More Articles on TimeSplitters 2
Timesplitters 2 Map Help?TimeSplitters 2TimeSplitters 2TimeSplitters 2TimeSplitters 2Latest Reviews
Guitar Hero: On TourSecret Agent ClankWe Love Golf!Ferrari Challenge Buzz! Quiz TVUser Reviews
There are currently 0 User Reviews for TimeSplitters 2Write your own review for this game today and you will receive 100 Gamer Points.
Click here to register
TimeSplitters 2 Review
Chris Leyton
00/12/0000
Timesplitters 2 improves upon the predecessor in every possible way...
Following on from arguably the greatest multiplayer title on the Playstation2 and being billed as one of the āmust haveā titles for this Christmas has certainly placed expectations high for TimeSplitters2.
Thankfully the guys at Free Radical have done a sterling job and created one of the most essential titles youāll ever need for the PS2. Forget extensive storylines, complex characters and state-of-the-art technological buffoonery, TimeSplitters2 is a pure videogame, built from the ground up to give those who play it immense fun and satisfaction through a superbly playable game.
Taking on board the criticisms levelled at the first title ā“ most notably the absence of a single player mode ā“ Free Radical have created one of the most complete and perfect titles weāve ever had the opportunity to playtest, put simply TimeSplitters2 plays and controls like a dream.
For those not in the know, Free Radical was set-up by a group of ex-Rare developers who had recently finished the seminal Goldeneye and decided to move onto new pastures. Itās immediately evident right from the starting Siberia level that Timesplitters2 is the spiritual successor to one of the greatest FPS ever created. Despite their vast differences both Goldeneye and Halo they shared one common feature, that they were both designed for consoles. The same approach has been taken for TimeSplitters2; from the level design to being able to juggle the enemy with a few well-placed shots, everything is perfectly suited to the Playstation2 meaning that you wonāt be yearning for a mouse & keyboard combo.
The single player mode has been completely overhauled and now features a variety of different features. The main challenge lies in the games Story Mode, which sees you taking on 10 different missions across a vast time-range. A story attempts to give the game some explanation, but all you need to know is that each level entails completing a variety of criteria that opens up as you progress further into the level. This keeps every level fresh and along with the perfect level designs youāll find it very, very hard to put that pad down. When it comes to level designs the guys at Free Radical must rank as the best in the world, from the ingeniously placed checkpoints to the nature of the puzzles, each level is an absolute joy to play. Each of the levels have been themed according to the time span; from the Goldeneye inspired opening Siberia level to the amazing Notre dame level, each of the 10 missions are so near to perfect and entail a variety of different gaming techniques from trigger-happy action to stealth based perseverance, you simply couldnāt ask for anything more!
When youāve had enough of the Story Mode, you can check out the Challenge and Arcade Modes. The Challenge Mode pits you with a variety of different challenges such as smashing windows with a brick in an allotted time to surviving an onslaught of zombies. The challenges are all time based, so depending on how well you do youāll unlock other features and modes in the game. Thereās so much to unlock in the game, including new characters, modes and a variety of other bonuses.
The other mode is the Arcade Mode which is much more multiplayer orientated, putting you through a variety of multiplayer styled challenges such as Deathmatch and CTF. Completing these opens up a vast range of new modes, characters and levels for you to mix and match with in the Arcade Custom League. The Custom League gives you complete command to set-up the game as youād like; firstly selecting from one of the different game types, which include deathmatch, team deathmatch, capture the bag, bag tag, elimination, shrink, vampire, thief, regeneration, leech, virus, flame tag, zones, assault, gladiator and monkey assistant ā“ which sees a gun toting monkey help out the worst player! Most of these are basic variations on the classic deathmatch formula, for example vampire mode gives you health as you kill opponents, whilst flame tag sees a burning character trying to pass on the flames to someone else. Once youāve selected the game type, you have to choose a level from the 16 different multiplayer ones on offer, set the various options for scoring, weapons, etcā¦ and jump straight into the game.
Visually Timesplitters2 is the equivalent of a Ferrari 350 racing down the street, swift, silky smooth and with enough neat touches to make you go wow. The silky smooth 60FPS is a magnificent feat, especially considering how packed some levels get and thereās no slowdown in split-screen. Aside from the framerate the visuals do a good job of looking good without being spectacular; often objects appear quite crude on close inspection, but during the heated nature of the game it all looks superb. The same canāt be said about the character models however, each of the 120 different models all sport such a distinctive look and pack such charisma that youāll want to ensure you unlock all of them. A number of special effects complete the package such as the excellent texture warping around flames to give a heat-haze appearance and wonderful rain/snow effects.
