SolidSnake316's Full Review: Time Crisis for PlayStation 1
(Reviewer's Note: Okay, I played this game with the PSX Dual Shock Controller, and not the Guncon, and I only rented this game. I didn't buy the Guncon/game combo for $60, but I will mention these things later...)
There's nothing like a good Namco shooting game... from Time Crisis to Crisis Zone, Namco can do no wrong... or so you would think. They have so many shooting games, that one is destined to not live up to Namco standards... well, this one doesn't.
The basic premise of the game is simple. You are a secret agent, blah, blah, blah, so now you must kill every single person you meet up with. Simple enough, eh? You don't have to worry about moving around, all you have to do is kill everyone and everything.
There is a little catch... you can press/release (depending on the button configuration) a button to hide. You can avoid enemy fire this way, and you must hide to reload your weapon.
As far as game play goes, TC: PT is action, more action, smothered in action, and just a hint of drama and comedy thrown in to get you into it. The gunfights can be very exciting, and they are, with the enemy yelling at you to drop your weapon, it's just like an action flick. Some of the aptly named action points are very cool (hopping out of the elevator in level 1? yikes!).
Also, the duck feature, and the new multi-hiding feature (only available in boss battles) are unique, unlike other games where you have no freedom to move once so ever.
Unfortunately, the nifty things and innovations of this game pretty much end there. Compared to the other Crisis games, this game has uninspired levels, clichéd bosses, and a very forgettable story.
The graphics in this game are downright ugly at times. The enemies have a low-polygon count, and animate the same every time they shoot. This is due to the fact that Namco took the graphics engine of the first TC game (released way back in 1997), and used it here, without sprucing it up in anyway.
Also, even thought the game is initially fun, it becomes monotonous after only a few hours. It only has four levels and two modes, and the duck feature just makes things worse. Instead of needing fast reflexes like other shooting games, all you need to do to escape danger is hide. That's just too easy. Basically, the game progresses like this: shoot, shoot, shoot, duck/reload, shoot, shoot, duck/reload, shoot... you get the picture?
As a final gripe, the enemies’ aim is atrocious. They can cap you from twenty feet away, but can miss five times at point blank range. Also, can someone tell me why ducking can make you get hit by a grenade, but still come out unscathed?
If you buy this game, you must pay $40 for the game, and $20 for the Guncon, which you need to truly enjoy this game. With the controller, you can't react as fast. So, if you have a Guncon, rent only. If you're jumping into TC for the first time, it isn't horribly bad, but the first game (probably worth $20 right now) is a better buy.
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