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TimeShift

Hardware testing and YouGamers recommendations

From the first look, it's obvious that TimeShift is a multi-platform game, as many console features remain in the PC version. GUI elements like the targeting reticule, radar and ammo indicators are fairly large, the player gets constant guidance towards the next objective, and most importantly the default field of view is only 80 degrees wide, giving a "zoomed in" feel. The game's proprietary 3D engine supports all of DirectX 9's important features, such as HDR rendering, dynamic lighting and parallax occlusion mapping.

Graphics settings at maximum. The YouGamers recommended system can run the game with these settings at 1280x1024 resolution

Medium settings with post-processing effects. Bump-mapping on the metal bridge is a lot less noticeable, and reflections on the character's gloves are gone

For a multi-platform title, though, the game has a lot of customization options. The FOV is adjustable between 80-120, with 90 degrees the standard for 4:3 aspect ratio displays and 120 a welcome option for gamers with widescreen displays. Lots of graphics options is good news for those who own an older video card, as TimeShift can run with a solid 30+ frame rate with modest 3D hardware, albeit at reduced graphics fidelity. The publisher's minimum recommended system can run the game at 1024x768 or 720p resolution at minimum graphics detail, but the game loses a lot of its appeal, together with the eye candy. The YouGamers minimum system is our best compromise between performance and visual quality on a low-end system. Some post-processing options had to be disabled, but overall the game looks and runs well at 1024x768 or 720p.

Medium settings with post-processing effects, including depth of field disabled. Trees on the background are now in focus, making them look noticeably pixellated

Low settings, playable with the publisher's minimum system. The lack of texture quality is noticeable, and the very low resolution shadows flicker in motion

Some of the graphics quality options, especially "Best" quality shadow maps and projected shadows from point lights, can seriously lower the game's performance. Although TimeShift in single player isn't really a twitch game thanks to time manipulation, some of the puzzles require quick movements and precise jumping that is very hard to do if the game is jerky. Maxing out the graphics options results in a low FPS with anything but today's fastest video cards, and we felt that the visual quality improvements weren't justified. Therefore the YouGamers recommended system has a previous generation mid-high end graphics card. With a dual core processor, a CPU bottleneck won't be a problem. In fact, the game scales to four CPU cores, although a quad-core processor definitely isn't needed: a 2.4 GHz  Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 had a combined load of around 30%, with the primary engine (which includes rendering) thread loading the CPU to 80%, with the other three cores loaded at 10%-40%.

The game attempts to set graphics options automatically according to your PC's capabilities, but its estimates are rather conservative. The video settings list a basic explanation for each option and some are especially noted to impact game performance, so for the best gaming experience, experiment with the settings to suit your hardware - use the Game-o-Meter and our YouGamers recommendations for reference. When you find the right balance of speed and graphics quality, TimeShift has a good flow to it.

Rising from the rubble

Destructible environments are all the rage these days, and TimeShift joins the demolition squad. Boxes, plaster walls and other cover get blown to pieces, which would be neat if you weren't trying to take cover behind them. It's not hard to tell real hard cover from destructible cover, although sometimes the game surprises you. The lobby of the Krone Administrative Building is built with devastation in mind: pillars you and your enemies try to hide behind get shot to pieces, and if they fall, they bring whole support structures and a lot of concrete down with them. On the other hand, a rickety wooden outhouse jutting over a cliff can take bullets, rockets and grenades with only minor cosmetic damage. We're long ways yet from a fully destructible environment.

Destructible parts of the scene and many of the game's puzzles use Havok physics, version 4.5. Saber Interactive did a fine job in combining good physics effects with time reverse. If you activate time reversal in the middle of a fierce firefight, you can witness rubble and bits of concrete rising from the ground and forming into a wall or crate that was destroyed seconds earlier, perfectly seamlessly. Reverse time and shoot an enemy who's just destroyed a wall you're hiding behind with a rocket, and you'll get your cover back. In puzzles, a typical scenario is that you see a bridge fall down - if you quickly engage time reverse, the bridge will form back together and you can quickly cross it. Time manipulation and physics, when they work this well together, are a great match.

Page 1: IntroductionPage 2: Gameplay and MechanicsPage 3: Single and Multiplayer CarnagePage 4: Hardware and PerformancePage 5: Summary and Scores

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