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| Out of Time blends fast-paced co-op combat with time-hopping levels and fog-clearing objectives. |
By NinjaGuyX
Out of Time feels like a mashup of some of my favourite games, mixed together with a bit of its own identity. It’s a really fun experience, but there’s one thing holding it back from being truly great. Let’s talk about it.
I jumped in knowing almost nothing about the game. I’d only seen a few screenshots that reminded me a bit of Fortnite, and that was enough to get me curious. What I found ended up being much more interesting than I expected.
A Simple Setup That Gets Out of the Way
The story is extremely straightforward. Monsters, coming out of something called the shattering, are invading through space and time, and humans are fighting back by traveling through different eras to stop them. It’s explained in about ten seconds, sets the tone, and makes it clear that story isn’t the main focus here.
When you start, you’re greeted with a character customization screen. There aren’t many options, but honestly, that worked for me. I didn’t want to spend an hour adjusting tiny details, it gets you into the game quickly, which fits the overall pace.
Fast-Paced Gameplay With a Lot Going On
Gameplay is where Out of Time really shines. Missions drop you into levels where your main goal is to clear fog within a time limit. As the fog clears, enemies immediately begin spawning, so things get hectic very fast.
Your main attack fires automatically, similar to Vampire Survivors. As you collect experience, you level up and choose new abilities to grow stronger. On top of that, you have additional abilities like area attacks, healing, and support skills, which give the game a third-person MOBA feel, closer to something like Smite.
There’s always a lot happening. You’re collecting materials, fighting enemies, watching the clock, and deciding where to go next. It never really slows down, and every run feels busy in a good way.
Scattered around the map are large crystals that trigger events. Some ask you to defeat waves of enemies, others have you escort Einstein to a pod, or defend an area for a set amount of time. Completing these events rewards you with upgrades and helps push your run forward.
I even played a few sessions with one of the developers, and those matches were especially fun. Ability combinations can get wild. In one run, I drove around in a small police car gathering enemies while my teammate used a dragon’s fire breath to wipe them out. There are enough abilities that no two sessions feel the same.
Bosses, Progression, and the Hub
Once you’ve cleared enough fog, a boss appears. These are the toughest challenges in a level, forcing you to manage time, positioning, and survival all at once. Defeating the boss completes the mission and rewards you with new gear.
That loop, clear levels, earn equipment, and take on harder challenges is simple but satisfying.
Between missions, you return to a shared hub. This is where you’ll see other players looking for teammates, upgrade your gear at the blacksmith, and spend leftover currency on general stat boosts like shield strength, power, and luck.
You can also unlock cosmetics like emojis and rides. Most of these are just for fun, but rides can actually be useful during runs when there are no enemies around.
The One Thing Holding It Back
The biggest downside for me is the player count. Out of Time really shines with a full team, and tackling missions alone can be rough. Queue times can be long, and waiting around for teammates can get frustrating.
That said, when you do get matched with others, the game becomes significantly more fun. Hopefully the player base grows, because that’s the one thing I feel this game is missing.
Final Thoughts
Out of Time pulls ideas from Fortnite, Vampire Survivors, third-person MOBAs, and even Risk of Rain 2, but it still manages to feel like its own thing. The fog-clearing mechanic is engaging, the ability variety keeps things fresh, and the moment-to-moment gameplay is a lot of fun.
If any of that sounds appealing, I think it’s worth checking out. I had a great time with it, and I’ll definitely be jumping back in.
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