It's yet another a Psi-Blast!

From the developers of the Time Splitters series comes the second title this year dealing with psychic abilities. Coincidently named Second Sight, you play as John Vattie who just awoke from a coma with no memory of why he has ended up where he is and in the shape he is in. You start the game in a military medical facility where you have been subjected to traumatic surgery and experimentation. You do not quite know you name or your purpose of being where you are, but you soon realize that you have some very cool psychic powers. Right off the bat you begin to press switches out of reach, move objects around, and heal yourself, all with the power of your mind. Confused, you are bound to find out the reasoning behind the mystery that has lead to your imprisonment. The story eventually unfolds through playable flashback levels that not only inform you more on who you are, but how you have obtained such wonderful abilities.

While the theme and plot sound very similar to the already released Psi Ops (Click Here for our review), you can rest your mind at ease knowing that both games have very different stories and are equally as playable. While Psi Ops was more action based, bloodier, and the first released, Second Sight, once played, feels like a totally new experience as the game play is more deliberate and the story is actually better than Psi Ops.

Those familiar with the strange and unusual look of Time Splitters will quickly recognize the art design in Second Sights visual layout. The game features lanky, if not cartoonish character models. While they are well animated and nicely designed, one might find it harder to step into this game's reality than in other action titles. The game is far from ugly mind you, as you can expect fluid animation, well designed and varied environmental backgrounds, and brilliant lighting and special effects. Second Sight takes you through many locals such as Siberia, New York, and even an asylum in Vermont. Second Sight also uses the groundbreaking rag doll physics that make all the characters, items, and other obstacles seem to have weight to them. While the game has a small amount of blood, it does not come close to the brutality of its competition in Psi Ops. The game is rated T for teen, so you get the idea. The vast scale and size of the game and complexity of the character and environment design makes Second Sight a slick looking title.

Audio helps in the presentation department as the game supplies a good amount of great voice acting. Granted, in the beginning you would hope John would shut up for a minute as he mumbles the most obvious things, but once the story gets rolling you'll be glad the voice acting is top notch. Also present is a rich musical score that really sets the mood of each situation. You will hear slow and steady tones when wandering halls searching for clues, to rhythmic anthems when things get hot under the collar. Gunfire sounds ultra realistic, as does ambient sounds when items explode or malfunction. A bit more than typical fodder for audio is found in Second Sight, and is another reason you will become captivated in its story.

Game play is the failing achievement that keeps Second Sight from becoming the king of psi. Before getting to that, I must again mention that the game sets more of a deliberate pace as compared to Psi Ops. Second Sight relies heavily on stealth, puzzle solving, and clue searching. Sure, there is quite a bit of action in Second Sight, but the game moves more at a snail's pace comparatively to Psi Ops. While some gamers may find this a better suited style for this type of title, the main issue lies in the actual controls that keep the idea from being successful.

In Second Sight, you have a wide array of Psi abilities and weaponry at your disposal. The enemy A.I. is disposable enough, while still putting up enough of a fight not to become a pushover. The game's main issue is the targeting icon, whether it is aiming for an object, or within a gunfight, the targeting system is flawed. Instead of using a crosshair to point over a particular object or enemy you want to target, you are reliant on auto targeting in a general area. If you are in the middle of a heated moment where the enemy is trying to slice you apart with an AK 47, the prime idea may be to pick up a heavy object and slam him with it. Then you realize that there is more than one object that is highlighted, so you must move over each object in order to pick the one you want to use. In quieter moments, this is not a big deal, but in split second decisions, it can cost you precious health. This gets extremely frustrating late in the game, and you will find yourself using less Psi powers, and more guns in order to defeat enemies, which totally takes away the whole reason you've played this game in the first place.

If you can endure with the inconsistent targeting scheme, there is a lot to like about Second Sight. The story, as mentioned earlier, is engaging, the levels are enormous, and you will find that it will take roughly 15-20 hours to complete. There is so much diversity in each of the levels, game play styles, and unique abilities that you will find yourself playing through the game without nit picking the little flaws the game has. The story has a great psychological edgy feel that will captivate you and is far superior to Psi Ops's less than stellar storyline. Second Sight also is no pushover, as you will find yourself repeating certain levels over again until you find out the most reasonable way to conquer each mission. Fans of the Time Splitter games will know what I mean here as well.

Which is the Psi game of choice? That all really depends on the gamer. I personally like Psi Ops better as it was faster paced, had a more realistic look, and easier to control. Some gamers may like Second Sight for its open ended-ness and better-written dialog. In the end, Second Sight is another sleeper hit, which will most likely be overlooked with the plethora of titles being released. As of this review, I know that you can find Second Sight at some game stores at only 20 bucks! That, my friends, is a steal and money well spent.