Being able to control the time it is something that many players enjoy. Having the power to slow down time to get the best shot, reverse time to try another option, or stop it altogether to pass a level. Being able to use time control has its advantages, and that is something that many games have added as a feature to their titles.
Although many games have attempted to implement this mechanic, only a few of them are remembered or praised for how it affects gameplay and story. With only a few of them being seen as the best games with time control mechanics across a variety of genres.
10 super hot
In this minimalist first-person shooter super hot, players have limited power when it comes to controlling time. Time only moves in this game when the player moves, allowing the player to consider the best form of attack before deciding to pick up their weapon and deal damage.
This turns Superhot from the typical shooter title into something more suited to the puzzle genre. As well as making the player feel smart by allowing him to time his entire attack before time starts up once again and take down his enemy.
9 FEAR
There are few horror titles that adopt some kind of time control mechanic as it can break the creepy immersion of the title. Nevertheless, FEAR I hoped to combine this psychological horror with making players feel as if they were part of an action movie.
Therefore, players have the legendary feature of reflex time. As the player will find themselves constantly under attack while exploring, reflex time displays the character’s superhuman reflexes, allowing them to aim and fire at normal speed while the world around them slows down.
8 Singularity
Another first person shooter with horror genre features is Singularity, players find themselves on an uninhabited island that was once held by the Soviet Union. After a US satellite is shot out of the sky, the player finds themselves traveling between the present and the events of 1955 on the island.
A great feature of the game comes from the time manipulation device that they carry in their hand. This gives the player the solution to many of the puzzles they face on the island, and can speed up the time to age an item, as well as other features.
7 Time change
Many games that allow the player to control time are a necessary feature to help solve puzzles, Time change it is not different from this. In this shooter, one of the player’s main abilities, as the name suggests, is the ability to change time.
The player can do this in one of three ways: by slowing down, stopping, or reversing time. This helps with many time-related puzzles and allows players to stop time to take an enemy’s weapon or even dodge projectiles.
6 ghost runner
In this incredibly challenging action platformer set in a cyberpunk world, players must take down enemies quickly if they are to succeed. A single hit from an enemy will instantly kill the player, which can be difficult to avoid during this fast-paced combat.
To make this combat more manageable, players have the ability called Sensory Booster which increases the character’s reflexes. This then slows down time to help the player dodge incoming fire so they can easily get closer to their opponent.
5 dishonor
Players who have explored the shadowy streets of dishonor as Corvo will know that he too has a wealth of abilities after being blessed with the mark of the outsider. One of those abilities that he can unlock is called Bend Time.
As the name suggests, Corvo can easily use this ability to slow down or even stop time altogether. This can be used in hopes of sneaking past enemies while trying to complete the game non-lethal or slowing down time in hopes of getting behind the enemy and performing a quick kill.
4 Quantum Pause
After a failed experiment, the protagonist of Quantum Pause, Jack Joyce is gifted with the power to bend time to strike the will. These abilities are something that players will need to use to their advantage both in and out of combat to help end the disaster known as the “End Times.”
While players have their usual time control mechanics, like being able to stop enemies. One of the most exciting features Quantum Break has is the ability to use Time Vision which reveals points of interest as well as Time Echoes which allows the player to see past events.
3 Braid
Braid is an interesting platform and puzzle game that explores the theme of time in all its levels. Gradually as they play, players unlock more abilities to control time throughout the story.
It starts with the simple ability to reverse time, allowing players to retry a puzzle as they are more likely to get stuck. From here, the time control mechanic progresses as it becomes a crucial part of the puzzles, forcing players to understand how time moves within the level before they can attempt to control it.
two Blinx: The Time Sweeper
There are few games that allow the player to control a cute animal like a cat who must complete levels armed only with a vacuum cleaner and the power to control time. Good, Blinx: The Time Sweeper does exactly that in this platform adventure.
Collecting specific combinations of gems in this title allows the player to unlock the time control ability linked with that gem and thus alter parts of the level using it. Many of these skills, like reversing or pausing time, are needed to get past lockouts and help in boss battles.
1 Life is strange
In this episodic graphic adventure, the intense and emotional story is not the only thing that Life is strange is praised for. One of his main features that the protagonist Max has the ability to use throughout this story is being able to turn back time.
Being able to rewind time can help or hinder a situation, as players will have previously learned information available to them to make a different decision. However, as the story progresses, this power can be more dangerous than it seems, as there have to be consequences to reversing time.
