Second Sight

[Mark E]

You want to talk about games that were kind of here and then just died?

 

I don't recall anybody on the forum even talking about this beyond a mention I made in a thread way back when. Anyway, EB has this on sale for $20 Yankee and $30 Canuck (which I got at $22 thanks to SSX Tricky :tu:) and I grabbed it to give it a whirl.

 

Decent game so far. I haven't played it that much, just getting used to the controls and the camera (I'm still debating how much I will end up liking this camera, it has wrestle-with-me elements I don't much care for). I didn't get to play Psi-Ops, so this is my first encounter with psychic powers but it's a lot of fun. I love being able to lift and toss crap across the rooms.

 

The story is what I really like though. It's told in parallel, with the character waking up in his current situation and then flashing back at times to a mission he was involved in six months ago. This was the way they implemented the training level and it was one of the more well-integrated training levels I've seen for a while.

 

Anyway, I rescued a copy and I've been pleased, especially at the price point. The most interactive in-game computers I've messed about with for a while. The one at the opening to the third 'act' has a fantasticly creepy little bit of drama going on if you mess about with the desktop for a bit. Still dubious about the camera (and the fact that the main character won't shut up at times, though he seems to be calming down now that I'm passing the intro levels).

 

Did anybody else give this a whirl?

[Romier S]

Played some portions of it and having played Psi-Ops, I was left underwhelmed. The storyline definitely seemed more intriguing though so at 20 bucks I may give it another look. Glad you are liking it nonethless, Mark. :tu:

[Mark E]

I've heard that, but it's good to have confirmed from a source I trust .

 

I didn't have a chance to find anything about Psi-Ops since they kiboshed the Cube version, so this is all fresh to me. I'd be interested to hear some more comparisons between the two though, since I may be in a position to play Psi-Ops at some point and if Second Sight lets me down it may factor in my response .

[dogbert]

Did anybody else give this a whirl?

 

Nope, basically, which is why it's dropped so much so quickly. It sold under 10,000 copies in September across both platforms...

 

I enjoyed what I played of it at Buck's, till I hit the first real stealthy bit. Like the style, like the plot, but it's completely been overshadowed by Psi-Ops in my mind. Psi-Ops is more "toybox"-like, giving you more ways to do things with the powers you're presented with, and SS never felt like it "opened up" like that.

[Jeff W]

I loved Psi-Ops but Second Sight just got lost in a whirl of too many other good games coming out, @ $20 though I'd definitely give it a whirl, thanks for the info.

[Mark E]

Okay, this story is really interesting.

 

And this camera bites my ass. It's not Super Mario Sunshine bad, but it can be aggravating at times.

 

One thing I am not a big fan of is how you end up getting pursued by endless assailants if you trip an alarm, a la Metal Gear Solid. At least I presume it to be endless, I should quanitify that. I like sneaking anyway, but it can be irksome to get piled on while trying to reach an alarm. At least you can flip them with telekinesis.

 

Oh, and this game has the best sniper rifle implementation I've played in any game ever. I'm sure it's been done before, but this is the first time I've seen it and it's excellent. :tu:

 

So far my opinion is around: this is fun, but I'd be really pissed if I had paid full cost for it. I expect it to hover there, with the story really being the pull to get through the game. Which is, I suppose, part of the point.

[Mark E]

Hey hey. I know I end up posting a load of posts in a thread as I play a game, so unless Second Sight has a boffo ending this will be my last set of impressions .

 

The physics engine in this game is very iffy. Items really all feel like they're made out of crepe paper. It would have been a lot more impressive if they felt a real sense of heft and then became papery when using the telekinesis power, to give a real sense of oomph.

 

That being said, it is rather fun to grab the guards and smash them relentlessly into objects in order to kill them. They really do lie around like ragdolls, though again, great to drop them from big heights.

 

The unlimited security still bugs me, but thankfully it's dependent on the level you're exploring. Sometimes the guards stop coming, sometimes they don't. It's annoying to figure it out trial and error, but oh well.

 

Nice graphics style too. The Siberia levels are really something else. The one I just finished had fantastic snow effects and great mist. Story is fine too, not too original but impeccably done. Looks to be about a twelve hour game, plus or minus my constant screw-ups. At the bargain price you could really do worse than to give this a shot, but don't expect Grade-A. But Grade-B ain't that bad for a story this enjoyable. I've already played much longer than I intended just to see what happens next.

 

That means it must be doing something right :tu:

[Mark E]

Ha, well, finished it off. It took me just over 10 hours I think. Which wasn't bad for the price I got it at, but man if I'd been full price on this one there would have been some swearing.

 

Great story. I can't say much more except that the final cutscene is disappointing but the parts leading up to it are great and really make you think. Worth more attention than it got, and at least things are wrapped up enough that I don't feel ripped because a sequel isn't planned :tu: