Timespinner Reviews
Even though Timespinner set out to imitate SOTN, it managed to find its own identity during its long development. It's not quite as deep as its inspiration and it won't take as long to finish, but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute I was playing.
Timespinner looks great, plays great, and feels like what a modern take on Metrovania should be, spiced up with some time manipulation mechanics that feel a bit underutilized in the grand scheme of things.
Beautifully trim, transcendently polished, and unexpectedly inclusive, Timespinner is among the most capable endeavours to spring from Castlevania's picked-over carcass.
Even if the power of time is not so well used, Timespinner stands out for its story and the amount of things that it's possible to do. Bringing all the best that the Metroidvania style has to offer, it becomes one of those games you'll love playing twice: first to enjoy it, and then once again to earn the trophies.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
In the end, Lunar Ray Games didn't reinvent the genre with Timespinner, but they've done a truly enjoyable game that's likable from start to finish. If you're a fan of retro metroidvania, you'll enjoy it even more for its incredible art style and soundtrack. If it wasn't for the amazing Guacamelee! 2 that came out not too long ago, this would've been the best Metroidvania I've played this year!
An homage to Metroidvania’s and an excellent example of the genre. While it’s been four years since it’s kickstarter, the final product lived up to the promises and is well worth checking out.
All those years of effort paid off in the creation of an excellent entry in the metroidvania canon, and I hope it pays off in the form of a successful game as well. Timespinner exudes an aura of, "so much effort went into this, dang!" And making my way through it was a joy, both in terms of the look and feel of the world, the inherent appeal of filling in that map, and of course the smoothness and responsiveness of the combat.
undefined.Timespinner is a highly enjoyable Metroidvania that plays wonderfully on Switch. While it'd be even better if the time travelling theme felt more integral to the gameplay, the game gets so much else right, ranging from the exploration to the dynamite soundtrack. It's highly reminiscent of its Castlevania inspirations, but through an engaging story and diverse abilities, Timespinner weaves its own path through the annals of Metroid-inspired video games.
Timespinner wears its influences on its sleeve, but it wears them proudly and manages to pay tribute to the 2D RPG Castlevania games and other great metroidvanias. It crafts a unique and often engrossing new world, and by the end, I felt like I had really relived the classics, and not in a bad way.
Aside from a few mishaps in dialogue, Timespinner distinguishes itself with an absorbing story with interesting underlying themes. It stands out with a refreshing time travelling spin on combat that reflects the diversity of the level designs. Exploration, sans the tiny map, is enjoyable, with the past and present boasting unique music and mechanics to keep things fresh. Overall, this solid adventure is a great use of your time.
Gorgeous to behold and equally delightful to play, Timespinner is yet another top-notch Metroidvania on Switch. A lack of tough exploration challenges and an under-utilised time-freeze gimmick aside, it succeeds in using the popular genre as a vehicle for a genuinely intriguing science-fantasy tale that will motivate players to explore every inch of its fantastic pixel-art world.
Timespinner is a wonderfully accessible and inclusive Metroidvania that does justice to the genre despite some missed opportunities and brief run time.
Timespinner may not be the most phenomenal Metroidvania-type game ever made but a game doesn't need to carry an encyclopedic amount of content to stand out. Timespinner knows how to draw the player's attention with the right classic inspirations and a fun combat system, as well as with an interesting plot that never feels too heavy or forced. A work that has more than earned its right to the players' dedication.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Timespinner is a fantastic example of an excellent Metroidvania that mixes great character upgrades, a fun and diverse overworld, and a beautiful 16-bit look. The story not only combines the personal tragedy of a chosen one but adds grey to what's normally a black and white debate.
If you enjoy Metroidvania games then you'll love what Timespinner has to offer with its addictive exploration and combat.
"Any fans of Castlevania clock towers?"
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Timespinner opens a portal in our room and automatically takes us back to the 1990s. An adventure with a vintage flavour in which almost everything has been designed with great care. A must for any Castlevania lover.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Though I only spent 7 hours with Timespinner, there are features to keep players coming back for more. One is that there are 4 different endings in the game. Towards the climax you can make a choice, and depending on it, you will unlock different paths towards the final battle. The catch is that doing so locks you out of the other choices in the same save file, which provides good incentive to try out the New Game+. Another reason to keep playing is that there’s a super dungeon called the Temporal Gyre. It’s totally optional to tackle, but after beating the game once, I am very tempted to play again. If you truly want to challenge yourself, there’s also the unlockable Nightmare Mode, which is sure to make those less difficult boss fights much more of a struggle. This is one of those Metroidvanias that does many things right, and it inspired me enough that I’ll keep on playing til I get 100%. I really want to get all those achievements as well, since after beating it I only had about half of them. Overall, I was quite pleased with Timespinner. It’s hard to go wrong for $19.99, especially if you’re a fan of the genre. It wasn’t perfect, but it satisfied this longtime Metroidvania fan. I find myself eagerly looking forward to what else Lunar Ray Games has up their sleeves with future projects.
Though the map is too constrained at first, Timespinner's characters, traversal, and avenues for exploration make it worth checking out
The shortcomings of Timespinner revolve heavily around the fact that the game is so short. It creates beautiful environments and combat systems, but by the time we've gotten into a solid groove the game is already over.