(Still working my way through a backlog of cheap xbox games.)

After getting continually stuck in Call of Cthulhu Dark Corners of the Earth (the next save point seems to corrupt my save file and the save point after that is too far away), I decided to try out TimeSplitters Future Perfect, the third game in the TimeSeries series.

After playing so many game that require careful use of stealth, or at least cover, to eliminate hostile forces it felt strange to play a game where your character is capable of mowing down endless series of henchmen with no regard for your personal safety. The gameplay was very reminiscent of the N64’s GoldenEye 007, so it was not too big a surprise when I discovered that the developers, Free Radical, were primarily former programmers from that game. As such the gameplay (kill henchmen over and over) can be a bit repetitive, but the settings for the gameplay (locations throughout time) add some novelty to that experience. TimeSplitters greatest strength over other FPSs would be its use of humor and the joy of a game that features time loops and other time travel silliness. I was more or less sold on the game when upon encountering a locked door a future version of my self yells to me from a grate in the ceiling and passes me the key, a situation for which you must act out the other side of later in the level. Also one of the later levels has steampunk robots!

A fun game in general; folks with current generation consoles might wish to keep an eye on the new titles Free Radical has launching soon: Haze and TimeSplitters 4.