The situation is grim. A catastrophe has caused the foundations of spacetime to falter, resulting in the mixing and overlapping of different time periods. A dark, evil force is using the ensuing chaos to slip in and attempt to enforce its own will on the remaining survivors of humanity. However, just as all seems lost, the powers of good have gathered great thinkers and heroes from across time to work together to save the human race from oblivion.

You wouldn't be blamed for thinking that this description is for the next big AAA title from a publisher like Ubisoft or EA. Even so, it is not.

Big Time leaves a pretty positive first impression. The gameplay is fast-paced and at times it doesn’t look too different from something like Genshin Impact: a sprawling open world with high-quality, highly stylized graphics, and free movement with real-time, action-focused combat. In other words, Big Time is incredible to look at and is actually fun to play. However, performance wise, it can be heavy, but we also can attribute that to it being in Beta and not optimized yet.

Players can select between four classes: the Time Warrior, Chronomancer, Shadowblade, and Quantum Fixer. These are the equivalents of a Warrior, Mage, Ninja, and Medic in other games, and in its current state, Big Time doesn’t seem to do much to deviate from those core archetypes. However, you aren’t stuck with the class you select at the outset of your game. Through the pocket watch mechanic, you can freely switch between classes and level them up however you see fit.

The game places a large focus on its “collapsing timeline” concept and uses it to great effect in actual gameplay. Everything from the mission objectives, enemies, and environments are always procedurally generated, ensuring you’ll never encounter the same combination of components in any Adventure Instance. An Adventure Instance is a mission that is accessed by entering the Time Tears that can be found all around Time’s End, the huge open world Big Time takes place. These serve as Big Time’s dungeons where players face waves of enemies, collect loot NFTs, and gain experience points to level up their abilities. The enemies and time periods that make up these Adventure Instances vary wildly, which is a big part of the game’s charm. Promotional material shows heroes battling a T-Rex in the Old West, and giant mutated insects in a far-flung future.

The final part of Big Time’s gameplay options will lead us into the game’s economy. As you play the game, you will collect items that can then be displayed in your Time Machine, which the game refers to as your own Personal Metaverse where you and your friends can meet up, coordinate missions, and admit all of your spoils of battle.

It is also in the plans that following the release of the game, further expansions, known as Time Collisions, will be available, allowing players to explore new worlds and timelines.