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Of course, the single-player game isn’t perfect, despite the superb pacing of the levels and the smart positioning of checkpoints throughout. If you want freedom to explore and experiment, then you’re going to find Future Perfect very linear. Each mission is essentially nothing more than a series of set-pieces, flowing smoothly from one to the next, and while the hand-holding is cleverly disguised with the addition of an ally character for each level – whether swinging secret-agents, punky teens or sci-fi thieves – to hand out objectives or give you motivation, it’s still hand-holding. Luckily, the set-pieces are thoroughly engaging, throwing hordes of zombies at you one minute, then asking you to sneak through an enemy installation the next.

Plus, there are a few new ideas since last time around, including a Half-Life 2 Gravity Gun ‘inspired’ gadget – though this only works on certain objects – and vehicles to be driven through portions of levels. All in all, the single-player mode isn’t going to change your gaming world, but it is going to give you a lot of laughs. And isn’t that kind of the point?

This goes double for the multiplayer component, which seems to have absorbed every deathmatch/assault/last-man-standing/capture-the-flag concept imaginable, and given it a distinct TimeSplitters spin. The weapon set is hugely-varied, formidable but quite well balanced, the maps cover all the bases between tight and violent and expansive and intricate, and the sheer speed of play and movement is guaranteed to keep you on your toes. What’s more, you can play them all in split-screen, on your own against bots in Arcade mode or across a network and online. Network-ready PS2 owners don’t need to read on, just buy.

And we haven’t even covered the Challenge mode yet. TimeSplitters brought us blowing the heads of zombies and hunting ducks, TimeSplitters 2 added window smashing and a mass of monkey mayhem. Now Future Perfect brings us cat-racing, charging up disco-dancing monkeys, a simian spin on zombie blasting, a TimeSplitters classic mode and a whole lot more I simply don’t have room to go into now. Like the mini-games in Super Monkey Ball or Mario 64 DS, these games are simple but horribly addictive – the sort of things that keep you playing long after the single-player game is gathering dust. Add in an enhanced MapMaker module with new online map-swapping capabilities, and it’s hard to imagine how Free Radical could have created a more comprehensive package.

So maybe Future Perfect hasn’t received the plaudits of its predecessors or the same level of popular support – and maybe, with its play-it-safe approach to the single player game it doesn’t deserve to – that doesn’t mean it isn’t a fantastic effort. It’s slick, highly-polished, hugely imaginative and constantly entertaining. It’s TimeSplitters taken to the Nth degree, and while you can’t help feeling that the series needs a new start if it’s going to survive, it’s still a ludicrous amount of fun.

Verdict

The addition of a solid storyline doesn’t hide the linear nature of the single-player game, but Future Perfect comes out fighting with more fun-per-minute than many more serious FPS games deliver in an hour. Add in a wealth of superb multiplayer options, and you have a must for online-ready gamers.

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