Time Splitters, the Playstation 2 launch title from Free Radical and Eidos is a highly anticipated addition to the First Person Shooter genre. Of course, it is also one of the first FPS that will get a chance to run on the highly sophisticated PS2. The developers tout the game as the fastest FPS ever created for a console, which may very well be true. However, it takes more than speed to create a truly engaging title in a genre that, as of late, seems to be showing its age. So is Time Splitters the new game that is going to revolutionize and restore our faith in the FPS? Or are we really never going to get any better than Perfect Dark, which managed to include not only addictive gameplay but also an engaging story line and cutting edge graphics? The answers to those questions are No and Yes. Which raises another: If this game isn't groundbreaking, then is it worth my time and money? Well, let me lay it down for you.
The premise of this game is frighteningly simple. The Time Splitters are an alien race that randomly shift through the time space continuum in order to alter historical events. Thus, you take on the role of those involved in the historical events and are charged with not only carrying out your mission, but also preventing the Time Splitters from blowing your head off in the process. Unfortunately, the story doesn't progress much from this point, which makes the plot of this game very vague.
The game offers a plethora of modes but the main single player option is called Story Mode, which may be a bit of a misnomer. In the beginning you are given 3 sets of years: past, present and future. Each year has a unique location and mission. Your missions for every year are simply to start at point A, grab an item at point B and either return to point A or proceed to point C. If you beat the first three sets of years, you unlock the next three along with AI Bots and playable characters for multiplayer. I started off excited to take part in these missions, but trust me, after doing what seems like the same mission over and over again with a small change of scenery and enemies just to unlock a few bots gets old folks.
This system where features are unlocked for multiplayer modes by completing stages in single player modes has become the standard amongst FPS. In this game, the single player can become so monotonous that you may not wish to endure it in order to get the full spectrum of multiplayer options. Thankfully, the multiplayer aspect of this game totally makes up for the lack of creativity in the single player mode. There are tons of interesting playable characters to use as well as a sprawling list of bots to fight against. There are also enough levels and weapons to keep you and all of your friends busy destroying existence for hours. Plus, you can unlock a section called Challenge Mode, where you are given small, specific missions like killing so many monsters or getting so many headshots, which is scarily addictive.
While the single player mode of this game is not at all enticing, the multiplayer mode is incredibly entertaining. First, you can adjust the teams to pit any combination of humans or bots against each other. There are also several different scenarios to play including Frag Tag (kill the most people in a certain time or be the first to kill so many) and Capture the Bag (similar to the single player Story Mode). In multi-player, you can change the characteristics of the AI Bots completely, from appearance, to difficulty, to what weapons they use and where they spawn. They offer a considerable challenge when they are at full difficulty seeing as how they can deliver an immediate headshot and can withstand a lot of damage. More than that, they will react to your shooting and form squadrons at strategic points in the map. The bots are sets of enemies you find while doing story mode which include Zombies, Chinese Cooks and Androids. Also, there's a huge selection of weapons including Sniper Rifles, Rocket Launchers and my personal favorite, the Sci-Fi Auto-Rifle, which has a secondary function that shoots a plasma grenade. One thing is for certain, no two multiplayer games in Time Splitters were or will ever be alike. There are enough options to make the possibilities and the entertainment endless.The graphics are smooth and clean, which is to be expected from a PS2 title. The 3D sound was well created and makes it very easy to tell when a creature pops up behind you versus when they are in front of you. Still, I was not blown away by the graphics or the size and complexity of levels in this game considering what the PS2 could offer. You'll also experience considerable slow down if you get too many bots into the mix (but it's still great fun to have 100 bots to plow through).
Perhaps the most inventive part of this game is its control. Because PS2 has the Dual Analog controllers, you get an unprecedented amount of freedom in moving your character. The left analog stick controls your actual movement forward and sideways, while your right analog stick controls your facing and aim. This is probably one of the main reasons that the game is so fast, because you don't have to spend time adjusting your shots and can truly shoot on the run.
Inevitably we find ourselves back at the question: Is this game worth my time and my money? I don't regret buying this game at all. The multiplayer of this game was and still is a whole lot of fun. However, Time Splitters came up short in delivering a title that we know the PS2 is capable of. So if you're looking for a First Person Shooter that will keep you fully engaged in every aspect, this isn't your game. If you're looking for a new, fun game that will give you the standard shoot 'em up hours of enjoyment, then this game is for you.
| Graphics | 7 | ||
| Gameplay | 7.5 | ||
| Sound | 7 | ||
| Value | 6.5 | ||
| Overall | 7 |
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