Second Sight Review

[PCJ.]

Note: This review is of the Xbox PAL version of 'Second Sight'

 

 

’Second Sight’ Official Site

 

Release Date

September 21, 2004 (US)

September 3, 2004 (UK)

 

Platform

Xbox PS2

Gamecube PC

 

ESRB Rating

US- T- Teen

UK- 16+ PEGI

 

Learning Curve

Pretty much a pick up and play type of game, very easy to get into

 

General Price

US- $19.99 RRP

UK- £19.99 RRP

 

Online/Live

No.

 

Multimedia

Screenshot 1

Screenshot 2

Screenshot 3

15 Minute PC demo/Full game download

 

The Rundown

 

Preview

This game is primarily an action game, in which you take on the role of scientist John Vattic. When you wake in a secure medical facility, you lack you recent memory, however, in its place, are psychic abilities. The game was release around the same time as ‘Psi Ops: Mindgate Conspiracy’, and being of the same genre, and lacking any real advertising from the publishers, the game failed to receive the publicity it deserved.

 

Gameplay

The game is split into 2 timelines, before and after a life changing event. You start the game after this ‘event’, out of which, you have gained supernatural powers, allowing you the ability to manipulate the world around you. At the beginning of the game, you start with 3 abilities, all of which are fairly self explanatory, so I won’t go into too much detail, Telekinesis, allowing you to manipulate just about any object, to do a variety of tasks, from distracting and enemy to killing them outright, Healing, allowing you to use energy to heal yourself, and Psi attack, which allows you to attack enemies with a bolt of energy. Throughout the game you discover further abilities, such as projection, allowing you to project you mind through the map, and see what is ahead of you, and possession. On top of the games psychic element, flashbacks occur throughout the game, allowing you to play as Vattic, before he discovered his abilities. This breaks the game up nicely, removing the repetitiveness of using a psi attack on one enemy after the other, and places the good old fashioned AK-47 in your hand.

With the majority of games now, the storyline is considered second to the gameplay, and that is reflected in the game, however, the storyline of Second Sight is top notch, and in my opinion includes one of the best ending in any modern computer game.

9/10

 

Graphics

Anyone who has played Time Splitters will recognise the graphical style. The game was developed by Free Radical, and portrays their trademark cartoon like style, which suits an over the top game like Time Splitters, however, I do not feel it suits a slightly more serious game like Second Sight as well. The game also utilised the Ragdoll physics engine, allowing some gruesomely realistic effects when throwing the limp bodies of Soviet guards across the room. Although not as graphically stunning as the likes of Splinter Cell or Grand Turismo, how many games are. The graphic, although a little too cartoon like, are by no means bad.

8.5/10

 

Sound

There isn’t really a lot to say about the sound in this game, by that I mean it is probably the area that has received the least concentration in development, however, by no means does that make it bad, or bring down the overall score, it is just average, the guns sound realistic, there are the typical magnetic science fiction sound effects when pulling of psychic attacks, and the voice acting is what you would expect from a computer game, but there is no real mind blowing sound effects or the like.

8/10

 

Lasting Appeal

After completing a compelling storyline once over, the game has little to do, other than go back and play it again. However, this can be somewhat entertaining, attempting to torture your enemies in more and more sadistic ways, for example, you are able to mix telekinesis with a shotgun, which is alway fun. But for the price of $20, or the choice to download it from the Codemasters website for $15 (£8), that is not something you can really complain about.

8/10

 

Final Word

This is a good game, maybe a little short, maybe overlooked because of the release of Psi Ops, but definitely a good game. It saddens me to see a game of this quality to go by unnoticed my so many when it really deserves so much more. If you see it in Blockbusters give it a rent, it’s worth it, hell, for £8 you may as well just download it from the Codemasters site.

 

Overall

8.5/10

 

Edited May 13, 2005 by pcj1200

[imheretostay]

Alright review, but a bit short.

 

I downloading that trial thing now, hope it's worth it.

[Andyzoot]

Interesting review, I was going to buy Second Sight in MVC around the time it came out. Although I wasn't 16 After that I simply forgot about Second Sight.

 

But this review has reminded me of it and I recently saw it in GAME for a tenner so I may buy it. Thanks for reminding me of Second Sight and your review was helpful into giving me a gamer's view.

[Bizzare]

Done a review on the PS2 version a few months ago, it's a decent game and pretty cheap.

[killa_camron]

i hate this game its too hard to control

[-Kannon-]

Second sight does remind me a lot of Psi Ops, (as stated in the review that it was released around the same time), I played both the games, Very nice review, Second Sight Vs Psi Ops though... I'd say it'd have to be Psi Ops... You get a better range of things to do, Well done.

 

-Kannon