Killing Time (Classic)

Man, this is a rough play. I never played this game back in the day so I couldn't go into this with any kind of nostalgic value. But I did go into searching for an appreciation of the early days of FPS games. Instead what I found was several examples of how to give a bad name to an early genre. I was only able to tolerate this game for about an hour before turning it off but here is what I experienced in that hour: This game (or at least the beginning part that I played) is a whole MAZE. There is absolutely no indication on where you are supposed to go so you just keep wandering through these random forest and cave areas, the caves being the worst because of how narrow the corridors are. This is made even worse by the fact that if you come into contact with a wall or a tree, your walking speed slows to a crawl. The combat difficulty isn't too bad. Despite the fact that there are tons of enemies in every area, there is an absurd amount of ammo laying around every few steps you take. While ammo pickups are far too frequent, the same cannot be said about health pickups. Thankfully, enemies can sometimes drop health pickups when they die. Unthankfully, they can also drop negative health pickups as well for some reason? This is very annoying when you kill an enemy in your face with your back against the wall and they drop a negative health pickup right in front of you, forcing you to wait until it despawns before you can move. The visuals were fairly nice for its time but the music ranges from okay to straight up goofy in some parts. I can't comment on the story or the plot because it was never made known to me at any point during my play. Overall, there is no reason anyone should be recommending this game to someone who has never played it before. Nostalgia does not equal a good game.

Если разберетесь с управлением, то получите годный шутер в духе Duke Nukem )

Crude, lude and rude. It's all good.... but this is even better bwa haahaaaa. Yup good old games. Zigguart love. <3

Game itself is all right. But the original is pretty much unplayable at this point, just grab the awesome remaster made by Nightdive.

Looks like it could probably be fun if it was given a modern control scheme. As it is, it's extremely awkward to play.

10/10 Конечно не 3do версия но тем не менее.. Что-бы было играбельно нужно накатить комьюнити патч, но это не проблема. Прошел с кайфом, ностальгию уталил.

Kind of wish there was a source port for this, but a Nightdive remaster is the next best thing.

Killing Time is yet another clumsy game from the era of Doom clones that struggles to set itself apart, but it does a great job of building atmosphere to leave you tense and confused. The controls are rough, but the game is clearly designed around that. The story is also quite disappointing because of how little your character interacts with the world and events, but if you can be patient and deal with the jank, I think the game is worth your time.

İnanılmaz rahatsız kontroller oyunu oynamayı aşırı keyifsizleştiriyor. Remaster versiyonuyla arasında tek fark grafiktir diye ekstradan para ödememek için bunu aldım ama maalesef pek oynanacak gibi değil. Oynamayı düşünen varsa Resurrected versiyonunu alsın, hem orda ister yeni ister eski tarz grafiklerle oynamak mümkün ve çok daha oynanabilir durumda. (Heretic ve Hexen gibi oyunlarda benzer kontrol şemasını kullanıyor, sanırım o dönem oyunlarının hepsi benzer ama en azından oynanış güncelleştirilebilirdi. Bence bu fiyatı haketmiyor.)

Killing Time is a distinctive and experimental first-person shooter that occupies a unique place in the history of 1990s game design. Originally developed by The 3DO Company and later reintroduced to modern audiences on Steam through Ziggurat, the game stands apart from many of its contemporaries by blending shooter mechanics with adventure-style exploration, horror themes, and an unusually heavy emphasis on narrative presentation. Rather than chasing pure speed or reflex-based action, it embraces a slower, more deliberate pace that encourages players to immerse themselves in atmosphere, mystery, and spatial discovery. The premise centers on the eerie Conway Estate, a sprawling mansion complex on a remote island that has become corrupted by supernatural forces. You play as an investigator drawn to the location after a failed experiment involving an ancient Egyptian artifact—the Water-Clock of Thoth—twists reality and traps the souls of those involved. This setup immediately gives the game a gothic horror tone, replacing the typical sci-fi or military settings of many shooters from the era with something closer to a haunted house mystery. As you explore the estate and its surrounding grounds, fragments of the story are revealed gradually, reinforcing the sense that you are uncovering a tragic history rather than simply progressing through levels. Exploration is one of the game’s defining strengths. The estate is large, interconnected, and largely open from the beginning, allowing players to wander freely rather than follow a linear path. Progression is tied to finding specific items scattered throughout the environment, encouraging backtracking and careful observation. This design gives the world a sense of coherence and physical presence, making it feel like a real place rather than a series of disconnected stages. The lack of loading screens between areas further enhances immersion, especially considering the technical limitations of the mid-1990s. Combat, while clearly rooted in classic first-person shooter conventions, is intentionally restrained. Weapons range from mundane firearms to more fantastical tools, each suited to different enemy types. Encounters often feel tense rather than empowering, as ammunition and health are not always plentiful. Enemies themselves are varied, drawing from undead and supernatural imagery that reinforces the game’s horror atmosphere. Rather than overwhelming players with constant action, the game spaces out combat, allowing dread and anticipation to build as you explore dark corridors and shadowy outdoor areas. One of the most striking and unconventional features of Killing Time is its use of live-action full-motion video integrated directly into gameplay. Characters appear as ghostly figures within the world, delivering monologues or reacting to your presence while the game continues around them. These moments serve as narrative anchors, providing context and emotional texture to the story. By modern standards, the acting and presentation may feel campy or dated, but they contribute significantly to the game’s personality and sense of experimentation. Few shooters of its era attempted such a bold fusion of cinematic storytelling and interactive play. Visually and technically, the game reflects both ambition and limitation. The environments are expansive and atmospheric, but the graphics and controls clearly show their age. Movement can feel stiff, and aiming lacks the precision expected by modern players. However, these rough edges are mitigated in newer releases that improve resolution, performance, and control responsiveness while preserving the original design. Sound design also plays an important role, using ambient audio and music to sustain tension and underscore the unsettling mood of the estate. What ultimately defines Killing Time is its willingness to defy genre expectations. It is not a pure shooter, nor is it a traditional adventure game, but something in between—an early example of hybrid design that prioritizes mood, narrative, and exploration alongside combat. This ambition makes it less immediately accessible than more straightforward shooters, but also far more memorable for players willing to engage with its slower pace and unconventional structure. Taken as a whole, Killing Time remains a fascinating and rewarding experience for fans of retro games and atmospheric horror. Its blend of open-ended exploration, supernatural storytelling, and experimental presentation gives it an identity that still feels unusual decades later. While it may not appeal to players seeking fast-paced action or modern polish, it offers a compelling journey into a haunted world shaped by curiosity, dread, and experimentation. For those interested in the evolution of first-person games and the risks developers once took in defining the genre, Killing Time stands as an enduring and intriguing relic that continues to justify its cult status. Rating: 6/10