On-rails shooters are a healthy staple of the arcade going experience, and Time Crisis is consistently one of the best. Sadly the American arcade experience has left lots to be desired in recent years - emphasis on years. Although the game was released in 2006 in the arcades, (see our review) the PlayStation 3 gets a console exclusive port in time for the holidays this year.
Those familiar with the previous games in the series will know what to expect when it comes to plot: a massive terrorist threat can only be stopped by the V.S.S.E. International Intelligence Agency, and you can bet Wild Dog is behind it all.
In this installment, a U.S. developed weapon called "Terror Bites" is about to be smuggled by a European terrorist organization called "W.O.L.F." Captain William Rush of the of the U.S. Army is sent to confront the hostiles, and at the same time two men from the V.S.S.E. are dispatched on orders from the European Union. The player plays as either Giorgio Bruno or Evan Bernard of the V.S.S.E.
After defeating the arms dealers, very early in the game, you find out that not all is what is seems; the plot thinkers. Yep, it is a generic action-heavy story that you normally find in arcade games. But that isn't a bad thing, its just par for the course.
Time Crisis 4 features the same single player or co-op game play found in the arcades, but adds many exclusive features to make this a great addition to your PS3 library. Included are a slew of mini-games and Complete Mission mode, which is partially played First Person Shooter style—meaning sans rails. Even more gaming modes are unlocked once you complete Arcade and Complete Mission Mode, too. There is a lot in this home conversion.
The game comes packed with the new GunCon 3, which uses a LED sensor bar similar to the Wii, though more LEDs are used. Setup is simple; set the sensor bar on top of your TV set and plug it into one of the USB ports on the PS3. This GunCon was developed to work on a wide range of HDTV, so you should be set no matter what you have.
There is no doubt this is the most advanced GunCon developed yet, it has eight buttons and two analog sticks! You will be making good use of these buttons in the FPS-style Complete Mission. The bright orange gun is also tethered to the PS3 with a USB cable.
This gun is obviously designed for right-handed people, but I was able to shoot left-handed after a small adjustment period. The handle on the left side of the gun needs to be held by the right hand, that’s all. The biggest complaint, however, is the fact that the gun is not sold separately. Seeing that Time Crisis 4 retails for $80 to $90 in most outlets, (Tip: Amazon sells it for $60) you will be paying a lot if you want to play co-op. No plans have been made to sell the GunCon 3 separately, yet. If Namco really wants other developers to utilize the GunCon 3—as they say they do—they will need to sell the gun separately.
Arcade Mode is divided into three stages, each with three sections. Multi-screen battles put the player on the defensive, requiring them to target enemies on more than one side. These frantic parts of the game can be switched by pointing the gun off the screen, or by using one of the analog sticks.
Taking cover is your main defense, you hold and release a button to crouch out of danger, and reload your weapon at the same time. This is classic light-gun shooting at its best, all beautifully rendered in high definition in the comfort of your home. This type of game is a dying breed, and fans will enjoy every minute of this one.
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