Stargate: Timekeepers

My first instinct when a real-time tactics game gets compared to Commandos and Shadow Tactics in the same review cycle is to pay close attention, because that genre bar is genuinely high. Stargate: Timekeepers clears that bar only partially, but how much it matters depends on one question: how many seasons of SG-1 have you watched? The game kicks off during the Battle of Antarctica at the tail end of season seven, assumes full franchise fluency, and gives newcomers absolutely no catch-up material. If you have not seen at least seasons one through seven, the narrative scaffolding will feel invisible. Mechanically, the core loop is familiar and mostly functional. You field up to three characters at a time from a roster that includes Colonel Eva McCain, an automatic-weapons specialist capable of surviving direct firefights; Max Bolton, a long-range sniper; Sam Watson, a spy who can impersonate Jaffa soldiers to bluff her way through checkpoints; Derrick Harper, a drone operator who can heal allies and disable electronics; and A'ta, a Jaffa defector carrying a Ma'tok staff suited for quiet takedowns. The mission structure is level-based and linear: assess patrol patterns using the visible enemy sight cones, coordinate abilities in sequence, knock targets out, zip-tie them, stash them somewhere a patrol buddy will not spot them, and make hard saves frequently. A UI timer that counts time since your last save is an honest quality-of-life touch, though it will also remind you how much progress you are about to lose when a plan unravels. Hard difficulty adds meaningful pressure, occasionally forcing improvised killzones rather than clean stealth solutions. Where it falls short relative to Mimimi's work is ambition. The character roster is not as mechanically deep as Shadow Tactics or Shadow Gambit. The environments, while competently laid out, do not stretch across the variety you would expect from a franchise built around wormholes to alien worlds. The writing sits at functional-to-mediocre for most of the campaign; the original cast is charming enough in small moments but rarely rises to the level of the television ensemble players were hoping to see. That licensing gap, where the budget did not extend to the actual SG-1 cast, is felt throughout. Critically, the game shipped as a split release: seven missions at launch in January 2024, with the remaining seven arriving in October 2024. The full 14-mission, fully voice-acted campaign is now in place, which matters for anyone buying today. Part two also adds Xugga, a new Unas character, expanding tactical options in the back half. For the Commandos-and-stealth crowd who are agnostic about the license, this is a serviceable genre entry at a price that reflects its scope. The level design is taut enough to reward patience, the sight-cone stealth model works correctly, and the AI reads as consistent rather than cheap. The 60 percent positive Steam rating and 72 Metacritic score land exactly where they should: not a disaster, not essential, but a well-above-average afternoon for anyone who appreciates methodical squad management over raw firepower. Go in expecting a mid-tier Commandos clone with a strong SG-1 coat of paint and you will leave satisfied. Go in expecting the universe to feel as large as the show promised and you will leave disappointed.

Diego · Scout Team

Strategy & simulation

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