HACS (ハックス, Hakkusu) is a cybernetic enemy in the Time Crisis series. It appears in two games, making its debut in Razing Storm then reappearing (with an albeit completely different appearance) in Time Crisis 5.
Razing Storm
The original HACS is a powered exoskeleton operated by a soldier, equipped with a rapid-firing machine gun, a miniature missile launcher, and even a chainsaw for close-range attack. They move and react quickly, can take a lot of shots before going down. Although not so common as enemy infantries (even rarer in First-Person Shooting Story Mode), but accumulating up all characteristics, they can be considered as shock troopers in enemy's arsenal. In addition to that, infantry covering for the HACS are much more likely to hit due to the suppression fire giving openings.
Its weak points are the facial area and rear tank in which constantly shooting those will cause an explosion which blows its armor off and reveal its human operator, making it vulnerable. Also, shooting its weapon on the right hand itself deals more damage once the other two weak points are shot.
The meaning of "HACS" is still shrouded in mystery, it may stand for "High-Tech Armored Combat System", "Humanoid Assault Combat System" or "Heavily-Armored Combat Suit". In Time Crisis 4, similar-purposed "High-Tech Reinforced Armor" units are presented which move slowly and lack dexterity.
Time Crisis 5
This variant is completely different from the Razing Storm HACS; standing about three times taller than a human, armed with a modified Denel NTW-20 anti-tank rifle, and equipped with two small jet boosters attached to its upper back. It's build is far more resilient to gunfire than the Razing Storm HACS, being able to withstand 0.50 caliber machinegun rounds and its only weak point being the fuel tank on its back. It is possible that this HACS may be just an AI robot opposed to an exosuit with a human controller inside, judging by the shutdown sound it makes when defeated.
Though more physically imposing and mostly immune to gunfire, this variant is arguably more cumbersome and less threatening, with its slow movement (partially due to the huge amount of armor) and firing speed (semi-auto instead of full-auto) making it easy to maneuver around it and attack its weak point.
HACS makes four appearances for a total of six units in the whole Time Crisis 5 arcade series: in stage 1-2 (1 unit), in stages 2-1 (3 units) and 2-3 (1 unit), and in stage 4-2 (1 unit). During its first appearance in stage 1-2, HACS is relatively easy to handle, as it reacts slowly when players switch cover and attack its back. In stages 2-1 and 2-3, they are not a threat because they do not fire missiles unlike Wild Dog or the regular enemy soldiers (bullets in stage 2 do not generate crisis sights). However, in stage 4-2, players must face a more responsive and much faster version of HACS, turning around each time it notices players switch cover. Thus, players need to stun it first by blowing a fuel tank above its head, causing it to fall down and temporarily give players more time to shoot its weakpoint.
Quotes
| “ | H.A.C.S.! Shoot the red tank behind him! | „ |
| ~ Robert Baxter's advice when H.A.C.S. appeared for the first time |
| “ | You won't last standing there! Blow the fuel tank above to spook them! | „ |
| ~ Robert Baxter's advice when fighting a more responsive H.A.C.S. in the factory |
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