The Timesplitters games are extremely popular, and fans have long wanted the franchise to return with a new sequel. But, with that not looking like an option, here comes Timesplitters Rewind, an ambitious and free fan-developed remake of the first game that is out now after a messy, decade-long process.
On November 25, the group of fan developers behind Timesplitters Rewind launched an early access version of the long-in-development remake on PC. Rewind is built in a new engine, and every original asset from the game is recreated from scratch. So it might not play exactly as you remember, but instead feels like a modern update on the classic GameCube/PS2 era sci-fi shooter. You can download it from the game’s website for free.
Contained in Timesplitters Rewind is the first game’s entire story campaign, playable online or solo offline. Also included: 28 maps, 91 characters, 40+ weapons, 20 arcade game modes, and support for 10-player online multiplayer matches. The devs fully admit that this build of the project is buggy and not finished, but after playing a bit of it earlier today, I can say that what is here is good, and I’m excited to see it updated to include all of the campaigns.
“Sorry it’s taken so long. We’ve only been making the largest free content video game ever,” explains the devs on Rewind’s official website.
You might be thinking: “Wait a minute, is this project related to that one Timesplitters remake thing I heard about back in, like, 2015?” And yeah, it probably is that project you vaguely remember from years ago. As explained on the remake’s website, this thing has been in development since around 2012 or so. It was going to launch on PS4 at one point! But since then, the Timesplitters IP has shuffled between companies, with the project’s approval shifting with each change. Reiwnd has also switched engines a ton, and a lot of fans who joined to help eventually left the oft-delayed remake over the years.
So yeah, it’s been a mess. However, it seems like the devs behind Rewind have found some stability, and hopefully, that means the remake will only get bigger and better over the coming months and years.
