One of the most charming things about Timemelters, and about the new Timemelters demo that has just hit Steam, is how eager it is to apologise for itself. It apologizes for all the normal stuff you get in a pre-release demo – no key-binding yet, but it’s coming, not everything is fully optimised. But then it keeps on apologising. Or explaining itself, in a distinctly apologetic manner, anyway. Listen: it’s meant to be tough, you’re meant to die a lot and iterate on a plan. You’re meant to be a bit overwhelmed, and the final game will lead you in much more carefully. Promise.
None of these things should be apologised for – or even, as is probably the case, gently explained away. Timemelters, formerly called Wicca, is so exciting precisely because it’s overwhelming – it gives you so much to think about! And it’s so exciting because it’s hard, not for the sake of being hard, but to push you to embrace all of its systems, to plan and plan and see a plan fail and come up with a new plan. Iteration!
This is perfect stuff for a real-time tactics and strategy game, which is, I guess, kind of what Timemelters is. It’s the spiritual sequel to another tactics game that was wonderfully characterful, and wonderfully hard to pin down, Sang-Froid: Tales of Werewolves. That game is an all-timer for me. I have never found a game’s atmosphere and mechanical mind more fascinating. And I think Timemelters is up there too. But I’m probably confusing you at this point. Apologies!
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