Time Knight Adventures

Complete garbage, and I can be pretty forgiving to bad games.

Not that great and feels like a massive step backward compared to ERMedia's previous games. The non-Euclidean level layout and poorly-designed storytelling make it really hard to enjoy. There are better retro-styled platformers out there.

Time Knight Adventures is a retro-inspired platformer developed by ERMedia and published by Plug In Digital. Built around classic side-scrolling action and exploration, the game pays tribute to the platforming adventures of earlier gaming generations while introducing a unique mechanic that constantly keeps players aware of the passage of time. Rather than relying solely on precision jumping and enemy encounters, the game creates tension through an ever-present timer that influences how players approach exploration and progression. The adventure places players in the role of the Time Knight, a hero navigating a colorful world filled with interconnected stages, hidden paths, upgrades, and dangerous enemies. What immediately sets the game apart from many other retro-style platformers is its focus on non-linear exploration. Levels are not simply straightforward obstacle courses leading from one point to another. Instead, they contain branching routes, secrets, and alternative paths that encourage players to thoroughly investigate every area. This design choice transforms the experience into something closer to a light exploration platformer, rewarding curiosity as much as mechanical skill. One of the most interesting aspects of the game is its time-based gameplay system. The clock is not merely decorative; it serves as a core mechanic that adds pressure to every decision. Players must balance exploration with efficiency, ensuring they do not spend too long searching for secrets while still gathering the upgrades needed to progress. This constant sense of urgency gives the gameplay a distinctive rhythm. Every detour feels meaningful, and every shortcut discovered becomes valuable. The mechanic successfully reinforces the game's theme while providing an extra layer of challenge that separates it from more conventional platformers. The level design demonstrates a clear appreciation for classic gaming principles. Hidden upgrades, optional areas, and interconnected routes encourage experimentation and replayability. Players who enjoy uncovering secrets will likely find satisfaction in revisiting locations to discover missed collectibles and alternate paths. The progression system complements this structure well, as upgrades often provide practical benefits that make exploration easier and open opportunities for accessing previously unreachable areas. Visually, Time Knight Adventures embraces a charming pixel-art presentation that captures the spirit of old-school console games. The graphics are colorful and clean, with environments that remain easy to read during fast-paced gameplay. Character sprites and enemy designs are simple yet effective, contributing to the nostalgic atmosphere without feeling overly dated. While the visuals may not compete with larger-budget indie productions, they suit the game's style and objectives perfectly. The soundtrack further enhances the retro experience through energetic chiptune-inspired music. The compositions fit naturally with the game's adventurous tone and help maintain momentum throughout the journey. Combined with responsive controls and straightforward mechanics, the audio presentation contributes significantly to the game's overall charm. However, the game is not without flaws. Some players may find the non-linear structure occasionally confusing, especially when trying to determine the correct route forward. The timer mechanic, while creative, can also become frustrating for those who prefer a slower and more methodical style of exploration. Additionally, the overall length of the adventure is relatively modest, meaning experienced platforming fans may complete the game in only a handful of hours. Despite these limitations, the game's unique design choices help it remain memorable. Ultimately, Time Knight Adventures succeeds as a heartfelt homage to classic platformers while offering enough original ideas to establish its own identity. Its blend of exploration, upgrade hunting, branching level design, and time-management mechanics creates an experience that feels both nostalgic and fresh. Players looking for a straightforward retro platformer may appreciate its familiar foundations, while those seeking something a little different will likely enjoy the strategic element introduced by the constant race against time. Time Knight Adventures is an enjoyable indie platformer that combines old-school charm with inventive gameplay ideas. Although its unconventional structure and persistent timer may not appeal to every player, its engaging exploration, rewarding secrets, and distinctive mechanics make it a worthwhile experience for fans of retro-inspired adventures. Rating: 7.5/10

Fun game! I disagree with the other reviewers -- I think this was good stuff with some flaws. I'll just list my thoughts so I don't have to bother with a structured review: [list] [*] It took me an hour to beat. There are 5 or 6 stages (I thiiink I saw "Stage 5" written twice, but I could be wrong). [*] I played using an Xbox 360 controller, which worked fine. I was even able to map R2 to take screenshots since it wasn't available via my normal screenshot key on the keyboard [*] I couldn't find a way to pause, which was frustrating when a trip to the restroom became necessary. Even after completing a stage, the game goes right into the next one after a few second pause [*] There's a storyline but some of it went over my head due to my skimming through the somewhat lengthy dialogue segments; the ending seemed pretty decent, but I wasn't really paying close attention by then [*] Most stages are maze-like in nature, but it's never anything too mind boggling [*] Jumping feels a little weird with high verticality / low horizontal range, but you get used to it. I found the game to be very forgiving, so my multiple jumps right onto a set of spikes didn't turn out to be too devastating. I died multiple times but never seemed to lose any real progress [*] Running out of time just takes some of your health [*] Bosses were relatively easy -- I beat the last boss by standing in the right corner of the screen and swinging whenever he got close [*] There are several secret areas in the game where you have ten seconds to find a hidden block, but I was only able to do it once; the other two times I didn't realize I was supposed to start moving immediately, which made me lose a few valuable seconds [*] Good stuff overall -- I recommend giving it a try! [/list]

It's not much chop. And there is only 1 hour of content, more than a few bugs: on the last level some enemys dont die, story glitched out with empty text boxes, Platforming has blind / dead drops.

Time Knight Adventures was one of those rare games that I bought on a whim. The premise sounded interesting. So I played it. is it any good? The short side of things? No. Long story? No, it isn't a good game though it has some ideas in it that never truly go anywhere. The story is very convoluted: You control a time knight who goes on an adventure to fix things and gather the time orbs to stabilize things. He meets his doppelganger and gives chase. That's it. And then the last 3 minutes of the game is a massive story dump. This game wants to be something more than what it is. However, the writing is bad as it's very tell-y instead of showing. It isn't very interesting. Gameplay wise is where it sort of is at. The game is a standard platformer with our hero stabbing enemies and jumping around obstacles. There is a timer going off and if the orange bar hits 0, then he'll take a point of damage and the bar will refill. What makes it interesting is how the game loops and how taking different paths leads to different parts of the map. The game really wants to be a treasure hunt: find the various upgrades to improve survivability and the keys to get to the next section of the map. However, the controls fight the player at every opportunity which makes this goal difficult to achieve. The game is stiff and there seems to be a little bit of lag with button presses. It isn't clear how far one can go to make those long jumps. It's also difficult to modulate jumps. This makes certain challenges much more difficult than they need to be. I played with a controller and the analog stick moved my character around fairly well when it was left to right. The game wants you to push down to use certain things or drop through the floor, which it only uses a few times. Pushing down on the analog stick won't register; it requires the D-pad. It's things like that really highlight the problem: it doesn't really teach the mechanics / rules of the world very well. The game just expects you to have some knowledge of how these types of games work and be willing to experiment with the controls. And because the controls are so clunky, it kills any momentum gathered from gameplay. Graphically, the game isn't much to look at. The hero's walking animation is basic, and so are the enemies. Sometimes I swear the werewolves just hopped across the screen with no real sprite movement. Backgrounds tend to be black, though there are some very colorful backgrounds as they were a swirl of color. One boss was difficult to make out because it blended in with everything. As mentioned above, platforms are not easy to tell when they end so making jumps can be difficult. The final boss got stuck on the geometry of the level and was stuck for 10 seconds. I would have laughed if it weren't for everything else going on in the game. Again, this is not a good game. It is not worth 5 bucks; I played for around an hour overall. I got it as part of the bundle that's on sale and it came out to around a buck. I wouldn't pay more than that. This game left the oven too early and needs to go back in.