Cursed Angel: Time Paradox

An intriguing blend of the past and the future, Cursed Angel: Time Paradox puts a skilled hacker from the 21st century against mythical armies from Atlantis in the ultimate test of skill. If that doesn't sound unique enough on its own, don't worry, it gets even more confusing when we delve into the game's bizarre mix of RTS and ARPG gameplay.

As much as I'd love to say that the freshness of Cursed Angel: Time Paradox's ideas are enough to make the game appealing for those players looking for a rather unique experience, the truth is that the game is still far from finished. Frustrating camera glitches and a confusing gameplay loop are enough to make sure that this is one of the most problematic indie games to recommend to anyone.

Back in Time

The game begins with a mysterious programmer who calls himself "Cursed Angel." The techie develops a powerful artifact known as the Mask of Time, which allows its wearer absolute control over time and space. Immediately, Cursed Angel uses his newfound powers to travel back in time to the lost city of Atlantis, where a world of myth and magic awaits.

At first glance, the idea of "Watch Dogs meets Diablo" sounds promising enough, until you realize that the game never does much with its endearing premise. I was kind of invested in the overall theme of the game up to the point when I noticed that Cursed Angel would only be yet another OP anime character with very little in the way of character development.

Commanding Legions

Once you arrive in the past, you'll notice that the game features two vastly distinct gameplay modes. One of them has the player taking direct control over Cursed Angel, which plays a bit like your average character action ARPG with an overpowered character mowing down endless hordes of enemies.

The other feels a bit more like an Age of Empires clone where players use resources to grow settlements and raise armies. To be honest, I think I enjoyed the RTS portion of the game a bit more than being an unstoppable war machine with Cursed Angel. The controls and overall gameplay feel a bit more solid in the game's RTS moments, and so does the overall presentation.

Indie Woes

Like many other indie games developed by a solo programmer, Cursed Angel: Time Paradox feels a bit unfinished. Most of the models seem unchanged from whatever asset gallery they come from, which might explain why there seems to be a clash of different art styles all through the game.

Other issues that should also be addressed by the developer as soon as possible are the matters of performance and camera movement. Even a fairly competent gaming rig can chug through Cursed Angel: Time Paradox due to the poor optimization, and that's only when the game's camera finally manages to follow your character through the map. As it is, however, there's still plenty of room for improvement for what could be a rather enjoyable experience.

Pros

• Intriguing plot
• Tons of unique characters to choose and command
• Addictive RTS gameplay

Cons

• Terrible performance on most machines
• Disappointing visuals and animations
• Annoying camera can't keep track of your character