This ambitious story-driven, turn-based adventure RPG has already earned its place on our wishlist!
What would you do if we told you that you had only six hours left to live? Would you remain still, fully aware of your impending fate, lost in regret and wondering what might have been if only you had more time? Or would you attempt to break free from this inevitable destiny, fighting tooth and nail to preserve your precious life?
This is the tormenting dilemma that gradually unravels the fragile and fragmented mind of Aline Reinhardt, the young and enigmatic protagonist of The Time I Have Left, the captivating new project from Spanish indie studio Ground Game Atelier.
Launched on Kickstarter on November 21st, the project has swiftly captured the attention of gamers, garnering praise for its captivating concept and ambitious vision. The game aims to pay tribute to classic JRPGs while introducing a fresh, innovative twist that breathes new life into the genre.
Let’s take a closer look at the project and explore what we can expect from this promising title.
Discovering the Creators behind The Time I Have Left
“Great ideas do not expire.”
This succinct yet powerful slogan encapsulates Ground Game Atelier’s identity, as showcased on their official website. The team, small but dynamic, consists of three key members—Yite, Elías, and Gabriel—who oversee every facet of development. They are joined by four external collaborators—Javier, Ceci, Stragalet, and Neuneu—who contribute their expertise to realizing the vision for The Time I Have Left.
Based in Spain, at the heart of the vibrant and sun-soaked city of Barcelona, Ground Game Atelier crafts its work by distilling the essence of the forgotten gems that players have long cherished, while injecting a fresh, personal perspective on what a game can be, express, and represent.
The team’s mission is simple in principle but undeniably challenging to realize: to create something truly special that will stay with players long after the game is over. Their core ethos places equal importance on both technology and art, with the aspiration of inspiring others in their own small, yet meaningful way.
The Birth of The Time I Have Left
Why, how, and when did the project The Time I Have Left come to life? It all began in 2019 as a simple passion project, an unrealizable dream that its creators once hoped to bring to life. However, what initially began with the team’s uncertainty—unaware that they were holding something truly special, something that could transcend being just another entertainment endeavor—quickly evolved in just two years into a full realization. The team became increasingly certain that the project was worth pursuing, believing wholeheartedly that it had all the potential to become exactly what they had envisioned.
This period marks what we can call the true birth of the project. With initial support from the 2022 Epic Megagrants—funding provided by Epic Games to sponsor promising projects that might not otherwise secure enough financial backing—and later from the Catalan Institute of Culture, what began as a humble passion project blossomed into a solid and beautiful reality for Ground Game Atelier.
What is The Time I Have Left?
As outlined on the campaign page, The Time I Have Left is a time-driven escape adventure RPG that places a strong emphasis on storytelling. In many respects, it can be seen as a love letter from the developers to the timeless classics of the JRPG genre, paying homage to both the iconic titles that have defined the genre and the more contemporary ones. However, the game is far more than a nostalgic homage. Its aspirations reach far beyond that, aiming to introduce a fresh, captivating twist on the traditional formula, thus carving out its own distinct identity within the genre.
The game expertly combines the exploration and narrative depth of adventure games with the tactical complexity of turn-based combat RPGs, offering a unique yet familiar experience in both genres. Players step into the shoes of Aline, a woman cursed with a mysterious affliction known as “The Miasma,“ which will claim her life within six hours. The goal is to guide her through the shadowy depths of the enigmatic Colony 7, maximizing her limited time in search of a way out.
Now that the essentials are clear—the game’s premise and its key features—let us take a deeper dive into its distinctive elements, beginning with its most compelling aspect: time, and the critical role it plays in The Time I Have Left.
The Role and Significance of Time in the game: does its duration reflect the Real World, or is it merely a Fictional Countdown?
One question that we’re certain you’ve asked yourselves since we first introduced The Time I Have Left is: Are the six hours remaining before the “game over” truly equivalent to six real-time hours, or is this simply a clever narrative device and a fictional countdown? The answer lies somewhere in the middle—it’s not a definitive “yes” or “no.“ As you may have already guessed, time plays an essential role in the game. The story unfolds over the final six hours of the protagonist’s life, with the ever-present timer visible in the top-right corner of the screen.
But fear not! Due to the mysterious influence of the “Liminal World,” time behaves in unpredictable ways. It can slow down or even halt entirely depending on the situation—such as during combat or while navigating menus. This means that the “six hours” remaining for the protagonist do not equate to six actual hours, but rather reflect a time frame that diverges significantly from real-world time.
As the developers themselves stress, don’t let the ticking clock intimidate you. Feel free to take your time exploring every area thoroughly; you’ll always have enough time to exit any zone before the protagonist’s time runs out.
For those seeking a heightened challenge, however, there’s a “hard mode” where Aline’s six hours play out in real-time. Ground Game Atelier has confirmed that the game will offer three distinct playstyle settings, each altering the way time flows within the experience. While the core gameplay and overall difficulty remain fundamentally unchanged, these options allow players to tailor the challenge to their preferences. Here’s a concise breakdown of the three modes:
- Story: A stress-free mode designed for those who love adventure games without the pressure of time limits. Time pauses entirely in menus and combat.
- Balanced: Perfect for RPG enthusiasts and adventure lovers. Time slows down in menus and combat.
- Challenge: A mode for thrill-seekers and speedrunners, where Aline has just six real-time hours to complete the game. The clock never stops ticking—not even during menus or combat.
Piece together the fragments, fight for your life, and defy a merciless fate
The narrative in The Time I Have Left is both a central and integral element of the game, intricately woven with its unique interpretation of time, which plays a pivotal role in shaping the entire experience. The story follows Aline Reinhardt, a young woman who appears to be the last remaining inhabitant of the vast underground city of Colony 7. However, as one might expect, the tale crafted by Ground Game Atelier is far from optimistic. It chronicles what seem to be the final six hours of Aline’s life, marked by a mysterious and fatal affliction known as “The Miasma.”
As players, our mission is to accompany Aline and assist her on her perilous journey through the complex, with the hope of helping her escape its depths, all while unraveling the mysteries concealed within the monochrome Liminal World—a decaying land teeming with grotesque, nightmarish creatures.
Throughout the game, clues about the world and its inhabitants will be scattered across the various biomes. As you make your escape, you’ll need to collect these fragments to gradually piece together the story. Unlocking these fragments not only unveils lore and character backstories, but also rewards you with experience points, which can be invested in one of three distinct Skill Paths:
- Critical Path: Collect main story fragments to unlock essential survival skills.
- Optional Path: Stray from the main route to discover advanced abilities.
- Secret Path: Explore the most obscure corners of the complex to gain powerful, game-changing super skills.
Exploration is, as you’ve likely realized, a key element of the game. It is not only essential for piecing together the story’s fragments but, more importantly, for enhancing Aline’s chances of escape. The exploration process is split into two main modes: navigating in third-person with fixed camera angles and switching to first-person inspection mode to discover even deeper secrets.
Use the information you gather to unlock shortcuts, hidden narratives, unique items, and other secrets. New abilities are unlocked as you uncover clues and complete the in-game database. Essential survival skills can be acquired by following the main storyline, or you can explore further to unlock two additional skill paths.
As we mentioned earlier, while the timer continues to count down relentlessly at the top of the screen, resist the temptation to rush, and don’t let anxiety take hold. Your time is meant to be experienced, not rushed. After each level, the timer will adjust to match the story’s progression, so make sure to leave the area just in time to make the most of each stage.
Regarding the combat system, it stands out as the game’s most promising feature in terms of depth, dynamism, and complexity, all while ensuring an intuitive experience. Mastery demands constant adaptation, requiring you to vary your tactics, outwit your enemies, and consistently experiment with the full range of techniques at your disposal to keep them off balance.
The creatures of the Liminal World are intelligent, reactive, and unpredictable, always staying one step ahead of you. They will move to anticipate your actions, counter your every move, and employ ever-evolving tactics to throw obstacles in your path, setting traps and inflicting status effects right under your feet.
To succeed, you must think several steps ahead, anticipating your opponent’s moves while embracing a versatile and dynamic combat style. Whether attacking, defending, or reacting to your enemy’s actions, passivity is never an option. Stay one step ahead, avoid being caught off guard, and strike decisively to tip the balance of battle in your favor.
For a clearer idea of what to expect from the combat system, here are the key features that define the experience:
- Resist the Visions of Death: Aline faces grotesque creatures in her Near-Death Experiences. Stand firm against them in a battle of willpower.
- Reactive turn-based mechanics: Time your movements strategically to dodge directional attacks. Master your foes’ patterns to escape unharmed!
- Adventure with an RPG Twist: Experience a fresh take on the classic JRPG formula, combining unique exploration with compelling gameplay.
- Customize your skillset: Unlock new skills through exploration and equip those that best match your playstyle. The more you explore, the more tools you’ll have to face the creatures.
End or New Beginning, Death or Rebirth
Despite the team’s considerable efforts, the crowdfunding campaign still has 17 days to go and has yet to reach half of its funding goal. Currently, the project has raised $16,759 out of its $52,427 target, with support from 197 backers.
There is still time to turn things around and secure the necessary funding to bring this project to life, but a turning point is crucial—and it must come soon. As emphasized by Ground Game Atelier, this phase represents, in many ways, a final opportunity—a last-ditch effort to lift the project off the ground and see it through to completion. If the campaign fails to meet its goal, barring any major developments, The Time I Have Left could be lost for good.
However, much like the fate of the protagonist, Aline, Ground Game Atelier too may have a second and final chance, a potential future, if the campaign fails to reach its funding goal. It would require reorganizing their strategy, reassessing what went wrong, and planning a relaunch—the final attempt for the campaign in 2025.
To help ensure that this outcome is avoided and the project isn’t abandoned, and to support the developers on their journey, here is the link to the campaign page. Additionally, for those curious about the game and eager for a taste of what the full experience holds, a free demo is available on the game’s Steam page.
For more information about the game and to stay updated on the latest news, keep following us and visit the developers’ X account for all the latest updates.
That’s all for now. Until next time!
