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Time Wasters similar games & best alternatives

Time Wasters

PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2023

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Quick resume

Time Wasters is a space shooter bullet heaven roguelite. Equip and upgrade weapons, destroy swarms of enemies, and collect Time & Space Cubes to bend the timeline to your advantage.

Global score

88/100

Genres

Action, Casual, Indie, Role-playing (RPG)

Similar games

    Pros

    • Addictive and engaging gameplay loop
    • Strong meta progression and unlock system
    • Unique planet mechanics adding strategic depth
    • Low price with high entertainment value
    • Frequent updates and developer support

    Cons

    • Limited map variety and enemy diversity
    • Some balance issues and difficulty spikes
    • Ai-generated art criticized by some players
    • Repetitive music and visual overload at times
    • Lack of multiplayer or social features

    Motivations

    • Autonomy

      Game with the same Autonomy vibe

      4

      "Players have freedom to choose crew members, mission order, and approach, allowing control over actions and decisions."

      Capsule for Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew

      "Players have freedom to choose captains, crew members, and upgrade paths, and can direct their movement and aiming, allowing control over playstyle and decisions."

    • Competence

      Game with the same Competence vibe

      4

      "The game offers challenging combat, skill mastery, and build optimization with feedback through boss fights and progression systems."

      Capsule for Shape of Dreams Shape of Dreams

      "The game offers skill-based challenges, requiring dodging, positioning, and build optimization with feedback from progression and boss fights."

    • Competition

      Game with the same Competition vibe

      -3

      "Focus is on personal progression and optimization rather than direct competition or ranked modes."

      Capsule for Captain of Industry Captain of Industry

      "Focus is on individual progression and personal goals rather than direct competition or ranked modes."

    • Continuation

      Game with the same Continuation vibe

      4

      "Many players report addictive gameplay loops and habitual play with repeated runs and meta progression."

      Capsule for KIBORG KIBORG

      "Players report addictive gameplay loops, frequent returns for runs, and meta progression encouraging habitual play."

    • Cooperation

      Game with the same Cooperation vibe

      -4

      "Gameplay is single-player focused, with no cooperative multiplayer elements; players control their own party independently."

      Capsule for Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4 Penny Arcade's On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness 4

      "Gameplay is single-player focused with no multiplayer or cooperative mechanics; players engage independently."

    • Creativity

      Game with the same Creativity vibe

      3

      "Customization of ships, planets, and fleets with items and upgrades allows creative strategic builds; modding tools further enhance creativity."

      Capsule for Sins of a Solar Empire II Sins of a Solar Empire II

      "Customization of crew and builds, choice of upgrades, and strategic use of planets allow creative approaches within defined structures."

    • Domination

      Game with the same Domination vibe

      -4

      "Interactions are primarily solo and balanced; no evidence of exerting control or superiority over other players."

      Capsule for Mortal Sin Mortal Sin

      "Interactions are primarily solo and balanced; no evidence of exerting control or superiority over other players."

    • Escapism

      Game with the same Escapism vibe

      5

      "Players describe immersive, trance-like experiences that help them escape reality and stress."

      Capsule for Super Hexagon Super Hexagon

      "Strong reports of immersion and trance-like 'machine zone' states, with players using the game as a distraction and stress relief."

    • Expectation

      Game with the same Expectation vibe

      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily for fun and personal interest, with no indication of obligation or external pressure."

      Capsule for Shadow Warrior 2 Shadow Warrior 2

      "Players engage voluntarily for fun and personal interest, with no indication of obligation or external pressure."

    • Experimenting

      Game with the same Experimenting vibe

      3

      "Players try different weapons, builds, and strategies each run, exploring mechanics and combinations."

      Capsule for The Bleakest Keep The Bleakest Keep

      "Players try different captains, weapon combinations, and strategies, exploring mechanics and builds."

    • Exploration

      Game with the same Exploration vibe

      -2

      "The game uses a fixed map (Earth) with limited new area discovery, focusing more on strategic variation than geographic exploration."

      Capsule for ICBM ICBM

      "The game features a single static map with fixed planet locations; limited discovery but some strategic movement around the map."

    • Expression

      Game with the same Expression vibe

      2

      "Some customization of ship appearance and character naming, but limited cosmetic personalization."

      Capsule for Scavenger SV-4 Scavenger SV-4

      "Players customize their ship's crew and upgrades, but character portraits and art are mostly fixed with minimal cosmetic personalization."

    • Fantasy

      Game with the same Fantasy vibe

      4

      "Set in a sci-fi space setting with imaginative weapons and bosses, providing a strong fantasy experience."

      Capsule for Steredenn: Binary Stars Steredenn: Binary Stars

      "Set in a sci-fi space setting with anime-style characters and fantastical weapons, providing an imaginative fiction experience."

    • Fellowship

      Game with the same Fellowship vibe

      -4

      "No multiplayer or social community features; players mostly play solo without social interaction."

      Capsule for Warplanes: WW1 Sky Aces Warplanes: WW1 Sky Aces

      "No multiplayer or social community features; players mostly play solo with minimal social connection."

    • Growth

      Game with the same Growth vibe

      4

      "Players develop skills, unlock upgrades, and improve builds over time through meta progression."

      Capsule for NIMRODS NIMRODS

      "Strong meta progression, unlocks, and skill development reported, with players learning builds and improving over time."

    • Health

      Game with the same Health vibe

      -4

      "Sedentary gameplay with long sessions; no physical activity involved."

      Capsule for The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

      "Sedentary gameplay with reports of long sessions and ignoring physical needs; no physical activity involved."

    • Idle

      Game with the same Idle vibe

      -4

      "Requires constant attention and active control; fast-paced gameplay demands focus."

      Capsule for Void Scrappers Void Scrappers

      "Requires constant attention and active control; fast-paced and intense gameplay demands focus."

    • Intimacy

      Game with the same Intimacy vibe

      -5

      "No evidence of forming close relationships or emotional sharing; gameplay is individual."

      Capsule for Taur Taur

      "No evidence of forming close relationships or emotional sharing; gameplay is individual and surface-level."

    • Leadership

      Game with the same Leadership vibe

      -5

      "No leadership or group management roles; players act independently without guiding others."

      Capsule for Five Nights at Freddy's 4 Five Nights at Freddy's 4

      "No leadership or group management roles; players act independently without guiding others."

    • Progression

      Game with the same Progression vibe

      5

      "Strong emphasis on accumulating upgrades, crafting, unlocking weapons, and meta progression."

      Capsule for Demon Hunt Demon Hunt

      "Strong emphasis on accumulating upgrades, items, and permanent unlocks through meta progression."

    • Relaxation

      Game with the same Relaxation vibe

      2

      "Some players find flow and catharsis in gameplay, though intensity and challenge create tension."

      Capsule for PAKO 2 PAKO 2

      "Some players experience flow and catharsis, but the game also involves sustained tension and challenge."

    • Sensation

      Game with the same Sensation vibe

      4

      "Bright visuals, fast action, and humorous audio create strong sensory stimulation and excitement."

      Capsule for Buck Up And Drive! Buck Up And Drive!

      "Bright, flashy visuals and intense audio effects provide strong sensory stimulation and excitement."

    • Status

      Game with the same Status vibe

      -4

      "No social recognition or leaderboards; achievements are personal and not publicly ranked."

      Capsule for Balatro Balatro

      "No social recognition or leaderboards; achievements and progress are personal and not publicly ranked."

    • Story

      Game with the same Story vibe

      -3

      "Minimal narrative or lore; gameplay focuses on action and survival rather than story immersion."

      Capsule for Yet Another Zombie Survivors Yet Another Zombie Survivors

      "Minimal narrative or lore; gameplay focuses on action and challenges rather than story immersion."

    • Strategy

      Game with the same Strategy vibe

      4

      "Players engage in strategic planning of builds, skill placement, and combat tactics; some players note inventory and map navigation challenges."

      Capsule for Ghostlore Ghostlore

      "Players plan builds, manage upgrades, and navigate map mechanics requiring tactical thinking and problem solving."

    • Thrill

      Game with the same Thrill vibe

      3

      "Boss fights and challenging combat provide suspense and excitement; some frustration reported with difficulty spikes."

      Capsule for Eastern Exorcist Eastern Exorcist

      "Fast-paced action and boss fights create suspense and excitement, though some frustration reported with difficulty spikes."

    • Value

      Game with the same Value vibe

      5

      "Highly praised for low price and high entertainment value; players feel they receive great return on investment."

      Capsule for Super Amazing Wagon Adventure Super Amazing Wagon Adventure

      "Highly praised for low price and strong entertainment value; players feel they get excellent return on investment."

    • Violence

      Game with the same Violence vibe

      3

      "Combat against enemies is central, involving destruction and defeating waves of foes."

      Capsule for Kingdom Rush - Tower Defense Kingdom Rush - Tower Defense

      "Combat and destruction of enemies is central, with emphasis on shooting and defeating waves of foes."

    • Survival

      Game with the same Survival vibe

      4

      "Core gameplay revolves around avoiding damage, managing shields, and surviving waves of enemies."

      Capsule for Void Scrappers Void Scrappers

      "Core gameplay involves avoiding death, managing shields and hull, and overcoming increasingly difficult enemy waves."

    Analysis

    Less representative of its motivational profile, with noticeable differences. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Fellowship, Cooperation, Leadership, Violence. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Survival. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Story, Exploration.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 30/04/2026