Review: Time Hollow (NDS)

Time Hollow puts you in the shoes of one Ethan Kairos, a sixteen-year-old boy whose birthday is the following day. Just as he explains to players that he is going to hint around at a watch he wants for his birthday present, he's called down to eat dinner. Ethan learns that instead of a birthday party tomorrow, his parents (namely his father) have something important to say to him. Ethan has no idea what this could be, and decides to go to bed to sleep on it, eagerly awaiting his birthday. After falling into a deep slumber, he stirs in his sleep to a nightmarish set of flashbacks that seem to be telling a story.

The following morning, everything has changed. His bedspread is different, his carpeting has changed and his parents have vanished. His only clue to the mystery is a small, strange portal in his room and a small green pen found later on in the day. The pen gives Ethan the power to 'dig' through time and alter events that happened in the past in order to change the present. What follows is an extremely intricate (and sometimes hard-to-follow) storyline that goes from here and there through time as if it were no big deal.

The game plays out like a point-and-click adventure game. Using the DS stylus, you navigate throughout different locations in Ethan's neighborhood, collecting clues, talking to characters, and piecing together information so that you can fill in specific details of 'flashbacks'. Once certain conditions have been met, it is possible to open up a hole in time. This is done by using Ethan's 'Hollow Pen'. A small gauge at the top of the screen is a reminder of how many times it is possible to go digging. When it empties, it's game over, even if objectives have been met.

Over time throughout the story, it may get a little hard to comprehend exactly what is going on due to so many things getting switched around constantly. Remembering exactly how certain actions are changing the flow of time and how the next will coincide can get very tricky, and requires a lot of guesswork. Sometimes, the only way to progress is by exploring every single location available until every option has been exhausted. The game can be very vague, but most puzzles can be solved easily with a little time. The only real challenge is piecing together the time-twisting story, which will undoubtedly leave some a bit confused.

The controls are simple and tight. Drawing Time Hollows is a breeze, and there was not once an issue with properly navigating. None of the other DS capabilities are utilized, such as the microphone (there's not much of a need for the microphone, so that's understandable).
Time Hollow features some gorgeous anime illustrations, as well as anime cut scenes complete with voiceovers. Character portraits show accurate emotions with accompanying text, and every so often there are animations on the top screen to supplement what is going on.  The town to be explored is nice and varied, with different locations such as Ethan's house, the school building, and even a coffee cafe to have a look around in. Driving techno and atmospheric music accompany the anime graphics and intriguing gameplay. When dealing with the Time Holllows, it's appropriately spooky and mysterious, and once things are back to normal, it can get quirky and upbeat. There is even a theme song complete with vocals for the game, as featured in DDR Supernova 2. At the beginning of the game, it's played along with an anime opening sequence.

It's possible to complete Time Hollow in an extremely short amount of time. Seasoned players or those who are a lot quicker with the puzzle-solving could easily finish it much quicker. This is a grand option for a day off work, or something to take along on a long car ride, because it's an extremely short but satisfying gameplay experience. However, once it's over, there is very little replay value unless one enjoys experiencing the story again and again.

Time Hollow is a refreshingly different action/adventure game for the DS, and one that's quite worthy of your attention. It provides just the right amount of difficulty, presented with lush anime-styled graphics, and an addictive storyline that can be completed even if you're one of those people who has no time for video games.

Rating: 7 / 10

Words by Brittany Vincent