Older gamers who spent most of the early 2000s playing console first-person shooters received a pleasant surprise when THQ announced the return of the TimeSplitters series. As of now it is only a confirmation of the game’s existence and many crucial returning team members, including David Doak and Steve Ellis. Work technically has not even technically begun on the new entry, but fans cannot help but get excited by this news
We sincerely hope it brings back the haphazard action for which the series is known. While we wait for the new entry, why not take a walk down memory lane by revisiting some interesting facts about the trilogy?
10 It Is The Spiritual Successor Of GoldenEye And Perfect Dark
Free Radical Design first formed from many key members of Rare, who is known for numerous classics like Donkey Kong Country, Killer Instinct, GoldenEye, and Perfect Dark. The latter two are especially notable because TimeSplitters takes cues from those FPS classics. Free Radical formed during the development of Perfect Dark. The mechanics are similar to those N64 classics, but the action is infinitely smoother.
9 Free Radical Was Working On Star Wars Battlefront 3
Before it shut down after the release of Haze, Free Radical Design was developing a third Star Wars Battlefront game. It was more than a simple prototype, too. The company worked on the game for about three years before LucasArts grew dissatisfied with missed deadlines and cut ties with the developer, terminating the contract. A playable build eventually leaked and it shows some of the game’s ambition, including battles with mixed air and land combat.
8 David Doak Was A Scientist Before Going Into Gaming
One of the Free Radical Design’s founders is David Doak, who worked at Rare for years before forming the studio that made TimeSplitters. Before going into gaming, David Doak worked as a scientist, which is what he studied in university.
It might seem like a weird jump in careers, but most people have relatable stories. One often does not end up working in the field of their study.
7 The Original TimeSplitters Was A PS2 Launch Title
The first TimeSplitters was a part of the PS2 launch lineup, which is always an opportune time for a new IP. Considering the studio was founded in 1999 and TimeSplitters came out in 2000, one can deduce the game was developed with impressive speed. A prototype for a next-gen FPS was put together quickly and caught Sony and Eidos’ attention. To this day, the original TimeSplitters remains playable only on the PS2.
6 Getting Four Player Split-Screen Was A Challenge
Right from the start the developer wanted the first TimeSplitters to have four player split-screen multiplayer. Seeing as how the team was dealing with new hardware, it did its best to budget for this concern. Anyone who played GoldenEye multiplayer recalls just how slow and choppy it got with multiple players. Free Radical made some performance cuts to keep the frame rate smooth, including no anti-aliasing. Ultimately the move worked and the lack of anti-aliasing is not jarring.
5 The Dam From TimeSplitters 2 Is An Homage To GoldenEye
It is not a coincidence that the first level in TimeSplitters 2 is a Dam. It was absolutely a callback to the first level in GoldenEye, only using the advanced tech to produce a more in-depth and involved level. Just like GoldenEye, the first level is one of the most celebrated stages in TimeSplitters 2 and represents everything interesting about the campaign. It is big, involves stealth, and has interesting objectives beyond just going from point A to point B.
4 An HD Remaster Of TimeSplitters 2 Is In Homefront: The Revolution
As an easter egg you can play the Dam level from TimeSplitters 2. It is a nice bonus that made people hopeful for a proper TimeSplitters HD collection. This never happened, sadly. However, it was recently discovered that you can unlock the entirety of TimeSplitters 2 within Homefront: The Revolution. Using a code at the arcade machine holding the game lets you play the whole game in a higher resolution. This alone makes Homefront: The Revolution worth buying.
3 TimeSplitters 2’s Development Started Immediately After The First Game’s Completion
Because of the debut entry’s rushed development, Free Radical Design had so many ideas they were unable to implement into it. With such creative energy still flowing, the team started development on TimeSplitters 2 the day after the first game was completed.
From David Doak’s point of view, the sequel was everything they wanted the first game to be, and it feels that way when playing it. It has more characters, gameplay modes, and a more involved single-player campaign.
2 TimeSplitters: Future Perfect Was Sabotaged By EA
In an interview, David Doak describes how Publisher EA diverted much of the marketing budget for the third game towards GoldenEye: Rogue Agent. They were more interested in the Bond game becoming a hit despite its worse quality, which left the third game with little support from the publisher. It is a shame too, because Future Perfect is a great culmination for the trilogy in all categories. This left Free Radical in a worse spot financially, starting its downward trajectory towards closure.
1 TimeSplitters 4 Was In Development Before The Studio Closed
After Haze, Free Radical was planning to make a new TimeSplitters game. However, a variety of factors contributed to the project never finding a publisher or getting off the ground. The marketability of a game featuring over 100 playable characters was considered a problem. Ultimately, Free Radical Design closed down before a fourth game was made. Fortunately, the series will receive new life as a new title is in development.
