TimeSplitters was supposed to be one more reason for people to buy a PlayStation 2.  Among the hardcore, it was expected to be one of the PS2's best launch titles and had been hyped in magazines and on websites for weeks proceeding the PS2 launch.  Also adding to the anticipation was the fact that the developers included former members of the team that created the mega-hit GoldenEye 007 for the N64.  Now that TimeSplitters is out, it's fair to say it is indeed one of the best launch titles for the PS2 but, by itself, is not reason enough to purchase the system.

So what is this game about?  Well, it is a first-person shooter much like Doom and GoldenEye.  The idea behind TimeSplitters is that you travel to different moments in time to complete specific objectives.  Each level has an item of some kind that you are required to retrieve.  It is much more straight forward than "find the red key, open red door, find the blue key, open blue door" etc.  You basically run from point A to point B and then back to point A while blasting anything that may stand in your way. 

The first thing that will become obvious to the player when they pick up TimeSplitters is that the control is very hard to get used to.  Both analog sticks on the controller serve for aiming and movement.  If you don't like this setup, you will have to live with it since there is no way to customize the controls.  After time, it will get easier but, at first, it is very unforgiving and may steer some people away.  The problem with using the analog stick to aim is that the stick can be overly sensitive, resulting in frequent over-aiming.  Like I said, though, after a few days of steady practice, you'll be right at home.  You just need to have patience and it will pay off.

Now since the PlayStation 2 is such a powerhouse of a machine, you would expect TimeSplitters to be quite the visual treat, right?  In truth, TimeSplitters looks like GoldenEye 007 in high resolution.  That is not a bad thing, but when considering what the PS2 is capable of, the equivalent of a polished N64 game just doesn't cut it.  Most of the levels are very bland with little detail.  The China stage, in particular, is very boring with lots of rooms that are one plain color.  There are one or two levels that are neat, such as the 1950's village that is overrun with gun-toting undead, but a couple of neat-looking levels can't make up for several lame-looking ones.

Adding to the disappointment is the lame character design.  The main characters in the game are all goofy or ugly looking.  They're animated nicely, but it’s hard to appreciate that when they look like 3D cartoon characters from the 1970's.  The supporting characters are a mixed bag.  The zombies and undead from certain levels look pretty good, but the human characters look as goofy as the main heroes do.

The audio is a washout as well.  While there are some cool voices and music tracks, there are an equal number of bad ones.  For every decent music track, there is an obnoxious one to bring the average down.  Take the Egyptian level, for example.  The music on that level is pretty good.  Now look at Planet X and hear just how bad game music can get.  It also sounds like the guns are using some of the same sound effects from GoldenEye on N64.  That's not really a bad thing, it's just something that seems like a bit of a shortcut taken by the developers. 

I guess my biggest problem with TimeSplitters is not the audio, the graphics, or the control.  All of those can be overlooked.  What hurts TimeSplitters the most is the lackluster weapon selection.  Many of the guns in TimeSplitters function similarly to one another.  For example, the Minigun is almost indistinguishable from the Tommy Gun or the Uzi.  Why bother to look for one when you have the other?  There are just too many weapons in the game with little variation in power or rate of fire.  Even the rocket launcher is ho-hum.  If the weapons had been given more thought, this game would have benefited greatly. 

Its not all that bad though.  While there is nothing all that innovative, TimeSplitters is still worth checking out.  The single player mode can be satisfying way of killing an afternoon and there are a number of multiplayer options.  There is even a level editor for you to create your own maps with.  If you plan on playing this game with your friends a lot, the level editor is what makes this game worthwhile.  Just throw together some quick arenas and you and you're friends can easily spend an entire night playing this game.  You can even play with teams, capture the bag, and a variation of capture the bag which works like "tackle the bum". 

TimeSplitters is worth checking out if you own a PlayStation 2.  Rent it sometime and see if it’s your thing because chances are you'll have some fun with it.  Otherwise, don't sweat not having a PS2 for this game.  If you have a PlayStation, N64, or Dreamcast, there is something out there just as good, if not better.