A 15-Minute Fight For Survival
Time loops are a popular fictional device. The idea is that a lead character experiences the same moment in time over and over again, searching for a way to beat the loop by changing their actions or finding a way to break free. The classic example is the film Groundhog Day, in which Bill Murray plays a weatherman trapped in the same day.
We’ve seen it used multiple times in games too, particularly in the likes of DEATHLOOP and Twelve Minutes. Now we have Fear The Timeloop, an old-school survival horror game that gives you just 15 minutes to solve its mystery. Can you do it?
You play as Sheriff James Cooper, who is hunting a serial killer. But things take a strange turn when you wake up in a morgue with no idea how you got there. To make matters worse, you have a severe wound that is bleeding out, leaving you with just 15 minutes before you die. When that happens, you find yourself back in the same place, and the loop begins again. Like all good amnesia-driven stories, there’s something immediately gripping about discovering what has happened at the same time as the main character.
Unravelling The Mystery One Loop At A Time
The mystery unfolds gradually through each loop, with clues found in documents and conversations with the people you meet along the way. Why is all of this happening? There’s clearly something deeply supernatural going on, and you’ll have to contend with monsters as you try to uncover the truth. You also meet a deputy with whom James has some interesting conversation, although she has some deep secrets of her own. I really liked the setup and the story. The way the narrative is drip-fed throughout the game, rather than dumping everything on you at once, works perfectly. It also has a fantastic 90s survival horror vibe, which plays a big part in its appeal.
Making Every Second Count
Fear The Timeloop sees you exploring the world in third person, much like an old-school survival horror game. You begin by navigating a maze of locked doors and tunnels, gathering maps and searching for ways to gain access to new areas. During your first run, you might do little more than collect a map of the surrounding area and discover a code that unlocks a door. The good news is that when you die, you retain the knowledge and maps you’ve gathered. So, when the next loop begins, you can head straight to that door and enter the code, allowing you to make progress without having to repeat the same investigative work.
There are other factors that affect how much time you have left. Getting hit causes the clock to tick down faster while also leaving you more injured, whereas finding a medical pack gives you some precious minutes back. The good news is that completing a chapter resets the clock. There are also moments when you have to choose which door to go through. Depending on your decision, you’ll find a different item to help you on your quest. One route might offer much-needed supplies, while another could provide a gun. The unpredictability of these choices adds another layer to the time-loop mechanic.
Where Fear The Timeloop Falls Short
Not every gameplay element works quite as well. Take the temporal locks, for example. These are controlled by timers and only open for a second, meaning you have to time your movements carefully. Once you’ve gone through, you then have to wait for them to open again. I can understand why they’re there, adding another layer of tension to an already frantic experience, but I found them more frustrating than enjoyable.
Combat is another area where I struggled to get on board, as it feels very old-school in its execution. The mechanics of gunplay, melee combat and blocking feel too loose and somewhat floaty at times. It all works well enough, but I never found myself looking forward to the fighting sections.
Fear The Timeloop has plenty of atmosphere, which helps disguise some of its budgetary limitations. It makes the most of what it has, and does so with aplomb. Scary corridors and well-placed jump scares are very much on the menu, and I really enjoyed spending time in this neatly constructed world. It can be a bit rough around the edges at times, but the ambition behind the game shines through.
What I will say though is that the superbly designed soundtrack helps create a sense of purpose and progression; something a game like this really needs to keep you invested throughout. The voice acting also has an old-school feel, occasionally sounding like something lifted straight from a game made in the 90s, which I suspect is a deliberate choice.
A Gripping Survival Horror Adventure
I had a good time with Fear The Timeloop. While the time-loop mechanic itself isn’t particularly original, the developers have managed to create something fresh and interesting with it. The setup, atmosphere and ambition are Fear The Timeloop’s biggest strengths, and there’s always a desire to find out what happens next, as you look to make it through those crucial 15 minutes. For me, the combat lets the experience down, as it simply isn’t up to scratch.
But beyond that, Fear The Timeloop is a game that survival horror fans could have a mighty good time with.
Important Links
Die, Learn And Try Again In Fear The Timeloop – https://www.thexboxhub.com/die-learn-and-try-again-in-fear-the-timeloop/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/Fear-The-Timeloop/9P1MPWT913V2
