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When TimeSplitters launched in tandem with the PlayStation 2 in 2000, it was noted by many to represent a significant drop-off in single-player quality for a game made by many of the developers behind GoldenEye and Perfect Dark, the at-the-time definitive console first-person shooters. Both of these games were renowned for their split-screen multiplayer offerings, of course, but were backed up with robust and varied single-player campaigns.

This was noticeably absent from TimeSplitters, though, and it wouldn't be a surprise to learn that development of the game was rushed to coincide with the release of Sony's second home console. But with this foundation in place, it wouldn't be long until a proper follow-up appeared, and with TimeSplitters 2 in 2002, the potential of its frenzied but fascinating predecessor would be largely fulfilled.

TimeSplitters 2 is largely rocking the same control scheme as its previous entry, but even considering its quirks, with the amount of flexibility given to your controls, the end product makes for a game that feels just about as good to play as many other FPS games. This is still a very arcade-like shooter, so firing from the hip while strafing is usually enough to get the job done, but TS2 does offer just enough precision when necessary.

Case in point, the game's 3rd mission—in which you must run around a cult-ridden church headshotting zombies with a shotgun—is a relative breeze compared to its companion mission in TimeSplitters, which was the epitome of annoying. It's not always perfect; scoped weapons are still mostly useless if the enemy you are shooting is aware of you. But by and large, it definitely feels easier to hit a target here. TimeSplitters 2 does feel a bit slower as a trade-off, though, and would have benefited from some sensitivity sliders to give you a better chance at spraying down a bunch of enemies as quickly as possible.

An ability you'll definitely need during some of the campaign, which, as alluded to earlier, represents a massive return to form after the vastly simplified TimeSplitters 1. More varied missions with unique clear conditions, optional objectives, and larger, more interactive levels all make TimeSplitters 2's single-player campaign feel like the real deal, even though it's still relatively short at 10 missions only. The overall narrative is thin, but each level serves as a sort of vignette and gets its own briefing and introduction, which seems perfect for a game that takes place across hundreds of years.

This premise sets the stage for an exceptionally diverse set of weaponry and locales, and to great effect. Interestingly, it's the past and present levels that are the most interesting to explore, perhaps just because each future level basically boils down to the same idea of robots, lasers, and outer space. That could also be because these future levels are mostly reserved for the final act of the game, where you'll start to encounter a lot of sections that almost require you to pre-fire at enemies in order to get through them, especially on harder difficulties, and the game can largely feel like it's turning into a test of memory rather than reflexes.

It's still a vast improvement to the first game's single-player options, though, and now instead of the multiplayer carrying the load of the entire game, it's allowed to exist in parallel to a more than competent campaign. And TimeSplitters 2's multiplayer is truly excellent. Let's not mince words; at time of release, at least, this was probably the finest split-screen multiplayer FPS game not just on the PS2, but on any home console. It takes everything that was foundational from the N64 heavyweight shooters and expands on it emphatically.

The number of unlockable game modes, cheats, and maps here is impressive, but even if you want to just get straight into the arcade mode, you and your friends can easily kill an afternoon or two with just a couple of controllers and TS2. Lest we forget the map maker, which is an excellent addition for a game as wacky as this, as it lets you unleash the craziest thing you could possibly think of. The weapon variety is incredible. You can be a monkey and blow an Elvis impersonator to smithereens. Even if the gameplay wasn't that good, it would be fun to play just on the basis of it being a curiosity. The fact that this fundamentally excellent split-screen shooter contains an unending wealth of high-caliber hijinks is, somehow, just a bonus.

If the speculation that TimeSplitters was indeed hurried out the door to get in on the PS2 launch is true, TimeSplitters 2 is just a testament to what Free Radical Design's team could do with a proper development cycle. Its campaign, while not perfectly well-rounded, contains some levels that would be right up there with GoldenEye's Facility or Perfect Dark's Chicago, and its multiplayer is even better than before. It's a truly great console FPS, especially with friends—but, hey! This time, it's just as great alone, too.

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