Time Flies PS5 Review. We are all in a race against time. The biological clock ticks away endlessly as we go about our daily lives. We know the inevitable destination but its the journey that gets us there that gives us joy, fulfilment and even possibly a legacy to leave behind. It is this journey that is at the heart of Time Flies, an indie adventure from the Swiss based team Playables which follows up there previous award winning titles KIDS and Plug & Play
Time Flies Review (PS5) – Every Second Counts
A Fly On The Wall
A unique mechanic in the game is that your lifespan is based on the life expectancy of the country you are in. The number of years gives you the same number of seconds with which to live out the life of a fly. So 80 yrs equals 80 sec for example.
However, you are not geo-locked to your specific real world location so you are free to choose whichever country you want from the extensive list available.
Your task is as simple as the 1-bit presentation of the game. Achieve as many of the goals from your bucket list as possible before the countdown hits zero. This is where the adventure gets its hooks into you, laying the challenge of crossing off every item on your list of life goals.
Actually achieving a fully checked list and a long life is not as trivial as it may seem. The given bucket list is similar to a cryptic crossword clue and it’s your interpretation of these clues that may just send you into an early grave. Similarly underestimating the environment you explore can be hazardous to your health.
Live Die Repeat
When you inevitably die, you return as a new fly with a reset life clock and bucket list, carrying with you the knowledge from your previous run. A roguelike speed-run type of adventure that finds you hone and focus your energy on the things that really matter.
Now, while you are against the clock, the timer does pause the moment you instigate one of the tasks. This gives little brief moments of levity from the hectic life of chasing down goals, allowing you time to savour being “in the moment.” Then it’s back to wings beating as you buzz your way towards your next mission in life.
There are ways to extend the time you have but it’s best you go into this game blind and experience it as the developers intended. A major part of this game is experiencing things first hand and figuring things out as you explore.
Buzzingly Crafted
It is clear a lot of care has been taken in crafting the experience that Time Flies offers. It is the subtle little things that really elevate the presentation of this game. The way the fly has been animated and how it feels to control really sells the authenticity of traversing the world as a fly.
Something as basic as your fly casting a shadow as you buzz across the screen or the slight delay to lift-off when you instigate flight means that playing the game punches well above its simplistic look.
While Time Flies is short, it’s fun and will have you grinning at some of the wacky things you get up to. If a game can bring joy while evoking thoughts to carry into your own real world life then that is a big success for me. When all is said and done will you be fulfilled by the things you spent your fleeting years on?
Time Flies is out now on PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC and MAC.
Review code kindly provided by publisher.