I know I say this a lot, but Out of Time is a game I can say with 100 percent sincerity, genuinely surprised me. When the option to attend a virtual preview of the game landed in my inbox, the subject line was simply “an unannounced game I think you might like.” I’ll admit, it was a bold strategy, so I went into the event mostly blind—sure, had I scrolled down the email a little bit, I would’ve seen all the details about the game, but why ruin the mystery?
After getting a pretty extensive look at the game, I can say it’s certainly an ambitious prospect. Manticore Games is taking elements from MMOs, Survivor-likes and Rougelikes and adapting them into something completely different. When CEO and Co-founder of Manticore Games, Frederic Descamps, said he believed Out of Time was the first 3D multiplayer rougelike of its type, I thought, “Surely that can’t be right.” But as I combed the Net for anything that could be similar, I found myself at a bit of a loss—Out of Time is really aiming for a unique experience.
It starts with the premise itself—the player gets pulled, quite literally, out of time, due to a catastrophic event known as “The Shattering,” to a place called Infinitopia. From here, the player has access to a host of different periods in time, ranging from prehistoric, medieval, and the distant “advanced” future, to the “Solarpunk” remains of the Earth. Not only does this suit the game’s narrative, but it also allows for a lot of creative flexibility in the game’s levels and enemies.
“Out of Time is really aiming for a unique experience.”
And Infinitopia also serves its own purpose, as Descamps explains, “We’ve designed the game with lots of elements from MMOs, and Infinitopia is one of these elements. It’s kind of a gathering hub for the community and the players, and it’s also a place where all the timelines are jumbled up and visible, and that’s where all your adventures will start.” From here, players will discover the first way in which Out of Time really differentiates itself from any other game in its genre: gear determines class.
It was an incredibly bold idea when I heard it, and one that theoretically makes a lot of sense. As Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of Maticore Games, Jordan Maynard said, “You are what you wear.” Class abilities are tied to which gear players select, and as Maynard puts it, “because in Out of Time, past, present, and future have collided, it’s absolutely valid to be a druid with an assault rifle.” So players are incentivized to mix and match to not only find a build that works for them, but one that supports their team.
Speaking of teamwork, Out of Time implements a pretty interesting system that I genuinely don’t think I’ve seen in any other video game—or at least any that I’ve played. Players set out in teams of three to take on the growing threat in whichever era they choose; however, they are all attached by the “Tether System.” So long as players stay close together, they’ll be attached by an electric tether, which, while having its own unique potential elements and upgrades, allows players to share their stats. So, unlike traditional MMOs where each class has a specific job, whatever role a player brings to a match is shared with their allies.
“Out of Time implements a pretty interesting system that I genuinely don’t think I’ve seen in any other video game.”
At its core, Out of Time adapts a lot of gameplay elements from the genres that inspired it. Similar to games like Risk of Rain 2, players will fend off waves of enemies that slowly get stronger as time progresses. However, as players gain experience, they’ll be given random upgrades to better face the approaching hordes, similar to games like Vampire Survivors. Each player gets their own upgrades; however, since teamwork is essential to success, players can actually see what their teammates receive and coordinate effectively.
Not only that, but each weapon type in Out of Time has its own unique “minigame,” as Maynard describes it, which changes how it functions. Similar to Vampire Survivors, basic attacks are automated, but the Rocket Launcher, for example, doesn’t have an auto attack, but allows players to fire a single rocket quickly, for a smaller explosion radius and damage, or wait for a bigger boom. The “Goo Gun” requires players to paint as many enemies as possible with radioactive goo, then detonate it with a mouse click.
It’s interesting to see Manticore Games go from developing a game-making platform to developing their own fully-fledged game—although a lot of assets from Core and even the engine itself were brought over into Out of Time. But as Descamps said, “Manticore’s mission is to create complex immersive multiplayer experiences,” and this game looks well on its way to becoming that. With more eras and PvP planned for future updates, Out of Time may be the multiplayer experience to really keep an eye on.
Out of Time will launch on the Epic Game Store for $24.99 this Fall.
