Time Crisis

Moby ID: 3568
Arcade Specs
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Description

The events of the game take place in the fictional republic Sercia. A coup has ended the tyrannical regime of the Garo family, leading to the election of a new president. However, the last member of the once powerful Garo family kidnaps President MacPherson's daughter, demanding to know top military secrets in exchange for her life. An international intelligence service known as VSSE sends agent Richard Miller to infiltrate Garo's stronghold and rescue the young woman.

Time Crisis is a rail shooter similar to Virtua Cop in gameplay style. The player moves automatically, using the light gun to eliminate appearing enemies, after which he can proceed to the next screen. The stages typically culminate in boss battles. The player can also press a button to make Richard dive for cover. However, using this feature too much might result in expiration of the time limit imposed on each screen.

New features for the PlayStation version include a time trial mode and a brand new mission exclusive to the PlayStation.

Spellings

  • タイムクライシス - Japanese spelling
  • 化解危机 - Chinese spelling (simplified)

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Screenshots

Promos

Credits (Arcade version)

54 People (49 developers, 5 thanks) · View all

Produced by
Management by
Game Design
Motion Player/Effect Program
System Program
Hit-Check Program
Enemy Data Coordinate
Character Design
Stage Design
Motion Design
Effect Design
2D-Graphic Design
Camera Work
  • Harubo
Screenplay
CG Engineering
[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 84% (based on 21 ratings)

Players

Average score: 3.7 out of 5 (based on 35 ratings with 2 reviews)

Great version of a solid gun game.

The Good
Time Crisis is much like many of the better 3d light gun games and every gun game before hand. you shoot, you reload etc. But in Time Crisis you are given the added dimension of hiding. Each gunfight situates you behind an object and you must leap out and fire at your enemies but hide again to avoid being shot yourself. This feature brings a different kind of skill to the standard light gun fare. Audio is great with loud booming gunshots and some cool action movie style music that really gets the adrenaline pumping. The arcade version of the game is faithfully replicated and plays identically to its coin-op father. This is great by itself but what about extras? Gun games are always short games which is fine for the arcade but a console version needs additional features to sustain interest. Namco have you covered here with a new mode called 'special'. In this mode you are given a new mission to undertake with new levels, music, enemies and bosses. This mode has diverging pathways and 3 different endings too which really add to the experience. Put simply, 'special' mode is another Time Crisis style gun game to play so this package really has two great gun games on one disc.

The Bad
The translation looks fair, but doesn't match the arcade version in terms of visual quality. The faithfulness of the translation also means that naturally, there are the same faults. The duck and cover gameplay is interesting but it also creates a few problems, the most prominent of which is the way that you can sometimes pop up from behind your hiding spot and be shot immediately with no way of dodging or being able to know that the shot was coming. This can prove most frustrating and result in a few cheap hits. Also it is a necessity to own a light gun, as is the case with all light gun games, preferably Namcos own G-Con as playing without one is extremely dull.

The Bottom Line
Time Crisis is a good gun game. While it's no House of the Dead 2 or Confidential Mission, it's certainly worth picking up if you like the genre and are still sticking with the Playstation.

PlayStation · by Sycada (177) · 2001

It's like Die Hard mixed with Lupin III.

The Good
The gameplay's great for 1996 arcade games everywhere; it's the perfect arcade game to play at a friend's birthday party or at the pub. It's simple but surprisingly effective.

The Bad
It's a rail shooter and though I find it a part of its charm others may be dissuaded by that aspect. I understand though I respectfully disagree with that.

The Bottom Line
It's Die Hard mixed with Lupin III (which is essentially an anime Indiana Jones and James Bond combo with trace elements of Tintin and Scooby Doo). And it's as 90s as 90s gaming can possibly get!

Arcade · by John H. (52) · 2019

Trivia

1001 Video Games

Time Crisis appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.

German index

On April 30, 1998, Time Crisis was put on the infamous German index by the BPjS. For more information about what this means and to see a list of games sharing the same fate, take a look here: BPjS/BPjM indexed games.

Awards

  • Electronic Gaming Monthly
    • March 1998 (Issue 104) - Light Gun Game of the Year
    • March 1998 (Issue 104) - Light Gun Game of the Year (Readers' Choice)
  • PSExtreme Magazine
    • (Vol. 3, Iss. 3) - The game was named the Best Arcade Translation of the Year (1997 Extreme Awards)

Information also contributed by Big John WV

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Dino Crisis 2
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Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis
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  • MobyGames ID: 3568
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Grant McLellan.

Arcade added by Rik Hideto.

Additional contributors: Unicorn Lynx, Alaka, Xoleras, DreinIX, Rik Hideto, FatherJack.

Game added April 3, 2001. Last modified February 20, 2024.