Zeit²
Developer: Technische Universität Berlin
Nomination: Student Showcase
Platform: Windows, XBox Community Games (trailer available)
Website
Description: Sidescrolling shooter you play with yourself. 2008 Dream Build Play finalist, winner Best Game from Germany.

Adam’s Thoughts:
Zeit² is no mere 2d space shooter with a time travel mechanic grafted onto it. It has more in common with Chronotron, that time travel game where you create replays of your own actions to assist you as you solve puzzles. Zeit² is obviously a more action-oriented take on the idea, but it retains the same “co-op game you play with yourself” sensibility.

The replay shadows that you leave behind as you travel through time do more than mimic your past actions, however. Shooting them makes them explode into a hail of weapons fire, so in addition to letting you be in two places at once, your temporal shadows function as a heavy weapons platform (and luckily, shooting your alternate self comes with no risk of paradox). Beyond the time travel, the game looks to err on the side of more methodical shooters. That is, you shouldn’t expect bullet hell, but there should still be plenty of challenge on tap.

Katie’s Thoughts:
Sidescrolling shooters aren’t exactly a new genre of video game, and so it’s interesting to see more than one in our GDC collection. What’s particularly of note is that we’ve seen new spins on this arcade-old genre, and that can make an old game new again.

Zeit² lets you go back in time and spawn a second copy of yourself to help fend off the space evil, doubling your firepower against the tides of spaceships on their way to destroy you. The longer you fight alone, however, the more “backup” power you acquire, encouraging you to save the double-your-awesome, double-your-fun action for situations when you really need it. Zeit² looks to be a fun and interesting twist on a solid genre, and I’m looking forward to putting my hands on it.

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