Life condensed into 80.5 seconds duration
In the world of gaming, a standout title has emerged that offers a fresh and thought-provoking experience: Time Flies. Developed by Playables and published by Panic, this indie game launched on July 31, 2025, and is now available on PS5, Switch, and PC.
Time Flies is an existential adventure that places players in the role of a common housefly with a bucket list of life experiences to complete within a very short lifespan—typically around 60 seconds. The game combines open-world exploration with flight simulation mechanics, emphasizing the importance of time management and creative problem-solving.
At the heart of Time Flies is its innovative gameplay. Players control their fly using smooth flight physics, primarily with the control stick. The game features realistic physics that make every movement feel authentic, creating a sense of vulnerability and wonder as players navigate environments that tower above them.
The game presents a list of objectives or life goals, such as learning an instrument, accumulating wealth, or starting a revolution. Players must experiment and use trial-and-error to complete these tasks, often with humorous outcomes. Since the fly's lifespan is short, players must manage their time efficiently. Each level requires completing objectives within a single life cycle, which can be challenging and exhilarating. Players can extend their time by interacting with clocks in the environment.
Time Flies encourages players to make the best use of their time through several key mechanics. The game's short time limit creates pressure and urgency, making players prioritise tasks and think creatively about how to complete objectives quickly. Players are encouraged to experiment with the environment, with moments of discovery and satisfaction when objectives are completed, often in unexpected ways. The game's emergent storytelling approach means that failure can be humorous and narratively engaging, encouraging players to try different approaches and not fear failure.
Despite its minimalistic design, Time Flies is full of charm. The fly is represented as a black dot with legs and wings, and the game uses Microsoft Paint-like graphics. The starting location of the fly is on a parquet floor of an apartment, and the tasks on the "Bucket List" include making someone laugh, learning an instrument, and going on tour.
Time Flies uses the average life expectancy of a country to determine the difficulty level. For example, in Lesotho, the average life expectancy is 51.5 seconds, while in Japan, it's 84.5 seconds. Completing the small tasks and managing to do them all in a single run is enjoyable, as is the satisfaction of completing a task like making someone laugh by crawling over their feet in the bedroom.
Time Flies is a unique and engaging game that delivers a thought-provoking message about the importance of making every moment count. It's available on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac, and is recommended for ages 16 and up on the Steam platform. At a cost of around 15 euros, it's a game that offers a unique and memorable experience.
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