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TimeSplitters 2
TimeSplitters 2
TimeSplitters 2
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TimeSplitters 2
DeveloperFree Radical Design
PublisherEidos Interactive
DirectorsStephen Ellis
David Doak
ProducersStephen Ellis
David Doak
ProgrammerHasit Zala
ArtistKarl Hilton
ComposerGraeme Norgate
SeriesTimeSplitters
Platforms
Release
8 October 2002
  • PlayStation 2, Xbox
    • NA: 8 October 2002
    • EU: 18 October 2002
    • AU: 28 October 2002 (PS2)[1][2]
    • AU: 4 November 2002 (Xbox)[3]
    GameCube
    • NA: 15 October 2002
    • EU: 1 November 2002
    • AU: 4 November 2002[4]
GenreFirst-person shooter
ModesSingle-player, multiplayer

TimeSplitters 2 is a first-person shooter video game, developed by Free Radical Design, published by Eidos Interactive, and released in October 2002 for PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube. The game's story focuses on the efforts of a space marine who seeks to recover powerful time crystals from a race of alien mutants called TimeSplitters, which leads them to taking on the form of an individual dealing with their own problems across different time periods between the 19th and 25th century. The developers focused on expanding the story element following 2000's TimeSplitters, and features influences from various film genres, including horror, action and science fiction.

Alongside the story mode, which can be played solo or co-operatively, players can also engage in multiplayer modes and create their own maps. The game received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised its improvements on its predecessor as well as its multiplayer gameplay and graphics, though criticised its story and lack of online gameplay. TimeSplitters 2 was later followed by a sequel, TimeSplitters: Future Perfect, in 2005.

TimeSplitters 2, along with the other games in the trilogy, were re-released on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 as a PS2 Classic in 2024, with trophy support, a rewind feature and improved loading times.[5]

Gameplay

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TimeSplitters 2 is a first-person shooter that requires players to kill enemies and complete objectives using a variety of weapons and tactics in different predefined scenarios. Armour and health bars on the sides of the screen lower when the player is shot, which can be increased by walking over body armor and first aid kits.

The weapons of TimeSplitters 2 include handguns, rifles, submachine guns, shotguns, rocket launchers, a grenade launcher, various explosives, a crossbow, a flamethrower, a fire extinguisher and a brick. They are of many different time periods, from the historical to the futuristic. Some weapons have an alternate fire which activates a feature such as launching a grenade or detonating a remote mine. It is possible to dual wield some weapons.

Story mode

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The main story mode of TimeSplitters 2 is divided into ten levels.[6] Each level is in a different time period and contains a series of objectives that must be completed. Some objectives are present at the start of the level, while others are added during play.[7] A few levels have secondary objectives, which are not required to complete unless on the normal or hard difficulty setting. Each level includes a single checkpoint in the middle where the player can restart if they die or fail to complete an objective (with the exception of the last level on any difficulty and the fourth level on easy).[8] For each level, the player must choose from three difficulty levels. These difficulty levels not only change the strength of the enemies, but also increase the length of the level by adding additional objectives; for instance, in both easy and normal levels, there are optional secondary objectives, whereas in the hard levels, all secondary objectives are now primary and must be completed. At the end of every level, a time crystal must be recovered. After it is picked up, a time portal will appear which must be entered in order to complete the level. However, this is sometimes made more difficult by TimeSplitters that teleport to the player's location. In secret places of certain levels, there are cartridges of old school arcade games such as Snake, that can be picked up and played on the player's Temporal Uplink, the device that normally shows the map of the current level.[9]

The game's story mode can be played alone or cooperatively with another player.[10] When playing co-op, in order to balance the game, the two players' health amounts are lowered.

Along with the story mode, there are two single-player modes: an Arcade mode and a Challenge mode where a player is given a scenario and must complete it within certain requirements.[11] The objective ranges from collecting bananas to shooting heads off zombies. After the objective is completed, the game will end, and a medal will be awarded depending on the number of points obtained. Certain medals allow the player to play as new characters in multiplayer or use cheats. Cheats can be turned on in the options menu to activate features such as unlimited ammunition or the ability to shoot paintballs. Free Radical's website implies that there are also controller-activated cheats that have never been released. They say they like to keep things "as impossible as possible."[12]

Multiplayer

[edit]
Screenshot of the Chicago level

Arcade mode is the main multiplayer section of TimeSplitters 2. It can normally be played with up to four players with each player using a division of the television's screen. However, with a System Link, up to sixteen players can participate. System link was not included with the GameCube version.[13] When a player is killed, they are respawned at a random location on the map with full health. Weapons, armour, and other items that enhance players' abilities are placed in several preset positions scattered about the map. The objective of the game depends on the mode selected. Four are available at the start: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Bag (a version of capture the flag) and BagTag (where a player must survive while in possession of the bag for the longest period of time). There are sixteen game modes in total,[11] But twelve are unavailable until the player beats certain levels of the game.

Several aspects of multiplayer can be customised, such as the weapons, the number of points needed to win, the number of minutes until the end of the game, as well as the music that plays along with the level. There is also a variety of different characters the player can choose to play as, each with their own individual statistics. Some characters are from the Story mode, while there are other more humorous ones such as a dinosaur and an Elvis impersonator. Up to ten computer-controlled bots can be used. Their appearance, difficulty, and team can be customised. The bots can do some acrobatic moves that the player cannot do such as rolls and somersaults.[14]

At the end of each match, the results of the game are shown. This includes the number of points each player or team scored, the weapon the player used most often, as well as awards the player earned. There are nearly 60 awards present in TimeSplitters 2.[15] Players are given them based on what they did in the match. Awards are recorded in each player's profile which also keeps track of a variety of other statistics.

There is also an Arcade League mode in which one player is placed in an Arcade match with pre-set bots and weapons. There are three difficulty levels of Arcade League: Amateur, Honorary, and Elite. Players must beat them in consecutive order. After a player beats an Arcade League level, a medal is awarded.

A MapMaker is also available that can create playable levels. Levels for Story mode can be made as well as levels for Arcade mode.[16] Created Story levels, however, cannot be played co-operatively. Maps are created by selecting and placing different pre-made tiles and rooms onto a grid. Spawn points, weapons, bags, armour, and objectives can then be placed anywhere on the level. There is a bar in the left side of the screen, representing memory, that lowers each time a tile or item is placed. When the bar depletes completely, nothing else can be placed onto the map. However, items can be deleted to increase memory. A theme can be chosen for each map such as Victorian, Industrial, Alien, and Virtual, which changes how the rooms appear.

Only LAN networks are supported, but online play is possible with the use of PCs and third-party networking software.[17]

Plot

[edit]

In 2401, humanity is in the midst of a war against the TimeSplitters, a sadistic alien race intent on bringing about the destruction of mankind. With the war going against them, the surviving humans of Earth's space marine army discover that the TimeSplitters are in possession of special objects called Time Crystals - green crystals that can provide power for time travel, allowing anyone to travel through time to any point in history. Discovering their enemy is attempting to use the Time Crystals to change the course of human history, thus bringing Earth to ruins, space marines Sergeant Cortez and Corporal Hart are sent to a space station overrun by TimeSplitters to retrieve the crystals.

However, the pair's arrival forces the TimeSplitters to remove the crystals and scatter them across various moments in human history through a time portal, with the pair arriving just as the last crystal is removed. Sealing themselves into the portal's chamber, Hart decides to stay behind and operate the device, while Cortez uses it to track down the crystals. Upon arriving in the first time period, Siberia in 1990, Cortez finds himself taking on the form of a female spy who was sent to investigate unusual activity in the area (in a similar manner to the TV series Quantum Leap).[18] Undeterred, Cortez attempts to complete each person's agenda in their respective time period, all while tracking down the crystals that have influenced events in that point of history  – ranging from Notre Dame in 1896, an Aztec temple in 1920, to a major conflict with robots in 2312.

Eventually, Cortez recovers the crystals and returns to 2401 to rendezvous with Hart. But by this time, the TimeSplitters regain access to the portal device and attack the pair, killing Hart in the process. Cortez, left with little time to react, sets the space station to self-destruct, and escapes with the crystals to bring back to Earth, moments before the station is destroyed.

Development

[edit]

In February 1999, 15 months before the release of Perfect Dark, several members of Rare that were part of the GoldenEye 007 development team, including Steve Ellis, Karl Hilton, Graeme Norgate, and David Doak, left to form their own company called Free Radical Design. After they developed the first TimeSplitters, TimeSplitters 2 went into development, trying to create a more fulfilling story mode alongside the Arcade and MapMaker modes. The game was developed over a 23-month period, with around half of that time devoted to creating the opening level.[19]

It was also one of the first multi-platform games to be re-released on both the PlayStation 2 Greatest Hits and Xbox Classics labels.[20]

The location of the health bar and other gameplay features are reminiscent of GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark. Some gameplay present in TimeSplitters 2 is also very similar to GoldenEye 007; both games contain a similar aiming system and both lack the ability to jump.[11]

Releases

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There are a few minor differences between the console versions of TimeSplitters 2. For example, the PlayStation 2 version has a smaller playing field for minigames such as Anaconda. This consequently makes high scores on the PlayStation 2 version lower than the Xbox and GameCube versions which both have bigger playing fields for the minigames.[21][13]

There are four different versions of cover art for the North American release of the game. Some of the versions had a unique tag line for the GameCube and Xbox ports. The GameCube version displayed the quote "Heir apparent to GoldenEye", by Electronic Gaming Monthly.[22] The Xbox version said, "First Halo, now this".[23] Other versions include the Player's Choice edition and the original release without the quotes.

Other release changes include removal of the map editor function and the renaming to Time Splitter: Invaders of the History on the Japanese release of the PlayStation 2 version. In addition, Europe, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United States each have different box art.[24]

In PSM3, Doak expressed interest in remaking TimeSplitters 2 with HD visuals and online multiplayer.[25]

In an October 2012 interview, Free Radical co-founder Steve Ellis said, "We had a "HD" downloadable version of TimeSplitters 2 in development at Free Radical in 2008. I don't know what happened to that but yes, I'd love to see it released at some point. Maybe it could be the catalyst that is required in order to raise enough interest in TimeSplitters 4 that a publisher might want to fund it."[26]

Homefront: The Revolution, a game developed by Dambuster Studios (the corporate successor to Free Radical Design in accordance with British business transfer law due to the closure of Crytek UK),[27] contains an easter egg featuring two playable levels from the game, accessible via an arcade cabinet located in one of the main game's locations.[28] One of Homefront's programmers, Matt Phillips, revealed in 2021 that he had placed the whole of Timesplitters 2 at a 4K resolution as an Easter egg from one specific arcade cabinet, but had lost the code to trigger it. Shortly after announcing this on social media, one of the people that Phillips had shared the code with was able to provide it, proving the existence of the game.[29]

The original Xbox version of TimeSplitters 2 was made backwards compatible on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on November 15, 2021.[30]

Reception

[edit]

The PlayStation 2 version of TimeSplitters 2 received "universal acclaim", while the GameCube and Xbox versions received "generally favorable reviews", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[53][54][55] It won GameSpot's annual "Best Shooter on GameCube" award, and was nominated for "Best Shooter on Xbox", which went to MechAssault.[56]

In comparison to the first game in the series, GamePro called "TimeSplitters 2 [...] everything the original game was and more" and "outdoes most other PS2 shooters in the process".[43] GameSpot said that the game "may very well be the best split-screen multiplayer-focused first-person shooter ever created."[7] The publication later named it the best GameCube game of October 2002.[57] IGN concluded that the game was "clearly the best multiplayer first-person shooter on the PlayStation 2", but commented that it was not story-driven and little empathy was felt for the characters.[6] GameSpy criticized the absence of online play, but complimented the game's "great deathmatching action" and the game's high frame rate. They also said the game is "everything you could possibly want in a sequel."[8] Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine praised it as "easily one of the best first-person shooters out there—on any system", but called its lack of online play "criminal."[50]

During the 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated TimeSplitters 2 for "Console First-Person Action Game of the Year".[58]

The game has also been compared to GoldenEye 007 because of its many similar game elements, shared developers and references to that game,[59] such as both games beginning on a Siberian dam.[48]

Legacy

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The game features in the film Shaun of the Dead being played by the main characters Shaun and Ed.[60][61]

The game is also playable within Homefront: The Revolution as an arcade machine within the Restricted Zone.

References

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[edit]
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TimeSplitters 2

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
TimeSplitters 2 is a developed by and published by . It was released in October 2002 for the , , and Nintendo consoles, with North American launch dates of October 8 for PlayStation 2, and October 16 for Xbox and GameCube. The game's core storyline follows a team of time-traveling protagonists, including space soldiers Sergeant Cortez and Corporal Hart, who pursue the alien antagonists known as TimeSplitters across history to prevent them from altering key events and enslaving humanity. This narrative unfolds through a 10-level single-player campaign set in diverse historical eras, such as 1932 , ancient Aztec ruins, and a futuristic , where players complete objectives like retrieving time crystals while battling enemies with period-appropriate weapons and vehicles. Beyond the story mode, TimeSplitters 2 includes an arcade mode for quick matches, over 70 challenge tasks to unlock content, and an enhanced MapMaker tool allowing players to create and share custom levels and missions. The game supports up to four-player split-screen multiplayer with various modes, including deathmatch and , and features more than 90 unlockable characters, numerous weapons, and large, detailed environments rendered at a consistent 60 frames per second. Developed by a team of former GoldenEye 007 creators from Rare, TimeSplitters 2 builds on its predecessor's formula with improved visuals, deeper gameplay, and cinematic cutscenes, earning widespread critical acclaim for its polish and replayability. It holds a score of 90 out of 100 based on 33 reviews, often praised as one of the best console shooters of its era.

Gameplay

Single-player campaign

The single-player campaign in TimeSplitters 2 consists of 10 missions spread across 10 distinct time periods, from 1853 in the Wild West to 2401 on a futuristic , where players assume the role of time-traveling agents combating the threat. Core gameplay adheres to conventions, with fluid movement mechanics including running, jumping, crouching, and to navigate expansive, interactive environments. Weapons are period-appropriate and varied, encompassing pistols, shotguns, sniper rifles, submachine guns like the Tommy Gun, and advanced options such as plasma autorifles or flamethrowers, many of which support dual-wielding for intensified combat. The lacks automatic regeneration, requiring players to scavenge health and armor pickups dispersed throughout levels to survive encounters. Missions emphasize objective-based progression, with primary tasks such as retrieving glowing time crystals to secure timelines, assassinating key targets, or escorting non-player characters through hostile areas, often compounded by secondary goals like destroying environmental hazards. Difficulty levels—Easy, Normal, and Hard—alter objective complexity and enemy aggression, encouraging strategic play over rote shooting. For instance, the 1932 mission unfolds as a mobster , where players must eliminate a named Big Tony while protecting informant Marco the Snitch, incorporating unique interactions like detonating whiskey barrels to dispatch groups of enemies or answering a to advance. Similarly, the 2401 Space Station defense involves repelling alien incursions and navigating zero-gravity sections to escape via portals, highlighting adaptive environmental hazards such as explosive canisters and automated turrets. Cooperative play extends to the full campaign, supporting two players in split-screen mode across all missions, with shared objectives. This mode fosters teamwork in tight corridors and large arenas, though it demands coordinated movement to avoid . Completing missions unlocks a progression system that rewards replayability, granting access to over 100 new characters for use in other modes, additional weapons, multiplayer maps, and cheats such as big heads, unlimited ammo, or mirrored levels, with harder difficulties yielding more premium content.

Multiplayer modes

TimeSplitters 2's multiplayer is centered on Arcade Custom and Arcade League modes, emphasizing fast-paced, competitive battles without narrative elements. Arcade Custom allows players to configure matches with various game types, including classic deathmatch, where participants compete individually to rack up the most kills within a time or score limit, and team deathmatch, which pits teams against each other for collective kills. Other standard modes include , known here as Capture the Bag, where teams must steal and return an opponent's bag to their base while defending their own to score points. Unique variants add replayability, such as vampire mode, in which players regain health by damaging opponents from a shared pool that depletes over time, or (also called elimination), a no-respawn challenge where players have limited lives and the last team or individual standing wins. Respawn rules vary by mode—automatic in deathmatch and team variants for continuous action, but disabled in to heighten tension—while scoring typically revolves around kills, objective completions, or duration, with customizable limits for time or points. The game supports up to four players in split-screen on and versions, expandable to 16 players on through system link or LAN connections, enabling larger-scale matches without online servers. Bot support fills lobbies for offline play, with up to 10 AI opponents customizable by skill level (1-5 stars) and team assignment, allowing solo or small-group sessions to simulate full matches. Power-ups like packs, armor, and temporary boosts such as speed or invincibility spawn on maps to influence strategy, encouraging aggressive play or defensive positioning depending on the mode. Customization enhances variety, with over 90 unlockable characters selectable from the single-player campaign, ranging from historical figures to futuristic aliens, each with unique appearances but shared stats. Players can choose weapon loadouts from up to five slots, drawing from an arsenal including pistols, shotguns, and plasma rifles, or opt for pre-set configurations. Arenas are selected from 16 campaign-derived maps for deathmatch-style modes or five dedicated ones for Capture the Bag, plus user-created levels via the separate mapmaker tool, fostering endless combinations for local or linked play. Lacking dedicated online functionality, all multiplayer relies on local splitscreen or system link, prioritizing couch co-op and LAN parties.

Mapmaker tool

The Mapmaker is a level editor integrated into TimeSplitters 2, introduced as an enhanced feature over the original game's tool, enabling players to construct custom arcade multiplayer maps as well as complete single-player story missions with objectives and briefings. This addition significantly boosts replayability by allowing users to design personalized content that integrates seamlessly with the game's modes, drawing from unlocked assets earned in the single-player campaign. At its core, the Mapmaker employs a block-based building system on a seven-level grid, where players select and place pre-designed tiles from themed sets such as Victorian, Industrial, Alien, or Virtual to form the level layout. Tiles can be rotated, connected via alignment indicators, and arranged to create pathways, rooms, and structures, with a usage bar monitoring resource limits to prevent overload. Enemy placement occurs through dedicated menus for story NPCs, positioning foes with basic behaviors like patrols or static guarding, while items such as weapons, ammunition, and start points are added similarly for both multiplayer and story setups. Objective scripting is handled via an advanced game logic system, where triggers, actions, and conditions define tasks like eliminations, rescues, or artifact retrievals, mimicking campaign-style progression in custom story maps. Texture and options further customize the environment, with per-tile adjustments for fixed, flickering, pulsing, or switching effects, including color selection and phasing for dynamic atmospheres. Custom maps are exported and shared primarily through memory cards, where players save their creations with descriptive names and load them for playtesting or transfer to other consoles. System link connections facilitate multiplayer sessions using these user-generated levels, though no online distribution was supported at launch. Simple creations, such as basic deathmatch arenas assembled from a handful of connected tiles with pickups and spawn points, can be built quickly for casual arcade play, while complex designs incorporate layered grids, scripted enemy waves, door mechanics tied to objectives, and multi-phase lighting to replicate intricate story missions akin to the game's or Notre Dame levels. Limitations include the absence of advanced AI scripting beyond preset patrol routes and basic reactions, reliance on a fixed tile library without freeform geometry, and platform-specific issues like occasional bugs in the version affecting door placement or music integration.

Narrative

Plot summary

In the year 2401, an alien race called the invades a orbiting , utilizing a time portal to travel backward through and manipulate events aimed at conquering and enslaving humanity. The TimeSplitters' strategy involves stealing powerful time crystals from the future—artifacts that enable precise temporal manipulation—to ensure their dominance by altering key historical moments. To counter this invasion, the government deploys elite agents Sergeant Cortez and Corporal Hart to the station with orders to destroy the portal and halt the temporal incursion. During the assault, Hart sacrifices herself to cover Cortez's escape after the portal's destruction, but Cortez commandeers a time pod containing one of the pilfered , launching him on a solo mission across centuries to reclaim the remaining artifacts before the can deploy them. As the protagonist, Cortez impersonates various historical figures and intervenes in pivotal eras, navigating the risks of paradoxes where actions in the past could unravel the present or future. The narrative underscores themes of and the fragility of , as each crystal recovery disrupts the aliens' orchestrated interventions designed to weaken human civilization. Upon securing all the crystals, Cortez returns to 2401 and escapes the exploding in a ship, averting the immediate threat but leaving the ' ultimate defeat unresolved (continued in the sequel, TimeSplitters: Future Perfect). This resolution restores temporal stability, though it leaves lingering questions about the broader implications of the crystals' power and the altered timelines.

Time periods and levels

TimeSplitters 2's single-player campaign unfolds across ten distinct levels, each anchored in a unique historical or futuristic time period that shapes the environmental design and atmosphere. These settings draw from real-world inspirations blended with fictional elements, creating immersive backdrops that advance the overarching narrative of collecting Time Crystals to thwart temporal disruptions. The levels are set in diverse eras, generally progressing backward through time but with jumps forward and backward, starting in 1990 and ending in 2401. The campaign opens in Siberia (1990), set in a clandestine research facility beneath a massive amid snowy, frozen landscapes. Industrial concrete interiors contrast with the harsh external , featuring surveillance cameras and steam vents as key visual motifs inspired by Cold War-era secret bases. Environmental hazards include scalding steam jets and patrolling gunships, while interactive elements like valves and filing cabinets allow navigation through the site's labyrinthine corridors. This level ties into the by focusing on investigating anomalies linked to the Time Crystals' power. Next, Chicago (1932) transports players to the Prohibition-era streets of a bustling American metropolis, characterized by architecture, neon-lit speakeasies, and shadowy alleyways evoking classic gangster films. The urban sprawl includes warehouses and elevated walkways, with no major natural hazards but tense atmospheres from dimly lit, rain-slicked environments. Interactive doors and switches facilitate infiltration of mob-controlled buildings, aligning with objectives to secure crystal-related artifacts amid criminal intrigue. In Notre Dame (1895), the iconic Parisian serves as the stage, its Gothic spires, stained-glass windows, and cavernous interiors drawing from 19th-century European with a twist. Dark and bell towers create a foreboding mood, with fire hazards from torches and candles posing risks in enclosed spaces. Players interact with hidden passages and levers to traverse the sacred yet eerie structure, pursuing leads on Time Crystals disturbed by otherworldly forces. The Return to Planet X (2280) level shifts to a hostile alien world, featuring bizarre, organic-futuristic structures like bioluminescent caverns and crystalline formations inspired by pulp novels. Zero-gravity sections and acidic pools act as environmental perils, while interactive alien tech panels enable progression through the extraterrestrial terrain. This remote setting connects to the crystal quest by revealing origins of the TimeSplitters' temporal incursions. NeoTokyo (2019) immerses players in a cyberpunk dystopia of towering skyscrapers, holographic billboards, and rain-drenched streets, reflecting early 21st-century visions of high-tech Asia with neon aesthetics akin to Blade Runner. Overcrowded districts and malfunctioning drones serve as hazards, complemented by interactive lockers and surveillance hacks for stealthy movement. The level's objectives revolve around disrupting a syndicate's plans involving the crystals in this near-future urban chaos. Wild West (1853) is set in a dusty frontier town with saloons, mines, and canyons evoking American Old West tropes. Gunfights in open ranges and blasts pose hazards, while interactive elements like saloon doors and mine carts aid in pursuing outlaws tied to a heist. This level explores early temporal meddling in colonial expansion. Atom Smasher (1972) takes place at a facility in New York, amid scientific intrigue with control rooms, particle tubes, and underground labs. Electrical surges and collider malfunctions create dangers, with console interactions to override security. The plot involves intercepting a experiment linked to the Elijah Jones. Aztec Ruins (1920) delves into Mesoamerican jungles surrounding vine-choked pyramids and sacrificial altars, inspired by archaeological depictions of pre-Columbian civilizations. Collapsing stone traps and poisonous foliage act as hazards, complemented by interactive altars and rope bridges for exploration. It ties back to ' primordial origins, revealing how temporal meddling began in this lost era. Robot Factory (2315) features a massive automated assembly plant filled with robotic arms, conveyor belts, and sparking machinery in a dystopian future. Hazards include crushing presses and grids, with hacks on control panels to disable production lines. This level uncovers advanced TimeSplitter alliances with rogue AI in the crystal retrieval. Finally, culminates in a vast orbital station, boasting sleek, modular space architecture with panoramic views of , drawing from 1960s space race optimism projected into the distant future. Microgravity drifts and hull breaches pose zero-gravity challenges, with console hacks and airlock controls enabling navigation. The setting underscores the final push to escape with the pivotal Time Crystals from the heart of the invasion.

Characters and enemies

The protagonist of TimeSplitters 2 is Sergeant Cortez, a battle-hardened from the year 2401 who leads the effort to recover stolen Time Crystals and thwart the ' invasion across history. Accompanied briefly by Hart in the opening space station sequence, where she sacrifices herself, Cortez undertakes the solo campaign, embodying the game's heroic archetype with a focus on direct combat prowess. The primary antagonists center on Elijah Jones, a treacherous human and collaborator who aids the TimeSplitters by supplying them with advanced and temporal , serving as a key narrative foil to the human protagonists. Overarching foes include the TimeSplitter high command, a of biomechanical alien overlords orchestrating the , depicted as imposing, crystalline entities that direct lesser forces from fortified positions. Enemy encounters feature a diverse array of human and non-human adversaries tailored to each era's theme. Human foes encompass gangsters and mobsters wielding improvised weapons in prohibition-era settings, cybernetic robots patrolling futuristic facilities with precise targeting systems, and grotesque mutants exhibiting erratic, aggressive lunges in isolated horror environments. Alien TimeSplitters form the core threat, appearing as swarming drone variants that overwhelm players through sheer numbers and coordinated rushes, alongside elite ranged attackers that deploy energy projectiles from afar, forcing tactical positioning and cover usage. The game's unlock system grants access to over 70 playable characters, including protagonists, antagonists, and enemies, earned through completing single-player campaign missions on varying difficulty levels, achieving high scores in multiplayer modes, or succeeding in specific arcade challenges. Each character boasts distinct 3D models, animations, and voice lines that reflect their personalities and origins, enhancing customization in multiplayer battles. Figures like Lady K (a spy unlocked via Chicago level), (stealth operative), and Sentry X (robotic guardian) are available for non-story modes but do not appear as allies in the campaign. Non-playable instances of these figures appear in cinematic cutscenes to advance the plot and as interactive objectives, such as escorting allies or eliminating named bosses, integrating them seamlessly into mission dynamics without direct control.

Development

Concept and design

TimeSplitters 2 evolved from its predecessor by emphasizing a deeper and more structured mechanics, addressing the first game's more arcade-focused, less cohesive story. Developed by , the title built upon the original's Quantum Leap concept, introducing a central protagonist, Sergeant Cortez, who navigates a space war and collects Time Crystals across eras to prevent a dystopian future dominated by the aliens. This shift was heavily influenced by the developers' prior work on GoldenEye 007 and at Rare, incorporating elements like gadget-based gameplay and multiplayer depth while aiming for a more cinematic experience. The core design goals centered on creating an arcade-style with episodic levels, led by Free Radical's founders—former Rare developers David Doak and Steve Ellis—who sought to blend fast-paced action with varied, replayable missions. Each level was structured as a self-contained story segment tied to distinct historical or futuristic settings, allowing players to experience diverse gameplay without a linear overload, while maintaining the series' emphasis on accessible, skill-based shooting. This approach reflected the team's philosophy of "doing the concept on acid," amplifying the original's creativity with enhanced AI, weapon variety, and environmental interactivity to make missions feel dynamic and genre-defining. Key innovations included an expanded mapmaker tool and a larger character roster, setting TimeSplitters 2 apart as a more versatile package. The mapmaker, originally introduced in the first game for multiplayer arenas, was significantly enhanced to allow creation of full story mode levels, enabling users to craft custom narratives with objectives, enemies, and cutscenes—a feature Doak championed for its potential to extend replayability and community engagement. The character selection grew to over 100 unlockable bots, each with unique animations and personalities drawn from cinematic archetypes, such as noir detectives or hackers, fostering deeper customization in both single-player and multiplayer modes. Time period selection was deliberately rooted in cinematic tropes to evoke familiar genres and heighten immersion, with levels spanning a Chicago noir underworld, a 1895 gothic horror in Notre Dame , and a 2401 dystopian future, among others. This curation not only justified the premise but also allowed Free Radical to experiment with atmospheric variety, from shadowy film-noir shootouts to sci-fi vehicular chases, ensuring each episode offered fresh visual and tones inspired by classic movies.

Production process

Development of TimeSplitters 2 began in late 2000 at Free Radical Design, shortly after the release of the original TimeSplitters, and spanned 23 months until its completion in preparation for the October 2002 launch. The studio expanded its team from 15 members for the first game to around 30 developers, enabling a more ambitious project with enhanced features like co-operative play and the mapmaker tool. Free Radical utilized a custom in-house engine derived from the one powering the initial TimeSplitters, which was refined for cross-platform compatibility across the , , and —marking one of the earliest simultaneous launches on these sixth-generation consoles. Technical efforts focused on optimizing performance for these diverse hardware architectures, including balancing AI behaviors in co-operative modes and ensuring stability in multiplayer sessions through extensive beta testing. A key milestone occurred at E3 2002, where Free Radical showcased a playable demo of the "Robot Factory" level, highlighting the game's fast-paced shooting mechanics and level design innovations to generate early buzz. The project wrapped up on schedule in mid-2002, allowing for a polished release without reported delays.

Audio and visuals

TimeSplitters 2 employs a stylized visual aesthetic with exaggerated, cartoonish character models that emphasize expressive facial animations and humorous designs, contrasting with detailed, era-appropriate environments that vary from realistic historical settings to more abstract futuristic ones. For instance, the 1930s Chicago level features gritty urban architecture and period-specific textures to immerse players in a noir atmosphere, while the futuristic Atom Smasher incorporates sleek metallic structures, glowing neon accents, and sci-fi particle simulations for a high-tech feel. Technically, the game runs at a consistent 60 frames per second across , , and versions, enabling fluid gameplay alongside features like dynamic lighting for realistic shadows in indoor areas and particle effects for explosions, gunfire, and environmental hazards such as snowstorms or electrical sparks. The port stands out with higher resolution support up to , improved to reduce shimmering, and sharper overall image quality compared to the PS2's native output with more noticeable . The sound design enhances the temporal diversity of levels through tailored audio elements, including crisp, satisfying weapon firerates—from the metallic clatter of submachine guns to the thunderous boom of shotguns—and distinctive enemy vocalizations like guttural zombie groans or robotic alerts. Ambient noises further immerse players, with era-specific sounds such as swinging jazz tunes and urban chatter in 1930s sequences or humming electronics and sci-fi whirs in future timelines, creating a cohesive auditory landscape without relying on voice acting beyond cutscenes. Graeme Norgate composed the game's soundtrack, blending orchestral arrangements for dramatic tension in levels like the snowy outpost with rock-infused riffs for action-heavy sequences and electronic synths for areas, resulting in over two hours of adaptive, mood-setting music that underscores the narrative's time-hopping structure. Players can access select tracks through in-game unlocks, allowing replay of level themes to extend the auditory experience beyond .

Release and marketing

Platform releases

TimeSplitters 2 was first released for the in on October 8, 2002, and in on October 18, 2002. The version launched in on October 16, 2002, and in on October 18, 2002, while the edition arrived in on October 16, 2002, and on November 1, 2002. A version was released in on February 27, 2003. The platforms featured some technical variations tailored to hardware capabilities. The Xbox edition supported up to 16 players in multiplayer modes through system link and Xbox Live connectivity, along with hard drive saving for progress and custom content. In contrast, the and versions were restricted to 4-player split-screen multiplayer and relied on memory cards for saves. There was no official port of the game. Subsequent re-releases expanded accessibility on newer hardware. The Xbox version gained support on and Xbox Series X/S starting November 15, 2021, allowing play of original discs or digital purchases. The PlayStation 2 edition was added to the PlayStation Plus Premium catalog on August 20, 2024, enabling download and play on and via emulation, complete with trophy support and quality-of-life enhancements like rewind functionality.

Promotion and launch

Eidos Interactive launched a promotional campaign for TimeSplitters 2 that highlighted the game's time-travel mechanics and multiplayer capabilities through trailers debuted at E3 2002. The publisher also featured the title in its E3 lineup, including a digital and showfloor demonstrations to generate early buzz among attendees and media. These efforts positioned the game as a to classic console shooters, emphasizing diverse historical settings and up to 16-player online support on compatible platforms. To build anticipation ahead of release, Eidos distributed a playable demo in September 2002 via Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine issue 60, which included the early story levels set in 1990 and 1932 . Similar demos appeared in Official Xbox Magazine's September 2002 disc and other samplers, allowing players to experience the core single-player campaign and arcade modes. These demos received positive preview coverage in gaming outlets, praising the fluid gunplay and level variety, which helped foster pre-launch hype. Print advertisements for TimeSplitters 2 ran in major gaming magazines, including a full-page ad in the November 2002 issue of that showcased dynamic action screenshots and key features. In , promotional efforts extended to events like the ECTS 2002 trade show in , where Eidos set up interactive gamepods for hands-on playtesting.

Reception

Critical reviews

TimeSplitters 2 received widespread critical acclaim upon release, earning Metacritic scores of 90/100 for the PlayStation 2 version based on 33 reviews, 90/100 for the Xbox version, and 88/100 for the GameCube version. Critics frequently lauded its fun, fast-paced gameplay, robust multiplayer component, and diverse level designs spanning historical eras from the Wild West to futuristic settings. IGN's review described it as "one of my favorite home console 3D first-person shooters to date," explicitly comparing its quality favorably to classics like GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark. The game's innovative mapmaker tool and engaging story missions also drew significant praise, allowing players to create custom levels and explore narrative-driven objectives across ten time periods. highlighted the "hefty set of single-player modes," including co-operative play and challenge minigames, as adding substantial replayability beyond the core campaign. These elements contributed to its reputation as a polished console FPS with over 120 playable characters and 16 multiplayer modes. Despite the positive reception, reviewers noted some shortcomings, such as repetitive objectives in story missions that often revolved around similar tasks like escorting NPCs or collecting items. The campaign's brevity, lasting approximately 8-10 hours on standard difficulty, was another common critique, limiting its depth for solo players. Additionally, the absence of online multiplayer was a notable omission in 2002, with calling it "disappointing that such an option-packed and fun multiplayer game doesn’t have any online multiplayer capabilities." In retrospective analyses from the 2020s, TimeSplitters 2 is often regarded as holding up well for offline co-operative and local multiplayer experiences, maintaining its charm through tight controls and humorous character designs. However, its graphics appear dated by modern standards, with low-resolution textures and simplistic environments drawing comparisons to early aesthetics. Recent reviews, including those from 2024 and 2025, emphasize improved accessibility via emulation and services like PlayStation Plus Premium, which added the game in 2024, enabling play on current hardware without original consoles.

Commercial performance

TimeSplitters 2 sold approximately one million units in its debut year, marking a significant commercial hit for . The game performed strongly in , where it debuted at number one on the PlayStation 2 sales charts for the week ending October 19, 2002. In , sales were more moderate but still contributed to the title's overall success across platforms including , , and . The game's strong launch bolstered Eidos' portfolio of first-person shooters, appearing alongside other million-unit sellers like Hitman 2: Silent Assassin in the publisher's fiscal reports. It also earned recognition beyond sales, receiving a for Audio Achievement at the 2003 BAFTA Games Awards. In the long term, digital re-releases sustained its economic impact, with the title's addition to the PlayStation Plus Premium Classics Catalog in August 2024 driving renewed digital sales that outperformed contemporary releases such as Concord in the UK charts.

Legacy

Series continuation

TimeSplitters: Future Perfect, developed by and released in March for , , and , acted as the direct sequel to TimeSplitters 2, advancing the storyline centered on Cortez's efforts to combat the TimeSplitters across multiple eras. The game expanded on the predecessor by integrating a more intricate narrative that retroactively connects events from the first two titles, emphasizing time paradoxes and Cortez's role in preventing historical alterations by the alien antagonists. This sequel introduced deeper character development and humor through satirical elements, such as exaggerated historical figures and comedic sidekicks like the android Jacob Crow, enhancing the series' lighthearted tone while maintaining fast-paced gameplay. Key shared elements between TimeSplitters 2 and included an expanded roster of playable characters—over 140 unlockable options drawn from various time periods—and refined time-travel mechanics that allowed players to recruit past versions of Cortez for cooperative play within levels. The mapmaker mode evolved significantly, building on the tool from TimeSplitters 2 by adding advanced scripting, weather effects, and more complex object placement to enable custom arcade-style maps and story-driven scenarios. These features reinforced the franchise's emphasis on arcade accessibility and multiplayer variety, with Future Perfect introducing limited online support for the first time in the series. The series effectively halted after due to Free Radical Design's financial struggles, culminating in the studio entering administration in December 2008 following the commercial failure of its subsequent project, . acquired the remnants of Free Radical in early 2009, rebranding it as Crytek UK and shifting focus to support 's own titles like , which effectively shelved further TimeSplitters development. Although a for 4 had been created in 2008 with innovative features like elemental powers and large-scale multiplayer, it was abandoned amid the collapse; later confirmed in April 2012 that no active development on a fourth installment was underway, citing insufficient fan interest at the time. In August 2018, the intellectual property was acquired by (now ), a subsidiary of , from . This led to the revival of as an independent studio under in 2021, with the team tasked with developing a new entry in the series, tentatively titled . The project aimed to blend the classic arcade-style with modern elements, including battle royale influences, but was ultimately cancelled following 's second closure on December 11, 2023, as part of 's restructuring efforts. As of November 2025, no further official developments have been announced for the franchise. Free Radical's experiences with the TimeSplitters series influenced its later projects, such as the psychic thriller Second Sight (released in 2004 alongside the tail end of TimeSplitters 2's development), which experimented with dual-protagonist mechanics and narrative-driven gameplay, and (2008), a multiplayer-focused shooter that attempted to apply the studio's fast-paced design principles but suffered from technical issues and poor reception, accelerating the company's downfall.

Re-releases and fan projects

In 2021, the version of TimeSplitters 2 was added to Microsoft's backward compatibility program, allowing it to be played on and Xbox Series X/S consoles with enhancements such as Auto HDR and FPS Boost. The versions of the TimeSplitters trilogy, including TimeSplitters 2, became accessible on modern PlayStation hardware in August 2024 through the PlayStation Plus Premium tier, where they are emulated for play on PS4 and PS5 consoles as part of the Classics Catalog. Community-driven emulation has extended the game's availability on personal computers. The PS2 edition runs on , the GameCube version on , and the original Xbox release on Xemu, each providing options for upscaled resolutions and performance improvements. Enthusiast-developed patches, such as fixes, are available for these emulators to address display issues and enable 16:9 support without distortion. A prominent fan project, TimeSplitters Rewind, is a remake and compilation recreating content from the original TimeSplitters trilogy, including a faithful multiplayer mode from TimeSplitters 2 rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5. Developed by a volunteer team since 2012 with initial support from former IP holder , it is scheduled for launch on November 23, 2025, across PC and consoles. Additional community mods for PC emulators include HD texture packs that upscale character models, environments, and UI elements, as well as custom maps expanding multiplayer options. No official has been pursued due to the high costs involved, compounded by shifts in IP ownership following Crytek's sale of the franchise rights.

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