Time Splitters 2

October 25, 2002

Platform: Nintendo Gamecube
Developer: Free Radical
Publisher: Eidos
Reviewed by: search66

Gameplay: [9] Graphics: [8] Audio: [8] Replay: [10] Overall: [9.5]

When I hear the acronym "FPS" a few things run through my head. Right off the top names like Quake, Unreal and Half-Life pop into my cranium. I think of late night Unreal sessions, and caffeine induced highs from endless nights at QuakeCon's. I also consider myself to be a FPS purist, and fiendishly grin when people speak of console shooters; for FPS perfection is on the PC, right?

All of this changed about a year ago. Like a kid after trick-or-treating, not only did I have to get all the candy in the neighborhood, but I also had to eat it all that night. When the Microsoft XBOX emerged from Redmond, I got it more out of obligation rather than desire. From this acquisition, my first game for the big green monster was Halo. Again, my elitism rode on rails and I was eventually humbled beyond belief after the first six hour initial romp. Halo is the essence of FPS consoles. Where others have failed (including Goldeneye), Halo advanced.

So, when speaking of console FPS's and being dished two copies of Time Splitters 2 (Gamecube and XBOX), I cracked my neck, grumbled as I put the 3.5" disk in and fired it up (kinda like Funboy in The Crow).

Beauty isn't always skin deep...
The first thing you notice when spinning the GD for the first time, is the overall brilliance of the visuals. Reminding more of an over-hyped movie rather than a solid game, my stereotype was playing right into my hands. Even with my prejudice controlling my emotions, Time Splitters isn't something new to the community (thus the "2" in Time Splitters 2). The original, which was solid to say the least (at least for a cough-console-cough-FPS). The series began when some former members of Rare (team GoldenEye) broke from the UK developers and created Free Radical Design; which then debuted on the PS2 about two years ago. While it was taken with open arms, the general public still considered it to be less than GoldenEye.

Now that the history lesson is over, let me explain why Time Splitters 2 is going to be the FPS of the year. There are two huge factors that are credited to TS2's success. The first is the most obvious regarding gameplay. Speed. The game is lightning fast, smoother than silk and chugs along like a Maserati at 60 frames per second. Yipes, was all I could say the first hour of play. The second determining factor at greatness is the interactivity. What made Halo so darn successful was not only the tight controls, but the interaction between Master Chief and the ongoing storyline. The minds over at Free Radical must have been working some serious overtime, for the storyline is totally engrossing and highly interactive. Wonderful cutscenes, voice acting and unfolding storylines come to your table in feast like proportions, while never compromising the aspects and overall flow of the gameplay. [rant] I'm not into spoilers, so the story is something you can figure out yourself. Or, if you prefer, go to another review site, get flooded with banners and ads and somewhere deep in their advertisements surely laces their review with the entire plot. [/rant]

Right. Anyway, the controls are remarkably sound. My biggest concern for the game was going to be the transition of control. For nothing can doom a FPS quicker than having sluggish control, or wacky control-sets. After my last Gamecube run with Street Fighter EO, the GC's controller almost hacked the gameplay 6-ft deep. Regardless, the gameplay elements were more than good enough to satisfy my deepest yearning for a keyboard and mouse. While sure, I will always prefer a keyboard/mouse combo than a controller; the GC's controller fits nice and snug in your hands and controlling TS2 became quite natural. In fact, the transition was even easier than Halo's if that is possible...

The overall satisfaction of gameplay is nothing less than rewarding. The power-ups, items and weapons are evenly distributed throughout the levels and are very rewarding when executed correctly. I was surprised to see that TimeSplitters 2 didn't pull off any cheap tricks or novelty items regarding gameplay. What they did give us, is a solid, tight fighting system that is a total blast to play.


I'd be even so bold to say that the options, items and weapons within Halo pale in comparison to what you are treated with in TS2. Again, the game is such a breath of fresh air that discovering item use, weapon selection and strategy is half the fun of the game. So, if you feel that the review is incomplete because of lack of details please go to the other sites as mentioned above (see rant #1).

That pink bunny's got jak on TS2.
Aside from the pretty landscapes, wonderful physics and novel-like story; under the hood there are more options than there are in a one pound bag of Skittles. While I always thought Halo would take the cake as far as replay value was concerned, the new king of the hill is right in front of you. Initially, the single player modules may seem a bit shallow with only nine full levels. Actually, you can run through the single player mode easily within five or six hours. But, the real depth of the game comes with the plethora of options. There are also some unique arcade modes, that really test your accuracy and uh... survival time.

These options range from map-editing, single player options and the incredible multiplayer aspects. By far the single most impressive feature (how many times have I said that?) of TS2 is the amazing multiplayer facets. Not only do you have deathmatch as well as a host of other versus features, you also have an incredible cooperative game. Personally, I found myself choosing the coop mode over any other mode (and there are a ton of them believe you me). If you think you and a pal can just breeze through the levels haphazardly, you've got a second thing coming to ya buster. Rationing items and ammo is a necessity, as well as planning on who gets what weapon.

Unlike other console FPS's, the usual heaviness of multiplayer was always dumbed down from the single player, and this is the first time where I've actually seen gameplay excel. With so many options the possibilities are endless. Mad kudos to the developers here for finally giving fans a solid multiplayer game that compliments and actually outshines the single player game.

Graphics fix
Having the luxury of playing the XBOX version right next to the GameCube version, the differences were rarely compromised. In fact, the overall "smoothness" of the Gamecube outshined the XBOX's. But, in the long run the visuals of the XB outshined our beloved purple box. This was mostly due for two reasons. The first was the Gamecubes lack of progressive scan and secondly the XB simply has more muscle. Even though the game ran well at 60-FPS, there were times (especially during multiplayer firefights) where the little cube skipped a few frames here and there, and the framerate may have dropped down to the 30's. That's ok though, for the loss of performance never hindered my gameplay and those around me couldn't even notice the loss.

As much as I loved the visuals within TS2, I was never "wowed" like I was with Halo or even the upcoming Metroid Prime. This isn't to say the game isn't drop-dead gorgeous, for it is. Lighting effects, and draw distance are better than anything you've seen before. Character animations and facial expressions are dynamic and realistic. I guess my only real disappointment was the environmental aspects for it really didn't meet up to my expectations. This is largely due to Halo setting the bar so high for others. But where TimeSplitters2 has the edge over other in its genre is the architecture of the levels and design. Many might take for granted the little things, but the architecture is so appealing and range from neo-gothic to futuristic techy. I totally loved the structural detail, so take a break from blasting aliens and look around once in a while; just to appreciate the complexity.

The audio portions of the game fit the bill nicely for our time jumping, world saving heroes. The soundtrack is tightly composed, dynamic and fitting to the levels. In fact, the overall appeal of the sound effects and musical tracks are one of the best out there on any system (console or PC). As most will GameCube fanboys will admit, the XB is usually the winner as far as audio is concerned and in this situation it is no different. The audio on the XB was phenomenal utilizing the Dolby Digital 5.1 perfectly. This isn't to say the same system didn't fare well on the Cube; for it did with flying colors.

Don't worry though, the XBOX's controller (yea, even the "S" type) couldn't hold a candle when compared to the Cube's. Bad XBOX, BAD!

66 Says:
It's funny when you think about it. Sure Time Splitters 2 has received some great media coverage, but the upcoming Metroid Prime has stolen the show. Just like the thousands of others in the country who have gotten their hands on Metroid play-testing, I personally have to admit that from what I've seen so far TS2 is probably the best FPS of the year. Even the bloated Unreal Tournament 2003 (which I loved) couldn't fully compare to TS2.

While the game never fully blew us away like it did with Halo, what it does do it does well. The FPS genre is evolving for the better, and it is exciting to see the transformation from GoldenEye to Perfect Dark to now, Time Splitters. You know, I've read multiple reviews that flood the industry regarding the game, and it kind of makes me laugh. Most of these reviews come from spoiled little brats that don't fully understand what makes a game great and what makes a game average. How can you give a game a "9.0" on a mediocre platformer and "7 or 8" for a brilliantly constructed FPS? Don't be misled by any reviews you read regarding the game. TimeSplitters 2 isn't the greatest game ever in console history, but what it is; is probably the best current FPS on the market today.

Replay is what makes TS2 a solid purchase, and the single player simply compliments the meaty multiplayer.

Enjoy the game, and kudos to Eidos... but where is my Soul Reaver skin?