Midway's Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy offers a new twist on the burgeoning stealth genre by emphasizing psychic powers as a means to achieve objectives, in addition to the use of weapons and agility. Cast in the role of American Psi-Operative Nick Scryer, players must tap into their character's unique talents for telekinesis, pyrokinesis, remote viewing, mind draining, aura seeing, and mind control. In the not-so-distant future a terrorist group called the Movement, led by an elite army of psychic soldiers, has designs on world conquest.
A key component in Psi-Ops is the ability to complete missions in a variety of ways. Players can use psychic powers to lift and throw objects (or people) anywhere within the environments, temporarily leave their character's body to scout ahead, drain an enemy's psychic ability in a battle of wills, create a wall of fire to set things ablaze, see objects invisible to the naked eye, and take control of weak-willed characters. In addition to psychic powers, Nick Scryer can use "traditional" means of control by acquiring handguns and automatic weapons.
Tying the action sequences together is a storyline that sheds light on the mystery surrounding Scryer's unique gifts and murky past. Psi-Ops has players traveling across the world to infiltrate four of the Movement's high-security compounds and advance through seven fully interactive levels. Since the game features a non-linear design, players can accomplish objectives in any manner of their choosing, whether it's through physical force and nimble acrobatics or by using the distinctive powers of the mind.
Action packed and telekinetic powers. Extreme awesomeness of a game and a classic hidden gem barely anyone knows about. Cult status written all over it.
A remnant of days when companies had original ideas instead of releasing the same thing with a different number on the end. Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy is a 3rd-Person shooter with the incredible addition of psychic powers to the mix. Levitating on floating objects, hurling flames and other enemies at your foes never gets old. With a narrative a bit on the cliche side, the true redeeming factor of the game is the inventive and often simple fun that the mainstay power; Telekinesis, adds to the game. If you want a forgotten gem from one of the best consoles to date, you could do a lot worse than Psi-Ops for the PS2.