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System:
Arcade
Genre:
Light Gun Shoot 'Em Up
Publisher:
Namco
Developer:
Namco
Players:
-
Release date/year:
1996
Other systems:
-
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- Time Crisis
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1996 Namco - Namco - Arcade
- In the arcade scene, the only things you find that are worthwhile and fighters, racers, and dancing. This was back in 1996. (Most arcades are still like this though) until one game, so revolutionary, that it changed what was in the arcades. This game was called Time Crisis. Nothing like this in an arcade ever provided the sheer load of pressure that TC put on you. You must beat everything within that time that the game tells you too. If you do not, it seems like it’s the end of the world, and many, MANY people will die if you fail this mission. This great game brought some life back into the arcades with it’s crisp graphics, cool gun, and fun gameplay. If you want to blow off some steam, play TC. If you want to challenge, play TC. If you want to play on a big screen, Time Crisis has all of it. Only Time Crisis 2 shadows it in one of the best gun shooting games ever. Nothing can compare in the arcades anymore to this. Besides some of the newest games in my neighborhood arcade, this gets played the most (behind Silent scope, Tekken 4 and Pump it Up) and this game is 6 years old. And the graphics that are in this, they still look good by arcade standards.
Here is the story: You are a lone man, taking on hoards of forces from a republic which captured this very important person. You must save this girl from the clutches of these people or something really bad will happen. You are the only person there and only have a Desert Eagle to stop them. Will you succeed? Only the time will tell. Because you only have a certain amount of time before something goes ape-poopy on you. For some reason unknown, you can only last a few minutes in there. However, the more people (or stages of a few people) you get more time. Possibly because they have just that amount of time to call more people on you to kick your sorry butt of the island. The world may never know. You also have some 2 pennies fort of an EggMcMuffin mercenary, who is named Mad Dog. Made Dog isn’t one to mess with, but you do anyway, and put the big hurt on him and his boss. It all ends with man saving damsel in distress story. Not such a great story, but most arcade games don’t.
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Graphics: 9
All of the graphics, though a little textureless and a little blurry, still look good today. It runs at a steady frame rate throughout your time, and they are filled with polygons. You could release this on the Dreamcast (or maybe even GCN) and it would still look pretty decent. Just to say it again, this game is 6 (count them, 6 years) and everything looks so vibrant and full of color, I was amazed when I first saw this. Namco must of had some heavy duty work while making this game. The cabinet looks great too. The one that I play has a large, 5 foot wide screen, meaning that you have a wide place to shoot your gun-con. The gun-con, looks, and I think is the size of the hand pistol called the Desert Eagle, which is a really good pistol, used by the US army. Except that the one that is there is broken (I was just holding it and the top just fell off I swear) but it is well detailed itself, with a sky blue color to it that adds the depth that you want. Back to the graphics in side the game; they are some of the best graphics for that time period, where something like Ridge Racer ruled the graphics department everywhere. It blows that game out of the water. If you want something to stare at that looks pretty, TC has got it.
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Gameplay: 10
Time Crisis gives you the most sheer pulse pounding excitement of Resident Evil with a does of first person shooter. You against all odds has never been as fun as this. Though I am not fond of most arcade gun shooters (I did not like the VC series and for something like Area 51, don’t get me started) but TC series has somethings that make it make me want to praise Namco for inventing: The Gun-Con and Action Pedal. The Gun-Con is one of the greatest arcade gun in the history of arcade games. It has exactly the right weight and a good feel to it. The action pedal is one of the biggest innovations in arcade gaming since 6 buttons for SF2. A small, metal pedal in front of the gun holster puts your fate in your feet’s hands (I know that didn’t make any sense.) The way that you move in TC is you are hiding from the guards with the action pedal un-depresses (you also reload your gun that way. Just remember, you cannot shoot back, and you’re wasting time by staying there) or you could press down on it, which brings you into the full view of soldiers, but you can kill them too. Ingenious, no? You can actually get yourself out of harms way inside a videogame! However, with making a game like this come with one small price. Unless this game gets little to know playing time (which I highly doubt unless you have TC2 or CZ) The action pedal will break. Many times in fact. With something like that so new and fun, there were some kinks that Namco couldn’t figure out. But other than that, it is perfect.
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Sound: 8
You hear a nice theme from the story, and the sound sets the mood. The gun fire from all of the guns sounds like it is the real thing (it most likely is too.) Everything has a sound effect, from the metal walls, to the little theme every time you go outside from the castle. Every thing is just fine in this category, But compared to hoe the game is, could have had some better sound. If the game was something like Pit-Fighter, then this would be the best sound ever. But this in TC, a great game, it could be better. Pretty good for a game made that long time ago.
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Fun Factor: 10
This game is fun to play, just to see how much better you have gotten at it over the years when the first saw it is laughable. (I stood there for 1 minute without pressing the action pedal and loosing my dollar that I paid.) I just wish I could get the version for PS, or Point Blank 3, or Time Crisis for PS2. I would like to buy an arcade machine, if that is possible. This is a great and you should enjoy it every time you play it!
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Play It?
Heck yeah, didn’t I just explain how great this game is. Only the sound is not as good as it could be, the only reason it’s a 9.
Graphics: 9
Gameplay: 10
Sound: 8
Fun Factor: 10
Reviewer’s Score: 9/10
//The President
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