High expectations failed.
July 25, 2008
I had high expectations for this game, but was very disappointed by it. First, the story did not interest me at all. It also seemed to make no sense, and went all over the place. Second, the gameplay wasn't good. I got lost many times because it didn't clarify what to do or where to go. The maps were very confusing. I would avoid this game if at all possible.
Time Splitters
February 23, 2007
My son liked it a lot. I didn't play it yet, but he seemed to have a good time. He is 14 years old.
"Time to Split"
(3 of 3 Found this Helpful)
July 13, 2006
The third entry in the "TimeSplitters" series, "Future Perfect" is by far the best. This simplistic yet highly satisfying shooting gallery has excitement and humor in equal parts, and one of the best lead characters to ever grace a game of this type. If you like to bust caps and laugh out loud, then this game is most definitely a bullet with your name on it.
You assume the role of Cortez, who might initially seem like little more than a Riddick (see "Pitch Black") rip-off born from the generic action hero generator. As Cortez finds himself hopping through time in an effort to thwart the evil plans of a madman and the titular alien race known as the Splitters, you gradually come to realize he's got a personality all his own. Despite being a capable bad@$$, he's also a lumbering oaf that would rather dive into a swimming pool headfirst without a second thought than check to see if it's first filled with water. His interactions with other characters in the game, themselves quite memorable, as well as his interactions with himself (yes, I said himself!), range from charming to hilarious. He's not so much as rip-off of other action heroes as he is a parody of them, and that makes him one of the best protagonists in the history of the FPS genre.
Gameplay in "Future Perfect" is similar to previous entries but more polished and, ultimately, more entertaining. Without a jump button of any kind, the game basically tasks you with old school running and gunning the likes of which are rare these days. And the guns themselves, they are plentiful, varied, and fun to use. In fact, if there's one problem with the game's arsenal, it's that there are too many weapons to choose from! For instance, you'll only get to use the so-called time grenades in one mission, and given the slow motion blast that they emit that's truly a shame because they alone or more fun than most entire FPS games' entire catalog of arms. The same can be said of the stake gun, which fires spikes that impale opponents, and these are only two of many examples.
Few games have such delicious variety, point of fact. Each level, or time period, is essentially a lengthy episode that feels like its own self-contained mini-game. Each one has its own very intriguing personalities, storylines, themes, weapons, and opponents. For instance, one episode is essentially a survival horror scenario (or parody, one that successfully rips both "Resident Evil" and "Doom 3" with efficiency) in which you combat zombies and other assorted beasties with baseball bats, flame throwers, and the aforementioned stake gun. The following level is a science fiction futurescape (still in Cortez's past) that puts you up against robots and mutants with high-tech weapons that include the also aforementioned time grenades. The look and feel of each individual episode is exclusive to that episode, so that it feels as though you're playing through vignettes instead of missions. It's brilliant, and more games should take note.
Interestingly, other games in the franchise were rated "T", but this one gets an "M" with its satisfying gouts of blood and cartoonish violence. Scoring a headshot on a enemy is extremely gratifying, while so to is exploding mutants with serum-injected bullets, or burning through undead with a flamethrower. None of this feels overly vicious, however, as the game's tongue in cheek flavor spills over into the bloodletting. It's all in good fun - and good fun it is. It never really asks you to take it seriously, and yet it never really deteriorates into "Serious Sam" ridiculousness either. The balance is almost perfect.
And as fun as playing through the game alone can be, playing co-operatively through the story mode with a friend is sometimes even better -- though both are worth going through, as events in the story and objectives in the game can change depending upon which mode you're using. The landscape of gaming would improve tremendously if more game designers took note and included a co-op mode in every game. And the multiplayer suite on the whole is as attractive as ever, offering plenty of incentive to go beyond the campaign and take on other players head-to-head if that's your cup of tea.
Despite all the praise, though, "Future Perfect" has its problems. For starters, the story mode is brief at best. More would have been appreciated, but that's mainly because what's there is so good. Also, some niggles in co-op play include an annoying "feature" that causes one player to teleport closer to another if he/she has progressed in the level, which can be extremely disorienting and is only rarely helpful. Also, the lack of a jump button keeps you feeling unrealistically grounded, and given the progression of shooters in this day and age, it's time this series let you take both feet off the ground. What's more, a few technical niggles show their ugly faces from time to time. One glitch sent me falling through the floor to my demise.
Despite the fact that it's not revolutionary in the slightest and brings little new to the FPS genre, "Future Perfect" is still an absolute blast. The characters and their antics even make the cut-scenes imminently rewatchable on repeat viewings, despite all the good gameplay to be had around them. As far as console blast fests go, they just don't get much better than this. This is a classic example of how to make a basic run-and-gun fun again, and one of the funniest games ever made to boot. Play it if that sounds at all like your bag.
Better than Timesplitters 2
(1 of 2 Found this Helpful)
June 29, 2006
I love this game. I knew it would be fun but playing with someone else is the best!
Excellent Multiplayer
(2 of 2 Found this Helpful)
April 13, 2006
it should be noted first and foremost that the single-player story mode in this game is weak. it's amusing the first time through, but it doesn't really make you want to come back and play again. The co-op story mode is essentially the same, just with more bad guys (and one of you has to play as the sidekick).
however...
the multiplayer in this game is exceptional. there are about 150 characters to choose from, ranging from Cortez (the main character) to four monkey permutations, a dead deer, a prepubescent girl, a policewoman with a large chest, and a few circus clowns. there are a lot of weapons to choose from, although only six are allowed at once. you dont' need more than six. there are many different multiplayer modes, ranging from simple death matches to assault and defender modes as well as an elimination mode where each player gets a set number of lives and is out when all of them are lost. there is room for up to nine bots per level, so it you only have one friend, it doesn't have to be 1 on 1 all the time.
the mapmaker is simple to use and the best in teh series, but it could have done with more fleshing-out. it's great for making simple levels, but mostly just open spaces with little room for barriers, cover, etc.
all in all, this game is an excellent multiplayer game. the control scheme works well and is completely customizable. if you like shooters to play with friends, then this is your game.
