Solid Shark a écrit a écrit :
Time Splitters2 est superbement réalisé sur la PS2, alors y pas de raison qu'il ne soit pas aussi bien sur la xbox 
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TimeSplitters 2: Head-to-Head
Which platform has the best version?
October 21, 2002 - When we first came up with IGN insider, we took a long look at all of our existing IGN channels to find topics and areas we don't already cover -- ones that would be interesting to die-hard gamers and IGN fans like yourself. If there is one major trend that emerged with the release of new gaming consoles, it's that more and more developers are trying to release their titles on multiple consoles. The editors at IGN try to do their best to write about each gaming system and objectively review all the major titles, but there is one thing we don't often do: compare games across platforms. Is Madden still worth a purchase on GameCube, or does the controller hinder the experience? Is Burnout just as thrilling on PlayStation 2 as it is on the more powerful GameCube and Xbox platforms?
If you're at a conflict every time a game debuts on multiple platforms, this column is for you. The Head-to-Head series of articles cuts through all the different takes the editors have on games, compares the facts, and presents you with one uniform opinion on all the versions.
TimeSplitters 2 (PS2, GCN, Xbox)
Developer Free Radical, co-founded by ex-Rare members, began work on the TimeSplitters franchise for the PS2 several years ago. It got an impressive engine up and running on the PS2 when it launched, but because of time constraints the first TimeSplitters was lacking features and a strong single-player mode. As soon as work on the first installment ended, Free Radical picked things right back up and began developing a more feature-rich sequel.
TimeSplitters 2 is the result, and thanks to an engine that runs at 60 frames per second across all three next-generation consoles, it is certainly a worthy purchase regardless of the system. Of course, there's no point in not getting the most bang (no pun intended) for your buck, and you'll definitely want to take note of the various differences between all the versions. There are some important things to consider in the area of sound, and especially visuals. Read on.
Control
The control options for a first-person shooter are always very important. Thankfully, Free Radical knew this and has included every option imaginable in TimeSplitters 2 setup menu. Whether you're right-handed or left-handed, TS2 has an option that will suit you. If it doesn't, you will find a "custom" option. You can do whatever you want with the controller features. Finally a console developer has realized how important this is. There are also preference options for auto aim, crouch toggling, and most wanted guns such as "if new and best," or "if new," etc.
Each version is home to all these features, and, frankly, it comes down to controller preference. This, above nearly all, is probably the most important consideration you can make. Every version feels pretty smooth. Though, as Free Radical noted in an interview, the PlayStation 2 analogs can feel a bit less sensitive, compared to the smoother playing GameCube and Xbox versions.
Nonetheless, every feature needed to play is available on all three controllers. Only you can decide which controller will feel best for you.
Winner: GameCube/PlayStation 2/Xbox (Tie)
Features
TimeSplitters 2 is identical across all three platforms. Everything from the cut-scenes to the in-game objectives is the same in each version. One feature worth mentioning relates to multiplayer. The PlayStation 2 requires a multitap for four-player, and, if you don't own it already, you're going to be spending more cash for this very valuable feature. So, GameCube and Xbox have the benefit there, but this is more related to the vendor hardware than anything else. After all, this was beyond Free Radical's control.
Another major feature is system link support. Via I.LINK on Sony's PlayStation 2 and Ethernet on Microsoft's Xbox, you'll be able to link up to 16 players. This requires an extensive LAN network, but it is possible, and that's great to hear. So, if you live in a dorm or a complex with multiple Xboxes or PS2s, this is a feature you should look into. GameCube, however, is without any support for this. According to Free Radical, it could not get the technical details it needed from Nintendo to accomplish this.
TimeSplitters 2 on PlayStation 2
So, while we are aware that only a small percentage of TimeSplitters 2 buyers will actually be able to use system link, the PS2 and Xbox versions still deserve an award for it, despite being nearly identical otherwise.
There is also the issue of load times, the eternal battle of wills between impatient gamers and laser-read optical discs. As usual, the PlayStation 2 takes longer to load. It's very noticeable compared to the other versions. For example, just loading up the main menu takes nearly 20 seconds from boot-up on the PS2, whereas it's more like 5-6 seconds on the GameCube and Xbox. It's a similar patter for level loading.
Overall, the Xbox version has the benefit of both load times and system link. So, even though PS2 has link-up over GameCube, and GameCube has load times over PS2, we couldn't fairly justify a tie. Admittedly, the features aren't huge, but they are present.
Winner: Xbox
Sound
In general, the sound design for TimeSplitters 2 is not exactly award winning. On PlayStation 2 and GameCube, the surround sound is virtually nonexistent. On the positive side of the things, the actual sound quality is fine across all three systems. Xbox has the best sound in the end, whether you're mocking surround with Dolby Pro Logic II or using the powers of discrete separation with Dolby Digital. For clarification, none of the versions were coded for DPLII, but it certainly helps to use it. Interestingly, Dolby Digital on Xbox is without center channel support. The four-channel Dolby Digital is clean and precise, but can feel a bit odd. By nature, a first-person shooter is very much centered on the TV. So, it seems very odd to fire off your gun and not hear any resonation from the center channel.
Still, regardless of the lackluster surround support, all versions sound pretty good. But, Xbox wins out for clarity with Dolby Digital support, even if it's four-channel.
Winner: Xbox
Graphics
As always, the eye candy in a first-person shooter plays a very big part in your experience. Free Radical did a wonderful job of getting TimeSplitters 2 running well on all three systems at 60 frames per second. Even in multiplayer, the framerate holds up in all three versions. However, despite the smoothly running engine on all systems, there are some major visual differences.
The PlayStation 2 is home to the usual issues, including lower resolution texture work and shimmering due to lack of proper filtering. It by no means looks bad, of course, but when you get an eyeful of the GameCube and Xbox versions, it's definitely apparent that it's the least impressive of the three visually.
As for GameCube and Xbox, both have high-resolution texture work. In an effort to show off each system's power a little bit, some of the textures will become very clear as you zoom in on them. It's sporadic, but adds to the overall presentation of each environment. In this respect, GCN and Xbox are basically the same. From polygons to texture work to framerate, it's all basically the same.
What's really going to bake your noodle (it certainly did ours) is the difference in lighting between the three versions. GameCube and PlayStation 2, look pretty much identical in terms of color saturation, brightness, and contrasting. However, when we stuck the Xbox version next to them, we gasped at how much brighter it is. As we've often found, Xbox inherently puts out a brighter display signal. In the case of TimeSplitters 2, however, Free Radical seems not to have quite tamed it. On the one hand, it can actually look quite good with some brighter lighting and more visible textures. It makes the GCN and PS2 versions look over saturated and almost too colorful, in fact. On the other hand, it's clearly not balanced. Proof of this comes in the form of the game's very first cut-scene. In a pitch-black cave, two fools explore with their flashlight, only illuminating key parts of the environment. On PS2 and GameCube, the black levels actually look black. On Xbox, however, the scene is completely washed out, to the point of being gray.
In the end, GameCube has the benefit of having more color and some sharper rendering in the backgrounds, but Xbox produces a much more visible game with a slightly softer look, even if the black levels are decidedly washed out. You have a bit more control adjusting the Xbox version with your TV, too. Which is the best? Again, this will be a preference issue. If you've got component cables and an HDTV, you may prefer the image that Xbox spits out, because it supports progressive scan. However, if you're just a regular composite or S-Video user, you may not care either way. It's all a matter of color saturation and black levels.
Winner: GameCube/Xbox (Tie)
Final Verdict
Above all, the controller is a hugely important factor. We suggest you base a large part of your purchase of TimeSplitters 2 on that. Many of the aforementioned factors are certainly important, but the connection between the player and the game takes priority here. If you're not comfortable, you'll be distracted from the gameplay experience, sound, and even the visuals.
For the straight up technical win, though, we've chosen Xbox. It won in every category, after all. No matter what you actually choose to buy, though, you really can't go wrong. They're all great versions.
Overall Winner: Xbox
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