Time Flies Review

As someone who has always been terrified of death, I get a little uncomfortable when the topic comes up in video games. Time Flies, developed by Michael Frei and Raphaël Munoz, gets you feeling nice and cozy with that sweet, sweet concept of mortality within the first minute of gameplay. Immediately sincere, humorous, and heartfelt, the game managed to turn my uneasiness around the complicated subject of death into something closer to pure enjoyment as I buzzed around this hand-drawn, black and white universe. I think one of the reasons I felt this way is because I was exploring this charming and rich environment as one of the most universally hated and overlooked creatures of our time.

Time Flies in Action

In Time Flies you play as a house fly with a short lifespan, attempting to cross everything off your bucket list(s) before you die. The game presents this concept via time based tasks and light, intuitive puzzles. As a fly, players have the option to choose a life expectancy, which is determined by choosing a country via a drop down menu. The developers used life expectancy data by country as defined by the World Health Organization, so if you want the most amount of time to complete these bonkers bucket lists before you die, I recommend choosing Japan. This will afford you a seemingly long lifespan of 84.5 seconds (years for human lives), while choosing a place like The United States of America offers a lifespan of 76.4 seconds. And boy, does every second count.

Timed challenges in games can be really stressful, but there’s something about being a fly and dying very quickly that just makes me feel at ease here. The loop of discovering new items to interact with and therefore checking off tasks from your bucket list is executed in a way that feels like a unique combo of exciting, playful, and low stakes. There’s no shortage of creativity in each of the game’s four levels, and the lists prompt you to accomplish many things and serve as the guiding star of your exploration process. Items range from simple and straightforward like “Get Drunk,” to out-of-the-box like “Start a Revolution.” There are no instructions, just a list and the dwindling ticking of a timer before the clock strikes death. Each run offers the opportunity to beat your previous time and discover something new. 

It encouraged me to approach the concept of existing in a different way, while never making me feel less than or not smart enough. It stays fun throughout, and I think that all of us could use a little bit more of that in our lives. 

Less is more, and the silence is loud 

Visually, this game appears simple, but I quickly began to notice that everything is so detailed, proving that it was no small effort to create the world of this game. The game offers cheeky nods to popular art, from The Velvet Underground to The Mona Lisa, and the thoughtful details extend to the sound design as well. Hats off to the devs for somehow making the buzzing sound of a fly (this is what you will hear for most of the game) sound appealing. When the buzzing stops, it can only mean one thing. And that moment resonates in the silence.

Having so many options for how much time you have to accomplish the bucket list acts as a detailed and niche difficulty setting, with options for every play style.  I completed the game in just under three hours, and it’s hard for me to imagine anyone not enjoying this incredibly unique experience. It has something for every type of gamer, as you could spend several hours trying to complete your bucket list in the shortest amount of time possible. However, nothing really feels impossible or frustrating, but always just challenging enough while playing with the longest lifespan possible. But more than all of this, it encouraged me to approach the concept of existing in a different way, while never making me feel less than or not smart enough. It stays fun throughout, and I think that all of us could use a little bit more of that in our lives. 

Time Flies Trailer

Time Flies seamlessly balances its many special qualities. At times I felt the thrill of completing my bucket list with .5 seconds to spare, and other times I was laughing out loud, shedding a tear, or experimenting with death. I wonder what would happen if I flew into this Jell-O mold sitting on the table… If you’re anything like me, you might lead with curiosity over caution while playing games. The risky and reckless will be rewarded with endless laughs, but they will also discover some expertly and lovingly crafted secrets that feel profound and moving all the same.

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this game from the moment I picked it up. It’s possible that maybe now I’m just noticing these insects more often, but one singular fly has been chilling with me in my car for a few days now, and I’m sort of attached. I no longer have an instinct to kill these creatures, but I did see if he wanted to exit my vehicle by rolling the window down. Funnily enough, my new friend is sticking around. I hope he’s enjoying listening to gaming podcasts and singing along to Subway by Chappell Roan on my morning commute. Maybe that was on his bucket list!

Kate was provided with a review key of Time Flies by popagenda

About No Small Games

No Small Games is an indie game recap and review podcast brought to you by hosts Kate and Emily! They became friends while streaming on Twitch and bonded over their love of indie video games. In each episode of No Small Games, the two will discuss an indie game they both played independently. They’ll compare their experiences: the good, the bad, their most memorable moments of their playthroughs.

Learn more about the podcast and its hosts on the About page.

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