Time Crisis
Developer(s)	Namco
Publisher(s)	Namco
Designer(s)	Takashi Sano (supervisor)
Series	Time Crisis series
Platform(s)	Arcade, PlayStation
Release date(s)	Arcade 1995 PlayStation JP 1997-06-27 NA 1997-10-31 PAL 1997-11-30
Genre(s)	Rail shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	ELSPA: 15+ ESRB: Teen OFLC: M15+
Input methods	Light gun
Cabinet	Upright
Arcade system	Namco System Super 22
Display	Horizontal orientation, Raster, 640 x 480 resolution

Time Crisis is a video game initially available in arcades and later released for the PlayStation and cell phones.

[edit] Gameplay

Time Crisis is a three-dimensional first person rail shooter similar to Virtua Cop and The House of the Dead, in which the player holds a light gun and goes through the motions of firing at on-screen enemies. There are three stages, each consisting of three areas and a boss fight. Unique features are described herein:

• A foot pedal which performs multiple functions: when the pedal is released, the player takes cover to conserve hit points whilst reloading the gun. While the pedal is released, the player cannot attack. In console conversions, a button command replicates the foot pedal's functions.
• A light gun (introduced in Point Blank) which utilized a special memory chip to synchronize areas of the screen's image as the player rotates the gun around. The light gun also features a blowback function which simulates real-life gun recoil.
• A countdown timer, recharged by clearing an area of enemies, as running down the clock causes an instant game over, the player must take risks, shooting enemies rapidly and hiding only when necessary. A time extension is rewarded when an area is passed. There are also time bonuses awarded for shooting certain enemies quickly.

The game was later ported to the PlayStation, with the GunCon controller. As well as the arcade mode, it featured an additional multi-branched storyline exclusive to the PlayStation. While the arcade release allowed the player to continue where he/she left off, the PlayStation conversion required the player to start the entire area all over.

[edit] Story

The main plot of the original Time Crisis arcade release involves an attempted coup in the fictional republic of Sercia. For a millennium, the Garo family ruled Sercia with an iron fist. In 1995, the VSSE International Intelligence Agency sent William MacPherson, who successfully toppled the Garo regime and became its first democratically elected president.

The last remaining member of the Garo family, Sherudo Garo, sought to recapture the throne from the hands of President MacPherson. He sends a mercenary named Wild Dog and kidnaps the president's daughter, Rachel. Garo demands military secrets in return for Rachel's safe return or he will kill her by sunset. VSSE sends its best agent, Richard Miller (called the One-Man Army) to invade Garo's castle and rescue Rachel.

Miller makes his way through the lower levels of the castle only to find a trap set up by Moz. After being directed to the clock tower, Richard works up through the upper levels of the castle and finds Rachel and Garo. Garo pulls out his knives and they battle, which ends when Miller kills him; however, Wild Dog reappears, kidnaps Rachel, and drags her away. Miller pursues Wild Dog, and it finally ends on a bridge just outside of the castle. Wild Dog begins detonating the castle and is planning to fly away on a helicopter. Miller shoots him, causing Wild Dog to drop his radio detonator. Miller and Rachel safely make it out as Wild Dog is engulfed in the explosion of the castle.

[edit] Kantaris deal

The Kantaris deal is a side special story exclusive to the PlayStation version of Time Crisis. Miller has received orders to infiltrate a mysterious hotel known as Chateau Du Luc, which is operated by Kantaris, leader of the smuggling network of the same name. The VSSE has received positive verification that Kantaris supplied arms to the Wild Dogs, and it is Miller's mission to disband this organization. Exactly how this happens will differ depending on the player's performance in this story. Depending on these different routes, Miller may face off against Kantaris' pet cyborg "Web Spinner" in the ballroom, a giant robot in the Lounge, a Spider-like tank in the Parking Lot, or the Kantaris gunship on the Heliport.

[edit] Mobile game

In 2006, Namco Networks released a mobile version of the game, which offers innovative use of the cell phone keypad to achieve the duck and shoot action without the foot pedal and GunCon.

• Official site listing compatible phones
• IGN review of game

[edit] External links

• Time Crisis Mobile 3D by Namco Games
• Time Crisis at the Killer List of Videogames
• Arcade-History.com entry