From racing games to 3D fighters, one of my favorite 1990s rivalries was Namco vs. Sega. Believe it or not, this competition even spilled over into the light gun market, with Sega giving us Virtua Cop and Namco countering with the Time Crisis series. With Sega's shooter celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, I wondered what Electronic Gaming Monthly thought of the franchise. Did they have a preference between Time Crisis and Virtua Cop?
As it turns out, EGM reviewed a total of seven games in these two series – five Time Crisis releases and two different Virtua Cops. While that may not seem like very much, that actually covers pretty much every console release between the two franchises. What we're going to do today is countdown the best and worst Time Crisis and Virtua Cop games using Electronic Gaming Monthly's own words and scores. There's no editorializing here, we're just going to focus on what the critics said back when these games first came out. So get ready to dive for safety, because this is EGM Ranks Time Crisis and Virtua Cop!
Time Crisis 4 (PlayStation 3)
#7
“When paying $90 for a light gun shooter you're used to playing in movie theater lobbies, you would expect to be able to feed it virtual quarters when you die, right? Time Crisis 4 disagrees. With the sometimes seemingly unavoidable hits you'll take while popping in and out of cover, it's a frustrating struggle to simply make it to the end of each level intact enough to tackle the laughable bosses. That's OK, though; whether you're playing the mundane arcade levels or the incredibly slow and equally hideous new first-person shooter levels, you likely won't stick around long enough to run into these problems. The story provides buckets of unintentional comedy, but the real joke is on PlayStation 3 owners expecting anything resembling a ‘new-gen' shooter.” (3.7 out of 10)
Time Crisis: Project Titan (PlayStation)
#6
“The first Time Crisis was a nice diversion from the Virtua Cop style of non-challenging gameplay, adding the innovative duck feature and a time element that gave Time Crisis tension lacking in most light gun games at the time. Project Titan, Time Crisis's pseudo-sequel for the PlayStation, is certainly more of the same, but it contains neither the spark of its predecessor nor the hallmark level of quality Namco is usually known for. Once you memorize the level layout and enemy placements, the game becomes a breeze, something I don't recall saying after playing the first game.” (5.3 out of 10)
Time Crisis II (PlayStation 2)
#5
“Move over Lethal Weapon, a new action-buddy flick is in town. Time Crisis 2 is a unique game for two reasons: You team up with a computer or a human team mate to blast thousands into oblivion, and both characters look like idiots and wear “trendy” denim jackets. The only things missing are the mullets. If you play alongside the computer, you'll laugh at the ‘help' he gives you. It mostly consists of him serving as gunfodder and you bailing him out of trouble. Even though that's not legitimate teamwork, it still is interesting. This novelty and the old-school mini-games offer a lot to do in a game that is sure to delight NRA members.” (7.5 out of 10)
Virtua Cop (Saturn)
#4
“This is a surprisingly great translation from the arcade to a home system. I really liked the arcade and did not find any inconsistencies between the two. The main problem with Virtua Cop is the length of the game. With only three levels, any fairly good gamer will be able to play through Virtua Cop in a short amount of time. The practice screens are fun for two people to compete against one another in. Due to the difficulty, try this one before you buy.” (7.5 out of 10)
Time Crisis 3 (PlayStation 2)
#3
“On one hand, Time Crisis 3 remains an uncontested crackshot among light gun shooters. It's patented hide-and-peek approach, color-coded targets and overlapping perspectives for two-person play put it on the top and, for the most part, keep it there. On the other hand, this third installment feels phoned in. The expanded arsenal is an excellent addition, but reloading the same low-caliber visuals from the last game is inexcusable. And why not offer fully interactive environments like those in its older arcade cousin Crisis Zone?” (7.5 out of 10)
Time Crisis (PlayStation)
#2
“I liked this one at the arcade and the translation is awesome. The voices are pretty cheesy, but they don't get in the way. The graphics are really nice and the fact that it comes with the Guncon – well, any fan of light gun games should love this package. On top of the regular mode, there's a time and special mode for added replay. I was really impressed with Time Crisis, not knowing what to expect in the arcade port.” (7.75 out of 10)
Virtua Cop 2 (Saturn)
#1
“It seems the Saturn can do no wrong with home translations, and Virtua Cop 2 is no exception. The home version looks picture-perfect. But think about this: As good of a game as Virtua Cop 2 was in the arcade, do you really want to pay for a home version? I have never played a home light gun game that I've really wanted to play over and over again. The replay, I feel, is just not there. Sure, Virtua Cop 2 has branching levels, but it's the same game through and through. But, if you like shooting things, then it'll be hard to top this one. Try playing with two guns for a real challenge and a good time.” (8.1 out of 10)
