Crushed In Time: Crushed In Time is the kind of indie game that stands out through creativity and charm. With its witty story, clever puzzles, and unique elastic gameplay mechanics, Draw Me A Pixel has crafted an adventure that's both memorable and refreshing. If you're a fan of point-and-click games and smart humor, this is a journey well worth taking. – NikolaOtasevic
When I received a review key for Crushed In Time a few days before launch, I had no idea I'd end up falling in love with a point-and-click adventure all over again. French studio Draw Me A Pixel, best known for the brilliant There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension, returns with a sequel that is funny, inventive, and technically impressive. This isn't just another indie adventure—it's a game that builds its entire identity around elastic physics in a way I've rarely seen before.
Story and World
The story starts off simply enough before quickly descending into complete madness. A brand-new Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson video game has just been released when one of its characters mysteriously disappears. Armed with their trademark incompetence and an unhealthy amount of confidence, Holmes and Watson set out to solve the case, only to find themselves exploring the very foundations of game development itself.
You'll travel through different stages of the game's creation, from a buggy prototype to a broken beta build and eventually a supposedly finished version that's literally falling apart. This isn't just a clever storytelling gimmick—every stage introduces new mechanics, visual styles, and plenty of meta jokes about the gaming industry. Breaking the fourth wall is taken to a whole new level, and the humor that comes from it is genuinely hilarious.
Comedy is one of the game's strongest assets. Holmes and Watson constantly exchange witty dialogue packed with self-aware jokes about bugs, playtesting, development struggles, and gaming culture in general. It's not shallow slapstick humor; it's smart, well-written comedy that will especially resonate with players who know a thing or two about how games are made, while still being accessible to younger audiences.
Gameplay and Mechanics
The heart of Crushed In Time is its elastic gameplay mechanic. Instead of simply pointing and clicking, you'll grab objects, characters, and parts of the environment, stretch them like rubber bands, and launch them across the screen. It sounds simple, but the mechanic offers surprising depth and becomes incredibly satisfying once you get the hang of it.
Clever Puzzles
The puzzles are one of the game's biggest highlights. Most of them are designed around the physics system, constantly rewarding experimentation and creative thinking.
One early puzzle, set inside the prototype version of the game, had me trying to reach a key hanging from a massive chandelier. The solution? Stretch a giant fireplace across the room to create an improvised bridge, grab Watson, pull him back like a slingshot, and fire him straight at the chandelier. Watching him crash into it and finally grab the key delivered one of those satisfying “aha!” moments that make puzzle games so memorable.
Another standout puzzle takes place in the beta version of the game, where the entire level is broken. I literally had to stretch and reconnect pieces of the screen itself to rebuild the environment and allow the characters to continue their journey. The combination of logic, experimentation, and a bit of trial and error works beautifully.
The puzzles are challenging without becoming frustrating. They're rarely too easy, but they also avoid the unfair moon logic that sometimes plagues classic adventure games.
The game is divided into several chapters representing different stages of development, with each chapter introducing new twists to the core mechanics and fresh visual ideas. This keeps the experience engaging throughout its runtime and prevents the gameplay from becoming repetitive.
A Great Family Experience
Even though I received the game for review purposes, I couldn't resist showing it to my 7-year-old son. He absolutely loved it.
He's not quite ready to tackle the game on his own since some puzzles require precision and logical thinking, but together we managed to solve most of the challenges. Watching his face light up whenever he discovered a clever solution or figured out the next step was one of my favorite memories from the entire experience.
It's one of those rare games that works equally well as a shared adventure between parents and kids.
Graphics, Sound, and Presentation
The art style is charming, colorful, and packed with personality. Every room, character, and intentionally broken feature feels handcrafted with care. The transitions between different stages of development are particularly impressive, evolving from rough placeholder graphics into polished environments.
Animations are smooth, and the stretching effects look fantastic in motion.
The audio department deserves praise as well. The soundtrack perfectly matches the mood of each scene, while the voice acting is excellent. Holmes and Watson share fantastic chemistry, and the satisfying sound effects attached to the stretching mechanics make every interaction feel impactful.
How Long Is It?
A complete playthrough takes roughly five to seven hours, which feels just right for this type of adventure. It's long enough to fully immerse yourself in its world without overstaying its welcome.
There's also a decent amount of replay value for players who want to collect every hidden item or experiment with alternative puzzle solutions.
The Downsides
Of course, the game isn't perfect.
The stretching mechanic can occasionally feel imprecise, especially when using a controller. I'd strongly recommend playing with a mouse and keyboard for the best experience. There were several moments where I had to repeat actions multiple times before getting the angle and timing just right.
Some puzzles can also be slightly unintuitive until you realize that almost everything on the screen can be stretched and manipulated.
Fortunately, these issues are minor compared to everything the game does so well.
Final Verdict
Crushed In Time is a real treat for fans of adventure games, meta humor, and creative gameplay mechanics. Draw Me A Pixel has once again proven that they know how to take a classic genre and completely turn it on its head in the most entertaining way possible.
This is a game with heart, personality, and an endless supply of clever ideas.
If you enjoyed There Is No Game, The Stanley Parable, Return of the Obra Dinn, or modern takes on classic LucasArts adventures, you'll feel right at home here. It's also an excellent choice for parents looking for a game they can enjoy alongside their children.
In an era where many adventure games prefer to play it safe, Crushed In Time constantly experiments and almost always succeeds. It has all the ingredients of a future indie cult classic and earns a warm recommendation.
