The "Sony Games" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Sorry about this being here but the review option is not working. It keeps going on to review official strategy guide. Anyway, read if you like, if you don't, feel free to scroll down to the bottom and say "God, did you have to write so much" and other random witty remarks.
Timesplitters was one of the better launch games for the PS2. Designed by Free Radical and published by Eidos, Timesplitters was an unexpected smash hit. Although never reaching the number one spot (I think) it did extremely well for a little known game. One simple measure of its acclaim would be that the notoriously hard to please Edge magazine said that Timesplitters was “the game worth buying a PS2 for”. Believe me you don’t get much higher praise from Edge magazine.
Timesplitters treads a strange path between stealth shoot-em-ups like Metal Gear Solid and fast and Furious Quake 3 style gameplay. This makes a refreshing change especially for me, as I have not played anything like Timesplitters. The game is viewed from a first person perspective (you can see your own gun and the view in front of you). Timesplitters is split into two main separate modes, Arcade and Story. You would think that story mode would be a shooter revolving around a storyline of some kind. Nope. There is not a hint of story present in Timesplitters anywhere. Whether or not this is a good thing is down to your own point of view and I am still undecided. I liked the story in Metal Gear Solid and Syphon Filter but I do not see how a realistic story could really be tied in to a game like this.
The overall premise of Timesplitters is quite hard to explain. Basically the game is set in a semi-realistic world. However it is not set in any one particular time. The levels are set up by time period but not in chronological order. Also, unlike many other games in this genre there is no main character. Instead there is a choice of over 20 playable characters, two for each level or time zone and a host of bonus characters. This lack of any particular plot or main character tends to be slightly disorientating for the player. The enemies that you are fighting against are a race of evil timesplitters (hence the title) who have the ability to morph themselves into different time zones.
Story mode is the main one player mode of the game, however another twist in this game is that the story mode can be played in two player co-operative mode. This is the first game of this type to feature this option since a while back but it does have its down sides. Playing co-operative with someone else tends to be very frustrating as one of you will end up having to support and help out the weaker player, unless you are feeling cruel and unhelpful that is.
At the beginning of the game, three levels are available to you in story mode and you can play them in easy, normal or hard mode. When you have completed these levels on whichever mode you choose you will be presented with a further 3 expansive levels. The levels are designed according to their time setting and so is everything else in the level. For instance the first level is set in 1935 and therefore the level design looks old and decrepit, the guns are slow, crude and limited and the characters both playable and CPU are dressed in period clothing suitable at the time. This often makes for some hilarious characters with my personal favourite being the stereotypical, flask swilling early 1900’s adventurer. How do I know this is my favourite character? Well the game lets me know how many times I have chosen this character in the game. This is a very nice feature and part of a shelf load of stats that Timesplitters presents to you.
As everything in the levels is designed to the time zone, the levels are varied and interesting. The time zone ranges from 1935 to 2050, which enabled the designers to have a bit of fun with the later, futuristic levels. The gameplay on the story mode is definitely different to any other game that I have experienced. The aim in every level is to retrieve an artefact from the evil timesplitters before they use them for whatever dastardly scheme they are planning. This objective really does set the style of playing out from similar games. On the way to collecting the artefacts you will have to tread carefully with plenty of sniping and strafing. This allows for cracking head shots as well as the obligatory ‘hehe lets shoot this one in the groin’. On the way to collecting the artefact the enemies are strategically placed to either snipe at you from well hidden positions or pop out of dark alleys, windows or doorways. This style of play encourages you to look around the area for any kind of movement or dark patches and fire a few shots before charging in headfirst. This is a good experience as there is nothing more satisfying than using a sniper rifle to blow an unsuspecting persons head off or shooting a grenade into a room or dark corridor, waiting three seconds then hearing an explosion and muted wails. Sadistic? Then call me Mr Sadistic.
Over the last paragraph you have gained a great insight in to my mindset and mentality, scary eh? Anyway back to the game. Once you have gotten hold of the artefact you must return to the area marked with a red circle (usually but not always the starting position). The gameplay changes dramatically at this point and so will your tactics. Once in possession of the artefact, timesplitters begin to appear all over the levels in a last ditch attempt to swipe your face off. To finish the level quickly you will find yourself frantically running and shooting in an attempt to reach the portal in tact. This is highly exhilarating when you have little health and must make it back to safety past the timesplitters whilst wielding the weapon of choice for this retreat, the lovely Uzi.
The enemy Al is actually very good. Instead of walking in preset lines and shooting as soon as you come in a certain area the enemies perform admirably well. If they are walking over a bridge type construction they will look both ways. If you are in the shadows and not moving they will carry on as normal but if you shoot and miss they will turn and shot back or in some cases backtrack to a hiding spot before returning to hunt you down. Also the Al works in such a way that to complete a level you must kill nearly every inhabitant in the level. Firing rockets or a shotgun is sure to attract attention and leave an undead enemy behind you and it will track you down and shoot you in the back. The Al adds greatly to this already good game.
The control system is at first very hard to grasp although it will become second nature after an hours play. The analogue sticks are used to move and aim, left stick to walk, run or turn and right stick to aim the gun. The guns work in a good way that encourages use of the aiming feature and aiming in general. In other shooting games you sometimes don’t even have to aim the gun, just shoot and it will auto-aim. In Timesplitters the gun has to be pointed in the region directly surrounding the enemy e.g. you can’t shot an enemy above you without aiming upwards. Also, in later levels, headshots are actively encouraged as a swift but not easy way of killing. Some of the more battle hardened enemies will coolly take aim and shot you in the head while you are flailing around shooting here, there and everywhere.
The graphics in the game were excellent when the PS2 was first released and have stood the test of time well. The pre-rendered backdrops are realistic and impressive but are definitely not pretty; they are not supposed to be. The characters are well designed and not blocky in any way and the movement is fluid whether running or rolling. The game moves at a fast speed that helps with the fast and furious feel of the retreat once in possession of the artefact.
There is a plentiful range of weapons, which is a necessity for a game like this. The range of guns is truly expansive and here is just a little selection to whet your thirst for blood, strictly in the game you understand.
Pistol-Bog standard shooter that needs to be replaced as soon as possible if you are to survive.
Shotgun-Ideal for blowing enemy’s heads clean off.
Sniper Rifle-Long range groin shots. Need I say more?
Rocket launcher-Total devastation. Mind yourself!
Uzis-Ahhh, the shot now ask questions later gun. Let off a few hundred rounds.
Sc-Fi handgun-A really powerful weapon this one. Useful in the hands of the sensible only. High self-mortality rate.
Most of the guns have special features. They can be fired in two modes using R1 or R2. These different triggers utilize the gun differently. This is shown well on the rocket launcher, its two modes of fire being 3 small missiles or one huge one.
The arcade mode is a very comprehensive one. As well as the usual deathmatch and team deathmatch modes are a few extras. Capture the bag is a bizarre twist on Quake 3 favourite, capture the flag. Bag tag involves getting and hanging on to the bag for as long as possible without being killed. The winner is the person who has held the bag for the most time overall. Last stand is a very good feature indeed. It varies extremely depending on which level is being played. Basically it involves keeping an object intact for as long as possible. To show the diversity that this mode has here are two examples; To protect a radioactive can from being destroyed armed only with a Sniper rifle or to keep 5 diamonds from being destroyed wielding a large floor mounted high-velocity machine gun. Another arcade mode available on some levels is Escort, which involves protecting a person from being assassinated. This proves to be incredibly difficult, as the person you are escorting tends to have the mindset of a manically depressed, suicidal lemming. Put it this way, you wouldn’t let these guys cross the road, let alone walk through a street whilst being shot at.
So to sum up, Timesplitters is at times frustrating, but can be extremely fun. It is a big game with plenty of options, levels and playable characters. I should imagine that there are a few unlockable secrets in there too but I have yet to complete the game fully. Timesplitters can now be picked up for around £30 second hand or in a sale and at this price is a bargain. Sure there are lots of supposedly ‘better’ games now like Red Faction and Extermination but none possess the certain strange feeling of Timesplitters.
Thanks for reading, I’m off to shoot some people in the groin, have a nice day.
Timesplitters was one of the better launch games for the PS2. Designed by Free Radical and published by Eidos, Timesplitters was an unexpected smash hit. Although never reaching the number one spot (I think) it did extremely well for a little known game. One simple measure of its acclaim would be that the notoriously hard to please Edge magazine said that Timesplitters was “the game worth buying a PS2 for”. Believe me you don’t get much higher praise from Edge magazine.
Timesplitters treads a strange path between stealth shoot-em-ups like Metal Gear Solid and fast and Furious Quake 3 style gameplay. This makes a refreshing change especially for me, as I have not played anything like Timesplitters. The game is viewed from a first person perspective (you can see your own gun and the view in front of you). Timesplitters is split into two main separate modes, Arcade and Story. You would think that story mode would be a shooter revolving around a storyline of some kind. Nope. There is not a hint of story present in Timesplitters anywhere. Whether or not this is a good thing is down to your own point of view and I am still undecided. I liked the story in Metal Gear Solid and Syphon Filter but I do not see how a realistic story could really be tied in to a game like this.
The overall premise of Timesplitters is quite hard to explain. Basically the game is set in a semi-realistic world. However it is not set in any one particular time. The levels are set up by time period but not in chronological order. Also, unlike many other games in this genre there is no main character. Instead there is a choice of over 20 playable characters, two for each level or time zone and a host of bonus characters. This lack of any particular plot or main character tends to be slightly disorientating for the player. The enemies that you are fighting against are a race of evil timesplitters (hence the title) who have the ability to morph themselves into different time zones.
Story mode is the main one player mode of the game, however another twist in this game is that the story mode can be played in two player co-operative mode. This is the first game of this type to feature this option since a while back but it does have its down sides. Playing co-operative with someone else tends to be very frustrating as one of you will end up having to support and help out the weaker player, unless you are feeling cruel and unhelpful that is.
At the beginning of the game, three levels are available to you in story mode and you can play them in easy, normal or hard mode. When you have completed these levels on whichever mode you choose you will be presented with a further 3 expansive levels. The levels are designed according to their time setting and so is everything else in the level. For instance the first level is set in 1935 and therefore the level design looks old and decrepit, the guns are slow, crude and limited and the characters both playable and CPU are dressed in period clothing suitable at the time. This often makes for some hilarious characters with my personal favourite being the stereotypical, flask swilling early 1900’s adventurer. How do I know this is my favourite character? Well the game lets me know how many times I have chosen this character in the game. This is a very nice feature and part of a shelf load of stats that Timesplitters presents to you.
As everything in the levels is designed to the time zone, the levels are varied and interesting. The time zone ranges from 1935 to 2050, which enabled the designers to have a bit of fun with the later, futuristic levels. The gameplay on the story mode is definitely different to any other game that I have experienced. The aim in every level is to retrieve an artefact from the evil timesplitters before they use them for whatever dastardly scheme they are planning. This objective really does set the style of playing out from similar games. On the way to collecting the artefacts you will have to tread carefully with plenty of sniping and strafing. This allows for cracking head shots as well as the obligatory ‘hehe lets shoot this one in the groin’. On the way to collecting the artefact the enemies are strategically placed to either snipe at you from well hidden positions or pop out of dark alleys, windows or doorways. This style of play encourages you to look around the area for any kind of movement or dark patches and fire a few shots before charging in headfirst. This is a good experience as there is nothing more satisfying than using a sniper rifle to blow an unsuspecting persons head off or shooting a grenade into a room or dark corridor, waiting three seconds then hearing an explosion and muted wails. Sadistic? Then call me Mr Sadistic.
Over the last paragraph you have gained a great insight in to my mindset and mentality, scary eh? Anyway back to the game. Once you have gotten hold of the artefact you must return to the area marked with a red circle (usually but not always the starting position). The gameplay changes dramatically at this point and so will your tactics. Once in possession of the artefact, timesplitters begin to appear all over the levels in a last ditch attempt to swipe your face off. To finish the level quickly you will find yourself frantically running and shooting in an attempt to reach the portal in tact. This is highly exhilarating when you have little health and must make it back to safety past the timesplitters whilst wielding the weapon of choice for this retreat, the lovely Uzi.
The enemy Al is actually very good. Instead of walking in preset lines and shooting as soon as you come in a certain area the enemies perform admirably well. If they are walking over a bridge type construction they will look both ways. If you are in the shadows and not moving they will carry on as normal but if you shoot and miss they will turn and shot back or in some cases backtrack to a hiding spot before returning to hunt you down. Also the Al works in such a way that to complete a level you must kill nearly every inhabitant in the level. Firing rockets or a shotgun is sure to attract attention and leave an undead enemy behind you and it will track you down and shoot you in the back. The Al adds greatly to this already good game.
The control system is at first very hard to grasp although it will become second nature after an hours play. The analogue sticks are used to move and aim, left stick to walk, run or turn and right stick to aim the gun. The guns work in a good way that encourages use of the aiming feature and aiming in general. In other shooting games you sometimes don’t even have to aim the gun, just shoot and it will auto-aim. In Timesplitters the gun has to be pointed in the region directly surrounding the enemy e.g. you can’t shot an enemy above you without aiming upwards. Also, in later levels, headshots are actively encouraged as a swift but not easy way of killing. Some of the more battle hardened enemies will coolly take aim and shot you in the head while you are flailing around shooting here, there and everywhere.
The graphics in the game were excellent when the PS2 was first released and have stood the test of time well. The pre-rendered backdrops are realistic and impressive but are definitely not pretty; they are not supposed to be. The characters are well designed and not blocky in any way and the movement is fluid whether running or rolling. The game moves at a fast speed that helps with the fast and furious feel of the retreat once in possession of the artefact.
There is a plentiful range of weapons, which is a necessity for a game like this. The range of guns is truly expansive and here is just a little selection to whet your thirst for blood, strictly in the game you understand.
Pistol-Bog standard shooter that needs to be replaced as soon as possible if you are to survive.
Shotgun-Ideal for blowing enemy’s heads clean off.
Sniper Rifle-Long range groin shots. Need I say more?
Rocket launcher-Total devastation. Mind yourself!
Uzis-Ahhh, the shot now ask questions later gun. Let off a few hundred rounds.
Sc-Fi handgun-A really powerful weapon this one. Useful in the hands of the sensible only. High self-mortality rate.
Most of the guns have special features. They can be fired in two modes using R1 or R2. These different triggers utilize the gun differently. This is shown well on the rocket launcher, its two modes of fire being 3 small missiles or one huge one.
The arcade mode is a very comprehensive one. As well as the usual deathmatch and team deathmatch modes are a few extras. Capture the bag is a bizarre twist on Quake 3 favourite, capture the flag. Bag tag involves getting and hanging on to the bag for as long as possible without being killed. The winner is the person who has held the bag for the most time overall. Last stand is a very good feature indeed. It varies extremely depending on which level is being played. Basically it involves keeping an object intact for as long as possible. To show the diversity that this mode has here are two examples; To protect a radioactive can from being destroyed armed only with a Sniper rifle or to keep 5 diamonds from being destroyed wielding a large floor mounted high-velocity machine gun. Another arcade mode available on some levels is Escort, which involves protecting a person from being assassinated. This proves to be incredibly difficult, as the person you are escorting tends to have the mindset of a manically depressed, suicidal lemming. Put it this way, you wouldn’t let these guys cross the road, let alone walk through a street whilst being shot at.
So to sum up, Timesplitters is at times frustrating, but can be extremely fun. It is a big game with plenty of options, levels and playable characters. I should imagine that there are a few unlockable secrets in there too but I have yet to complete the game fully. Timesplitters can now be picked up for around £30 second hand or in a sale and at this price is a bargain. Sure there are lots of supposedly ‘better’ games now like Red Faction and Extermination but none possess the certain strange feeling of Timesplitters.
Thanks for reading, I’m off to shoot some people in the groin, have a nice day.
If you are lucky enough to have enough mates, a multitap, four pads and a big TV, this game is better than either Perfect Dark or Goldeneye for multiplayer, the only problem is the single player a bit shallow, but challenging none the less!! Brilliant review, and FRD have promised that Timesplitters 2 will have as much of an impact on the genre as Goldeneye did, if they pull it off, I'm gonna be sooo cheery!!
Sorry about this being here but the review option is not working. It keeps going on to review official strategy guide. Anyway, read if you like, if you don't, feel free to scroll down to the bottom and say "God, did you have to write so much" and other random witty remarks.
Timesplitters was one of the better launch games for the PS2. Designed by Free Radical and published by Eidos, Timesplitters was an unexpected smash hit. Although never reaching the number one spot (I think) it did extremely well for a little known game. One simple measure of its acclaim would be that the notoriously hard to please Edge magazine said that Timesplitters was “the game worth buying a PS2 for”. Believe me you don’t get much higher praise from Edge magazine.
Timesplitters treads a strange path between stealth shoot-em-ups like Metal Gear Solid and fast and Furious Quake 3 style gameplay. This makes a refreshing change especially for me, as I have not played anything like Timesplitters. The game is viewed from a first person perspective (you can see your own gun and the view in front of you). Timesplitters is split into two main separate modes, Arcade and Story. You would think that story mode would be a shooter revolving around a storyline of some kind. Nope. There is not a hint of story present in Timesplitters anywhere. Whether or not this is a good thing is down to your own point of view and I am still undecided. I liked the story in Metal Gear Solid and Syphon Filter but I do not see how a realistic story could really be tied in to a game like this.
The overall premise of Timesplitters is quite hard to explain. Basically the game is set in a semi-realistic world. However it is not set in any one particular time. The levels are set up by time period but not in chronological order. Also, unlike many other games in this genre there is no main character. Instead there is a choice of over 20 playable characters, two for each level or time zone and a host of bonus characters. This lack of any particular plot or main character tends to be slightly disorientating for the player. The enemies that you are fighting against are a race of evil timesplitters (hence the title) who have the ability to morph themselves into different time zones.
Story mode is the main one player mode of the game, however another twist in this game is that the story mode can be played in two player co-operative mode. This is the first game of this type to feature this option since a while back but it does have its down sides. Playing co-operative with someone else tends to be very frustrating as one of you will end up having to support and help out the weaker player, unless you are feeling cruel and unhelpful that is.
At the beginning of the game, three levels are available to you in story mode and you can play them in easy, normal or hard mode. When you have completed these levels on whichever mode you choose you will be presented with a further 3 expansive levels. The levels are designed according to their time setting and so is everything else in the level. For instance the first level is set in 1935 and therefore the level design looks old and decrepit, the guns are slow, crude and limited and the characters both playable and CPU are dressed in period clothing suitable at the time. This often makes for some hilarious characters with my personal favourite being the stereotypical, flask swilling early 1900’s adventurer. How do I know this is my favourite character? Well the game lets me know how many times I have chosen this character in the game. This is a very nice feature and part of a shelf load of stats that Timesplitters presents to you.
As everything in the levels is designed to the time zone, the levels are varied and interesting. The time zone ranges from 1935 to 2050, which enabled the designers to have a bit of fun with the later, futuristic levels. The gameplay on the story mode is definitely different to any other game that I have experienced. The aim in every level is to retrieve an artefact from the evil timesplitters before they use them for whatever dastardly scheme they are planning. This objective really does set the style of playing out from similar games. On the way to collecting the artefacts you will have to tread carefully with plenty of sniping and strafing. This allows for cracking head shots as well as the obligatory ‘hehe lets shoot this one in the groin’. On the way to collecting the artefact the enemies are strategically placed to either snipe at you from well hidden positions or pop out of dark alleys, windows or doorways. This style of play encourages you to look around the area for any kind of movement or dark patches and fire a few shots before charging in headfirst. This is a good experience as there is nothing more satisfying than using a sniper rifle to blow an unsuspecting persons head off or shooting a grenade into a room or dark corridor, waiting three seconds then hearing an explosion and muted wails. Sadistic? Then call me Mr Sadistic.
Over the last paragraph you have gained a great insight in to my mindset and mentality, scary eh? Anyway back to the game. Once you have gotten hold of the artefact you must return to the area marked with a red circle (usually but not always the starting position). The gameplay changes dramatically at this point and so will your tactics. Once in possession of the artefact, timesplitters begin to appear all over the levels in a last ditch attempt to swipe your face off. To finish the level quickly you will find yourself frantically running and shooting in an attempt to reach the portal in tact. This is highly exhilarating when you have little health and must make it back to safety past the timesplitters whilst wielding the weapon of choice for this retreat, the lovely Uzi.
The enemy Al is actually very good. Instead of walking in preset lines and shooting as soon as you come in a certain area the enemies perform admirably well. If they are walking over a bridge type construction they will look both ways. If you are in the shadows and not moving they will carry on as normal but if you shoot and miss they will turn and shot back or in some cases backtrack to a hiding spot before returning to hunt you down. Also the Al works in such a way that to complete a level you must kill nearly every inhabitant in the level. Firing rockets or a shotgun is sure to attract attention and leave an undead enemy behind you and it will track you down and shoot you in the back. The Al adds greatly to this already good game.
The control system is at first very hard to grasp although it will become second nature after an hours play. The analogue sticks are used to move and aim, left stick to walk, run or turn and right stick to aim the gun. The guns work in a good way that encourages use of the aiming feature and aiming in general. In other shooting games you sometimes don’t even have to aim the gun, just shoot and it will auto-aim. In Timesplitters the gun has to be pointed in the region directly surrounding the enemy e.g. you can’t shot an enemy above you without aiming upwards. Also, in later levels, headshots are actively encouraged as a swift but not easy way of killing. Some of the more battle hardened enemies will coolly take aim and shot you in the head while you are flailing around shooting here, there and everywhere.
The graphics in the game were excellent when the PS2 was first released and have stood the test of time well. The pre-rendered backdrops are realistic and impressive but are definitely not pretty; they are not supposed to be. The characters are well designed and not blocky in any way and the movement is fluid whether running or rolling. The game moves at a fast speed that helps with the fast and furious feel of the retreat once in possession of the artefact.
There is a plentiful range of weapons, which is a necessity for a game like this. The range of guns is truly expansive and here is just a little selection to whet your thirst for blood, strictly in the game you understand.
Pistol-Bog standard shooter that needs to be replaced as soon as possible if you are to survive.
Shotgun-Ideal for blowing enemy’s heads clean off.
Sniper Rifle-Long range groin shots. Need I say more?
Rocket launcher-Total devastation. Mind yourself!
Uzis-Ahhh, the shot now ask questions later gun. Let off a few hundred rounds.
Sc-Fi handgun-A really powerful weapon this one. Useful in the hands of the sensible only. High self-mortality rate.
Most of the guns have special features. They can be fired in two modes using R1 or R2. These different triggers utilize the gun differently. This is shown well on the rocket launcher, its two modes of fire being 3 small missiles or one huge one.
The arcade mode is a very comprehensive one. As well as the usual deathmatch and team deathmatch modes are a few extras. Capture the bag is a bizarre twist on Quake 3 favourite, capture the flag. Bag tag involves getting and hanging on to the bag for as long as possible without being killed. The winner is the person who has held the bag for the most time overall. Last stand is a very good feature indeed. It varies extremely depending on which level is being played. Basically it involves keeping an object intact for as long as possible. To show the diversity that this mode has here are two examples; To protect a radioactive can from being destroyed armed only with a Sniper rifle or to keep 5 diamonds from being destroyed wielding a large floor mounted high-velocity machine gun. Another arcade mode available on some levels is Escort, which involves protecting a person from being assassinated. This proves to be incredibly difficult, as the person you are escorting tends to have the mindset of a manically depressed, suicidal lemming. Put it this way, you wouldn’t let these guys cross the road, let alone walk through a street whilst being shot at.
So to sum up, Timesplitters is at times frustrating, but can be extremely fun. It is a big game with plenty of options, levels and playable characters. I should imagine that there are a few unlockable secrets in there too but I have yet to complete the game fully. Timesplitters can now be picked up for around £30 second hand or in a sale and at this price is a bargain. Sure there are lots of supposedly ‘better’ games now like Red Faction and Extermination but none possess the certain strange feeling of Timesplitters.
Thanks for reading, I’m off to shoot some people in the groin, have a nice day.
Timesplitters was one of the better launch games for the PS2. Designed by Free Radical and published by Eidos, Timesplitters was an unexpected smash hit. Although never reaching the number one spot (I think) it did extremely well for a little known game. One simple measure of its acclaim would be that the notoriously hard to please Edge magazine said that Timesplitters was “the game worth buying a PS2 for”. Believe me you don’t get much higher praise from Edge magazine.
Timesplitters treads a strange path between stealth shoot-em-ups like Metal Gear Solid and fast and Furious Quake 3 style gameplay. This makes a refreshing change especially for me, as I have not played anything like Timesplitters. The game is viewed from a first person perspective (you can see your own gun and the view in front of you). Timesplitters is split into two main separate modes, Arcade and Story. You would think that story mode would be a shooter revolving around a storyline of some kind. Nope. There is not a hint of story present in Timesplitters anywhere. Whether or not this is a good thing is down to your own point of view and I am still undecided. I liked the story in Metal Gear Solid and Syphon Filter but I do not see how a realistic story could really be tied in to a game like this.
The overall premise of Timesplitters is quite hard to explain. Basically the game is set in a semi-realistic world. However it is not set in any one particular time. The levels are set up by time period but not in chronological order. Also, unlike many other games in this genre there is no main character. Instead there is a choice of over 20 playable characters, two for each level or time zone and a host of bonus characters. This lack of any particular plot or main character tends to be slightly disorientating for the player. The enemies that you are fighting against are a race of evil timesplitters (hence the title) who have the ability to morph themselves into different time zones.
Story mode is the main one player mode of the game, however another twist in this game is that the story mode can be played in two player co-operative mode. This is the first game of this type to feature this option since a while back but it does have its down sides. Playing co-operative with someone else tends to be very frustrating as one of you will end up having to support and help out the weaker player, unless you are feeling cruel and unhelpful that is.
At the beginning of the game, three levels are available to you in story mode and you can play them in easy, normal or hard mode. When you have completed these levels on whichever mode you choose you will be presented with a further 3 expansive levels. The levels are designed according to their time setting and so is everything else in the level. For instance the first level is set in 1935 and therefore the level design looks old and decrepit, the guns are slow, crude and limited and the characters both playable and CPU are dressed in period clothing suitable at the time. This often makes for some hilarious characters with my personal favourite being the stereotypical, flask swilling early 1900’s adventurer. How do I know this is my favourite character? Well the game lets me know how many times I have chosen this character in the game. This is a very nice feature and part of a shelf load of stats that Timesplitters presents to you.
As everything in the levels is designed to the time zone, the levels are varied and interesting. The time zone ranges from 1935 to 2050, which enabled the designers to have a bit of fun with the later, futuristic levels. The gameplay on the story mode is definitely different to any other game that I have experienced. The aim in every level is to retrieve an artefact from the evil timesplitters before they use them for whatever dastardly scheme they are planning. This objective really does set the style of playing out from similar games. On the way to collecting the artefacts you will have to tread carefully with plenty of sniping and strafing. This allows for cracking head shots as well as the obligatory ‘hehe lets shoot this one in the groin’. On the way to collecting the artefact the enemies are strategically placed to either snipe at you from well hidden positions or pop out of dark alleys, windows or doorways. This style of play encourages you to look around the area for any kind of movement or dark patches and fire a few shots before charging in headfirst. This is a good experience as there is nothing more satisfying than using a sniper rifle to blow an unsuspecting persons head off or shooting a grenade into a room or dark corridor, waiting three seconds then hearing an explosion and muted wails. Sadistic? Then call me Mr Sadistic.
Over the last paragraph you have gained a great insight in to my mindset and mentality, scary eh? Anyway back to the game. Once you have gotten hold of the artefact you must return to the area marked with a red circle (usually but not always the starting position). The gameplay changes dramatically at this point and so will your tactics. Once in possession of the artefact, timesplitters begin to appear all over the levels in a last ditch attempt to swipe your face off. To finish the level quickly you will find yourself frantically running and shooting in an attempt to reach the portal in tact. This is highly exhilarating when you have little health and must make it back to safety past the timesplitters whilst wielding the weapon of choice for this retreat, the lovely Uzi.
The enemy Al is actually very good. Instead of walking in preset lines and shooting as soon as you come in a certain area the enemies perform admirably well. If they are walking over a bridge type construction they will look both ways. If you are in the shadows and not moving they will carry on as normal but if you shoot and miss they will turn and shot back or in some cases backtrack to a hiding spot before returning to hunt you down. Also the Al works in such a way that to complete a level you must kill nearly every inhabitant in the level. Firing rockets or a shotgun is sure to attract attention and leave an undead enemy behind you and it will track you down and shoot you in the back. The Al adds greatly to this already good game.
The control system is at first very hard to grasp although it will become second nature after an hours play. The analogue sticks are used to move and aim, left stick to walk, run or turn and right stick to aim the gun. The guns work in a good way that encourages use of the aiming feature and aiming in general. In other shooting games you sometimes don’t even have to aim the gun, just shoot and it will auto-aim. In Timesplitters the gun has to be pointed in the region directly surrounding the enemy e.g. you can’t shot an enemy above you without aiming upwards. Also, in later levels, headshots are actively encouraged as a swift but not easy way of killing. Some of the more battle hardened enemies will coolly take aim and shot you in the head while you are flailing around shooting here, there and everywhere.
The graphics in the game were excellent when the PS2 was first released and have stood the test of time well. The pre-rendered backdrops are realistic and impressive but are definitely not pretty; they are not supposed to be. The characters are well designed and not blocky in any way and the movement is fluid whether running or rolling. The game moves at a fast speed that helps with the fast and furious feel of the retreat once in possession of the artefact.
There is a plentiful range of weapons, which is a necessity for a game like this. The range of guns is truly expansive and here is just a little selection to whet your thirst for blood, strictly in the game you understand.
Pistol-Bog standard shooter that needs to be replaced as soon as possible if you are to survive.
Shotgun-Ideal for blowing enemy’s heads clean off.
Sniper Rifle-Long range groin shots. Need I say more?
Rocket launcher-Total devastation. Mind yourself!
Uzis-Ahhh, the shot now ask questions later gun. Let off a few hundred rounds.
Sc-Fi handgun-A really powerful weapon this one. Useful in the hands of the sensible only. High self-mortality rate.
Most of the guns have special features. They can be fired in two modes using R1 or R2. These different triggers utilize the gun differently. This is shown well on the rocket launcher, its two modes of fire being 3 small missiles or one huge one.
The arcade mode is a very comprehensive one. As well as the usual deathmatch and team deathmatch modes are a few extras. Capture the bag is a bizarre twist on Quake 3 favourite, capture the flag. Bag tag involves getting and hanging on to the bag for as long as possible without being killed. The winner is the person who has held the bag for the most time overall. Last stand is a very good feature indeed. It varies extremely depending on which level is being played. Basically it involves keeping an object intact for as long as possible. To show the diversity that this mode has here are two examples; To protect a radioactive can from being destroyed armed only with a Sniper rifle or to keep 5 diamonds from being destroyed wielding a large floor mounted high-velocity machine gun. Another arcade mode available on some levels is Escort, which involves protecting a person from being assassinated. This proves to be incredibly difficult, as the person you are escorting tends to have the mindset of a manically depressed, suicidal lemming. Put it this way, you wouldn’t let these guys cross the road, let alone walk through a street whilst being shot at.
So to sum up, Timesplitters is at times frustrating, but can be extremely fun. It is a big game with plenty of options, levels and playable characters. I should imagine that there are a few unlockable secrets in there too but I have yet to complete the game fully. Timesplitters can now be picked up for around £30 second hand or in a sale and at this price is a bargain. Sure there are lots of supposedly ‘better’ games now like Red Faction and Extermination but none possess the certain strange feeling of Timesplitters.
Thanks for reading, I’m off to shoot some people in the groin, have a nice day.