Timesplitters 2 = Goldeneye Next? (1 Viewer)

[Dave Falasco]

I got the September edition of OXM and there is a demo of Timesplitters 2 on it. I never played the first one, and this is the first look I've had at the second one, but I was immediately struck by how much it reminded me of an updated version of Goldeneye. Not that that's a bad thing--GE is the only reason I bought an N64 and I don't regret the purchase. But it's almost eerie how much the demo resembles GE. It starts out with an overhead shot of a huge dam in a snow-covered area, and then quickly shows various shots of guards walking around at a camp at the base of the huge dam, and security cameras panning the area, before zooming to a darkened hangar and showing your character. Then it swoops behind the character and zooms in. The closer the camera gets to your character, the more transparent the character gets, until you are fully zoomed in, at which point it reverts to first-person mode and you take control. The first thing you do is to pick up a silenced pistol and a sniper rifle, and you have to take out the guards and the security cameras from a distance, or else the alarm will sound and you will get bum-rushed.
Sound familiar?
It looks like a great game, and the trailer on the disc showed a bunch of multi-player stuff that got my heart racing. I knew very little about this title before playing the demo, but I came away mostly impressed, with one major complaint: the aiming is very "bouncy". You aim with the right analog thumbstick, but when you release the thumbstick, the aiming reticle bounces back to the center of the screen. It's kind of hard to explain, but let's say a soldier pops up on the left side of the screen. You move the targeting reticle to the left and the screen pans over as you turn to face him. Then, when you have the reticle on the guy, you let up on the thumbstick to stop the panning to the left. But instead of staying where you left it, the thumbstick now bounces back the other way.
It makes precision aiming in a hurry very difficult, or at least it did for me. My crosshairs were bouncing all over the place as I tried to line up shots, which got me dead in a heartbeat numerous times. I think it's something you can get used to, but it was kind of frustrating.
Graphically the game looks amazing. I'm not going to give a review or anything because it was only a demo, but I went from not knowing much about the title to desperately waiting for the release, just based on the demo and the trailer.
Anyone else get the demo disc? Is it not Goldeneye all over again? I swear, if the James Bond music came on last night I wouldn't have batted an eye...it would have fit right in.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I've played the PS2 demo and own the first game. The development team is made up of ex-Rare employees, mainly the ones who made GoldenEye and Perfect Dark.

Yeah, the game looks kickass. The first one had a GREAT multiplayer mode but the single player mode was severely lacking.

 

[Ryan Peter]

Hopefully it's better than the original Timesplitters. Which I found to be really "Bleh.."...

 

[Dave Falasco]

Morgan, did you have a difficult time adjusting to the aiming? Is that "bouncy" effect I described in the first game as well?

 

[Joseph Young]

Dave,

The level you described (the dam et al.) is a confirmed 'homage' of sorts to the original Goldeneye. The similarity is not an accident. I would link you guys to the article discussing this, but quite honestly I don't remember where I read it.

~joseph

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Could you explain a little more about what you mean by "bouncy"?

I also played the first game and demo of the second game on PS2, so the control might be different. I loved the control and multiplayer on the first one, and it seems to be back in full swing with a good single player mode.

 

[Dave F]

It is also quite reminiscent of No One Lives Forever (also in a good way). I wasn't planning on getting this one, but now I'm sold! It's been quite a long time since a demo has persuaded me to buy a game. Most of the time they persuade me not to buy a game.
-Dave

 

[Dave F]

ACK! The release date is 9/24! I was this thing now!
-Dave

 

[Morgan Jolley]

9/24 is my brother's birthday. Looks like I'll be the one getting a present.

Then again, my birthday is 3 weeks after his.

 

[JasonK]

The original TimeSplitters was a great multiplayer game. TS2 has been one of my most anticipated games this year.

Since I plan on getting it for XBOX, does anyone know if a system link option will be on the disc? That would make for some great multiplayer games, with a potential for GameSpy compatiblity.

In regards to the 'bouncy' shooting, is it anything like the auto-center option found on Halo and other FPSer's?
I cannot stand the auto-center option, so I certainly hope that TS2 would offer the option to turn it off.

 

[Jason Quillen]

Somewhere on the IGN message boards they had a little spot where, for like a week, you could ask a question and a representative of the TS2 team would answer it. I believe someone asked about system link on the X-Box. I believe the representative said while nothing was final, he didnt think that would be an option.
JQ

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I remember reading that the PS2 version would allow console hookup. AFAIK, all versions will have online capabilities (unless the GameCube doesn't go online).

And the auto-center option can be turned off.

 

[JasonK]

Cool, thanks Morgan.

I just got the new EGM in the mail today. System link play will be an option for the PS2 version of the game, so it would surprise me if it was not an option on the XBOX version.

 

[Aaron Copeland]

Hopefully it's better than the original Timesplitters. Which I found to be really "Bleh.."...

Please, no one make the mistake of comparing this one to the original. The developers have repeatedly stated since shortly after the first one launched that they were forced to rush to finish it for the PS2 launch. It even had options in the menus that were not actually available in the game (like 4 speaker surround sound). As it was, it was a game that came off very unpolished, but you could tell the potential was there.

Now the videos I've seen of the new one look fantastic. I think it supposed to be based on the same story line as the first, but the game play definitely looks very much like Goldeneye (from the sounds, to the life bar, etc...). I'm very excited about it.

Aaron

 

[Dave Falasco]

Okay, "auto-center" sounds pretty close to what I am trying to describe as "bouncy". I played the demo again for a little while last night, and here's what happens:

* Enemy pops up to your left.
* You pan left (with an analog thumbstick) to drill the nogoodnik.
* First, the animation for your gun turns to the left, then as you continue to hold the thumbstick left, your whole body rotates. (So if you just move the thumbstick back and forth a tiny bit, your gun sweeps left and right but your field of vision stays the same)
* You finally get your gun centered on the guy's cranium, and you ease up on the thumbstick to stop panning left.
* First thing that happens is your gun springs back toward the center of the screen, throwing off your aim.
* You eat a bucketful of hot lead, as your enemy seems to have no problem finding YOUR cranium.

I watched the trailer again, and it does look like that "auto-center" (or "instant death" as I like to call it) can be turned off, but at least in the demo there doesn't seem to be a way to do that. Has anyone else grabbed the latest OXM and tried this game? I'm sure someone else can describe the problem better.

 

[ChristopherS]

I hope everyone is right about the XBOX version having the System Link feature. If it doesn't I will have to pass on this game. With the number of potentially great games to be released this fall on the XBOX I can afford to be selective.

Chris

 

[Dave F]

I think you describely it quite accurately, Dave. It's a big pain in the ass. Hopefully it can be shut off in the full version.

-Dave

 

[Morgan Jolley]

* Enemy pops up to your left.
* You pan left (with an analog thumbstick) to drill the nogoodnik.
* First, the animation for your gun turns to the left, then as you continue to hold the thumbstick left, your whole body rotates. (So if you just move the thumbstick back and forth a tiny bit, your gun sweeps left and right but your field of vision stays the same)
* You finally get your gun centered on the guy's cranium, and you ease up on the thumbstick to stop panning left.
* First thing that happens is your gun springs back toward the center of the screen, throwing off your aim.
* You eat a bucketful of hot lead, as your enemy seems to have no problem finding YOUR cranium

Well you're not supposed to hold the stick to the left unless you are in the "aim" mode. Then it will turn your body slowly to the left if you go all the way to the left. If you hold it a certain point (like 1/3 from the side) then you won't move anymore and the the crosshairs stay there. Also, if you get the guys head in the center of the screen, then it won't matter.