Parents' Guide to Timelie

While this indie puzzler hasn't received a lot of fanfare, it's a sharp and challenging game that doesn't overstay its welcome thanks to its short, but engaging action. Just when the gamer believes they have a good, solid grasp on the mechanics of Timelie, it throws in another wrench to keep the gameplay fresh and appealing. While you may start at simply reversing time to rebuild bridges or gaps within the ground—or needing to reverse yourself out of a dicey situation to avoid being cornered by the robot horde—things change with the introduction of the orange cat. Suddenly, in addition to observing your enemies' movements and using color-coded doors to avoid—or even trap—robots, the cat brings with it a mighty meow that can distract enemies, allowing the protagonist to sneak by and fulfill her objectives.

It's important to note that Timelie is far from "easy," despite its lighthearted visuals and serene atmospheric music. While the game never gets frustratingly hard, the difficulty increases with every chapter and requires critical thinking and logic to move forward. Players will need to use the timeline provided in each level to sometimes synchronize their characters' actions to progress. In some levels, the answers won't be clear until you approach a room with a different perspective, or even by swapping

between the protagonist and the cat as they can each do things the other can't. For example, the cat can use small spaces or vents only it can access to escape enemies or quickly move across the level, while the protagonist can use keypads and certain time-specific powers (like rebuilding bridges and gaps). Overall, Timelie is a fun, engaging game that's deceptively good for the time it asks you to spend with it.