Time Crisis 4 with Guncon

The name “Time Crisis” brings just one thought to mind: bang, bang, bang. Or if you’re not a fan, it might sound a little more like blah, blah, blah. It’s a game where your only goal is to stay alive while killing the enemy. Thanks to an automatic dodge feature, which allows you to duck and cover every time you reload, it’s possible to go through an entire level without getting shot once. But as gamers, we’re too impatient for that. We jump out of cover too quickly and get shot. And if we don’t, the timer will run out and end the game for us.

Time Crisis 4, the first sequel developed for PlayStation 3, brings a new Guncon and a new game mode to the forefront. Two LED sensors (to be placed on top of your television) work together for superior accuracy, while a first-person mode lets players take the game off-rails. 

Popcorn Movie

For an on-rails shooter that’s in its fourth edition, Time Crisis 4 is cutting-edge entertainment. The thrills are unmatched at home and are rarely seen in arcades, not even 15 years ago before their near-extinction. By the graphics alone, you wouldn’t think this is a next-gen sequel. But when you see the abundance of enemies, the enormous environments, gunfire and explosions that fill the screen, it’s hard to imagine this game on PlayStation 2.

In caves and other dark places, a flashlight is attached to your gun. Enemies are slightly visible as they move out of the shadows, but they won’t be in clear view until they’re within your sights. The effects are pretty impressive, but not as cool as the camera work, which is some of the best you’ll ever see in a lightgun shooter. There is never a time when the game stops moving.

At the end of the first stage, players command a railgun (with unlimited ammo) attached to a helicopter. The copter soars over an embattled city, flying above and around skyscrapers in an attempt to catch the enemy. Several of his allies get in the way, using helicopters and armored cars (and when all else fails, they go on foot) to keep you from completing your mission. During this whole scenario, the camera leaps from enemy to enemy, providing no more than a few seconds to battle each. Enemy fire is noted with a bright pink circle, but it’s often too fast to dodge. You’ll have to expect the worst and be ready to duck at all times to evade these attacks.

 
The new FPS mode takes players off the on-rails format. 

This may only be one mission, but the others – whether on foot, getting absorbed by quicksand, or battling a madman with multiple lives – are just as exciting. The game is short but tough and high in replay value. It may not take you long to finish but you’ll definitely come back for another play-through.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the first-person stages, which are part of the arcade upgrade mode entitled Complete Mission. They play like any FPS but move much slower. All the standard functions are here: running, crawling, jumping, weapon changes, etc. The Guncon 3 features two thumbsticks and, as expected, one controls your movement and the other controls the camera. Aiming and shooting, however, function just like the rest of Time Crisis.

In the beginning, you’ll be encouraged to keep playing. That feeling won’t last. Free-aim shooting is great, but the dual-stick controls are counterintuitive. FPS movement is clunky and slow – when the cool factor (from being able to move around in an on-rails world) wears off, you won’t be coming back for seconds.

 
No wonder there's a time crisis -- they won't stop telling us to wait. 

The Guncon 3

Action flicks make people antsy. They try to ease this feeling by filling their hands with popcorn. While watching Time Crisis 4, the only thing you’ll want to fill your hands with is the Guncon 3. Its body is very similar to the last Guncon but is made with different plastic (it’s sturdy but feels like a toy) and has a controller piece sticking out of its left side. Some might say it’s the lovechild of a lightgun and a Wii nunchuck. After all, the controller piece does contain two shoulder buttons (A1 and A2) and a thumbstick, which is used for controlling your character in the FPS mode.

Two other buttons (C1 and C2) are placed on the left side of the Guncon, and on the back you’ll find a second thumbstick (for controlling your view) and the B1 and B2 buttons. Like the Dual-Shock 1, 2 and SIXAXIS controllers, both thumbsticks may be depressed, bringing the total number of buttons to eight.

Outside of reloading and pausing the game, none of these buttons are used in the arcade mode. Your control revolves around the shooting mechanic, which is activated by the LED sensors. Players are asked to configure their Guncons every time the game is turned on. It’s not a hard process by any means, but if your TV is small or if its front edge is curved, you might not get a perfect configuration on the first try. The game advises players to sit directly in front of the TV (not left or right of it). It also notes that you shouldn’t sit too close or too far away from the TV, and to make sure that the LED sensors are level with each other.

 
"Hey Namco! There's a controller growing out of my gun!" 

I’ll bet this sounds like a lot of work compared to the Wii sensor bar, whose configuration settings are saved to the Wii, and whose pointer can be detected from either side of the TV. But remember: with Wii shooters you see crosshairs or some other on-screen indicator that notes the exact place of the remote. Time Crisis doesn’t offer any such benefit. This is a game where you must actually aim – without a guide – to score a headshot. Therefore a proper configuration at startup, no matter how painful it may be to achieve, is integral to your success in (and enjoyment of) the game.

Once you get it working, the Guncon 3 is a great peripheral with one exception: the thumbsticks aren’t very good. The tip is somewhat slippery, causing your thumb to slide off. Also, the sticks don’t move as smoothly as those featured on the SIXAXIS controller, and are partly to blame for the FPS mode’s shortcomings.

Luckily, the FPS content is merely a bonus. It’s not forced on the player and may be skipped entirely by sticking with the arcade mode, allowing thrill-seekers to get what they’re craving and leave the rest behind.

Gameplay: 7.8
Lightgun shooter fans will be hypnotized by the non-stop on-rails action. The graphics aren’t that great but the camera work is stunning. It’s as if a movie is playing and you’ve come along for the ride, with complete control over when to fire. If you can cough up the dough ($90 for the game and Guncon bundle – neither are currently being sold separately), Time Crisis 4 is worth owning just for the arcade thrills.

First-person shooting, however, is not a genre that’s easily penetrated. Without even considering the competition and high player expectations, it takes a lot to get the controls and gameplay just right. As you now know, Time Crisis 4 has opened the door for some interesting possibilities. But while their potential was massive, they are not yet ready for mass consumption.

Graphics: 7.7
There is some slowdown every now and then – that’s a bit uncalled for. But the action and intensity stay high, the game never stops moving forward, and the camera work makes you feel like you’re watching a movie.

Sound: 7
Cheesy dialogue is expected (and may be skipped thankfully), but the sound effects are worth cranking your speakers for. Musically, Time Crisis 4 is neither good or bad – it just kind of sits there, playing in the background for anyone who cares to listen.

Difficulty: Medium
Challenge? From a lightgun shooter? I thought it went the way of the dinosaur. But there isn’t anything prehistoric about this game.

Concept: 6.9
Time Crisis 4’s only new feature is the FPS mode, and though it has shown a new path for game development, it does not break new ground in its current, overly clunky form.

Multiplayer: 6
Time Crisis is a great series to play with friends…in the arcade, where credits are determined by the number of dollars you wish to spend. You don’t have to share your money, but in the PS3 edition of Time Crisis 4, you do have to share your credits.

Also, the Guncon 3 is not yet available to purchase separately. So unless you’re willing to buy two copies of the game, you’ll be stuck using a SIXAXIS controller for two-player games, which is not at all recommended. With the SIXAXIS, aiming is assigned to the left stick, just like the console shooters of 90s. And that’s the least desirable way you can play a lightgun shooter.

Overall: 7.7
The high price tag will keep this game from going mainstream. But if you’ve been craving a great lightgun shooter and don’t mind the steep investment, Time Crisis 4 will add new thrills to your gaming collection.