Timesplitters (1, 2 and Future Perfect)
Where to begin with Timesplitters? The franchise started all the way back in 2000 solely on the Playstation 2 as a mainly multi-player FPS. While it did feature a single-player mode with a unique and interesting plot, it was mainly the ‘Arcade’ mode that grabbed the gamer’s attention. The gameplay was fun, playing with another 3 players proved popular, and the graphics were different (in a good way) compared to other first-person shooters. Two sequels, Timesplitters 2, and Timesplitters followed this game: Future Perfect, which featured similar style of gameplay but each developed on the other. While the three games did have a relatively small fanbase, they are undoubtedly some of my favourites games for the PS2 and didn’t receive the applause that they deserved.
Red Faction
How to follow an FPS? That’s right, feature another! Red Faction is a series that is more commonly known as an adventure 3rd person shooter, with the last two games in the series, Guerrilla and Armageddon both featuring this style of gameplay, but it originally started out as an action-driven FPS. The outstanding feature of the original Red Faction was the revolutionary ‘Geo-Mod’ technology, who allowed destructible settings throughout the game. Not only this, but the game was just pure fun. Lots of guns, huge environments and the unlimited destruction made it a brilliant game. It did receive hugely positive reviews, with a critic score of 88/100 on Metacritic, but the original seems to have been forgotten over time. 12 years after it’s release and it still plays well and feels fresh compared to other over-produced which have come out recently.
DJ Hero
The spin-off of the highly successful by sadly finished Guitar Hero franchise, DJ Hero was the complete opposite, offering gamers the chance to play remixes on turntables rather than classic rock songs on guitar. What is special about DJ Hero is how exclusive it is. When it was released there were many guitar-orientated games in the market, but with DJ it was a completely new area of gaming. The pity about the game was that it didn’t sell near as many copies it was predicted to sell before it’s release, meaning after the sequel it came to an unfortunate end, despite receiving critical acclaim (critic score of 86/100 on Metacritic). But for me, even now 3 years later it is a hugely original game that deserved more attention when it came out.
Perfect Dark
Goldeneye 007 is repeatedly seen as the standout shooter on the Nintendo 64, but one that is often forgotten is the timeless Perfect Dark. Released at the beginning of the century, it used the engine from 007 but improved it in many ways. There were many highlights of Perfect Dark. First of all, it had optional high-resolution graphics (not the same HD we’re used to today) a better sound system than other games. Another key feature was the female heroin, only Samus Aran (Metroid) and Lara Croft (Tomb Raider) were the most prolific women in gaming. Many other parts of the game, including the Artificial Intelligence, level designs and difficulty of the game shone. While Perfect Dark did receive glowing reviews when it was released, it seems to have been forgotten in time and should be a game to be remembered for how ahead of it’s time it was.
Metroid Fusion
I’m sure many of you have heard of the Metroid franchise. Super Metroid on the SNES being one of the greatest games of all time and the several 3D releases on the Nintendo Gamecube, but there were two Metroid games released for the GameBoy, and Fusion is the first of these two. Fusion is probably the least known game in the entire series, but is one of my personal favourite handheld games ever. It brought an original storyline and a different twist on the usual Metroid formula. Yet it was a relatively unknown game that had a very small fanbase compared to the rest of the franchise. Despite unanimous praise (92/100 critic score on Metacritic), it has definitely been forgotten since it’s release.
By Joseph Knight
Images courtesy of:
Red Faction – http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/208/3/6/red_faction_poster_by_romansiii-d58v558.png
DJ Hero – http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3640/3588800773_cbe7b0c5ef.jpg
Metroid Fusion – http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/138/0/6/samus_aran_suits_wall_by_maleficent84-d3go2xq.jpg
New High Score 
