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Namco Bandai: Guncon 3 NOT sold separately
How much do you like Time Crisis 4? Is it the kind of game you'd spend $180 on? Well, that's what Namco Bandai is asking from players that want to play the game with two players. The Guncon 3 peripheral does not come separately, and will not come separately from the game, effectively forcing fans to purchase two copies of the game. The Consumerist contacted Namco Bandai's live support and got this response: "I'm sorry, but the Guncon 3 is not sold separately. It is only sold bundled with Time Crisis 4 ... If you wish to play two players using two Guncon 3s then you will need another copy of Time Crisis 4."Strangely, Namco Bandai won't sell extra controllers directly either. "We do not sell replacement Guncon 3s. If the Guncon 4 [sic] is defective, then we can provide an RMA exchange where we'll inspect and repair or replace your Guncon 3."Much of the appeal of games like Time Crisis 4 comes from the ability to play with friends. Why is Namco Bandai making it so difficult (and expensive) for PS3 fans to make Time Crisis 4 a better game? "At least it's cheaper than the arcade version," must be thought going through their heads.[Thanks, Alkaiser!]
Today's most Scarface-infused Time Crisis video
Is there anything funnier than Japanese people pretending to be Al Pacino? Not tonight. A new TIme Crisis 4 video has surfaced on the web, and it showcases a silly Scarface homage using the Guncon. Bad acting, bad props, and bad special effects merge into an experience that's very special. It's sort of like the game's FPS mode ...
The not-so-cheap way of playing Time Crisis
Namco's Time Crisis 4 comes out today, and its high Guncon-infused price tag may scare a few people. At $90, it certainly isn't cheap ... but when you consider the alternative, it certainly feels like a bargain. For the truly hardcore, instead of picking up the PS3 game, why not consider buying the arcade game downright? It'll only cost you $16k.Certainly, this makes the price of a PS3, an HDTV and the game seem very, very cheap in comparison. Stay tuned for the complete review of the PS3 version of Time Crisis 4.
Footage of Time Crisis 4's FPS mode
The new FPS mode of Time Crisis 4 has so much potential. Too bad it isn't actually taking advantage of any of it. Combining a terrific FPS with the free aim of the Guncon would be nothing short of incredible. Instead, it seems we're receiving a rather primitive attempt at a generic, basic FPS that's sloppy in too many ways. A shame, really. We're certain the Arcade on-rails segments will be a lot of fun, and hope that a more capable team will deliver something a bit more refined than this first attempt at a light gun FPS game.
TGS07: Time Crisis 4 impressions
Click for high-res image. The light gun genre may be a dying breed, but Time Crisis 4 ignores all warnings. In spite of some sloppy graphical and presentation issues, it's clear that Time Crisis 4 is the best, if not only, option for fans of the genre.Right now, the game doesn't have that "next-gen polish" we've become so accustomed to on the PS3. Textures and character models don't really pop out. However, the framerate seems pretty solid, and the action flows at a brisk pace. At the very least, it looks better than the other light gun port, Ghost Squad on Wii.The new FPS mode is where the game features the most potential, adding some depth to the arcade experience. Right now, the AI is fairly unintelligent, and the level design feels similar to the original on-rails mode. What may come as jarring for some is the lack of a gun model on-screen. FPS players have long been used to the gun being on screen, but because this game requires players to aim with the Guncon 3 (G-Con in the PAL territories), the indicator is unnecessary.Right now, Time Crisis 4 looks like it needs some polish. However, Guncon 3 is an excellent peripheral that has us keeping high hopes for future light gun titles.%Gallery-4065%
New Time Crisis 4 screenshots, Guncon 3 pics
A fistful of new images have just been released from Time Crisis 4, Namco's arcade rail-shooter making its way to the PS3 later this year (hopefully). Time Crisis will be a faithful port of the arcade game with an added mission mode starring Captain William Rush as the main character. Namco's more accurate Guncon 3 will be used in the new Time Crisis game as well, and a few images of the upgraded light gun have also been released.%Gallery-4206%
PS3 Guncon relies on Wii-like pointer
With traditional light guns firing nothing but unhelpful blanks at our fancy LCD and plasma televisions, there was some question as to how the PlayStation 3's Guncon would function with the upcoming Time Crisis 4. An article on Japanese site Game Watch (which now appears to have been removed) provided the details, since documented and translated by Game|Life's Chris Kohler.Much like the Wiimote (as used by Sega's light gun game, Ghost Squad), the Guncon 3 relies on two markers placed on either side of the television. A sensor inside the gun's muzzle detects the markers and automagically figures out where it's being pointed. The controller also features six buttons and a second analog stick placed on an awkward "subgrip" that you're meant to hold with your left hand. The original article points out that while Japan gets a black gun, America and Europe will have to make do with a charming orange model, as seen above (in the company of the world's mangiest jacket)..
Time Crisis 4, Guncon 3 coming to PS3
In addition to revealing Tekken 5's online upgrade, the latest Weekly Famitsu (via NeoGAF) also unveiled Time Crisis 4 for PlayStation 3. The game will feature AC mode that the NeoGAF post suggests will be a "100% port" of the arcade game. Also revealed is Guncon 3, a new light gun for the game. (Previous Guncons were released one for each PlayStation console.) There will also be a mission mode where Captain William Rush will be the main character.The game is due out 2007 in Japan. The US versions for the two previous Time Crisis games have come out within six weeks of the Japanese release.[Via CVG]
Umbrella Chronicles won't be another Gun Survivor
If you've played Dead Aim or any of Resident Evil's other Gun Survivor spinoffs, it's understandable why you might be hesitant to give Capcom's newest rail-shooter a chance. Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles shares the same first-person perspective and light gun mechanics as the GunCon games, so it's easy to associate the title with the mediocre Gun Survivor series. NeoGAF forumer cvxfreak posted a well-supported list of reasons for why you shouldn't confuse the new Wii game with its PS2 cousins, claiming their similarities as superficial. Unlike with most of the Gun Survivor titles, Umbrella Chronicles' development hasn't been handed down to a lesser studio. Capcom's own Kawada Masachika is heading production, working to extend the game's length -- approximately 15 hours -- beyond the short playtimes that plagued Gun Survivor releases. Umbrella Chronicles also promises a lot more gameplay depth with destructible environments, improved weapon selection, and quick time events. Previews for Umbrella Chronicles haven't been favorable, but it's still too early in development for us to judge. Knowing that Capcom won't be following the same formula as the Gun Survivor series, however, gives us hope for the final product.
Time Crisis 3 tops Amazon's gaming list, outsells Brain Age & New Mario
How does a game released October 21, 2003 top Amazon's current best selling video games list? Good question. During the July 4 holiday weekend, Amazon dropped the price of Time Crisis 3 (with dual GunCon2s) to $19.99, sparking a surprising sales surge that shot the aging PS2 light gun title to the #1 position on Amazon's "Top Sellers in Computer & Video Games" list. While the industry is notorious for remaining dormant during the summer months, the Time Crisis 3 sale managed to outsell the red hot DS Lite and its most popular software titles, Brain Age & New Super Mario Bros. Time Crisis 3 is currently sold out on Amazon, but remains the bestseller as of this afternoon.
