Fear the Time Loop is PlayWay’s upcoming, third-person horror game from developers TacoEaters. I had the opportunity to play the Prologue before it released today. The demo gives us a small slice of the game, and at first glance, one would think the game is another Resident Evil clone. Now I am a fan of Resident Evil, so that made Fear the Time Loop a game I was looking forward to trying.
A Familiar Feel
The moment you load in, you do get those classic Resident Evil vibes with that over-the-shoulder camera angle and the drab lighting. The game seems like it would be better with a controller, although, being a beta build, the controller did not seem to work fully. Having played many third-person games on mouse and keyboard, this was not an issue for me, though it may deter some players. There seemed to be partial support when I plugged my Xbox controller in, so I have a feeling it is on the agenda.
The setting of Fear the Time Loop takes place in an abandoned medical facility, which the main character, the Sheriff, wakes up in and has to find his way out of. Unfortunately, you cannot walk through the front door. There are numerous rooms and floors to explore in the building, and you have to find your way through locked doors, zombies, and puzzles. You’ll find weapons, ability badges, and various other items; however, there is a catch.
The Time Loop of it All
When you first wake up, you are fatally wounded. With the use of different items, you can extend your life. You can monitor how much time you have through a watch mechanic. Certain items will add time, while others will slow down the time. It is a very cool dynamic that adds to the tense nature of the game. But what happens when time runs out? You start the loop over.
Any items you picked up go back to where they were, so you have to get them again. If you find a journal entry with a code or combination on it, you do not have to find that again. Those will stay in your menu, and you will be able to reference them when you start a new loop. There are also special locations where you have to choose between two doors. The doors are dead ends, but will give you something you can use now, or later.
When you awaken for a new loop, you start where you last saved. Saving involves finding VHS tapes and using them in safe rooms. After using the VHS tape, you create a checkpoint in the game. When you do this a little more of the story of the game is revealed.
Safe rooms also have storage, as your inventory is limited in size. You will find items to upgrade your inventory size. Horror game inventory management is always something that makes the experience more immersive. I did test if the items stayed in the storage between loops, but they do not.
Final Reaction
Fear the Time Loop definitely has a learning curve, and it took me numerous playthroughs before I was able to beat the Prologue. I think that is what TacoEaters was going for with this sort of horror game. With your only communication with the outside world being a walkie-talkie and conflicting reports of how long you have been missing and trapped, I am excited to delve deeper into Fear the Time Loop when it releases later this year.
Play Fear the Time Loop: Prologue now and wishlist the full game on Steam.
