The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand ever wider with the conclusion of Loki, the latest series to drop on the Disney+ streaming platform. The twists and turns featured in Loki tackle subjects like time travel, alternate realities, and the multiverse, setting the stage for big things to come in the Marvel universe. Narrative beats were bizarre and intriguing for fans with each new episode, and matters only look to get stranger as the consequences of this show trickle into other MCU projects like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
With Loki season two already confirmed, fans are anxiously awaiting more mind-bending, time travel storylines. Season one just came to a close this past week, however, so it will take some time before Loki's adventure continues. In the meantime, any gamers who tuned into Marvel's latest offering and can't get enough of stories that deal with the passage of time and dimensional anomalies should check out the following video games to scratch that itch.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
Following up The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is by no means an easy feat, which was at the time (and still today) considered to be one of the greatest video games ever made. Director Eiji Aonuma very cleverly decided not to try and match the previous game in terms of sheer scale, but rather opt for a completely different experience altogether.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is often considered the most ambitious entry in the Legend of Zelda series for its incredibly in-depth approach to a three-day game cycle, and all the variables for players to consider. Fully exploring and familiarizing oneself with the many denizens of the world and how events play out is crucial to success. From the freakish Moon in the sky, the many masks and their powers and Majora's haunting appearance, Majora's Mask is a timeless (pun intended) journey for the ages.
The Timesplitters Series
With a new Timesplitters game on the way, old fans and new gamers alike should go back and appreciate this zany time travel trilogy. The basic premise follows Sergeant Cortez and his many allies as they travel through time on a series of increasingly more wild missions. Cortez must travel to the future and even back to the wild west in a temporal war against the Timesplitters, an alien race attempting to shift the passage of time and alter the outcome of events.
The fast-paced, first-person shooting ensures that the plot doesn't boggle player minds too much, as most of the fun instead comes from the moment-to-moment action and set pieces. The polished shooter gameplay is to be expected, as the Timesplitters trilogy was developed by the same creative minds that helped to craft Goldeneye on the N64, one of those most revolutionary and influential additions to the genre. For players that love first-person shooters with a sharp narrative twist, this series is not to be missed.
Chrono Trigger
The Super Nintendo era was home to some of the most industry-defining games that have gone on to inspire many modern classics. While some games from that generation were more simple platformers, Chrono Trigger was wildly ambitious in scale and mechanics, unlike anything else that had come before on the SNES.
Chrono Trigger followed the time-traveling adventures of a group of heroes as they attempt to stop a global catastrophe. The most notable feature for Chrono Trigger that was hugely impressive for its time was the branching paths and changes that could be made to the timeline. Based on the player's interactions and choices throughout the quests, Chrono Trigger can ultimately conclude in one of twelve endings, each with its own outcomes and consequences. This replay value and sense of impact on the overall conclusion is sure to please any time travel aficionado.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
While Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped introduced and played with the concept of time travel, the fourth game truly made the best use of it. Releasing in 2020, twenty-two years after the third installment, the game's subtitle was an appropriate tongue-in-cheek nod to fans, as it was about time for a proper return to form for Crash and the gang. The hugely varied and colorful worlds that span across different locations and eras, ensuring the adventure never has a dull moment
Gamers who enjoy challenging platformers such as Celeste will certainly be dazzled by the tight level design in Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time. Unlike the previous examples, the storyline in this game doesn't take itself nearly as seriously, with a much stronger emphasis on goofiness and just having a good time. The more lighthearted approach to the time travel shenanigans and playfulness in the gameplay make for an engaging and worthwhile action platforming experience.
Zero Escape Series
If the bleak tone of Majora's Mask still isn't enough for players, then the Zero Escape series should be the next destination on their time travel gaming binge. Switching up gameplay styles from the examples above, the Zero Escape franchise is a visual novel adventure with a heavy emphasis on puzzle solving throughout the many chapters in the game.
Depending on the decisions made by players in the game, different paths will open up as the story continues. These paths create branching timelines for the player, which can be explored to discover additional information for the player to consider. All of these choices help influence the events in the game, making it a highly repayable title for curious gamers who want to see every outcome. Just like how Loki's choices in his Disney+ series have helped spawn a massive Marvel multiverse of possibilities, gamers can influence one of many endings in this twisted game of cause and effect.