there with the time objective to try for a better time, with different modifiers and different spells. Lysfanga has challenging arenas, but it feels so rewarding when earning that victory. The story doesn’t stick out particularly strongly with the plot, but the gameplay along the way was pretty fun.

The combat in Lysfanga really seems to do all the heavy lifting, and it’s unfortunate that the rest of the game leaves so much to be desired and feels like it’s just there as ungratifying filler. However, it’s a hack-and-slash game, and the fighting is what’s ultimately most important. For non-completionists, the game can be finished in about 15-20 hours, and most of that time will thankfully be spent in combat taking out bad guys.

Lysfanga combines action-packed hack & slay battles with a clever puzzle mechanic that allows you to solve arenas full of opponents in co-op with yourself thanks to the time loop. However, the idea only really shines if you like to challenge yourself, find the optimal build and keep chasing a better time.

For hack-and-slash fans looking for something a little bit different, there’s a hell of a lot to like about Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior. Its puzzle-like nature adds another dimension to the action, making you think before you charge headfirst into combat. It’s just a shame that the story isn’t a little more engaging, and that even with new mechanics and elements being added frequently, it still becomes a little repetitive after a while.

Interesting combat mechanics and a decent story headline Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior, and finding new ways to tackle each encounter keeps me coming back.

Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior's time-bending combat hook is so smart, you'll want to show it to everyone you know.

Using the time in combat in a way we´ve seen before very few times -or never-, Lysfanga is able to surprise when it´s time to fight. However, there's little more, despite its beautiful environments and profound lore.

There’s a lot to like about Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior - the tactical, set-piece hack‘n’slash combat often feels satisfying and snappy. However, a forgettable story and uninspiring skill progression cement Lysfanga within the shadows of its mechanical and narrative contemporaries.

It might seem unfair to complain of maddening repetition, given the subject matter, but it turns out not every trope of game benefits from being trapped in a loop. [Issue#396, p.123]