Time Crisis 3
The latest wildly-addictive, arcade-based installment in the Time Crisis franchise returns to the PlayStation 2, and we couldn't be happier with the results.
Published: November 12, 2003
Ah, light-gun shooters. Who can forget the days of franticly stuffing the arcade machine full of quarters in order to defeat that final boss or save your partner's not-so-tactful ass in a do-or-die situation (although for your arcade regulars, this may be but a routine act for you)? Seeing as the arcade is sadly becoming a dying breed, such memories doubtlessly rest in the minds of avid gamers alike, and what would be more convenient than to those same memorable days at the light-gun arcade machine, yet in the safety of your own home? It should be quite evident by now that I'm clearly referring to the Time Crisis franchise, acclaimed for its rule over the world of light-gun arcades while also praised for its solid ports onto the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 consoles. In Time Crisis 3, the latest installment of Namco's popular shoot 'em up series, we're treated with the same heart-racing action from the arcades, seamlessly combined with a handful of ingenious features and console-exclusive content. Thank God Namco knows what it's doing.
Now, the storyline has never been the most enticing nor compelling feature of a Time Crisis title, but it nonetheless keeps things moving and, well, gives you a reason for gunning down tons of assorted enemies. In TC3, two agents from the VSSE, Alan Dunaway and Wesley Lambert (both pretty boys, of course) are sent in to put a stop to the malicious Zagorias Federation under military mastermind Giorgio Zott, who has taken the liberty of seizing and terrorizing (in the form of a potential devastating missile strike) the Mediterranean country of Lukano. While carrying out their mission, Dunaway and Lambert rendezvous with a female member of the Lukano Liberation Force, Alicia Winston, who is determined to free her brother, a key member of the liberation taken hostage by the Zagiorias troops. The respectable story stays somewhat suspenseful throughout the majority the game's Story Mode, but the classic "duck-and-shoot" gameplay is what really makes up the gist of Time Crisis 3.
TC3's basic gameplay structure is one that most gamers should be familiar with, but for those new to the series, here's a quick run through: basically, you're always stationed behind some sort of solid object, usually a wall or barrier of some sort, and your objective is pop out and shoot every enemy, as well as potentially helpful items in the environment, (say, a stack of explosive barrels) that appear on screen. When you've run out of bullets or need to avoid a threatening enemy attack, you simply hide back behind your barrier, with your weapon reloading automatically, then pop back out and start firing again - all done by the ease of a single button. This is and has always been the standard foundation for the Time Crisis franchise, but Time Crisis 3 capitalizes at a fit opportunity by integrating into the tried and true system some new depth. See, a basic handgun has been the only useable weapon through the previous installments, yet TC3 freshens things up with a Weapon Select System, allowing you to easily choose between either a handgun, a machine gun, a shotgun or a grenade launcher when you see fit. Not only is the ability to choose one of these four arms extremely accessible (when hiding and reloading, just scroll right to your weapon of choice via the weapon menu), but it truly adds some non-linearity, too. When a gang of soldiers suddenly pull up in a hummer, what could be more appropriate than to blow them and the vehicle sky high with a rocket? Conservation is key, though, for ammunition is limited and can only be obtained by firing at a specific enemy in yellow attire (although infinite ammo can be toggled on via the Options menu). Nonetheless, the addition of new useable weapons adds a lot of new flavor to the rather redundant pistol-only action of previous Time Crisis installments.
The availability of new weapons is one of the many laudable aspects of Time Crisis 3's in-game action. The massive (though linear) levels each have their fair share of creative and interactive features. In one part of a level worth mentioning, you and your partner are left dangling from a train that is hanging halfway over the edge of destroyed tracks, and picking off enemy soldiers causes them to fall off of the train and to their deaths far below. The game also makes innovative use of the vehicles in which enemies drive, for when a truck or a motorcycle (for example) takes enough bullet damage, it will explode into flames, instantly killing the soldiers on-board.
Taking after its arcade sibling, Time Crisis 3 is a game that you can pick up and play from the get-go. While light-gun veterans can blissfully enjoy the game's in-your-face, challenging action, newcomers are given an equally fair chance at performing well, as each replay of the game earns him/her more max credit. TC3 is also loaded with unlockables, including extra stages as well as a secret game mode that features a nifty new playable character (whose name shall not be announced). Although the game has a relatively short Story Mode (seeing as it is based on an arcade), additional stages and intense two-player action (and please, use Link mode here, my friends - split-screen play is visually atrocious and barely discernable) offers a good amount of replayability.
Luckily, TC3's flaws are infrequent, and mar little to practically none of the game's crisp gameplay. For one, I would have liked to have had more help from my CPU partner in Single Player Mode, and albeit he always seemed to be totting his pistol, I've never once seem him actually gun down an enemy without my help. Sure, the game can be a joy for both hardcore and inexperienced gamers alike, but occasionally overwhelming swarms of enemies coupled with simplistic boss battles do make the difficulty seem a bit flaky. With enough practice, though (and trust me when I say you'll need it), you'll be able to overcome these slight drawbacks to experience Time Crisis 3 to the fullest.
Here's a thing I must, must stress: don't even consider playing Time Crisis 3 with the regular PlayStation 2 controller. If an on-screen target and sluggish controls are your idea of a good time, then by all means utilize the DualShock 2, but if you've got some sense in you, your best bet would be to pick up the Time Crisis 3/GunCon2 bundle and experience this game the way it was meant to be played. The GunCon2 is as intuitive and dead-on of a light-gun as the arcade version, and quite possibly one of the best peripherals on the market. As mentioned before, switching from weapon to weapon is both seamless and effortless, and once you've got a bit of experience in you, picking off enemies will be a breeze. What more can be said about this incredible light gun? Just make sure you don't use it on an LCD or plasma screen.
With so much stress on the game's fantastic gameplay, it's somewhat understandable why the graphics and sound department are a bit lacking. Even though the in-game environments are substantially detailed and eye-appealing and the cutscenes are quite graphically impressive, the character models (specifically their faces) and overall look of Time Crisis 3 seems dated and in need of revamping. As far as audio qualities are concerned, don't expect to hear any Hollywood talent here. And while the voice acting is sub-par (don't even get me started on Wild Fang), the mostly-orchestrated music tracks and typical gunshots and enemy grunts all fall in place quite nicely to accompany the gameplay.
To put it briefly, Time Crisis 3 is one of the best light-gun shooters you'll find on a console. The gameplay is addictive, the GunCon2 controls are unmatched, and the overall feel of the game is just right. True, those looking for a remarkably deep and involving game may choose to look elsewhere, but anyone with the slightest interest in shooters should definitely pick this one up. Solo or with a pal, this game's a blast.
Now, the storyline has never been the most enticing nor compelling feature of a Time Crisis title, but it nonetheless keeps things moving and, well, gives you a reason for gunning down tons of assorted enemies. In TC3, two agents from the VSSE, Alan Dunaway and Wesley Lambert (both pretty boys, of course) are sent in to put a stop to the malicious Zagorias Federation under military mastermind Giorgio Zott, who has taken the liberty of seizing and terrorizing (in the form of a potential devastating missile strike) the Mediterranean country of Lukano. While carrying out their mission, Dunaway and Lambert rendezvous with a female member of the Lukano Liberation Force, Alicia Winston, who is determined to free her brother, a key member of the liberation taken hostage by the Zagiorias troops. The respectable story stays somewhat suspenseful throughout the majority the game's Story Mode, but the classic "duck-and-shoot" gameplay is what really makes up the gist of Time Crisis 3.
TC3's basic gameplay structure is one that most gamers should be familiar with, but for those new to the series, here's a quick run through: basically, you're always stationed behind some sort of solid object, usually a wall or barrier of some sort, and your objective is pop out and shoot every enemy, as well as potentially helpful items in the environment, (say, a stack of explosive barrels) that appear on screen. When you've run out of bullets or need to avoid a threatening enemy attack, you simply hide back behind your barrier, with your weapon reloading automatically, then pop back out and start firing again - all done by the ease of a single button. This is and has always been the standard foundation for the Time Crisis franchise, but Time Crisis 3 capitalizes at a fit opportunity by integrating into the tried and true system some new depth. See, a basic handgun has been the only useable weapon through the previous installments, yet TC3 freshens things up with a Weapon Select System, allowing you to easily choose between either a handgun, a machine gun, a shotgun or a grenade launcher when you see fit. Not only is the ability to choose one of these four arms extremely accessible (when hiding and reloading, just scroll right to your weapon of choice via the weapon menu), but it truly adds some non-linearity, too. When a gang of soldiers suddenly pull up in a hummer, what could be more appropriate than to blow them and the vehicle sky high with a rocket? Conservation is key, though, for ammunition is limited and can only be obtained by firing at a specific enemy in yellow attire (although infinite ammo can be toggled on via the Options menu). Nonetheless, the addition of new useable weapons adds a lot of new flavor to the rather redundant pistol-only action of previous Time Crisis installments.
The availability of new weapons is one of the many laudable aspects of Time Crisis 3's in-game action. The massive (though linear) levels each have their fair share of creative and interactive features. In one part of a level worth mentioning, you and your partner are left dangling from a train that is hanging halfway over the edge of destroyed tracks, and picking off enemy soldiers causes them to fall off of the train and to their deaths far below. The game also makes innovative use of the vehicles in which enemies drive, for when a truck or a motorcycle (for example) takes enough bullet damage, it will explode into flames, instantly killing the soldiers on-board.
Taking after its arcade sibling, Time Crisis 3 is a game that you can pick up and play from the get-go. While light-gun veterans can blissfully enjoy the game's in-your-face, challenging action, newcomers are given an equally fair chance at performing well, as each replay of the game earns him/her more max credit. TC3 is also loaded with unlockables, including extra stages as well as a secret game mode that features a nifty new playable character (whose name shall not be announced). Although the game has a relatively short Story Mode (seeing as it is based on an arcade), additional stages and intense two-player action (and please, use Link mode here, my friends - split-screen play is visually atrocious and barely discernable) offers a good amount of replayability.
Luckily, TC3's flaws are infrequent, and mar little to practically none of the game's crisp gameplay. For one, I would have liked to have had more help from my CPU partner in Single Player Mode, and albeit he always seemed to be totting his pistol, I've never once seem him actually gun down an enemy without my help. Sure, the game can be a joy for both hardcore and inexperienced gamers alike, but occasionally overwhelming swarms of enemies coupled with simplistic boss battles do make the difficulty seem a bit flaky. With enough practice, though (and trust me when I say you'll need it), you'll be able to overcome these slight drawbacks to experience Time Crisis 3 to the fullest.
Here's a thing I must, must stress: don't even consider playing Time Crisis 3 with the regular PlayStation 2 controller. If an on-screen target and sluggish controls are your idea of a good time, then by all means utilize the DualShock 2, but if you've got some sense in you, your best bet would be to pick up the Time Crisis 3/GunCon2 bundle and experience this game the way it was meant to be played. The GunCon2 is as intuitive and dead-on of a light-gun as the arcade version, and quite possibly one of the best peripherals on the market. As mentioned before, switching from weapon to weapon is both seamless and effortless, and once you've got a bit of experience in you, picking off enemies will be a breeze. What more can be said about this incredible light gun? Just make sure you don't use it on an LCD or plasma screen.
With so much stress on the game's fantastic gameplay, it's somewhat understandable why the graphics and sound department are a bit lacking. Even though the in-game environments are substantially detailed and eye-appealing and the cutscenes are quite graphically impressive, the character models (specifically their faces) and overall look of Time Crisis 3 seems dated and in need of revamping. As far as audio qualities are concerned, don't expect to hear any Hollywood talent here. And while the voice acting is sub-par (don't even get me started on Wild Fang), the mostly-orchestrated music tracks and typical gunshots and enemy grunts all fall in place quite nicely to accompany the gameplay.
To put it briefly, Time Crisis 3 is one of the best light-gun shooters you'll find on a console. The gameplay is addictive, the GunCon2 controls are unmatched, and the overall feel of the game is just right. True, those looking for a remarkably deep and involving game may choose to look elsewhere, but anyone with the slightest interest in shooters should definitely pick this one up. Solo or with a pal, this game's a blast.
