E3 2001 Hands-on: Time Crisis 2

Time Crisis is a big name in gun games, and the sequel to the first game in the series is coming to the PlayStation 2 later this year from Namco. Time Crisis 2 is basically what you'd expect from a Time Crisis on the PlayStation 2--the graphics are vastly superior to those of the arcade game the PS2 version has been ported from, while the gameplay has remained the same. Time Crisis adds a bit of strategy to all the shoot-'em-up gameplay by allowing you to duck behind scenery to avoid enemy fire. We didn't get to try the game out with a gun controller, but Namco says it will be fully compatible with the GunCon 2 when both the game and the peripheral are available.

Time Crisis 2 gives you all the levels of the arcade game and a few new ones in addition. You'll also get a two-player split-screen mode and some bonus modes to round out your shooting experience. Look for it in the third quarter of 2001.