Arcades recently got a taste of lead as Namco released its fourth edition of its long-withstanding light gun franchise. Why should you care? Because it’s safe to say this title will eventually be ported to consoles just like its predecessors.
Namco’s Time Crisis 4 was showcased at this year’s E3 and once again brings double screen deluxe cabinet goodness to U.S. arcades. However, part four brings more than just the addition of weapons to the table as new elements have been introduced which affect actual game play mechanics.
Namco once again throws in a cliché Rica Sauvé duo by the names of Giorgio and Evan, sent to an airport to intercept terrorist trafficking. However, it wouldn’t be much of a game if everything went smoothly – an information leak leads to the ambush of the heroes and everything goes downhill from there.
Time Crisis 4 introduces nanotechnology and bioterrorism into its plot with the introduction of a new series of enemies codenamed “Terror Bite.” Terror Bite is a line of miniature robots resembling insects that attack in massive swarms.
The onslaughts of nanonuisances come in marching and flying forms and attempt to attach to your character for a tasty bite. If you can’t shoot the attached Terror Bite off of your screen fast enough, you’ll suffer a hit. To further matters worsen, multiple bugs biting you means your time to shoot them off depletes even faster.
The weapon selection system, as well as the weapons themselves, is 100 percent intact and untouched from Time Crisis 3. Time Crisis 4, however, adds a “weakness” aspect to specialized enemies. For example, when an armored gunner closes in on you, a blast of the shotgun will knock him to the ground and the text “best weapon” will appear. While it doesn’t add too much to the game, it does make the specialized weapons seem a lot more, well, special.
Perhaps the biggest change is the multi-screened standoffs, which occur as scripted storyline segments. At certain points in the story, players will become surrounded by enemies and have no choice but to hole up behind a barricade. With enemies coming at players from all directions, players will have to keep tabs not only in front of them, but also to the left and right as well.
By pointing the light gun off screen either to the left or right, your character will pivot accordingly to see what dangers are waiting to the side. With the help of new NPC characters from the U.S. Joint Intelligence Division, offsite communications will alert you to dangers coming at you from either side.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Guppusmaximus
I have always thought that Time Crisis was the best Light-Gun series in the arcade because of the graphics,buddy system,action and sound. Namco is keeping the arcades alive and this 4th installation seems to be off the charts...
Great Review!!
2 - James McGovern
Aaron,
Awesome stuff on the House of the Dead 4 and Time Crisis 4 reviews! Keep them coming!
We posted a news item about them today at: retroblast.com
Regards,
RetroBlast.com
3 - Aaron Auzins
Thanks for the comments.
Frankly I wasn't even aware the game was out until I went to an arcade location testing for a business. While I hate the whole $1 a game thing, I was pretty satisfied with what Namco did with Time Crisis 4. To be honest, Time Crisis 3 didn't impress me one bit so I'm glad a little more attention was thrown into this installment.
4 - Denise
Will be there Virtua Cop 4?
5 - Denise Chan
Will be there Time Crisis 5 for real?
6 - Mark
I can't wait to play #4...I started playing the first Time Crisis waiting in line for a movie ticket...I have been hooked ever since! So hooked in fact, that I have been looking to buy one for the house! Time Crisis 4 is starting at about 16k if someone is interested...little to high for me...awesome game and well worth the $1 bills that I have shoveled into it over the years.
7 - Denise Christie Chan
I guessing Time Crisis 5 will be featuring some more new characters, such as VSSE agents, suppoerters and enemies
8 - Denise Christie Chan
I can't wait Time Crisis 5 for this new game, beside House of the Dead 5, this is the fifth instalment in the game.
9 - Denise Christie Chan
Time Crisis 5 will be released in this year, by the year 2012, Time Crisis 5 will make this idea of this game.
10 - Denise Chan
Time Crisis 5 is as good as House of the Dead 5, featuring newest characters.
11 - Denise Christie Chan
House of the Dead 5 will be out soon, so be prepared!!
12 - Denise Chan
I heard there's a new light gun game coming soon in 2012, that would be Time Crisis 5, it will feature 3 playable characters in the game, including the two new supporters.
13 - Denise Chan
i heard there's a Virtua Cop 4 making its way to sega games, I like the game installments.
14 - Denise Chan
I like Time Crisis games, it rocks all four games, i can't wait to see Time Crisis 5, this game will rock your body!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
15 - Denise Chan
VSSE agents were featured in every game such as Richard Miller, a lengendary VSSE agent in both Time Crisis 1 and Project Titan, Keith Martin & Robert Baxter in Time Crisis II, Alan Dunaway & Wesley Lambert in Time Crisis 3 and Giorgio Bruno & Evan Bernard uin Time Crisis 4, but who's will be the new characters in Time Crisis 5? We'll find out in the newcoming Time Crisis 5!!
16 - Denise Christie Chan
Time Crisis 5 will be out soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
17 - Denise Chan
I hoping for Time Crisis 5, the fifth installment of Namco's famous gun game.......
18 - Denise Chan
There will be Time Crisis 5, Time Crisis 6, Time Crisis 7 and so on. We can't wait for the next game.
19 - Denise Chan
Time Crisis 5 will be shooting soon for 2012...............Shoot you later!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
20 - Denise Chan
Time Crisis 5 will be releasing the three guns, the three newest agents/protagonists and a rescue mission for two duetagonists.
21 - Denise Chan
Who's want to get Time Crisis 5?
22 - Denise Chan
I like all kinds of light gun games, this time it's Namco's famous and popular Time Crisis games.
23 - Denise Chan
I can't wait for both new games of Time Crisis and House of the Dead, that would be Time Crisis 5 and House of the Dead 5, double the action and double the power.
24 - Denise Chan
I have to wait for Time Crisis 5 to be out in 2012, this would take forever to release this game.
25 - Denise Chan
Wait for this Time Crisis 5 game for 3-4 years.