DESCRIPTION

Arriving three years after its arcade brethren, Namco's Time Crisis 2 is the first light gun game to appear on the PlayStation 2. The game's release also marks the debut of the GunCon2; a popular light gun peripheral fashioned by Namco themselves. The home conversion plays host to a wealth of new modes and options, including support for two-player split-screen and i.Link support — which enables two players, each with a PS2, TV set, and copy of the game to emulate the setup found in the arcade. The Arcade mode allows one (using either one or two guns) or two players to make their way through the game's three stages.

Gameplay adheres to many of the genre's established conventions, but what separates Time Crisis 2 from similar gun-toting titles, is the use of the "ducking" mechanic. By pressing a button on the gun (or a pedal in the arcade title), players can duck and hide behind objects in the stage, thereby avoiding enemy gunfire and facilitating reloading of your weapon at the same time. While the majority of the action takes place on foot, players will also find themselves on speeding boats and trains. As the game title suggests, each area must be completed within a time limit or you will lose a life, lose too many, and the game is over.

As agent Keith Martin or Robert Baxter you set out to find a missing agent Christy Ryan, and discover Neodyne Industries' true intentions for a network of military satellites they're set to put into operation. The Extra Games mode provides three different disciplines to compete in: Agent Trainer, Quick & Crash, and Shoot Away 2. The last two are in fact classic Namco arcade titles. A hidden mode called Crisis Mission presents players with various challenges, such as killing a certain number of enemies within a specified time limit or rescuing a group of hostages. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide