Newcomer Caligari Games have partnered with the great Daedalic to give us an intriguing little adventure.

The Great Perhaps is one of the more interesting indie games I’ve played recently, seeing an astronaut returning to Earth after it was destroyed in a cataclysm.

It’s short, probably won’t last you more than two hours, but it has a fascinating little mechanic that is explored relatively well throughout.

See, our astronaut can dabble with time travel through the power of a minature lamp he just finds on the floor. In a moment of desperation, our hero snatches the lantern when being chased by some form of abomination and suddenly has the ability to transition between the past and present.

In the past, the Astronaut can see a vibrant, happy world, full of life and celebration. And in the present, debris, desolation, and anarchy. You’ll need to travel between both in order to unravel the secrets and find out what happened.

It plays in the vein of a Valiant Hearts or a Never Alone. You’re moving along a side-scroller and can jump, throw, and interact with the environment and its characters, though this is very much like an adventure game without the pointing and clicking.

The transition between time periods is smooth with the light of lantern giving you a glimpse at the alternate timeline as you move through the other. For the most part, the style is well suited both graphically and audibly.

Making best use of both timelines is key to your progression. For instance, there may be an object you have to collect in the past that has to be used in the present, or a door you need to pass in one time period may be locked or blocked in another.

That also applies to hazards. If you walk along a train track, for instance, it’s safe in the present, but the past will require to avoid an oncoming train zooming along the tracks.

It’s a really smart design and, for the most part, Caligari Games’ ideas are smart and thoughtful. They’ve told their story well, using a clever mechanic, and while some puzzles are a bit hit and miss, overall it’s an enjoyable game for as long as it lasts.

We’re not short of games at the moment and there’s plenty of fantastic alternatives to The Great Perhaps, but if you’re looking for something new that’s cheaper than a tenner, this is worth a look.

The Great Perhaps is now available on PC

Review code kindly provided by the PR Agency