Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy (0)

Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy
First release date
2004-06-14
Platform
PlayStation 2 Xbox PC
Developer
Midway Games
Publisher
Capcom Midway Games
Aliases
ESPionage

Overview

Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy was released on June 14, 2004. The game was developed by Midway Games for the , , and the ; Psi-Ops sees players assume the role of a powerful psychic agent named Nick Scryer as he seeks to uncover the secrets of "The Movement", and those locked within his own mind.

The game gives the player a number of weapons to use, including pistols, rifles, carbines. Although the games main attraction is Nick's wide-array of psychic powers, ranging from telekinesis and mind control, and even pyrokinesis. The game also employs ragdoll physics using the , adding an extra dynamic to the use of psychic powers in combat.

Story

As the game begins has no memory of who he is or how he got involved with the mysterious "Movement". The plot is further convoluted when Nick is released from his holding cell by a double-agent within the Movement named Sara. Sara injects Nick with a a serum to re-awaken his latent psychic abilities. From there on, it is up to Nick and Sara to discover the plans of the Movement and stop them.

Psychic Powers

Telekinesis

The first power to be unlocked, and the staple psychic power in the game. With his mind alone, Nick is able to levitate objects and enemies, and fling them around the environment, as well as slam them into solid surfaces.

Remote Viewing

Nick's second power separates his consciousness from his body and allows the player to traverse the environment undetected in the first-person, unhindered by walls or doors. However, it leaves Nick's real body prone, stationary, and open to attack.

Mind Drain

Nick drains the mental energy of his enemies to replenish his own. This can be performed on a live, unsuspecting subject, or a dead corpse. However, dead enemies only replenish a small amount of psychic energy. To fill his whole PK bar, Nick must perform the mind drain on a live target, the ultimate result of which is their head exploding in a spectacular fashion.

Mind Control

The player can take full control of an enemy's body. This can be used to attack other enemies, commit suicide, or further the games progression by using otherwise unreachable switches.

Pyrokinesis

Nick is able to summon flames generated from his mental power, igniting anything within its short range. This is a useful offensive move against enemies who have taken cover.

Aura View

This is the final ability, and allows Nick to see beyond that of a normal person, into another spectrum. This can be used to discover hidden messages, and locate extra-dimensional creatures called "Aura Beasts".

Multiplayer

Psi-Ops is one of the few games where two people can control one character. Player 1 controls all movement of the character including jumping, rolling and climbing things whereas player 2 controls the aim and powers.

Legal Trouble

Midway was presented with a copyright infringement suit by William L. Crawford III on February 20th 2007. Crawford alleged that Midway lifted wholesale parts of a screenplay he had written titled "Psy-Ops". On December 2nd 2008, Judge Florence-Marie Cooper of the United States District Court for the Central District of California issued a ruling granting summary judgment on all counts in Midway's favor, finding no evidence of any kind of copyright infringement, despite the incredible similarity between the script and the game.