Genre: First Person Shooter
Developer: Free Radical Design
Publisher: Eidos
# of Players: 1-4 split screen, 1-16 I-Link
Memory: 245kb
ERSB: Teen
Also On: GameCube, XBox
Features: Analog Control, Vibration, Multitap, I-Link, Network Adaptor

Introduction

Created by former Rareware employees, Free Radical Design took little time returning to what they were known for at Rare: kick ass FPS games. After serious single player driven games like 007 and Perfect Dark, FRD opted to focus on multiplayer for their first game. So, the Timesplitters franchise was born, just in time for the PS2 launch. The game featured an insane amount of multiplayer modes, and blazing speed even in 4 player. It also had a great map maker feature, enabling gamers to create their own maps if they didn’t like the maps FRD made for them.

The game was an instant hit with people looking for great multiplayer action. The game wasn’t a hit however, with anyone expecting single player gameplay as good as the developers past efforts. While the multiplayer game was deep and fresh, the single player game was nothing more than "go here, get item, return, repeat".

With TimeSplitters 2, FRD has deepened the game in every way, from the multiplayer modes and depth to creating a great single player game that, while it pales in comparison to most intense story driven FPS games, it’s a great one on its own. The end result is a game that easily reaches and eclipses the marks set by Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, and TimeSplitters 1.

Presentation

TimeSplitters 2 is supposed to be a whacky game, and FRD presents it so. Goofy animations, the ability to lob off limps and heads. TimeSplitters doesn’t take itself too seriously.

The first thing you’ll notice about the menus is the incredible amount of them there are. Each selection opens up another slew of choices for you. It would be a pain if the menus were slow but they are not. They are incredibly easy to navigate, especially considering how many of them there are.

Past the menus you will find loads of cut scenes and movies, each entertaining and well done. The load times are very quick, and you get general breakdowns of each mode and map before you play. There’s really no way they could have done this better.

Graphics

The main thing about the graphics is the absolute complete lack of slowdown in the game. None. Never seen it. The game runs amazingly fast, even in 4 player split screen mode. Go into an open plain in 4 player mode with some bots and blast a few rockets in there. The framerate remains. Truly a great accomplishment.

Another great thing about the graphics are the animations and style. Each character(there are over 100), has their own personality, animations and attributes. Expect a heavy person to be slow and basically rumble their way throughout the maps, while a smaller framed character will be quick and will sprint around everywhere. The animations are extremely over the top and add to the style. Want to lob off a head with a brick? You can in this game.

The stages and environments have a cartoony look to them, but still look realistic enough to work. Remember 007 on N64? Picture that, only much less blurry and much better graphics overall, and you have TS2.

The special effects are top notch and FRD also added a few nice touches. You can actually see bullets and blasts bouncing and reflecting off the walls. Using a flamethrower, you can actually see the blur caused by the heat waves. Very cool.

There isn’t much to gripe about here. The textures could be a bit better. But truly great graphics would surely dampen to speed of the game. I think they blended it just right.

Sound

The sound effects in the game are awesome. The guns sound like guns. There should be a very different sound coming from a shotgun then there would be from a sniper rifle, and it’s present here. Get a mini-gun, and you’ll hear raw power. That’s how it should be. Get a crossbow, and you can hear the arrows zipping through the air and the loud THUD sound as they stick into their target.

The story mode has quite a bit of voice acting, and it is good as well. The accents and twists on the voices based on time and location is just right, as it the techno music, which seems to pulsate with the level perfectly.

Gameplay

You thought Perfect Dark was deep with modes and customization? You haven’t seen anything yet.

Here’s what TS2 is packing:

120+ playable characters
25+ weapons, each with 2 fire modes
Arcade Mode, consisting of 3 leagues, each with 5 scenarios with 3 challenges each. 45 total challenge missions
Multiplayer Modes: 16, including:
Deathmatch
Team Deatmatch
Capture the Bag
Vampire
Assault
Shrink
Bag-Tag
Elimination
Virus
Thief
Flame-Tag
Leech
Zones
Gladiator
Monkey Assistant
Regeneration

Modes can be customized with the following options:

Score Limit
Time Limit
One Hit Kill Option
Scoring Method
Start w/Gun On/Off
Radar
Handicap
Character Abilities
Power-Ups
Music
Weapons Set
Teams
Bot Selection
Bot Difficulty
Map
Pacing

Theres also:

Challenge Mode, 7 scenarios with 3 challenges each for 21 total
Map Maker
Co-Op for story mode
Story Mode

Just like Perfect Dark, TS2 also keeps player profiles and keeps a multitude of stats, ranging from kills, deaths, time player, favorite guns. To weird things like heads lobbed off, limbs lobbed off, average speed.

The setup of the game goes like this. When you boot it up for the first time, you barely have anything open. You open the multiplayer modes by beating the Challenges and Leagues. Each time you beat them, you open the mode. Beat them with gold medals, and you unlock cheats and secret characters, with there are again, over 120.

The best thing about this game is the sheer amount of customization you have over it. The game could have come with no customization options and it still would have been great based solely upon the amount of modes there are. But with the insane amount of control you have over everything, the game is entirely what you make of it.

From mode to mode, you get a different experience in each one. In Deatmatch, your objective is to simply kill. In modes like Zones, killing takes a back seat and getting control of buildings throughout the map is your main goal. In a game of flame tag, you only have one objective: avoid the people on fire.

FRD has listened to the fans and they put work into the single player game as well, and it is much better. Gone is the item fetching setup of part 1, and the game is much less linear this time around. It is also very long and very difficult, two things the original lacked.

The gameplay is basic solid FPS action. You shoot, you reload, you shoot again. There are loads of weapons and the control is awesome. No complaints here.

Conclusion

If you were a fan of Goldeneye, TS2 is a no brainer. The first level of TimeSplitters 2 bears an uncanny resemblance to a couple of levels in 007, and the pause screen and overall look of the game will make you feel right at home.

Thise with friends and a multitap are in for a treat, because you will never get tired of the game. Tired of this mode? Try one of the 15 others. Don’t like it? Try fiddling with the settings. Bah, that map sucks? Make your own then. TimeSplitters 2 is solid FPS action with great graphics and sound, mixed with the most insane multiplayer action ever and topped off with a good single player mode as well. It’s simply the best FPS ever made and every PS2 owner should have it.

The Good
+ Totally customizable gameplay
+ Tons of modes
+ Good single player game
+ Solid gameplay with loads of weapons
+ Lots of style and fresh ideas
+ Constant framerate, no slowdown
+ Fully customizable controls
+ Great difficulty

The Bad
- No online play

The Ugly
? Some of the women in the game. Thankfully a swift punch or brick to the face will lob their ugly heads right off.