Crushed in Time preview: the most riveting puzzle game of summer 2026
Crushed in Time is an upcoming meta puzzle adventure game from developer Draw Me A Pixel, directed and written by Pascal Cammisotto, who previously worked on the acclaimed There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension.
The game presents an ambitious nested narrative concept: players exist inside a game that is itself telling a story about the process of making that game. Cammisotto drew creative inspiration from diverse sources including Sherlock Holmes mysteries, P.G. Wodehouse’s comedic narratives, and the British stop-motion aesthetic of Wallace and Gromit—an unusual combination that Cammisotto synthesized as a foundation for building on his previous work.
The story begins in crisis. Players enter the fictional game immediately following its launch, as negative reviews pour in and send the development team into panic. This framing device establishes the core conflict that drives the narrative forward.
Based on a 45-minute demo session, Polygon praised the game as “the most riveting puzzle game of summer 2026.” The reviewer expressed genuine enthusiasm about the experience, stating they couldn’t wait to see the rest of the game. Despite the complex, self-aware meta-narrative concept that might sound confusing on paper, the execution appears engaging and compelling.
The game combines puzzle-solving gameplay with sophisticated storytelling that explores themes of creative development and professional pressure. By placing the player inside a game that comments on its own creation, Crushed in Time appears to be attempting something unusual in the indie game space—a thoughtful, layered experience that uses its puzzle mechanics to reinforce its thematic exploration.