Hourglass on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information
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In Hourglass you can create a time-clone of yourself to solve challenging puzzles. You will play as Aywa, a young adventurer who is traveling to Egypt to find her missing father - an archeologist, who never returned from his latest expedition.
Hourglass is a puzzle, puzzle-platformer and first-person game
developed and published by Cyberwave.
Released on October 22nd 2021 is available only on Windows
in 11 languages: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish - Spain, Portuguese - Brazil, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Traditional Chinese and Korean.
It has received 365 reviews of which 328 were positive and 37 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.3 out of 10. 😎
The game is currently priced at 2.69€ on Steam with a 85% discount.
The Steam community has classified Hourglass into these genres:
Media & Screenshots
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System requirements
These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.
Windows
- OS *: Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 10
- Processor: Intel or AMD Dual Core CPU
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: DirectX 10 Feature Level AMD or NVIDIA Card with 1 GB VRAM
- Storage: 3 GB available space
- Sound Card: TBD
- Additional Notes: TBD
User reviews & Ratings
Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.
Hourglass is a thoughtfully constructed first-person puzzle adventure that revolves around a single, elegant idea and explores it with confidence and restraint. Developed and published by Cyberwave, the game places time manipulation at the center of its identity, using it not as a spectacle but as a tool for careful reasoning and spatial planning. Rather than overwhelming the player with mechanics, Hourglass builds a steady, cerebral experience that rewards patience, foresight, and an appreciation for clever design. The game follows Aywa, a young explorer searching for her missing father amid deserts, ruins, and ancient structures inspired by Egyptian mythology. The narrative is intentionally understated, delivered primarily through environments and subtle visual cues rather than dialogue or exposition. This light storytelling approach works in the game’s favor, giving context and motivation without interrupting the flow of puzzle-solving. The mystery of lost civilizations and forgotten technology provides a fitting backdrop for a game centered on time, memory, and repetition. The core mechanic defines nearly every interaction in Hourglass. Players can record their actions for a short period, rewind time, and then watch a past version of themselves repeat those actions exactly. These time echoes become essential tools, allowing players to cooperate with their former selves to solve puzzles that would be impossible alone. Holding switches, activating platforms, triggering pressure plates, and synchronizing movements across multiple timelines all become part of a single logical sequence that must be planned in advance. The mechanic is intuitive but surprisingly deep, encouraging players to think several steps ahead rather than rely on improvisation. Puzzle design is where Hourglass truly shines. Early challenges introduce the time-recording system in a clear and forgiving way, ensuring players understand both its potential and its limitations. As the game progresses, puzzles grow more intricate, layering additional elements such as portals, moving platforms, and environmental hazards on top of the time mechanic. Solutions rarely rely on reflexes; instead, they demand clarity of thought and the ability to visualize overlapping actions across different moments. When a solution finally clicks, the satisfaction comes from understanding rather than brute force. The pacing is measured and deliberate. Hourglass never rushes the player, and failure is treated as part of the learning process rather than a punishment. Resetting puzzles is quick, encouraging experimentation without frustration. That said, later sections can become demanding, requiring precise timing and careful setup. These moments may challenge players who prefer more forgiving puzzle games, but they are consistent with the game’s emphasis on mastery and logical consistency. Visually, the game adopts a clean, stylized look that prioritizes readability. Environments are atmospheric without being cluttered, ensuring that important puzzle elements stand out clearly. Desert landscapes, stone ruins, and mysterious structures create a strong sense of place, while lighting and color subtly guide attention where it is needed. The visual design supports the gameplay rather than competing with it, which is crucial for a puzzle-focused experience. Sound design complements this restraint. Ambient audio and music underscore the sense of isolation and discovery without becoming intrusive. The absence of constant narration or dramatic cues reinforces the player’s role as an observer and problem-solver, allowing moments of insight to feel personal. Silence is used effectively, giving space for concentration and reflection during more complex puzzles. In terms of scope, Hourglass is a compact experience, typically completed in a relatively short span of time. However, it makes efficient use of that length, avoiding filler and ensuring that nearly every puzzle introduces a meaningful idea or variation. While there is limited replay value once all puzzles are solved, the journey itself feels complete and cohesive, making the game memorable despite its modest runtime. Ultimately, Hourglass stands as a strong example of focused indie design. It demonstrates how a single mechanic, when explored thoughtfully, can sustain an entire game without needing excessive systems or narrative complexity. Players who enjoy first-person puzzle games built around logic, timing, and spatial reasoning will find Hourglass to be a rewarding and intellectually satisfying experience, one that respects the player’s intelligence and delivers its ideas with clarity and confidence. Rating: 8/10
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This was fun! The gameplay is very Portal-esque. With buttons and boxes. Though the core time loop mechanic is different. Every zone introduces a new toy to play with, as it should be. The world looks pretty, in this very painted looking comic style, I'm a big fan. Would play more of this to see where the mechanics could expand.
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Fairly short puzzle game in the realm of Portal and Talos Principle. Not too difficult. Get it on sale.
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On the downside, this games feels like a poor man's copy of Talos Principle with low-rez graphics and limited game-mechanics. But on the upside it stands on it's own as a fun puzzle game - even though some of the later puzzles are really quite challenging. And it's a decent length. Overall I'd give this a 6/10.
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Clever puzzle game. Every puzzle brings a clever iteration on a previous mechanic or a new idea entirely. after the tutorial, you will visit 3 main areas (in order) that all come with their own introduction before entering a "finale" where you need to solve at least 4 our of 5 harder puzzles to continue the story. It's a good system that let's the difficulty rise and fall to give you a breather after every area's finale. If you do solve all 5 finale puzzles in each area, a bonus area can be visited with a clever bonus puzzle! Puzzles rely on a bit of timing but never so tight that it's unfair. I don't think I ever had to plan more then 2 moves in advance. A bit on the short side, but given the mechanics present, i believe they exhausted all the unique interactions. A nice and complete package! Story isn't that important or grand, but cute. 8/10 - I recommend it!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Hourglass is currently priced at 2.69€ on Steam.
Hourglass is currently available at a 85% discount. You can purchase it for 2.69€ on Steam.
Hourglass received 328 positive votes out of a total of 365 achieving a rating of 8.31.
😎
Hourglass was developed and published by Cyberwave.
Hourglass is playable and fully supported on Windows.
Hourglass is not playable on MacOS.
Hourglass is not playable on Linux.
Hourglass is a single-player game.
Hourglass does not currently offer any DLC.
Hourglass does not support mods via Steam Workshop.
Hourglass does not support Steam Remote Play.
Hourglass is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.
You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for Hourglass.
Data sources
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Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.
Last Updates| Steam data | 24 January 2026 08:16 |
|---|---|
| SteamSpy data | 25 January 2026 03:06 |
| Steam price | 28 January 2026 20:26 |
| Steam reviews | 28 January 2026 22:06 |
If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about Hourglass, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.
- SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about Hourglass
- SteamCharts - Analysis of Hourglass concurrent players on Steam
- ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck Hourglass compatibility
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Developer
Cyberwave
Publisher
Cyberwave
Release
22 Oct 2021
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