Excellent Free Radical humorous FPS, better than the first. Levels set in different eras, fast-paced gameplay, memorable multiplayer. The TimeSplitters series at its best. Foundationally similar to GoldenEye in approach. An unjustly overlooked classic.
Sergeant Cortez traverses a century of human and alien history to recover temporal artifacts and thwart a conspiracy. Published by Eidos Interactive, released in 2002 in the United States and Europe. Free Radical Design FPS with levels set in 1930s Chicago, 1895 Notre-Dame, 2401 Egypt, and more, a 4-player local co-op mode, a map editor, and the iconic playable monkey character.
TimeSplitters 2 review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Signed by Graeme Norgate, the music transforms with each era traversed, from seventies funk to futuristic electro through the western. Each level gains a distinct sonic colour, nervy and rousing. This eclectic inventiveness, stylish and supercharged, makes the whole unhinged personality of this cult FPS.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Travelling from one era to another in an FPS that never takes itself seriously, between wacky weapons and improbable enemies. The multiplayer mode, of rare richness, turns every four-player match into hilarious, unpredictable chaos. The snappy pace and the readability of the action carry it all. Direct, generous and inexhaustible, a peak of friendly console mayhem.
A Free Radical peak, TimeSplitters 2 remains a yardstick of console shooting with its split-screen, level editor and infectious energy. Fairly common in the West, its interest lies in this status as an adored classic of multiplayer shooting rather than scarcity. A safe bet for fans of brisk multiplayer shooting.
An underrated gem
A spiritual heir to GoldenEye, this arcade FPS marries a zany campaign with a multiplayer of rare richness, stuffed with modes and wacky characters. Eclipsed by the Halo juggernaut, it forged a cult reputation rather than mass success. A must for anyone who cherishes snappy local fragging and non-stop fun, controller in hand.
Better with friends
A benchmark for multiplayer shooting, whose split-screen arenas brim with bots, modes and offbeat characters for frenzied clashes. The competition is snappy and readable, carried by clever level design where controlling weapons and chokepoints rules. Generous and hilarious, it weds fierce versus with a co-op campaign, and its map editor endlessly extends evenings among friends.
Is TimeSplitters 2 still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2002, Free Radical Design's project remains an absolute reference of arcade first person shooting on consoles. Made by the creators of GoldenEye, the multi era levels, the split screen multiplayer and the Mapmaker editor build an almost endless replay value. The weapon feel is immediate, the humour pervasive and the gallery of unhinged characters still raises a smile. A few single player objectives demand real mastery. Recommended for any fan of arcade first person shooting and for nostalgics of Free Radical Design's golden period before its Crytek absorption shaped its later identity.
