f a game’s weight were based solely on the content that it delivered, attempting to remove TimeSplitters Future Perfect from retail shelves would result in your arms being ripped clean off and the game crashing through the floor. From its boisterously entertaining time-travelling story and array of uniquely crafted single-player challenges to its massive multiplayer offering and remarkable mapmaker program, not even a crane could lift this game.

The TimeSplitters series has always been renowned for its incredible depth, but this iteration fires direct hits in everything that it offers. For the first time, the single-player experience is just as rewarding as the multiplayer. Free Radical has made great strides in comedic storytelling and has created a ridiculous tale that even Douglas Adams would chuckle at. Shooting before he thinks and throwing caution to the wind whenever he possibly can, Cortez is a train wreck of a hero and one of the most likeable characters in all of gaming. Thanks to time paradoxes, players will get a double dosage of this bumbling savior. At any given time, as you march through levels, you may run into a future or past version of yourself. Listening to the two Cortez’s communicate with one another is like watching a chimp trying to disarm a nuclear missile. It’s horrifyingly funny.

Most of the stages require players to simply work their way from point A to point B, yet the inclusion of vehicles does add variety to the mix. Gameplay-wise, this series has always been heralded for delivering swift and fluid character movement, but it was always a little rough around the edges and shallow in scope. In this installment, Free Radical has upped the ante by including a handy melee attack. Additionally, the auto-snap on the right analog targeting has been removed (which opens the doors for easier sniping and headshot aiming). Although tight in play, I still feel that this series is in dire need of a jump button (as it would add another dimension to multiplayer).

Of course, working your way through the story (either by your lonesome or with a friend through co-op) is only the tip of this enormous iceberg. With over 150 characters that can be unlocked, the game opens its arms and invites players to put their skills to the test in wildly amusing Arcade, League, and Challenge modes. You never really know what to expect from these choices. You may find yourself assaulting a base in a Tron-like computer world, using a shotgun to decapitate zombified chimps, racing cats on caster wheels, or sniping mutant deer. The beauty of this is that you never feel like you are doing the same thing twice – and this sensation lasts until you have all of the characters unlocked and all of the challenges completed.

While it’s easy to lose your life in the single-player offering, the true heart and soul of this game is still multiplayer. Split-screen deathmatching in the previous iterations in the series was insanely addictive, but the advent of online play really opens things up. Whether you are striving for higher ranks or want to dazzle people with a map that you created and uploaded, TimeSplitters’ online presence is unprecedented and simply irresistible. It does suffer from poorly placed respawns (you’ll often find yourself materializing right in front of other players), but the majority of the maps are ingenious in design, allowing players to strategize and use the terrain to their advantage.

Although it could still use some massaging and upgrading in certain areas, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a game that delivers more bang for your buck.