Time Crisis

Download Time Crisis and step into the shoes of an elite agent in this classic on-rails shooter! Save the day with lightning-fast reflexes, precision shooting, and a keen sense of danger. The clock is ticking – play now!
a game by Namco Ltd.
Genre: Shooting Games
Platforms: Playstation, PSX
Editor Rating: 7.3/10, based on 4 reviews, 7 reviews are shown
User Rating: 6.9/10 - 15 votes
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See also: Action Adventure Games, Action Games, First Person Shooter Games, World Hardest Game, Time Crisis Series
Time Crisis
Time Crisis
Time Crisis

Let me start by stating that the original Time Crisis holds up incredibly well. Sure, from screenshots, you may think that the game looks horrible. However, as a light gun shooter, this original Time Crisis not only holds up well. It started a franchise that is actually still relevant to this day.

Miller, Richard Miller

Look Time Crisis originally came out in the arcade in 1995 and was released on the PlayStation in 1997 and the story is certainly a product of its time. You play as a secret agent and all-around badass, Richard Millar. You have been called in to save a girl called Rachel who has been kidnapped by the last living relative of an evil king who wants military secrets! Yes, the story is weird, does not make much sense, but this is a light gun shooter so it is hard to be too critical of it.

Better Than Arcade Perfect

It is the gameplay that makes Time Crisis so much fun. The “gimmick” of Time Crisis is that instead of shooting off the screen to reload like in all other light gun shooters. You have to duck behind cover in order to reload. This adds an extra element of strategy to the game as it gives you a chance to get out of dodge and there are certain sections of the game where you need to do this.

The game has the full arcade mode and I would dare say it is actually better here. You have a set amount of time to clear out an area and once you do you move onto the next one. Each section has a few different stages and then a boss battle. The difficulty curve is pretty severe and I would bet this puts some people off as this is not an easy game. If you fail to kill all of the enemies in the allotted time, you lose and have to try again!

More Bang For Your Buck

The home version of Time Crisis also offered more bang for your buck in the form of extra game modes. The main one that I want to talk about is Special Mode. This is like a new story mode and it is even better than the arcade mode. You now have branching paths on depending on what you do will take you on a certain path. This, of course, makes for great replay value, but it also means that if you fail it may not necessarily mean a game over, you might just take a different path.

Smooth Criminal

Look, Time Crisis looks like a game that was made in 1995! Some of the graphics lack details, but for the time this was the best-looking light gun shooter around. Full 3D environments made for a more “real” kind of experience. While the graphics are not the best, the animations are very well done. For example, if you shoot someone in the leg, they hop around if you shoot them in the head, they kind of flop back.

The sound in the game is what you would expect from a game released in 1995. The voice acting is horrible but in a kind of funny way. The sounds of the guns though are really cool and the soundtrack is not too bad either.

8

I actually still really like the first Time Crisis game. They got everything right with this one. It has a better than arcade-perfect port and then there is the special mode which is even better. It may not be an easy game, but once you get the hang of it, you will see why it started a franchise that is still going to this day.

Pros:

  • It is better than the arcade
  • The Special Mode is awesome
  • I liked the branching paths
  • The shooting feels great
  • The gameplay is a ton of fun

Cons:

  • The graphics have not aged all that well
  • The voice acting is horrific

Download Time Crisis

Playstation

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
PSX

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP

Game Reviews

Overview

One thing that I have yet to figure out is why there are so many companies developing light guns. I think it is probably fair to say that there are an equal number of guns available as games. Well, along comes Namco and Time Crisis. Do they add a new game to the short list of light gun titles? Yes, but there is a catch. You can't use any of the other guns with the game. You have to use the GunCon, a pack-in gun that Namco boasts as the most accurate gun ever made. So if you already own a light gun, put it back in the closet and keep waiting for a new game.

The president of the Republic of Seria's daughter has been kidnapped. It is up to you to blast your way through scores of bad guys in either the original arcade game or the new Playstation original scenario. Hidden areas, multiple endings, and different gameplay modes will have you shooting for your life.

Gameplay

Time Crisis is a light gun game. There is no way to get around this fact. It follows the same move-you-from-scene-to-scene formula that all light gun games employ. The game does have a few things that are unique or just don't follow the cliche for light gun titles. Since most people have played a standard light gun game, I will highlight the things that make this one different.

The number one thing that makes this game different is the gun itself. Like I said, this game will not work with your standard gun. You have to use the pack-in GunCon gun. The gun plugs directly in line with the video signal which is supposed to increase the accuracy of the aim. I have no reason to believe that this is not true, because all of my shots were dead on. That does not mean my aim was dead on, but the shot went where I was aiming.

The next thing that is different about the game is the introduction af a duck button. The duck button allows you to hide behind structures to avoid the incoming fire. This means that instead of being out in the open at all times, you can control your character by making him duck back out of harm's way when a projectile is incoming. I know you are probably thinking that this must make the game extremely easy. Just wait for a clear shot, blast the bad guys, then duck for cover until the next clear shot. Well, the developers have thought about this also. You are on a time limit to get between stages. If you sit and wait for too long, the time will expire and it's back to the beginning of the level. This was a very clear way to keep you in the line of fire most of the time.

Another thing that this game did differently is the fact that you do not encounter power-ups. Most light gun games have you shooting crates to expose different weapons, grenades or other power-ups. The only thing that you will encounter in this game is the occasional time extension. If you pop a particularly tough shot, you may get a +2 or +5 seconds added to your time. You are basically assigned a six-shooter and it is up to you to make the best of it. I think that this was cool because it made things a little more realistic but I have to admit, I do like getting rocket launchers, shotguns or whatever other weapons of destruction run rampant in other games.

The last thing that makes the game different is the fact that your performance will affect the path you follow. If you shoot well, you will be taken down an alternative path to the end. Also, if you shoot poorly, you can still make it to the end of the mission, but you will be informed that the mission failed and you have to start over. Did this help the replay value? A little bit, but I did not find the paths varied enough to really want to keep trying for a new route.

As far as complaints go, I think this game falls into the same category as most light gun games. It just gets too damn repetitive. After a while, the areas start to feel the same and blasting bad guys jumping out from behind walls gets a bit on the boring side eventually. I will say that it took longer for me to tire of this game than others. But after playing through the different modes a couple of times, I really had no motivation to play again.

Graphics

The graphics were 3D polygon-based and worked quite well. The bad guys looked like bad guys and you were always able to tell when something was headed in your direction. I was a bit disappointed with the cheesy cinemas. They were blocky and did not look the slightest bit realistic. I would have thought that the company that brought us the beautiful animations in Soul Blade and Tekken would have been able to do a better job, but when it comes down to it, the cinemas don't affect the overall gameplay.

Bottom Line

As far as light gun games go, this is the best you will find. The inclusion of the GunCon was nice, especially since the game does not work with any other gun on the market. Overall, this game does deviate from the standard light gun path. Unfortunately, it is still plagued by the problem of repetitive gameplay with little replay value after playing through a few times. If you are a fan of these types of games, you will definitely be satisfied. If not, I suggest renting it first to see if it is up your alley.

There are plenty of cookie-cutter light-gun games on the market, and although Time Crisis doesn't offer anything revolutionary, it does deliver a few new twists to the 3-D light-gun game genre.

For starters, time Crisis is heavier in story than other light gun games. You assume the role of Richard Miller, a "one-man army" who must break into the castle to rescue Rachel, a kidnapped damsel. Now that you have enough motive to knock large holes into a lot of bad guys, let's discuss how exactly it's done (aside from pulling the trigger a lot). Time Crisis' gameplay lives up to its name: The game takes a very frantic pace, because each gaggle of enemies must be wiped out in a certain amount of time before you are allowed to advance further in the level. This is especially hard because many of the enemies are constantly firing upon you. forcing you to take cover behind objects (by hitting a red button beneath the barrel of your gun). Although taking cover will save your hide, it costs precious seconds. Also, you must take cover to reload your gun. so firing wildly will cause the loss of precious seconds. Hiding behind objects, then popping out to return fire does makes the game seem more realistic, as it is hard to fathom that you wouldn't want to take cover behind objects while under heavy gunfire (unlike other gun games where you usually casually walk through levels like a zombie).

The 3-D environments in Time Crisis are very detailed, and consist of many moving parts and elaborate decorations. There isn't a whole lot of interaction with them, however. Windows can be shot out and you may encounter cranes and cars occasionally (you're supposed to dodge them). But beyond that, interaction with the 3-D world is confined to just shooting the baddies within it. Also odd is that there are no power-ups in the game, so the only tools at your disposal are a trusty handgun and a few explosive crates.

In addition to its Arcade Mode. Time Crisis includes a Story Mode and a Time Attack Mode that times your progress through levels. Also cool are the multiple endings determined by how well you did during the game. Best of all, you get Namco's snazzy new light gun (see sidebar).

Gamer's EDGE

Time Crisis is a game that relies on precise aiming (even more than many other light gun games), so it's a good thing that the weapon needed for this game is also the most accurate light gun game on the PlayStation. Named the "Guncon." Namco's light gun has an additional attachment that connects to the PlayStation's video out. The other side of the adapter is where the video cord connects, completing the circuit. This is in addition to the gun's connection to the PlayStation's controller input. Also unique to the gun is the button layout below either side of the gun's barrel. Two red buttons labeled "A" and "B" are nestled on the gun in optimal positions for Time Crisis'gameplay. One button is used for ducking behind things, and the other is merely used to serve as a pause button.

  • MANUFACTURER - Namco
  • THEME - Action
  • NUMBER OF PLAYERS - 1

Combine Virtua Cop with the look of Tekken 2 and gamers will be playing Time Crisis. This shooting game from Namco puts players in the role of a super cop of sorts. As gamers make their way through level after level, they'll find that criminals tend to be easy targets. The graphics look incredible and the levels are greatly varied.

Time Crisis has something that no other shooting game has, an Action Pedal. The Action Pedal allows gamers to perform an action during play. Some actions include ducking to avoid a big hook or hiding behind a box to avoid being shot. Since Time Crisis, like many other shooting games, is set on a track, the Action Pedal gives gamers a chance to control what they're doing (even if it's only slight control).

A new shooting title with a different twist to the same old stagnating genre. Gamers just have to wait patiently until this one hits home.

Trigger tramps and gun gurus, get ready! Time Crisis is in town featuring dead-on gameplay and fast, bullet-bouncin' action! TC plays like a lot of other gun games, but with a few notable exceptions. First and foremost, the game doesn't rely on your recognition skills--there are no friendlies to fire at and no stupid citizens or errant hostages to get in the way. It's just you, a bunch of bad guys, and an unlimited supply of bullets. Secondly, the game enables you to duck behind objects for a moment's rest so you can gather your wits and plan some trigger-fast strategy. But don't get too comfortable--the whole game ticks down using a level-by-level timer.

Unlike other stellar shooting titles, like Maximum Force and Virtua Cop 2, there are no weapon power-ups, which is a shame. You'll long for a screen-clearing bazooka or gut-ripping shotgun after a few levels. Still, Time Crisis offers tons of thumb-blistering action for twitch-addicted gamers everywhere.

ProTips:

  • To gain an extra five seconds, try to hit the orange soldier just above the middle turret. This will help in your fight against the chopper.
  • In the later levels, always try to shoot the orange-suited soldiers first. They're fast, and they sometimes yield precious time additions.
  • When you're In a crowd, be sure to take out the grenade throwers first--they'll nail you every time.
  • Just aim for the windshield and fire away. When you see the "Danger!" warning, duck. Then immediately pop back up and whale away at the windshield again.
  • This prancing pinhead is tough. The key here is to shoot rapidly, duck, and never leave yourself in the open for more than a fraction of a second.
  • Watch those paintings in the background--they drop to reveal machine gunners.

Graphics

Sharp polygons and realistic reactions to different shots make the game fun in a very sadistic way. But other graphics (like facial closeups) will make you wince.

Sound

Every shot rings out with movie-like clarity, and the themed music in each level suits all the action. Even the corny voices are kept to a bare minimum.

Control

Although the GunCon is touted as a super-accurate weapon, there are times when dead-on shots seem to miss. There are also cheap targets that always seem to hit you first.

Fun Factor

The game moves at such a fast and frantic pace that you'll soon forget how long you've been playing (although the pain in your shoulder will remind you). But like all gun games, once you've barreled through and memorized the levels, you're done.

Get ready, gun nuts, Time Crisis is set to target the PlayStation with all the pistolpacking panache that made it a hit in the arcades, along with some new PlayStation-only levels. Blast the baddies in 3D texture-mapped polygon environments through Arcade, Story, and Time modes. Gamers can even earn a different ending in the Story mode depending on how well they complete each stage.

Packed with TC is Namco's awesome GunCon light gun, which actually stores an image of the screen in its memory to provide exceptional accuracy. While the pedal is absent from the home version, there is a "duck" button incorporated into the gun, enabling gamers to hide behind obstacles and reload. The time to lock 'n' load is coming this fall.

If blowing away polygon guys with a hefty plastic gun is your idea of a fun date, then you should check out Namco's newest addition to this hot genre. While it would be hard for anyone to top the near perfection of Sega's Virtua Cop and Virtua Cop 2, Namco's trying its darndest.You are Richard Miller, special agent in charge of rescuing the President's daughter from the bloodthirsty madman, Sherudo Garo. Sounds like a run-of-the-mill gun game so far, right? Well, Namco has thrown a little spice into the recipe with the addition of a pedal which, when stepped upon, allows your player to assume attack position. When the pedal is released, you can crouch behind objects or duck behind walls for protection, so not only are you supposed to be shooting madly at your enemies. you must also think strategically and take cover when you can.

Snapshots and Media

Playstation Screenshots

See Also

Viewing games 1 to 3
Citizen X
The full-motion thrills of the Sega CD hit an all-new high with Citizen X, an interactive movie that sets new standards for this type of game.