TheTimeSplittersseries is a cult classic game developed by a core group of developers who originally worked with Rare to makeGoldeneyeandPerfect Darkfor the Nintendo 64. Originally released in 2000 for the PlayStation 2,TimeSplittersquickly became a hit. The game was considered a spiritual successor toGoldeneyeandPerfect Darkwith its emphasis on fast-paced shooting and multiplayer elements. Unlike many other first-person shooters of the era, the entire story in the trilogy can be played cooperatively with another player. Since the release ofTimeSplitters: Future Perfectin 2005, there hasn’t been another entry, so fans are excited to have it return.
News broke out recently that formerTimeSplittersstudio Free Radical Design has reformed, and the studio’s first goal is to continue theTimeSplittersseries. On top of this, two of the original founders of Free Radical Design, David Doak and Steve Ellis, will be heading the development team. Fans of the series rejoice as they have wanted a sequel toTimeSplitters: Future Perfectfor some time, and have also requested for an HD re-release of the original trilogy, but for years have been left hoping. Thankfully, fans who want a modern taste can unlock the entirety of a 4K version ofTimeSplitters 2onHomefront: The Revolutionusing cheat codes.
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TimeSplitters Has Everything for Fans of FPS
First-person shooters were really starting to pick up steam on consoles since the launch ofGoldeneyein 1997, and this trend would continue with the likes ofPerfect Dark, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six,Medal of Honor, and more. A handful of developers left Rare to create their own studio known as Free Radical Design in 1999, and their first release in October of 2000 wasTimeSplitters. Free Radical included and improved uponconcepts that were introduced inGoldeneyeandPerfect Dark, while introducing many of their own unique concepts, turningTimeSplittersinto an instant hit.
TheTimeSplittersseries has a sense of humor unlike anything seen inGoldeneye, fully apparent when playing the story mode. The game features time traveling throughout its narrative, which comes into play during each of the stages. The original game takes place between the years 1935 and 2035, with an illustrious cast of characters playable in the multiplayer Arcade mode.LikeGoldeneye,TimeSplitters' stages have three different difficulty levels,with timed challenges that when completed successfully, unlock additional gameplay cheats and characters.
TimeSplittersis one of the few games of its time to allow cooperative play throughout its story mode. As the story and dialogue are witty and entertaining, it’s great to be able to play along with a friend. The multiplayer Arcade mode allowed up to four players and 10 bots to shoot it up in various game modes across many maps.TimeSplitters1has 64 playable characters ranging from monkeys, to monsters, to time-period waiters. The gameplay is also very smooth and fast-paced, making it a very accessible first-person shooter for consoles of its time.
TimeSplitters Improved Upon Itself
With everything fans of an FPS could want in a game, eachTimeSplittersentry also came with various other features that added to its replayability. One such feature was the mapmaker. This was done with a grid-based level editor that allowed players to create their own levels to play on in Arcade mode. The mapmaker inTimeSplitters2added the ability for players to create their own story-level maps, with objects and objectives throughout. The mapmaker inTimeSplitters 1and2was limited to indoor areas, untilTimeSplitters: Future Perfectchanged this.
InTimeSplitters: Future Perfectplayers could use the mapmaker to create outdoor maps, with the ability to toggle weather effects like rain and snow. Players also had the ability to stack rooms creating long five-story pitfalls, as well as decorate their various rooms with obstacles and barricades. On top of this,the PS2 and Xbox versions ofTimeSplitters: Future Perfectallowed for online play, with the ability to play on and share mapmaker maps. Though the online has since been discontinued, using the software Xlink Kai players still to this day can continue to enjoy nonsensical shooter mayhem on the PS2 and original Xbox.
With the tight controls, witty humor, a mapmaker, cast of unique characters, cooperative story mode, and a plethora of imaginative guns and set pieces,TimeSplitterswas truly ahead of its time. It was a shame that a new entry in the series never came to be, but with the reformed Free Radical Designs whether a sequel or simply another entry into the series, fans are more than thrilled to see more time traveling hijinx ensue.
