Second Sight (Xbox)

On the other hand, there are a lot of good points that more than make up for the bad ones.

1) The story line. Do you like excellent and gripping storylines? If so, then this is the game for you. A fun, conspiracy theory, everyone including the government is after you kind of thing. It is very good, and has an absolute KILLER twist at the end, which made me laugh out loud.
2) The psi-powers add a great new addition to an already enthralling game. It would be pretty hard, but if you were good enough with the guns, you could play a lot of this game without your powers at all, proving that they are there to make the game FUN! And the ability to have unlimited heal is just sooooo useful, it is indescribable. And to have a one-hit-kill psi-blast with unlimited psi-ammunition is just great!
3) The graphics are cartoony, meaning that the designers could spent a LOT of time on other important things than fine tuning the graphics for maximum realism. They are unique and fun, but still superbly designed, with all the characters having phenomenally realistic movements.
4) Psi-powers. They are just great. Can't say too much in case I give anything away. They are just so fun! Lifting up enemies from behind and dropping them into ravines is a laugh, or blasting them thirty feet through the air with a psi-blast is great!

All around, a fantastic game. You will complete it reasonably quick though (took me two days of semi-intensive playing). You will come to love the characters, and find that just because your guy looks a little weedy doesn't at all mean that he can't take care of him self, or every single one of the other mothers who are coming after you!

The gameplay consists mainly of stealth, but with the added twist that you can call upon your psi-powers to help you out. For instance, you can project your astral body into unexplored areas without fear of detection from guards as they can't see you. If you've got the time, you can even possess a guards body and then turn him on his colleagues. A handy way of clearing out the area ahead. Although, once your psi-energy is drained, you are pulled from his body. If the guard whose body you were in spots the dead bodies, he'll raise the alarm. However, there are ways around this as you'll find out when playing the game.

There's also a charm power, which allows you to move physically from one area to another whilst remaining invisible. However, you have to be quick and avoid contact with guards. Other powers include Telekinesis (moving objects and people with your mind), the very useful Healing whereby you can restore your health (and the health of others) to maximum and Psi-Blast which comes in two flavours: a concentrated blast of mind-energy at a single foe and a sort of explosion which stuns everybody in the immediate vicinity.

If you fancy a change of pace, you can always break out the weaponry which can be gathered from dead bad guys. Things such as handguns, SMGs, sniper rifle etc. In some missions, before you get your psi-powers, you'll come to rely on these.

At first the story seems a touch cliched. You're a man who wakes from a coma in a medical research facility with amnesia and must figure out what the hell is going on. The levels comprise of your struggle to remember your past and fully playable flashbacks to a covert mission in Siberia. However, by the end of the game, I'd fallen in love with the story as it improves dramatically and I found myself genuinely caring for the characters. This is helped along by some absolutely superb voice acting.

I hate to end the review on a bit of a downer, but the physics in Second Sight are not quite as good as they could have been. Here and there, things seem to lack weight. You barely have to bump into a chair or a crate and it seems to go flying across the room in some cases. Sounds bad, but you do get used to it. Also, your characters walking down stairs animation is unintentionally funny. He looks as though he's doing a riverdance! When the alarm is raised on some levels, guards pour out of the woodwork in almost astronomical numbers, leaving you no option but to run like hell and hide. A little frustrating at times. Also, the game is relatively short. It took me 16 hours to beat it, although I'm sure other people could beat it quicker in about 11 hours or so.

However, if you like stealth, strong characters, strong story, great voice acting and thoughtful, considered gameplay, you can't go wrong with Second Sight.

from the first time i beat someone over the head with a box from the otherside of the corridor i was hooked.. as the storyline progresses your psychic abilities grow stronger and you start to really have fun. but it does take some commitment to get to that point.

although i would prefer more action, the stealth element is very good. using your charm ability to run past groups of people and willing them not to see you is strangely satisfying, but watch out for security cameras.. many times i've ran into a room all stealthed up only to have the camera pick me up and have to run and hide in a locker till everyone forgets about me..

in short.. worth getting if you like stealthy games.. for action get psi-ops: the mindgate conspiracy...