Time Recoil

 Xbox One
Time Recoil Image
Metascore
66

Mixed or average reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: Kill to slow time! Time Recoil is a top-down shooter with tons of slow motion gunfights, epic special moves, time attack mode, and a time travel storyline.

    In Time Recoil, you have a super power: Kill to slow time. Subsequent kills give more time in slowdown and enable you to conduct    Kill to slow time! Time Recoil is a top-down shooter with tons of slow motion gunfights, epic special moves, time attack mode, and a time travel storyline.

    In Time Recoil, you have a super power: Kill to slow time. Subsequent kills give more time in slowdown and enable you to conduct unbelievable slow motion feats! Kills in slowdown grant special moves. With special moves you Dash through walls and enemies. The more kills you gain, the more devastating the move. Combine slowdown and moves into a wall busting chain of destruction!

    You are the hero of a rebel organization fighting against Mr Time, a mad scientist dictator in possession of a time based weapon of mass destruction. The Time Machine at the rebel base will take you to the past via a wormhole. Mission goals range from assassination to rescuing scientists. Expect the unexpected along the way, and ultimately kill Mr. Time.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. TheXboxHub
    Sep 11, 2017
    80
    If you're up for a challenge, and fancy taking on a game that will let you play the way you want, then Time Recoil is well worth a look.
  2. DarkStation
    Sep 12, 2017
    70
    While the moody synth pop driving the action forward is exceptionally good, the graphics and the narrative design are modest to say the least. Still, they’re sufficient enough for what Time Recoil sets out to do. As most Finnish indie games do, Time Recoil finds a comfort zone in a playful side of things, toying with an idea and then making it a plausible game mechanic. Here it’s time that matters, making some levels play out more like puzzles. I was most glad to discover how tactical the game was, which in my books is more fun than mindless mayhem. As challenging as Time Recoil is, it’s a bit on a short side. It takes only about five hours to complete the story chapters but as mentioned, the time attack mode adds replayability. With all its quirks and polished gameplay, Time Recoil is a nifty little game to kill time with – or in this case to kill with time!
  3. Digital Chumps
    Sep 12, 2017
    70
    In truth, the good outweighs the bad by a good margin. Time Recoil is an astutely put together effort that’s functional as a game in every respect. Sure, some out-of-step functions here and there are highlighted by the general flow of repeated failure. But as a cool application of the rules refreshed by Hotline Miami, it works very well.
  4. COGconnected
    Sep 18, 2017
    61
    Time Recoil is a competent action game with a gimmicky but cool mechanic that controls pretty darn well too. But it’s not a good sign when that central idea becomes old and tiresome. I wished there was more variety in levels because the overall story is interesting despite not being entirely original. The Time Attack mode surprised me with how deep it actually was but by the time I finished the campaign, I felt like it was too little too late. There’s some fun to be had, but your time may be better spent elsewhere.
  5. Windows Central
    Sep 25, 2017
    60
    Compared to its predecessor Neon Chrome, Time Recoil falls a bit short. The campaign structure is too linear and doesn't give you any larger goals to work towards other than advancing the story. The powers system is a bit unintuitive and would work better if it didn't require kill combos.
  6. SomosXbox
    Sep 24, 2017
    56
    Time Recoil is a different Twin Stick Shooter, one that combines action with limited resources and awesome abilities to accomplish 56 missions with strategic action. Using the Slow Motion and epic special moves, you’ll fight against Mr Time, a mad scientist dictator in possession of a time based weapon of mass destruction. It could be more ambitious, but doesn’t matter thanks to the action that develops, that makes the game enjoyable.

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. GBG_Jason
    Sep 27, 2017
    9
    Hotline Miami will always have a special place in my heart. It hit all of the nostalgic buttons with its pixelated version of ultra-violence.Hotline Miami will always have a special place in my heart. It hit all of the nostalgic buttons with its pixelated version of ultra-violence. Since its release, I have played a number of imitations that never got the formula quite right. Finally, Time Recoil came and not only hit the right buttons, but added some extra mechanics that not only met the bar; they make an even more enjoyable experience.

    You’ll begin your journey being recruited by a mysterious agency that is battling the evil Mr. Time. You play as a character that has the rare ability to be able to travel back in time along their own timeline using wormholes without acquiring time lesions. Without much backstory, you will be traveling back in time through 5 chapters using a number of unique time based abilities, as well as an arsenal of firearms.

    One welcome change to the popular formula is that Time Recoil allows you to shoot through thin walls and take out enemies on the other side. Additionally, there are explosive barrels placed in some levels that allow you to take out an entire floor of enemies with a well-placed shot. This can also be used to create short cuts through the level, blowing apart sections of walls or other obstacles. On later levels this will be something you’ll need to be mindful of, as it can result in an enemy shooting you after your cover has been removed from the equation.

    The missions you’ll embark on will vary, ranging from simply killing specific targets, uploading data from computer terminals, or kidnapping scientists. While these do add some variety to the game, I found myself still murdering every guard on the level just to be sure that no one came behind me or shot from off screen to ruin my day. Each successful kill does two things: it slows down time briefly, giving you an almost Matrix like state of euphoria to plan your next shot, should you encounter more than one armed enemy; it also goes towards the recharge of your time abilities. These abilities add another welcome change to the Hotline Miami formula. You’ll eventually be able to dash through groups of enemies, which ends with their deaths, busts holes through walls, create a type of bomb which can also be used to take out large groups of enemies, and even stop time altogether.

    The gunplay featured in the game works as it should, with a handy laser sight featured to assist with precision aiming. Ammo is limited and if too many shots are missed, you will be left with nothing but your time powers that require you to kill enemies to recharge in addition to your melee attack. With the omission of melee weapons, your weak and often awkward to use melee attack is essentially useless. You do receive enough ammo from the start and via pick-ups to get the job done, but you do not have much margin for error.

    While you are open to experiment with the tools at your disposal, the levels are designed in a way that you almost have to complete them in the way the designers intended. Using an ability or shooting a barrel at the wrong time can result in all of your ammo being depleted or the path forward being blocked.

    The enemy AI is somewhat lacking, while not impeding game play, it is difficult to get the enemies to swarm you and funnel them through a door, which was my signature move in similar games. The enemies seem to be fairly dumb until you walk in front of the often static enemies. With the exception of the guards who are unarmed, most enemies will stand still and not pursue you, even after being seen unless you shoot their comrade, which results in them promptly putting a bullet in your head.

    My only real complaint about the game is the enemy and level design is prone to some cheap deaths, which is no stranger to these style games. You will occasionally overlook one of the enemies that blend into the background and will only notice him once it is too late. This fault also applies to the keys you will have to find in later levels, which makes finding them an occasional chore.

    Boasting a respectable 50+ levels, multiple difficulties, and a time trial mode, Time Recoil is a game that I would not only recommend you buy, but really take time to master. While you will die often, the quick respawns will put you back into the game in seconds, ready to right your past mistakes.    … Expand