Release Date	April 18 2008
Format	PS3
Publisher	Sony
Developer	Namco Bandai
Price	TBC
Distribution	Centresoft
Contact	01216 253388

Time Crisis 4

During the glory days of the arcade industry there was nothing more enjoyable than blasting away at a screen with a giant plastic gun.

Indeed, it is for this reason that franchises like House of the Dead still exist today – but the daddy of all light gun shooters has to be Namco Bandai’s Time Crisis.

The series began in arcades back in 1995, before getting ported to the original PlayStation in 1997 and has spawned three sequels and two spin-off titles. Like most arcade shooters, Time Crisis takes gamers on an on-rails adventure, with a gun peripheral used to shoot enemies on-screen, along with extra buttons so players can hide from that pesky enemy fire.

The franchise has proved immensely popular in both arcades and consoles, and the fourth in the series, which excelled in arcades back in 2006, is due on PS3 this month.

Time Crisis 4 offers the same intense-action and detailed environments that has set the series apart from its rivals, only now in glorious high-definition and with new, advanced features.

One such feature is the game’s new first person shooter mode, which is exclusive to the console version of the game. The FPS mode allows gamers to move freely, just as they can in more typical first person shooters, and comes with a new, console-exclusive playable character and five new stages.

Other game modes available include Full Mission, which combines original stages with FPS levels, Arcade, which is the traditional Time Crisis mode, Crisis Missions and Mini Games, which tests the gamer’s sharp-shooting ability and can be played head-to-head with a friend. The game’s story centres on operatives Giorgio Bruno and Evan Bernard, who have to investigate the existence of a top secret weapon and prevent it falling into terrorist hands. Both characters can wield the trusty pistol and shotgun, but these guns can also be upgraded and changed into grenade launchers, or even mounted machine guns, with extra weapons exclusive to the console version.

Of course Time Crisis wouldn’t be Time Crisis without the trusty light gun, and it doesn’t get any better than the Guncon 3. The Guncon 3 is said to be the most advanced light gun yet, allowing gamers to change camera angles with dual analogue sticks and control character movements, including crouching and jumping, more effectively. It also comes bundled with the game, offering players a true arcade experience in their living rooms.

Time Crisis 4 is perfect for the mass of Time Crisis fans still sitting in arcade rooms across the country. It also arrives at a time when light gun games are enjoying a bit of a renaissance, with the recent release of House of the Dead and Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles on Wii. Which means Time Crisis 4 is sure to explode off retail shelves.