TimeSplitters: Information from Answers.com

Release Date: October 26, 2000
Genre: Shooter
Style: First-Person Shooter
Similar Games: Unreal Tournament (PlayStation 2), Quake III Revolution (PlayStation 2)

Game Description

TimeSplitters is the first PlayStation 2 title to come from Free Radical Design, a company founded by a handful of ex-Rare employees who worked on GoldenEye 007 for the N64. The Story mode tells of the TimeSplitters -- an enigmatic race capable of traveling through time -- who have been awakened from centuries of dormancy to eliminate the human race. You take control of characters spanning various eras in human history, from 1935 to 2035, as you attempt to put a stop to this vile plan, once and for all. The main Story mode, while primarily a single-player adventure, can be played by two players cooperatively.

By completing the Story mode, a single-player Challenge mode can be unlocked that presents the player with a series of pre-defined scenarios, such as obtaining a certain number of kills before the time expires, or surviving wave upon wave of zombies in a haunted house. Completing these will unlock secrets and extra characters for use in the multiplayer arena.

A first-person shooter with an emphasis on speed, TimeSplitters' main focus is on multiplayer mayhem, allowing up to four players to take part in competitive and cooperative split-screen action in Deathmatch, Bagtag, Capture the Bag, Knockout, Escort and Last Stand modes. If desired, up to ten computer-controlled opponents known as "Bots" can be included in multiplayer matches. Settings can be altered prior to a game, allowing players to customize the score limit, score method, time limit, friendly fire, one-shot kills, handicaps, and weapons available, among others. Statistics, which range from number of kills to windowpanes destroyed, can be recorded for each player.

A mapmaker utility has been included that allows players to design and save their own maps to the memory card, for future play. By choosing from pre-set pieces, levels of varying sizes can be constructed, after which the player can select a theme and tileset from those provided.

~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

Developed by many of the same people behind the excellent GoldenEye 007, Free Radical Design's TimeSplitters is a rip-roaring first-person experience through time where each level sports a unique theme with corresponding enemies and weapons. While story elements take a backseat to the action, they aren't missed as the mindless shooting speaks louder than words.

Broken into the Story and Arcade modes, TimeSplitters features a plethora of levels ranging from futuristic laboratories and obscure alien planets to nuclear facilities, Egyptian temples, and haunted mansions -- all of which harness beautiful graphics and excellent design. Aside from a few mismatched texturing qualms, the visuals are a testament to the PlayStation 2's considerable power.

Before expanding on the graphic prowess, there are three levels initially; once you complete the Story missions, additional levels will be unlocked. Because the actual storyline is nonexistent, the disjointed objectives will have you searching out various items and returning them to a destination point. Depending on the difficulty setting chosen (easy, normal and hard), the desired items will be located in different places. Once the item has been obtained and the mission is completed, you will unlock various characters and levels.

The Arcade portion of TimeSplitters combines the unlocked characters and levels with various multi-player modes including Deathmatch, Bagtag, Capture the Bag, Knockout, Escort and Last Stand. Last Stand is an exceptional excursion -- using turrets and actual weapons, you must fend off hundreds of enemies as they infiltrate your base.

Because the multiplayer modes are highly customizable, those who thrive on single-player experiences need not worry. While the four-player split-screen mode is excellent, there are enemy bots with varying difficulty settings, which are useful for those with a limited supply of friends. It should be noted that not all levels support each mode, as certain levels are designed differently.

Because of the included map editor, you'll even have the option of customizing levels and creating your own. And no you cannot create your own textures, silly. In the map editor, you will select various texture patterns and position rooms on a grid while selecting weapons, enemy locations and pickup items. Additionally, you can adjust room heights, utilize lighting features (flickering and colored lighting) and preview the current creation. The editor is user friendly and takes little time to learn -- the instruction manual thoroughly covers this portion of the game.

Going back to the visual flair, TimeSplitters has it in spades. From the blistering frame rate and smooth animation to the neat (and funny) character designs, this game is gorgeous. Slowdown appears on rare occasions when there's too much going on, but it never becomes a problem during gameplay.

Characters include All-American heroes, rotting zombies, terrorists, doctors, sadistic nurses, mechanical aliens, and treasure hunters, all of which look exceptional, and there's a whopping 55 in all. Additionally, explosions fill the room with all kinds of weapon effects including beams and discharged shells.

Control is the number-one priority in any game and TimeSplitters has it handled in spades. While the left analog stick is used for moving around and strafing, the right stick looks around. Making full use of the controller, jumping and firing is handled through the shoulder buttons. The control slips a bit in changing weapons -- the directional buttons are used by default.

When both thumbs are manning the analog sticks and your fingers are constantly on the shoulder buttons, switching weapons can be tough, so when you pick up more powerful weapons, it automatically switches. Although there are various control setups, none seem to be as adequate as the default setting.

In the end, this minor slipup doesn't matter too much. TimeSplitters is a scorching first-person shooter with tons of levels, awesome visuals, lots of weapons and a plethora of options. While the Story mode could have been a bit more innovative, those craving an action-packed experience with the PlayStation 2's launch should look no further.