Time Benders - Part 1: The Appendages of the Machine is a premium adventure game by indie developer Joel Jordon. It is a top-down puzzler featuring real-time gameplay mechanics. In it, players take on the role of a worker trying to gripe with the mundane nature of his job while realizing the dubious practices of their employer.

Similar to games like M.Stain and Cleaning Redville, Time Benders Part 1 draws inspiration from classic PS1 games for its distinctive low-poly graphics and visuals. However, it takes on a more casual and humorous approach compared to the typically dark and horror themes popular back then.

The daily grind

In Time Benders - Part 1: The Appendages of the Machine, you play a typical worker for a mysterious yet highly successful company. Your job involves moving boxes and starting up various machine processes in exchange for previous Time Crystals you'll collect. However, as you go about your day and tasks, you slowly realize things are getting longer to accomplish.

The truth is you're getting paid much less for the crystals you collect and with enough of them, you can manipulate time itself. Realizing their value, you decide to steal and sell them for a larger profit. However, you have to do so on your off-shift during which cameras and security guards are watching and patrolling. Manage your time, money, and energy to devise the ultimate heist.

As you progress in Time Benders Part 1, you discover your time was being stolen by the company and now you have the power to take back your lost time and spend it the way you want. The whole experience is quite unique but the gameplay is rather short. However, as its name suggests, this is just one part of a series. Hopefully, the follow-up comes sooner rather than later.

Time-bending adventure

All in all, Time Benders - Part 1: The Appendages of the Machine is a quirky puzzler that offers an engaging and surprisingly relatable experience. Beyond its puzzles and humor lies a realistic and grounded story about the human condition. It's quite subtle in its approach but those who grasp its themes will appreciate the subtle nuances of its gameplay.