Timespinner

 Switch
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 41 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 41
  3. Negative: 8 out of 41

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  1. Wsm87
    Aug 29, 2019
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a decent, if ultimately simple and a tad repetitive, metroidvania type game - of which I'm a big fan.

    It simply doesn't compare with the likes of Hollow Knight, Steamworld Dig 2, or the afformentioned namesakes of the genre.

    I knocked 1 point for the story, which begins tentatively but with potential. It quickly devolves into a one note orthodoxy of our current day politics - essentially, the Mary Sue main character saves the day with her 'letter friends' (ref. Dave Chappelle) against mean white straight dudes.    … Expand
  2. jeffbizloc
    Sep 11, 2019
    5
    Timespinner was a game I thought I would enjoy but didn't end up finishing.

    Game(s) like: The Messenger, Hollow Knight Pros: - The general gameplay was fairly fun as it was a metrovania type game - Any game with a timestop mechanic (or timetravel story) I enjoy Cons: - I put this down for a couple days and had a hard time figuring out where to go next. Not necessarily    Timespinner was a game I thought I would enjoy but didn't end up finishing.

    Game(s) like: The Messenger, Hollow Knight

    Pros:
    - The general gameplay was fairly fun as it was a metrovania type game
    - Any game with a timestop mechanic (or timetravel story) I enjoy

    Cons:
    - I put this down for a couple days and had a hard time figuring out where to go next. Not necessarily Timespinner's fault but enabling waypoints would be nice.
    - The drab environments didn't really bring me into the world.    … Expand
  3. frederik1478
    Jan 13, 2021
    7
    Fun metroidvania game with some false, The music is nice even if some of the tracks sound a bit too much like Symphony of the Night , Combat is very fun and And you can get some crazy combinations that is totally fun , Downsize it takes a bit too long for you to get your movement Abilities So you're going to walk like a normal person for half the game, And the story is good for what I seFun metroidvania game with some false, The music is nice even if some of the tracks sound a bit too much like Symphony of the Night , Combat is very fun and And you can get some crazy combinations that is totally fun , Downsize it takes a bit too long for you to get your movement Abilities So you're going to walk like a normal person for half the game, And the story is good for what I se I didn't read all of it because I couldn't be asked but good story, I would recommend it is always nice to get in the Metroidvania So you can just explore and listen to podcast and it's all good… Expand
  4. tjsanders
    Jan 12, 2021
    7
    Timespinner is a charming Metroidvania with a dash of classic JRPG storytelling that will keep you glued to the edge of your seat with its twists and turns as you travel through time in your effort to change the very outcome of your world.

    You take on the role of Lanais, a time traveling messenger with a vendetta against the intergalactic empire that killed her family. The mainline    Timespinner is a charming Metroidvania with a dash of classic JRPG storytelling that will keep you glued to the edge of your seat with its twists and turns as you travel through time in your effort to change the very outcome of your world.

    You take on the role of Lanais, a time traveling messenger with a vendetta against the intergalactic empire that killed her family. The mainline story sets a quick pace, which affords you a small but compelling glimpse into a beautifully imagined world filled with morally grey characters and factions. However, the character writing is bland and filled with clumsy attempts at inclusivity that fail to complement the more compelling conflict at hand.

    The game has a much heavier emphasis on the Castlevania side of its heritage, as you pick up new weapons and abilities that can be combined and empowered in different combinatory ways throughout your journey. Sadly, this system only really comes into its own near the end of the journey, when you have the least incentive to experiment with it. While the weapons themselves are fun, the more complex combat systems (combining weapons, damage types) are relics of past games that Timespinner could do without.

    The subdued color palette used throughout never quite grew on me as I traveled back and forth the time, and the environmental art could have done more to remind me where (and when) I was - a lesson that some of Timespinner's cotemporaneous Metroidvania cousins have learned well.

    All in all however, Timespinner still manages to be more than the sum of its parts. Alternative endings and a unique endgame kept me enjoying the game at a peak for a few hours beyond the credits rolling. Ultimately, Timespinner is a solid entry into the revitalized modern Metroidvania genre.    … Expand
  5. Daisuk
    Jun 21, 2020
    5
    A decent game, but overall it just feels very lifeless and static. The enemies are as dull as the color palette (honestly one of the ugliest games I've ever seen, I think), and the various stages the same - there's literally nothing to the designs of the various rooms. The music in it is some horrible symphonic metal-ish thing, that's just unbearable at times. There are a few interestingA decent game, but overall it just feels very lifeless and static. The enemies are as dull as the color palette (honestly one of the ugliest games I've ever seen, I think), and the various stages the same - there's literally nothing to the designs of the various rooms. The music in it is some horrible symphonic metal-ish thing, that's just unbearable at times. There are a few interesting mechanics (like being able to stop time) and weapons, some of the boss fights are quite good, and the story isn't bad, but as an overall experience, this is mediocre at best, in my opinion. Not recommended, but if you like the looks of it, you'll probably enjoy it.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

31
#31 Best Switch Game of 2019
90
#90 Most Shared Switch Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Apr 28, 2020
    90
    An effortlessly fun game to play and come back to. [Issue #41 – September 2019, p. 21]
  2. FNintendo
    Oct 4, 2019
    80
    Timespinner is a Metroidvania-style game that displays some obvious 16-bit inspirations along with a marvelous visual environment. Fans of the style will be delighted and while it is not the most content-packed or longest game ever made, Timespinner knows when to draw the line and offers a good amount of exploration that doesn't force itself for too long, the result is an interesting game that is more than worthy of attention.
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  3. Pure Nintendo
    Aug 5, 2019
    90
    Timespinner is an absolute joy to play. There’s so much to love, with a compelling and mysterious story involving exploration. The interesting time mechanics, coupled with an amazing soundtrack and pixel art style, make this game a welcome addition to any Nintendo Switch library.
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