TimeSplitters 2

TimeSplitters 2, the sequel to Free Radical Design's PlayStation 2 launch title, once again sends players hurtling through time, as they battle the malevolent TimeSplitters in ten unique time periods, from the Wild West to a futuristic space station, and everything in between. Depending on the difficulty level chosen, players will find themselves with rudimentary objectives to complete or, on the harder settings, new areas and substantially more involved objectives to fulfill. Two players can also play the Story mode cooperatively and simultaneously. Like its predecessor, TimeSplitters 2 features a Challenge mode, which presents the player with a selection of time- and skill-based events. Completing these within the predetermined constraints awards the player with bronze, silver, or gold medals, which in turn aid in unlocking additional game options, levels, and playable characters (of which there are more than 120).

The Arcade mode offers League, Custom, and Network sub-modes. League events feature pre-configured maps, game types, and objectives for the player to compete in, while the other Arcade modes make up the bulk of the multiplayer portion of the title. In the Custom mode, up to four players and numerous AI "bots" can compete in 16 different customizable disciplines including Deathmatch, Regeneration, Virus, Thief, Shrink, Monkey Assistant, and Flame Tag -- each offering an altered form of gameplay. Thief, for example, tasks players with collecting tokens left behind by fallen combatants. Here, the tokens determine the winner, not the number of kills.

The game also records statistics such as the amount of time played, kills, accuracy, and longest killing sprees, along with other outlandish records such as heads knocked off and distance traveled. The Network mode enables players to link multiple systems together using the Network Adapter or i.Link cables to allow for fewer people per screen. Sixteen multiplayer maps are offered by the game, but by using the included Mapmaker function, players are able to create and save their own customs levels on which to play. Improved from the tool found in the original title, the Mapmaker now houses more pieces to use in map creation and allows designers to specify the objectives to be completed within their custom maps. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide