Timeline (video game)

Timeline is played from a first-person perspective, with a focus on adventure and puzzle-solving. and is accompanied by Kate, who provides hints to the player throughout the game. The game is divided into various chapters, which include the player participating in a jousting tournament. Enemies cannot be killed in the game, as doing so could disrupt Hughes' future timeline. Killing an enemy results in the player being forced to restart from the last save point. The game includes a free-roaming tour mode, in which the player can observe the environment while Michael Crichton provides narration to explain the history of the area. ==Development and release==

In April 1999, Crichton announced the formation of his own video game development company, Timeline Studios, which would develop games based on Crichton's previous projects. On June 21, 2000, Eidos announced that the company's first game with Timeline Computer Entertainment would be Timeline, based on Crichton's 1999 novel of the same name. Eidos had hoped that Timeline would break new ground with its emphasis on diverse environments, interactivity, and story. Crichton worked on the game as director and as a game designer. Crichton often held video conferences with the development team to approve and disapprove of gameplay elements. On the game's official website, Crichton described Timeline as "a game for people that don't usually play games." Copies of the game included a free copy of the novel. ==Reception==

Timeline received "generally unfavorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Ron Dulin of GameSpot praised the voice acting and "fairly good though somewhat bland" graphics, and wrote that "it's hard to understand what Timeline is supposed to be. It borrows good ideas from many different action games, but it isn't very fun. It's based on a lengthy page-turner; yet, it manages to include very little story of its own. And it is so short and easy that it seems like little more than a tutorial for a better game." Dulin wrote that the game's diverse chapters made it seem as if Timeline "is just a collection of scenes from different action games." Dulin felt that the game's most disappointing aspect was its "almost complete lack of story," stating that without reading the novel, "it's doubtful you'll have any idea why anything is happening, who any of these people are, or, most importantly, why you should care." ==References==