Boot up and shoot – there's strength in simple gameplay.
The game has a standard "save the world from doom" plot; an evil company plans on ruling the world by launching satellites into Earth's orbit. You play as one of the two secret agents whose mission is to prevent those launches. While the story has nothing notable, that is clearly not the focus. Like all other Time Crisis games, Time Crisis II is known for its unique fighting mechanics: shooting and then dodging by holding and releasing a button. You see, the game is divided into different levels, each level with a different type of environment: city environment, forest environment, etc. The main goal of each level is simply to advance from the starting location to the ending location. You don't have control of your character's walking; the game advances you forward. All you need to do is shoot at the enemies and duck for cover when they shoot at you. As mentioned, ducking is accomplished by releasing a button, while re-emerging happens through the opposite action. You reload while ducked, so the challenge is to monitor your ammunition and balance between ducking and advancing. Although this mechanic may seem repetitive, tedious, and therefore dull, I find it very entertaining due to the fast pace of the game. Glass sprays on you as it shatters; cars swerve in front of you; enemies roll and duck for cover. There's a lot happening all at once, so you'll definitely be busy and entertained.
The game's set up is an example of brilliant simplicity. After inserting the disk and making your way to the main menu, you have a few options: all of them sending you right into a shootout. You can choose to entertain yourself through the game's ridiculously one-dimensional story, or you can choose a specific level to re-attempt – after you beat that level in the story mode. However, if you really want to experience a "time crisis", you can choose to limit the amount of time you have to get past the enemies and advance to the end of each level. These are the highlights of the game; it's a simple variety, and that's the point.
As for worried parental authorities, who ban and censor any type of graphic violence, please put aside your anxiety for this game. The game has no blood or body mutilation. There isn't even any profane language. Keep in mind that the Time Crisis series has always been made for public viewing in adolescent video game arcades; the same area where kids go to win stuff animals from the crane. This game is no exception to the series. Also consider the message that the game conveys; you play as a secret agent who is fighting against terrorists, so you're shooting for a noble purpose.
In conclusion, Time Crisis is a "one-trick pony". The game has a limited environment, and its story seems like a copyright infringement. However, the game's focus is clearly on the action of the moment and, nevertheless, Time Crisis is a worthwhile game that will demand you to boot up your PlayStation 2 and start shooting some terrorists.