Customer Reviews

Time Crisis 3 with Dual Guncons

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Time Crisis series has been a mainstay in arcades for years. The game gives fast-paced shooting gallery action set against a high-energy storyline, and playing in 2P cooperative mode with the attached pistols is a lot of fun. This package gives you the opportunity to virtually replicate the arcade in your own living room using your PS2. . . provided you have the right type of television.

This package contains the game itself as well as two Guncon2 light gun controllers. The Guncon2's are molded from (unfortunately) orange plastic, solid enough to feel substantial without being too heavy. They connect to both your PS2 via a USB cable and to your TV via a simple RCA video plug. All of the cables are included in the package, but the USB cables are very short (around five feet), so don't plan on sitting very far from the TV when you're playing.

It's important to note that the Guncon2's are only compatible with tube TVs connected to the PS2 via standard-quality RCA A/V cables (the red/white/yellow jacks). So if you've got a rear-projection or plasma/LCD TV, the Guncon2's won't respond. No matter what type of TV you're using, the Guncon2's don't allow you to connect your PS2 to the TV via S-Video or component cables. If you're used to one of these higher-quality video connections, then the first time you boot up the PS2 with the RCA A/V, it will look overly sharp and aliased (jagged edges on curves). The game's superior graphics help you get past this, but it's still too bad that you can't use the Guncon2's in conjunction with the best picture possible. It is possible to play the game with the standard PS2 controller, but aim is frustrating the entire gameplay experience suffers greatly.

Still, despite these setbacks, the gameplay with the Guncon2's makes it all worth it. Once you get them connected (there are simple instructions printed on the lid of the package's box), calibrating the Guncon2 is very easy - you'll be ready to play in minutes. I found the aim to be surprisingly accurate, although the new "weapon change" scheme that Time Crisis 3 introduces can be a little troublesome. You now fire at the weapon list at the bottom of the screen to change - I've accidentally switched weapons while trying to take out a crouching enemy, only to waste more valuable ammo on my next shots. Unfortunately, there's no option to configure one of the numerous buttons on the Guncon2 to handle weapons switching instead. In fact, the only button used on the Guncon2 (besides the trigger) is a conveniently-placed d-pad where the hammer of the pistol would be - it's used to control your crouching behind objects in lieu of the foot pedal used at the arcade.

You can play single-player and let the PS2 control the second agent, although from my experience, he pretty much stands around and leaves all of the work to you. The two-player cooperative mode splits the screen just like the arcade mode, showing the same action from each player's point of view. This is especially impressive on widescreen TVs. The game also supports linking of two PS2 units so that each player can have his own TV all to himself (linking cable not included here).

The game is a faithful port of the arcade original but with some additional mission content and unlockables. All told, there is probably eight to ten hours of end-to-end play here. The long-term allure of the game is in perfecting your routines, weapons management and marksmanship. But ultimately, it is a straightforward shooting gallery game with a purely linear plot and nothing more.

Now that the price has dropped on this package, it's an outstanding value. The game is a fast-paced roller coaster of blowing away the bad guys and the inclusion of two Guncon2 controllers means you're ready to play the game the way that it was intended. It's a must-have for fans of the arcade original and highly recommended to anyone who likes shooters.

PROS

* Real at-home arcade feel from a faithful port of the arcade game and the two Guncon2's

* Fast shooting gallery action that works especially well in two-player cooperative mode

* Great graphics despite TV and connection limitations imposed by the Guncon2's

CONS

* The Guncon2's are picky about compatibility, both TV and connection

* The supplied USB cables for the Guncon2's are very short

* Changing weapons should be configurable as a button on the Guncon2

If you've beenin an arcade in the past year or two you might have noticed a popular game labeld Time Crisis. The game involves 2 agents of VSSE (I don't know what it stands for) who are trying to liberate a meditarranean island. An army has just landed on the island and has taken over, they have set up tactical missiles that pose a threat to Lukano (to whom which the island belongs to) and other neighboring countries. It is your job to control the agents in a race against time to free the island and in the proses, Lukano. In the game you have an interesting system called The Weapon Select System that allows you to switch between 4 diferent guns: Your pistol, your machine gun, your shot gun, and a greneade. Although the last 3 weapons are in most people eyes the best, they have limited amunition. Amunition can only be aquired through killing a soldier with yellow armour. You can switch weapons by pulling the trigger in the "duck" position. There are three modes in which you can play: arcade mode (regular story mode), Crisis mission mode (in whichyou pick a mission that has a unique objective that once you complete sucessfuly you gain medals and other interesting things), and Rescue mission mode (in which you play as someone named Alicia who is fighting in the Lukano Liberation Army), in this mode you will wage deadly sniper combat inorder to save her brother and help the VSSE. I would recomend this game to any one who enjoys light-gun games (you know the guns that you shoot at the screen). It is a fast pased shooter that would make a great present for anyone who likes action-shooters. Since the game has 2 guncons it is very nice if you have a freind over or if you are getting it as a present for 2 children.

Anyone who loves to lose quarters at the arcade trying to beat this game should get it.

The game is a classic and true to the arcade version. Its filled with nonstop action and pure fun. If you dont already have a light gun game this one is the perfect buy. Comes with 2 guncon controllers for you and a friend. Great to relieve some stress solo or have fun with friends. The game has plenty of levels and side games to conquer.

Recommended buy for light gun fans.

When i got the game i was excited. i was setting everything up when i saw that i was missing a really important part of the package: the external cable. I'm pretty pissed that it came with everything except for the external cable. If anyone knows where to get an external cable, please tell me.

I have never bought a game you had to play with a light gun, but this one is deffinatly fun! I played it in an arcade, but my gun didn't work, so when I got home, I bought it! The console game plays much deeper than the arcade version. After you beat it, you have a Rescue mode (which is more of a sharp shooting side story) and then after that there is a crisis mode. The further you get in the game, and the deeper you getinto the side games, the tougher it gets. The only problem is, your trigger finger gets sore after about 3 hours!

Time Crisis brings back good memories from arcade experiences. The single player is very fun. Multiplayer is tough with the split screen, but using the rarely used link cord boosts that up past the single player experience. The only negative thing about the game is its length. It's a bit too short. Overall, it's a solid game.

The Time Crisis 3 game is amazing. When you play in 1p mode on a big screen tv, you will love the game and now put it down for hours. You will eventually begin to duck yourself...although it has no effect on the game. The game controls are very easy to use and the weapon system is also easy. They game is like an action movie with just tons of shooting. You will get discouraged at first, but thats when you change the game difficulty from normal, to easy. Then you love the game. In 2p mode the screen splits, well it splits into two smaller squares. The two halves of the screen don't take up the entire screen, there is a good amount of black on the top and bottom, but if you're playing on a big screen, no problem. 2p is very fun, especially with friends.

Note, visit the options menu before playing and turn auto-save on. ITs very helpful, i thought the game saved by itself, but it doesn't, so turn that on. The hookup of all the stuff is really easy. Take a look at the pictures. In the box you will find that they have added a new character in the game, as well as more "stuff" in the game itself. In the box there is 2 controllers, both orange that have a usb and yellow chord sticking out of them (the two chords are stuck together, you'll see). Then there are instructions on the top inside lid. There is the actuall game inside the standard ps2 game thingie, with a booklet. There is also another chord. This final chord works like this. On one end there is sort of a T thing where you plug in the yellow plug that runs from the ps2 (you know the yellow, white, red chords?). then you plug that T-chord into the tv. At the other end of the chord are two open Slots and a T-head similar to the one at the other end. you plug in the two yellow chords from each controller here. NExt there is a usb chord with each gun, plug each one in two the right slots in the ps2. Pop in the game, make sure you have a memory card and turn it on. You'll be faced with a config screen each time you turn on the game, you'll spend abo a minute a person here to get it perfect. You don't need the playstation 2 controllr plugged in. Well, then you play that game and thats it.

When you see it in an arcade you'll play it again, just to show off how good you've gotten. Ha.

I agree with the one review that the side by side view was a dumb idea. Beside that i can't complain about anything else, except that now when i see it in the arcade i dont want to play it. It's fast paced and very replayable... You can go through as one player either person one or two which give you a different angle.

I was so excited when I bought this game with the 2 included Guncons. I hooked everything up and sat down to play. Ten minutes later the game was over. There was only one level to the game. After you beat the "bad guy" in the plane, the game is over. What's up with that? I'm not kidding about the 10 minutes of gameplay.

Don't get me wrong, the graphics were great and I loved the Guncons. I just wish the game had more levels to it.