The story of "TimeSplitters" is almost nonexistent. Each mission takes place in a different time period between 1935 and 2035. You play as random people who are going into dangerous situations in an attempt to get something that is important to them. In every case, you have to gun down anyone and everyone you see. There are no allies here. Whenever you pick up the item you need, the mission will suddenly be invaded by an alien race called the TimeSplitters. For some unknown reason, they are trying to disrupt what you are trying to do. Unfortunately, that reason is never explained. Not even a little. Not even a teeny tiny bit. This game has exactly zero cutscenes.
Every mission is just pick up an item and take it to an exit point. It never changes or gets more complex. Just get in, get the thing, and get out. Nobody really cares about the TimeSplitter aliens. It's just another obstacle to overcome in each mission. This is actually an interesting way to introduce an antagonist in a game. They did it in such a way as you would be curious but get nothing for that curiosity, and they must have figured people would come back for more because a sequel was literally promised in the credits.
This game was made in sixteen months and made with a very small budget. The idea was just to make it fun and get it out. It doesn't even look very good, but it plays smoothly. That was the point. Give them a bare bones story, but make it fun to play. They even made a map maker, where you could build and program your own levels, although this is very rudimentary in the first game.
Happily, this game was a success, and it led to what would become the "TimeSplitters" trilogy. It is a series that got better with every new entry. Even though the first game isn't much to look at, it set the tone for a good idea that would be built upon over the next years.
All said, however, this is not a very fun game to play. It is greatly obsoleted by the next two games in the series. I don't really recommend it for that reason. I still respect it for what it accomplished and the legacy it made for later years.
This blog was written on July 3, 2024.
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I never played the 1st game but I did play the 2nd and loved it. I think I played the 3rd and if I did, the stream of the 2nd and 3rd merged perfectly. Not only was the action mindless fun, but the comedy was funny without turning the adventures into a joke. The characters were endearing.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the other 2 are far better. Really great games.
DeleteSometimes, you just pick an idea and move in some direction. The more you write, the deeper it gets. What started out as being just for fun, then takes on a life of its own.
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