Time Crisis 4

Worth Playing

If you are a light-gunslinger, if you're in it for the fun of realistic point-and-shoot, perhaps inviting a few friends over for taking turns at high-score challenges — the game also supports a second Guncon 3 controller, not included in the bundle, for two-player arcade-mode games — you'll almost certainly enjoy Time Crisis 4. And you'll save wads of dollar bills you'd otherwise feed into arcade token exchangers.

Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)

However, with five difficulty modes, an optional crosshair view, and extra mini-games, Time Crisis 4 should appeal to just about any arcade-lovin' audience...provided they have deep enough pockets. [Jan 2008, p.85]

IGN

Packed with a ton of unlockable content and a large amount of replayability, Time Crisis 4 is a fun game for any shooting fan looking to blast away with their PS3. The FPS Complete Mission mode places a new spin on the franchise, and the Crisis Missions and mini-games only extends the title's lifespan.

TotalPlayStation

Time Crisis 4 is an instant buy for long-time fans of the series. It really is a damn fine game, and the new Guncon has some potential for great games. At its core, the arcade game represents the perfect approximation of what it'd be like to be in a Jerry Bruckheimer action flick, and though it's over quickly, while it lasts, it's a blast.

GamePro

The game is still a blast, even if you eventually get tired of it. If you're a PS3 owner who loves light-gun games then Time Crisis 4 is the only game you need; it's also the only game you can have.

G4 TV

This package should make any arcade lover happy.

Console Monster

Although there are some rather negative elements of Time Crisis 4, it's still the only game on the PS3 that currently uses any form of light gun technology, and that alone makes it worth while.

ZTGameDomain

Time Crisis 4 is an exceptionally well-designed game that only suffers the crime of being an out-of-date genre.

DailyGame

If the design errors can be overlooked, Time Crisis 4 is what you expect: a fast, intense light gun shooter with decent graphics and the ability to make one's arm sore for days after.

GotNext

The greatest illusion accomplished by Time Crisis 4, aside from making the player feel masculine while controlling two of the most flamboyant leads in shooter history, is the transformation of your PlayStation 3 into a full-blown arcade machine.

Digital Entertainment News

If you're a fan of the series this is a must-have, but it's enough of a niche genre that you probably already know if you want it. I can't imagine many people on the fence on this one.

GameSpy

While Time Crisis 4 has its fair share of graphical, gameplay and control faults, its fast, fun on-rails shooter action will appeal to anyone looking for a break from controller-based shooters. Just don't expect anything spectacular.

GameDaily

The intensity of the arcade game stays intact, whether shooting a slew of disease-carrying bugs or taking on a mad man across multiple screens.

Level7.nu

Time Crisis 4 is a great conversion from the arcade original to the console platforms, with minor additions to appease the new crowd. There are a lot of hours of play in this package and as long as you’re not expecting anything other than a classic Time Crisis experience you’ll find a healthy dose of intense action in this title.

AceGamez

With tons of content and a charm that is missing from many of today's more cynical releases, it's hard to judge Time Crisis 4 too harshly. Its attempts at reinventing the genre may be a bit hit-and-miss, and graphically it could have used a PS3 makeover, but there's enough here to keep the majority of gamers happy.

Gameplayer

If you’re into arcade TC4, you’ll really dig this.

Gamer.nl

When you first play Time Crisis 4, you get the feeling it's basically all the same. It's not until further in the game that you get a nice new gaming experience. The game is a succesfull conversion to the console, but the arcade style hasn't changed since the first game of the series. Also the high price of the game might be a reason for many players not to buy Time Crisis 4.

Play UK

A better FPS mode, gun and conversion would make a huge difference! [Issue#166, p.94]

IGN AU

The accuracy of the shooting is a little off – even though the 5-point calibration aims to fix this. The gun is only suited to righties or the ambidextrous, too.

Armchair Empire

I’d actually have to agree these criticisms I just don’t think it detracts from the overall arcade-like vibe that I want from a game like Time Crisis 4.

Gaming Nexus

If you really love Time Crisis 4 or light gun games and have some money to burn then Time Crisis 4 is right up your alley. If you don't fall into those two categories then you should spend your money someplace else.

Play Magazine

One of my biggest beefs is with the presentation, which is too static and satisfied to be just barely good enough on the PS3 hardware. [Jan 2008, p.59]

GameTrailers

Time Crisis is the undisputed champion of arcade rail shooters. Considering how irrelevant the genre has become, that’s not exactly glowing praise.

Playstation Official Magazine UK

A game that forgets its key strengths, builds on its weaknesses and throws in a novelty first-person mode that you'll play for ten minutes. [Feb 2008, p.88]

GamerNode

If you love the Time Crisis games, you'll likely love Time Crisis 4. If you were never a fan of the series or never really played one before, save your money. It's more of the same, and more hit-or-miss than ever.

Cheat Code Central

There are other simple shooters out there that cost much less and are far more rewarding.

Jolt Online Gaming UK

We can only really recommend this to long-term fans who will be contented solely with the Arcade mode.

Pelit (Finland)

Time Crisis 4 has no balls. Shooting hordes of faceless soldiers is boring. So are the story and stages. Light gun shooter is a problematic genre for home release. However there are far better ways to execute it than this. The alternative FPS game mode deserves special recognition. It's that bad! [May 2008]

GameShark

Overall Time Crisis 4 is a fun shooting game but it’s pretty tough to recommend at a $90 price point, especially since a 2nd player on the same console would require a second gun that you can’t purchase at this time. The mission mode is a nice addition, but a multiplayer online mode would have been more welcomed.

GameSpot

A bland first-person shooter mode does little to freshen up the stale taste of this aging light-gun series.

Maxi Consolas (Portugal)

The last specimen of a dying genre, Time Crisis 4 tries to revive itself with a new FPS mode. Unfortunately, the outcome is very poor, and a set of technical problems obliterate all the fun obtained with the classic shooter mode. And only that guilty pleasure prevents an even lower score. [June 2008]

NZGamer

This game will be a great rental title to experience a light-gun game on the PS3 and for true hardcore Time Crisis fans who will probably enjoy the challenge.

Games Master UK

Time Crisis has always looked out of place on consoles and this just doesn't work. [Feb 2008, p.76]

Edge Magazine

While the arcade version of the game (included here in its entirety) is not without serious flaws, this interpretation exacerbates those that exist and throws in significant new ones. [Jan 2008, p.87]

Eurogamer

If you were hoping for the return of Time Crisis to herald some kind of rebirth for on-rails shooters, then you'll be sorely disappointed. The arcade mode is dumb fun for a short while, but is little more than a tired throwback, while the addition of FPS missions will be barely tolerable to even the most forgiving shooter.

Video Game Talk

But the real question is does the game itself warrant the purchase, and bluntly I don’t think it does. Arcade games are short, very short – and while that’s not a reason to ignore a game in the case of a one trick pony like Time Crisis 4 it is a reason to ignore it.

Games Radar (in-house)

But with its new fangled attempt at first-person shootage - accompanied with awful zooming, crouching and strafing - makes TC4 a technical failure in addition to being exquisitely ugly.

PSX Extreme

The game as a whole deserves more. Time Crisis 4 is surprisingly...well, bad. And it pains me to call a Time Crisis game "bad", because I simply don't know them to ever be anything other than great fun.

Gaming Age

An enjoyable, if not dated experience. Is it worth 90 bucks? Not unless you are just an insane light gun fan.

Gameplanet

A "light gun" title that rates on the high side of the genre. Unfortunately the genre is fairly rubbish, so this isn't a huge achievement. When will game developers drop this tired concept?

PALGN

Time Crisis 4 feels like a 10 year old game, the franchise needs to advance and Time Crisis 4 is easily the worst title yet in the series.

games(TM)

You will finish the game having experienced sporadic moments of fun, but your money would be far better spent elsewhere. [June 2008, p.114]

PTGamers

We're still waiting for a truly significant light-gun shooter for the PS3, and not another half-baked translation from the arcades.

Play.tm

For committed (good one - Ed) fans of this rather niche genre, Time Crisis 4 might appeal, and it does offer flashes of high-quality entertainment, but frankly most of what Namco have delivered is largely uninspired, and the GunCon 3 controller is certainly no mould-breaker.

Deeko

If you can tolerate all of Time Crisis 4's shortcomings, you might enjoy the thirty minutes of gameplay you'll get out of it, but fans of light-gun games, as well as fans of first person shooter titles, are going to take one look at this one and walk away fast.

Gaming Target

The arcade business is on life support along with the light gun shooters that were once a prominent arcade attraction, so you probably have lots of quarters stacked up these days. But, don’t cash them in for Time Crisis 4 at full price.

PSM3 Magazine UK

It has a certain nostalgia, but this fails to entertain long enough to demand a purchase. [Feb 2008, p.72]

Game Informer

Even ignoring the ludicrous plot, what really matters here should be the shooting mechanic, which just isn’t much fun. The strangely designed cover system has you popping up and down like a hyperactive rabbit, so you never really get a full view of the action. And get this: in the cooperative multiplayer, you play in split screen – in letterbox format! What were they thinking? I don’t know what else I can tell you to discourage you away from this complete disaster.

Total Video Games

The series is very, very tired and should really have been put to bed by now, with this latest iteration boasting lacklustre content and all the appeal of drinking sulphuric acid.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

1UP

Time Crisis 4 isn't broken, and the GunCon3 generally works as advertised; it's just appallingly unentertaining after ten minutes, insultingly expensive for what it offers, and has absolutely no place in the PS3 library of anyone but the most desperate gun nuts and Time Crisis devotees.

Game Revolution

It’s just a bland shooter with a flimsy toy gun and a big spoonful of “we-know-better” arrogance.