Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy

"Mindgate Conspiracy? Welcome to the Psi-Ops"

It is said that humans only use 10% of our brain capacity. So what would the other 90% be used for? Potentially having psi(psionic) powers, or mind over matter. Psi-Ops gives gamers the chance to experience these first-hand and what a sight it is to experience this, if marred by some, unwanted flaws.

Graphics: 8/10

Psi-Ops graphics are decent all the way. The characters and enemies are nicely detailed and the backgrounds don't look too bad either. The FMVs are great, if a bit muddy looking. The standard 3rd-person shooter material(guns, melee) are present and look nice. What separates this and others in the genre is the use of psi powers. They look excellent, without feeling like it's magic. The particle effects are spectacular when it comes to the psi powers, whether it's Nick Scryer's blue aura when he uses Telekinesis or a fiery one when using Pyrokinesis. The animations are nicely done, as are the many ways of torturing enemies. From the simple head shot, to burning corpses, it's all good. Well done, Midway.

Plot: 6/10

If there is one area Pis-Ops does not deliver, it is in the plot. This is a generic save-the-world plot using a soldier who has amnesia. The villains aren't well developed; it feels as if they were thrown in. Nick has some character development but it's nothing special or unique. It's a bit disappointing, since Psi-Ops had the potential to deliver a great plot with developed characters. The ending is also disappointing, short and does little to solve any loose ends. Hopefully if and when Psi-Ops 2 is released, Midway will do a better job in this department.

Gameplay: 10/10

Psi-Ops excels in the gameplay area with ease. This could have been another 3rd-person shooter in the land of mediocrity, but the typical elements are nicely done. Nick can shoot, melee, do head-shots, and stealth kills. What makes the gameplay so good is the addition of psi powers. Rather than just being a novelty item, psi powers play an essential role in beating the game and enemies. In every situation, players are able to get through them in certain ways: run-n-gun, stealth, psi combat, or all-in-one. While Nick can use guns and hold 2 at any time(1 pistol, 1 other weapon), it's much more advantageous and fun to use psi powers. These powers include Telekinesis, Remote Viewing, Mind Drain, Mind Control, Pyrokinesis, and Aura View.

Each power is useful in just about any situation. In particular, Telekinesis. The game heavily relies on using TK to beat the levels. Just about every enemy(boss included) can be beaten by TK'ing an object and throwing it at them. There are so many uses for TK and players may get worried about how to handle TK. Surprisingly, Midway has assigned each psi power to a different button and has a tutorial to help players out. This makes controlling them very easy, and can be combined with gunfire or other psi powers. A player can TK a soldier, throw them close to you, and use PyK to burn their body to ashes.

In fact, the levels are designed in such a way that it's almost mandatory to find new ways of torturing enemies. The possibilities are endless from simply throwing them with TK, to using MC and forced suicide, to PyK'ing a soldier and TK'ing them into a group of soldiers. All of this is possible through the Havoc physics engine. Soldiers really seem to be in serious pain after throwing them, heavy objects take time to lift with TK, etc. Just brilliant.

Sound: 7/10

The soundtrack for the game is a mixed bag. Some of the tracks fit the mood, and some are lacking. The sound effects are well-done. The psi powers are also great and doesn't sound like a magic attack. The VA is okay at best. Not B-movie quality, but not top-notch either. Cold's "With My Mind" track is very good and fits the game well with it's different variations.

Difficulty: 7/10

Psi-Ops is fairly tame in terms of game balance, but it does have its share of rough moments. In every level, it is very easy to die from almost anything and the enemy AI has some intelligence to combat Nick. This, however, is all a part of the learning process in how to best utilize the psi powers to proceed further into the game. On the highest difficulty settings, Psi-Ops is truly hard and requires skill and perfect mastery of the psi powers in the game.

Fun Factor: 10/10

As said before, the psi powers really make the game addictive and enjoyable. It never gets old to burn someone to death, or throw them into the nearest wall or explosive canister. Psi combo attacks are very fun too, as are the environmental hazards which range from electrified floors to land mines. Finding new ways of messing up enemies has never been so addictive in 3rd-person shooters. Even Nick's ways of getting killed are quite fun to watch, whether getting electrocuted or vaporized by a pyro boss's ultimate attack and a particle accelerator. If you are offended by blood and crushed body parts, I suggest looking elsewhere as it is a relevant factor in having fun.

Psi-Ops also has a lot of extra unlockable material, from extra skins, to extra missions(collect a certain item in each level), to boss rush and arcade modes. Sadly, the actual game is very short, only lasting 4-6 hours at best. Even though it's fun to keep abusing enemies, it still lacks the lasting power to continuously replay the game. There's not much left to do after beating the game once, so it's a weekend rental for those who don't wish to buy it.

Overall: 8/10

Psi-Ops is an excellent 3rd-person shooter that does more the usual genre material to avoid mediocrity. Problems like the plot and sound though prevent this from becoming a truly great game. Still, it's worth a try to play Psi-Ops and experience the wonder that is psi powers.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/31/05, Updated 01/02/07