Time Crisis 3

Time Crisis 3 is a rail shooter, the third installment of the Time Crisis arcade series. Like its previous predecessor, Time Crisis II, it allows for two players to cooperate in a link play environment and has the Time Crisis signature pedal system for hiding and advancing and the first in the series to change or select weapons. It was later ported to the PlayStation 2.

Time Crisis 3
Cover art
Developer(s)	Nextech
Publisher(s)	Namco, Sony Computer Entertainment (EU, KOR)
Director(s)	Takashi Satsukawa
Producer(s)	Hajime Nakatani
Platform(s)	Arcade (System 246) PlayStation 2
Release	Arcade NA: 16 September 2002 JP: 2003 PlayStation 2 NA: October 21, 2003 EU: October 31, 2003 JP: November 20, 2003
Genre(s)	Rail shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player Multiplayer
Arcade system	Namco System 246

Changes

Time Crisis 3 incorporates a new type of weapons system allowing the player to switch between the standard 9-round handgun, a fully automatic machine gun that can hold 200 rounds, a shotgun with 50 shells and a 5-round grenade launcher with powerful splash damage. Only the handgun has unlimited ammunition, though players can shoot yellow-clad soldiers to gain ammunition for their other weapons. This feature was later used in the port of Crisis Zone, with some changes.

The game also refines the crisis flash system which life-threatening shots are brighter, making pedal-releasing advisories easier.

This title was later released for the PlayStation 2, together with a side story featuring Alicia Winston as a player, who is only an unplayable supporter in the arcade version of the game. Gameplay for Alicia is, for the most part, the same as the regular campaign, with occasional sections in which the player must use a Sniper Rifle to deal with enemy snipers. Unlike Time Crisis and Time Crisis II, the home console port features plot elements, features, and weapons not found in its arcade counterpart. As with the PlayStation 2 version of Time Crisis II, players can access the Crisis Mission exercise menu through prolonged gameplay.

Plot

In 2003, 6 years after Time Crisis II, Astigos, the largest island in the Mediterranean nation of Lukano, is invaded by special forces from the neighboring Zagorian Federation. Led by dictator General Giorgio Zott, the invaders conquer 80% of Astigos in a matter of weeks despite international protests. Meanwhile, the surviving Lukano defenders organize themselves into the Lukano Liberation Force under Daniel Winston. Learning that the Zagorian forces have set up a base in the abandoned Astigos State Observatory, Daniel and his lieutenant Jake Hernandez lead a small force to infiltrate and destroy it. Once inside, however, they are captured by waiting Zagorian troops.

A week later, Daniel's sister Alicia undertakes a solo mission to infiltrate a Zagorian bunker. Inside, she downloads intelligence that leads her to discover the Zagorians have acquired tactical ballistic missiles, which they intend to use to eliminate the rest of the LLF and potentially threaten neighboring nations. Alicia transmits the info to her contact at the V.S.S.E., who in turn gets the agency to dispatch agents Alan Dunaway and Wesley Lambert to destroy the missiles. Posing as fishermen, Alan and Wesley launch an attack on Marano Beach but are quickly cornered into a shipwreck by the Zagorian defenders. Their leader, Air Force Colonel Victor Zahn, attacks them in his heavily armed gunship. Alicia manages to steal a jeep and rescue the agents, then helps them to shoot down Zahn. The three make their way to Astigos Town Center, where they are separated in a surprise attack. Wesley and Alan fight their way through town and the forest to reach a supply train heading up to Zott's compound. Meanwhile, Alicia is confronted by Jake, who is revealed to be the traitor who sold out Daniel. After running Jake out of town, Alicia links up with the agents at the trainyard.

Randy Garrett, the head of Zott's "Assassin Squad", leads them into an ambush, during which he destroys the bridge, causing the train to fall into the river. After finishing off Garrett and his men, Alicia, Wesley, and Alan approach the base, where they once again split up to defeat the exterior defenders. Alan and Wesley are confronted by hired gunman Wild Dog — who was seemingly killed during the events involving the NeoDyne incident — with his new partner, Wild Fang, who has greatly enhanced leg strength. In the ensuing battle, Fang is apparently killed, but Dog once again commits suicide via explosives to evade capture. Zott prepares to execute Daniel in revenge, but Alicia shoots the pistol out of his hand with a sniper rifle. Alan and Wesley chase Zott into the compound while Alicia liberates Daniel's men from captivity. Arming themselves, the fighters arrive just in time to save the agents from Zott's soldiers.

Alan and Wesley confront Zott inside the main dome and shoot him dead, but not before he initiates the launch. Using rocket launchers, the two destroy the dome's roof, causing it to cave in and destroy the missiles. At the same time, Alicia catches Jake trying to escape with a stolen nuclear warhead. She disables his ship, forcing him to detonate his cargo prematurely. Using her sniper skills, Alicia simultaneously destroys the detonator and kills Hernandez before sending the burning wreckage crashing into the sea. Rejoining her brother, Alicia helps the agents escape.

Their mission a success, Alan and Wesley return home, while the LLF ultimately defeats the Zagorians and forces them out of Lukano, regaining 90% of Astigos Island in the process.

Mobile phone spinoff

A spinoff of Time Crisis 3, Time Crisis Mobile (3D), was released on mobile phones and later re-ported in 2009 to the iPhone OS with the name Time Crisis Strike.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score Aggregator Score Metacritic 81/100[1] Review scores Publication Score Edge 6/10[2] EGM 7.5/10[3] Eurogamer 8/10[4] Game Informer 7.5/10[5] GamePro [6] GameSpot 7.6/10[7] GameZone 8.6/10[8] IGN 8.4/10[9] OPM (US) [10] X-Play [11]

The game received "favorable" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[1]

References

1. "Time Crisis 3 Critic Reviews for PlayStation 2". Metacritic. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
2. Edge staff (December 2003). "Time Crisis 3". Edge (130): 107.
3. EGM Staff (November 2003). "Time Crisis 3". Electronic Gaming Monthly (172): 187.
4. Reed, Kristan (2003-10-17). "Time Crisis 3 Review". Eurogamer. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
5. Leeper, Justin (December 2003). "Time Crisis 3". Game Informer (128): 149. Archived from the original on 2008-06-19. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
6. Four-Eyed Dragon (2003-10-22). "Time Crisis 3 Review for PS2 on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on 2005-02-08. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
7. Davis, Ryan (2003-10-22). "Time Crisis 3 Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2003-10-23. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
8. Lafferty, Michael (2003-10-26). "Time Crisis 3 - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 2008-10-17. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
9. Lewis, Ed (2003-10-21). "Time Crisis 3". IGN. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
10. Baker, Chris (November 2003). "Time Crisis 3". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine: 142. Archived from the original on 2004-01-09. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
11. Steinberg, Scott (2003-09-24). "'Time Crisis 3' (PS2) Review". X-Play. Archived from the original on 2003-12-17. Retrieved 2014-02-19.

External links

• English website
• Japanese Arcade website
• Japanese PS2 website
• Time Crisis 3 at MobyGames