With more characters, graphical improvement and an invigorating storyline make Future Perfect the best in the series.
Overview
TimeSplitters: Future Perfect is a multiplatform gem that is the third installment in the TimeSplitters franchise. Future Perfect adds re-worked models, more realistic-looking environments, authentic looking weapons and enemy AI which was somewhat clumsy in it's pre-decessor is more more sharp and intelligent, which adds to a great gaming experience. The comical comments and smart jokes makes it a fun and superb first-person shooter, which keeps it's light-hearted nature and doesn't get too in-depth and serious like Half Life and F.E.A.R. Still, even so, TimeSplitters creates atmosphere when effective, and still has some intense fighting scenes. touches of humour include the drunk on every story-mode mission, the comments when choosing a character, and the comical actions and conversations between NPC's, and the cinematics on every story mode mission such as the conversation between Cortez and Amy Chen whilst waiting for a lift, Cortez and Jo-Beth's "You go first" all add up to one of -- if not -- the most charming games this generation.
Gameplay
Like most console FPSs, TimeSplitter's uses the dual analogue sticks to walk, strafe, negote and search environments. Future Perfect embodies superb gameplay and controls into one perfected entity, with easy-to-master style controls. Like any FPS, you shoot all who oppose you, and accomplish the tasks set. The difference in TimeSplitters is the ability to do thinks like create your own story and arcade maps, which can lead to near-infinite replay value. It's also a very easy to use tool, so anybody can create a map. With skill, you can create maps from your favourite shoot-'em-ups onto a different game. Future Perfect also has an invigorating storyline, which I'll mention later in the review, and a 13 to progress through. Whilst fun, it is fairly short, and a bit tedious completing on each difficulty. There are 14 arcade modes to play with friends or on your own, too, and 27 Arcade League matches, and 21 Challeges. There are also 150 Characters to choose from in Arcade matches, which all add up to a game which will never get boring. Overall, I was very surprised to see the quality of gameplay that I found in TSFP. The single player experience, although somewhat short, is outstanding in both story and in difficulty (on the higher settings of course), and the attention to detail paired with the fluid framerate help anyone playing to be sucked in. There was also a challenge mode and a league mode to get your frag on with.
Verdict - 9
Graphics
The graphics in TimeSplitters III are not only unique, they're some of the best I've seen this generation. The graphics appear somewhat cartoony, and show off what the GameCube can really do. The beautiful character models, the awe-inspiring environments (Most of the objects can be picked up with the Uplink, a Half-Life II gravity-gun style weapon), the physics and the amazing attention to detail just add up to some of the best graphics on any console. Playing this game and going back to it's prequel really does render it obsolete, graphics-wise. It builds on everything and increases the detail on each map. The cinematics, whilst not looking just plain brilliant, maintain a fluent Flame-Rate and are spectacuarly well-detailed. If gone back to TimeSplitters II, and came back to Future Perfect, you really notice the improvement made. Another great aspect of the graphics are the facial expressions. They are amazingly realistic, and coupled with the superbly done voice acting, it's as if the characters have a life of their own. You just can't go wrong with the graphics in TimeSplitters III, they are nothing short of breath-taking.
Verdict - 9
Sound
The sound in Future Perfect is just plain great. The techno, electronic and spacey rhythms of the futuristic maps, and the Edwardian/Victorian style on the more classic style maps. The catchy rock melodies, the hum-along themes and the awesome sound effects just make the sound in Future Perfect magnificent. The hilarious conversations in the cinematics on the Story mode adds depth and personality to Future Perfect, and adds to the experience. The voice overs in Future Perfect are just that - Perfect. They are portrayed magnificently, and suit all the characters really well. The lip movements move fluently and it's actually as if the characters are saying their lines. Each character has their own attitude brilliantly, and the portrayed voices are just magnificient. This is embodied with the great facial expressions, and is resulted in authentic cinematics. Cortez's awesome personality can be told from his lines alone, such as the hapless "Time to Split!" and awkward conversations with Amy Chen outside of the elevator, and the "Your no Zombie!" conversation with Jo-Beth, in which she kicks poor Cortez in the groin. Overall, TimeSplitters: Future Perfect delivers on all fronts required in the sound department, and are definately the highlight of this funny game.
Verdict - 9
Value
TimeSplitters: Future Perfect is packed with 14 Arcade Modes, 27 Arcade League Matches, 21 Challenges, 13 Story Missions, 150 Characters, over 20 Arcade Maps, a MapMaker and an awesome experience. You just can't go wrong with this game, and there are easily over 100 hours to get all of the unlockables, and thats not even the multiplayer, which is nothing short of perfected. It's well worth the price, and you'll be pleased you made the purchase.
Verdict - 10
Storyline
TimeSplitters III has a very in-depth, invigorating and breath-taking storyline. I will have a quick run-through of the story-line events in each mission.
Sgt. Cortez returns to Earth with the Time Crystals after stealing them from the evil race known as the TimeSplitters. He must chase a madman named Jacob Crow through time and prevent the TimeSplitter wars from ever happening. This is the first Timesplitters game that has a well fleshed out story (The original Timesplitters had no proper story mode, and Timesplitters 2 has a vaguelly defined one)
2401 - Time to Split
Sgt. Cortez returns to Earth from his mission involving the destruction of the TimeSplitters' space station. On the way down, an engine is damaged by gunfire and he is forced to make an emergency landing. After he lands, he helps the marines battle the TimeSplitters and returns to the Rebel base with the Time Crystals, where he is sent on through time to find the original source of the Time Crystals.
1924 - Scotland the Brave
Cortez infiltrates an island castle that is about to be attacked by the Royal Navy. In the meantime, he helps Captain Ash rescue his 'assistant'. However after fighting his way through numerous guards and past a tank, when he reaches the seeming heart of the base underneath the island, he confronts an old man he finds only for the man to activate a time device and vanish.
1969 - The Russian Connection
After the leaving the castle due to evidence from a picture, Sargeant Cortez ends up in a Russian trainyard. There he meets Special Agent Harry Tipper who was doing some reconnasaince on his arch nemesis Khallos, who was to meet with the leader of a cult group known only as "The Brotherhood of Ultra Science". Together the pair infiltrate the trainyard. The mystery 'Time Traveler' escapes once more, but Cortez is forced to help Harry stop Khallos' plan, and thus boards the missile train.
1969 - The Khallos Express
Cortez follows Tipper onto Khallos' train to help him stop Khallos from launching the nuclear missile that was stolen from the French; and preventing the train from running over his girlfriend, Kitten Celeste.
1994 - Mansion of Madness
Cortez learned that the "Time Traveler" had a base of operations in a 'haunted' manor to do his research. While looking for him, Cortez must also protect a punk teen named Jo-Beth Casey so she can take photographic proof of paranormal activity in the mansion in order to join a gang. Cortez will have a little surprise with the living-dead
1994 - What Lies Below
Cortez and Casey reach the bottom of the house and find a secret lab where the "Time Traveler" did research to find the secret of eternal youth, and discover that his name is Jacob Crow. Unfortunately for them, the only thing they managed to accomplish is creating mindless zombies and a huge creature named 'Princess'. The young Crow receives a time machine and escapes with his older self. Judging from the theme, it appears to be based on the town of Dudleytown.
2052 - Breaking and Entering
Anya digs further in the past and discovers that Crow was the founder of a corporation known as U-Genix. At Crow's U-Genix Corporation, Cortez teams up with an agent named Amy Chen to infiltrate the building and find Crow.
2052 - You Genius, U-Genix
In the labs at U-Genix, Cortez and Chen find that Crow has still been working on his plans for eternal life… but that's not all. Cortez and Chen end up battling mutants created by U-Genix in their quest for immortality. Eventually, Crow receives the time machine from his younger self and escapes (in part thanks to Cortez who gives Crow the entire story, which he was unaware of at the time, upon confronting him).
2243 - Machine Wars
Cortez arrives in the middle of a war between the humans and Crow's robot army. Using a model R-110 robot, Cortez makes his way toward Crow's new base called UltraNet HQ.
2243 - Something to Crow About
Cortez arrives in the base and immediately finds out that Crow created the TimeSplitters that year. When he finds Crow in his underground palace, Crow has already turned himself into a giant cybernetic monstrosity, which is the end result of his research for immortality.
1924 - You Take the High Road
Cortez returns to the island with R-110 to find Crow and destroy him. Along the way, he finds out that a group of Time Assassins plan on killing his past self. He follows them into the portal that they were entering so he can save his past self.
2401 - The Hooded Man
Cortez disguises himself as one of the Time Assassins, and helps clear the way, thus allowing for the past Cortez to make it to the base, preserving the cause of the whole mission.
1924 - Future Perfect
Cortez has the final confrontation with the Splitter Crow. Killing Crow and destroying the time crystals leads to the end of the war and humanity is saved.
And, thus, results in the conclusion of my review of TimeSplitters 3. I really cannon stress how much I love, how great, and how must-have this game is. Overall, it's a really quite amazing experience, that shouldn't be missed out on by any FPS fan. It is quite simply a voyage all should embark on, and all should enjoy.
Overall Verdict - 9.5 - Superb.
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