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TimeSplitters

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TimeSplitters
File:TimeSplitters.jpg
Developer(s)Free Radical Design
Publisher(s)Eidos Interactive
Platform(s)PlayStation 2
Release2000-10-26
Genre(s)First-person shooter
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer
For the race of creatures from the series see: TimeSplitters (race).

TimeSplitters is a series of first person shooter video games which have a storyline based on time travel. The first two games were published by Eidos. The first, released on the PlayStation 2 as a launch title for the system, while its sequel was also released on Xbox and GameCube, in addition to the PlayStation 2 version. There are currently three games in the series, TimeSplitters, TimeSplitters 2, and TimeSplitters: Future Perfect (published by EA Games).

The original game, TimeSplitters, was developed by the Nottingham based company Free Radical Design and published in 2000 by Eidos. Set over 100 years of past, present and future, TimeSplitters boasts probably the fastest gameplay yet seen in a console FPS, demanding the players keep their wits about them at all times.

The look of the game is substantially more stylized and cartoon-like than most first person shooters, with character models and expressions more closely resembling games such as XIII or Serious Sam than more realistic contemporaries such as Half-Life or Red Faction. This emphasis on often comic book-style character design, many of which represent instantly recognizable parodies of established pop-culture stereotypes (such as the aristocratic English explorer or the suave secret agent) combined with an often surreal and self-mocking style of humour.

The game, and the series as a whole, is notable for the inclusion of a Mapmaker: a simple grid-based level editor. In TimeSplitters, Mapmaker maps may only be used in Arcade mode.

The classic games GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark are often mentioned alongside TimeSplitters because the Free Radical Design team was once a part of Rareware, the creators of these two FPS games for the Nintendo 64. TimeSplitters is often times considered to be a continuation or spiritual sequel of the popular FPS style that GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark induced.

Story

Story mode is a series of nine short yet frantic missions, based upon the retrieval of a key object and its successful return, typically back to the map's starting point. Enemy AI is simple yet determined, and on harder settings there's little room for error. Enemies can appear out of nowhere and there are no checkpoints to allow breathing space. The difficulty curve in TimeSplitters is steep, in the harder settings the enemies become more numerous, better armed, and the maps themselves can change to make things more difficult.

There are always two playable characters on each mission to choose between in Story Mode. Cooperative play is also available, though enemy numbers and weapon/health placements remain the same as in Single Player Mode.

The Story mode is also where most of the games unlockables are found. Completing a mission will often be rewarded with a new character or characters in the Arcade game. Other rewards include new cheats and new Arcade maps. Completing a mission in a set time limit will also garner a reward.

Weapons

Handguns and portables

  • Pistol (x2) - A simple handgun that holds up to 10 bullets in one magazine modeled after the Beretta M9
  • Mauser pistol (x2) - Similar to the pistol, except it has a larger clip size and has rapid-fire capability.
  • Uzi (x2) - A small machine gun with an exposed mag. also has rapid-fire capability.
  • Sci-fi handgun - A futuristic bullet-based weapon. it was later changed to a laser-based weapon.
  • Colt pistol (x2) - A western-style pistol that holds 6 bullets in one cylinder. effective, but takes some time to reload. modeled after the Colt Peacemaker.

Rifles and semi-autos

  • Tommy gun (x2) - an effective weapon with a rounded clip. it has both rapid fire and single fire. Shares ammo with the pistols.
  • M16 (x2) - This is similar to the tommy gun, except is plastic, has a smaller ammo count, and has no single fire. But it makes up for by having a zoom-in feature.
  • Assault rifle - this weapon has a large ammo capacity and a sophisticated zoom feature.
  • Sniper rifle - The name says it all. A rifle that is used for LONG distance.
  • Minigun (x2) a huge weapon that has an extremely high firing speed.

Shotguns

  • Double-barreled shotgun (x2) - Holds 2 shells and a huge amount of power when shot at close range enemies.
  • Assault shotgun - Later named the tactical 12 gauge. This weapon holds up to 8 shells in the magazine and has pump action reload style. modeled after the spas-12.
  • Blunderbuss - Essentially a shotgun that needs to be reloaded after every shot.

Lasers

  • Plasma autorifle - A rifle with rapid fire and an attached grenade launcher.
  • Sci-fi sniper - A scoped plasma rifle that is useful against long range enemies.
  • Raygun - A weapon that fires single shots of energy, the distant future pistol. Can fire explosive projectiles
  • Raygun carbine - Similar to the raygun but is more powerful and has a higher rate of fire.

Explosives and launchers

  • Proximity Mines - A thrown weapon that detonates when it detects a living being near it.
  • Timed Mines - A thrown weapon that detonates after a short period of time.
  • Remote Mines - A thrown weapon that detonates when the player who threw it uses the weapons alt-fires.
  • Rocket Launcher - Fires an explosive rocket towards it's target, with the ability to fire in threes.
  • Grenade laucher - This small launch weapon fires 2 types of grenades: normal and plasma.
  • TNT - A throwing weapon that explodes when the fuse reaches the powder container.

Weapons with (x2) next to them can be dual-weilded.

  • If you find any others, please report them.

Story continued

Effectively, the only link between these separate time periods is the enemies that materialize whenever you complete your goal in a level and must return to the starting point. As revealed in later games in the series, these are the TimeSplitters themselves, travelling through Earth's history in an attempt to disrupt and destroy humanity. (In the player profile it tells you how many TimeSplitters you've killed but it doesn't specify that they are randomly spawning enemies that start appearing when you grab the key in your objective nor does it give any info on them.)

The Story Mode missions are:

Arcade

The game's multi-player Arcade mode when fully unlocked, boasts a selection of 6 game types, 18 maps, over 60 characters and all story mode weapons, coupled with almost complete customisation of individual match settings, and finished with a quality mapmaker.

The individual game types are:

  • Deathmatch: Be the first to reach the kill limit. Teamplay and an optional time limit can be set in which case, the leader at the close is declared winner.
  • BagTag: Hold the bag for as long as possible within the time limit. Teamplay can be set.
  • Capture the Bag: Capture the enemy team's bag and return it to your base to score. The player must defend their own bag as they lose points for its capture. If a player’s bag is stolen, they only need touch it when out of enemy hands to return it. A time limit can be set.
  • Knockout: Bags spawn onto the map (usually in the same basic area) and the player must take them to their team's base to score. A time limit can be set.
  • Escort: Only available on some maps. Escort an NPC to a pre-set base while defending him or her from respawning enemies.
  • Last Stand: Only available on some maps. Hold of increasing waves of enemies for as long as possible, points are awarded for both efficient kills and completion of phases.

The Arcade maps available are:

  • Tomb: Part of the story map, which is a huge room with lots of cover.
  • Graveyard: Because of the dark setting, it can be pretty hard to get around here. Watch for enemies around the corners.
  • Chinese: Possibly the most famed arena in the game. This map appeared in all 3 games.
  • Site: A maze-like arena with sewers and unfinished buildings. Be careful on the girders.
  • Cyberden: a cyborg infested base with huge maze-like corridors and plenty of hiding space.
  • Streets: The snowy streets contain breaking buildings, and vicious enemies around the corner. Something bad happened here.
  • Village: The abandoned village and desolate canyon are home to many mutants and flesh-eaters. Grab your gun and run.
  • Castle: The maze-like corridors and cramped spaces make up this old yet still functional castle. Stay out of the lab though.
  • Chemical Plant: The ruins of this plant contains a lot of wide open spaces and darkened insides.
  • Bank: Fight on the empty streets and get into the bank to find treasure.
  • Planet X : The largest arena of them all. Huge open and a giant spiral staircase. Especially canyon bridges made of stone.
  • Spaceship: Aliens are heading for earth. Get inside this ship and kill them before they reach earth.
  • Mansion: Zombies and mutants are lurking in the mansion. Beware.
  • Mall: The post-war mall holds plenty of traps and spaces for cover. Plus they're having a sale on rocket launchers.
  • Docks: The docks hold a storage space that can be useful for cover. Be sure you have a sniper for the taller buildings.
  • Compound: This warehouse holds plenty of hiding space to ambush your enemies.
  • Spaceways: This is what train stations will be in the future. A massive arena with cover and hiding spaces galore.
  • Warzone: It is the dawn of war. Thousands are fighting for there lives in this darkened battlefield.

As can be seen, half of the Arcade Mode maps are lifted directly from the Story Mode, albeit 'opened up' (or in the case of the Spaceways and Tomb maps, closed-off) for Arcade usage, the remainder are those maps specially constructed for Arcade Mode play.

The characters available as playable or bots, are made up mostly of Story mode heroes and villains and are many and varied. Everything from Robots, Cyborgs and Zombies to Gangsters, Aliens and even the odd Furry are selectable.

Challenge

A series of 9 sets of 3 single player challenges, often based around a pre-set Arcade match. Rewards are given for successful completion.

See also

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