Superhot review: Time is on my side

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As I slowly transition from my early 30s to what is inarguably my mid-30s, there are moments when I explicitly notice that my reflexes aren't what they used to be. As someone who enjoys twitchy, reflex-based action games as a hobby and a large part of his career, this is more than a bit concerning for me. Thank god, then, for a game like Superhot, which slows down the gameplay of a traditional first-person shooter in a way that requires nearly no reflexes of any kind.

The game spells out its own chief gimmick in big block letters almost as soon as you start: "Time Moves Only When You Move." That's not quite true—time actually crawls forward at a snail's pace even if you stand perfectly still. For the most part, though, Superhot lets you get your bearings and think about how to deal with the stylized, often-armed red figures surrounding you before you have to commit to any one action.

It's a massive change that makes Superhot play out more like a turn-based strategy game than a shooter. At first, it requires you to rethink the usual mental map you'd usually use in a game played from a perspective behind a gun. You don't have to dive for the nearest cover every chance you get in Superhot, for example; if the enemy isn't quite close, you'll probably have plenty of time to see the incoming bullet frozen in mid-air and simply sidestep out of its way.