The demise of the housefly often unfolds in a clandestine manner. Moments after these insects appear in our vicinity, annoyance levels surge, prompting swift defensive measures with rolled-up magazines and quick swimmer movements until the pests vanish. “Time High,” a puzzle game that plays with perception, reexamines this fleeting existence as an absurd tragedy, offering players a list of whimsical tasks that soon become a bucket list for these nuisances.

In just about a minute, players can navigate a minimalist 2D environment to fulfill these final aspirations. Fry’s dreams manifest as vague and distant prompts like “make someone laugh,” “find a god,” “start a revolution,” and “become rich.” Thank you for joining us in this satirical side-scroller titled “Coal Supper!”

The game features four distinct levels: an art-filled museum, a winding sewer system, and a cluttered house packed with two busy Bric-a-Bracs. Its scratchy, monochromatic visual style shapes each environment, with seemingly quaint settings concealing philosophical quandaries and lighthearted humor. The game offers various environmental interactions; from making the Mona Lisa smile by landing on her nose to getting tipsy from spilled wine or sewing flowers from flooded corpses. Not all actions verge on checklist completion; players will also encounter unexpected hazards as they uncover each Rubae Goldberg machine or Genga Tower throughout the game’s expansive levels.

The central challenge lies in the limited seconds available in each day—not just to discover all the bucket list tasks, but also to connect them in a sequence that unlocks the subsequent level. Crafting the ideal route is both simple and captivating, complicated further by watch gadgets that can be manipulated to add valuable seconds to your briefly-lived existence.

What makes the conceptual foundation of Time so compelling is the frustration of controlling the fly along with the incessant noise that accompanies your efforts to meet objectives. You must hold down the arrow key to direct the fly, contending with challenges like incinerating light bulbs and weaving through a statue’s insides, particularly during agile tasks. The controls can feel unwieldy. Over time, the cyclical process of reincarnation mirrors our own unfulfilled aspirations for order amidst a chaotic world. Despite our relatively lengthy life spans, many struggle to attain the lofty goals Fry sets forth—unless we adapt what those ambitions truly signify for us.

Accompanied by the relentless tick-tock of the clock, Time Fly emerges not only as a cleverly crafted puzzle game but also for its ability to distill deep philosophical notions into digestible gameplay. By combining playful mechanics with contemplative themes, Time Flies offers a lighthearted space for players to grapple with existential concepts for an hour or two. As you seek to unravel the fly’s aspirations, there’s ample room to explore your own identity.