Record and rewind the actions of two robots with independent timelines.
Entwined Time is a grid-based time-manipulation puzzle game about two robots trying to repair their space station after a catastrophic incident. Switch between our robotic heroes, Heavy and Light, recording a sequence of inputs for each of them to reach their target. The twist is that these robots have their own independent timelines, which leads to some complex time-travel puzzling.
The goal of each puzzle is to help the two robots reach their corresponding portal — red for Heavy, blue for Light — by inputting a series of movements. Each robot has its own timeline with limited slots, into which you can provide the movements for that robot — left, right, down to rest or fall, and up to jump. However, these two timelines act as their own independent undo stack, meaning you can rewind one robot through time while leaving the other robot where it is. Using these time-manipulation tricks, you'll need to help the robots clamber over walls and each other to reach their destination.
Entwined Time features a "Gain Insight" hint system, inspired by Can of Wormholes, which presents a simpler version of the level you're stuck on to help you reach the insights you need. While it can be very tricky to wrap your head around the game's time-bending mechanics, this hint system can make the puzzles much more approachable.
Fans of time-manipulation puzzle games will find similarities with other games like Meet me at NooN and Tres Undos, but this particular iteration of the concept has its own unique and fascinating intricacies to discover.
This description was written and edited by Joseph Mansfield.
Pure puzzler
No or minimal narrative
No timing or dexterity
No randomness during problem solving
Grid-based
Fairly hard to reach an ending
Has hints
Rotate Riko and her laser gun through challenging sokoban puzzles.
Help the aliens to their homes in this challenging track-laying puzzle game.
Build snowmen by rolling snowballs into place (and give them a hug!)
Make your way to grandma's house by shifting stone blocks with your magical powers.
Twist and turn three musical characters through narrative-driven grid-based puzzles.
Knock balls through hoops and pipes to navigate a non-linear archipelago of puzzles.
Stab your enemies to form extensions of yourself and extinguish every candle.
Guide a skittish orange creature into your trap in this arctic sokoban expedition.
Help the Snaliens escape from a planet of block-pushing and circuitry puzzles.
Control mutliple robots simultaneously to help Aki navigate to the socket.
Get a free thinky game to play and discuss, plus the latest thinky news and reviews, directly to your inbox every 2 weeks!