I was going to post this as part of the 'free games for the week day' project, but decided it was too big a download for many who come here (at over 2Gb), it's probably out of the scope of those on dial up. Still, if you can take the time to download this game, it's well worth it. You can play it in the first or third person if you wish. Anyway, I'm not going to rant on (though I have posted a review from Gamespy). There's also some video links for you to check the game out. I thought it was great for free.
Psi-Ops – The Mindgate Conspiracy: (2.45Gb)
In Psi-Ops your most powerful weapon is your mind. In addition to traditional weapons, gamers will use psychic powers like Telekenisis and Mind Drain as they battle against an army of brainwashed terrorist super soldiers and powerful Psi agents.
Quote from GameSpy:
We've all imagined what it would be like to have psychic powers. Think of how nice it would be to take over your boss' body and give yourself a raise. Imagine being able to open your fridge and grab yourself a drink without having to get off the couch. Got a crush on your neighbor? Just leave your body behind and float through the wall for a little peepshow. Of course, not everyone would use their psychic powers to become a lazy, well-paid pervert, which is why Midway has brought us Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy.
Originally titled ESPionage (thankfully it was changed), Psi-Ops puts you in the shoes of Nick Scryer, an elite operative for the government's Mindgate program. A collective of powerful psychics, the Mindgate group performed a variety of shadowy deeds for our nation. The group's leader, a megalomaniac known only as The General, has decided that he'd rather rule the world than save it, so he takes some of Mindgate's most powerful psychics (including your former mentor, Barrett) and starts a terrorist group called The Movement. It's up to Nick to save the day, and his adventure will take him all over the world, from Hong Kong to the Himalayas.
As the game starts, cinematics show Nick having his mind wiped clean, so The Movement's powerful psychics won't know he's coming after them. Unfortunately, this also takes away Nick's memories of his powers, so he's quickly captured and thrown in a cell, which is where the player takes over. Armed only with a gun and his wits, Nick must escape from the prison, while trying to remember how to use his powers.
From the moment the gameplay begins, Nick is thrust into the action. There are usually a few different ways to make your way past enemies. You can choose to quietly sneak from crate to crate, biding your time until you can make a dash for the door, or you can stealthily surprise a guard from behind, knocking him out before he can alert his buddies. Of course, the easiest way to take care of guards is with a well-placed bullet, although that will bring his compatriots running to join the fight. While Psi-Ops has some stealth elements, I found that it was more worthwhile (and satisfying) to simply kill any guards that I came across.
The most important, and coolest, element of the game is Nick's psionic abilities. His powers are returned to him gradually and in an interesting fashion. Rather than simply getting the powers and using them, Nick has flashbacks to his training with Barrett, in which he's instructed on the uses of the abilities, then is run through an obstacle course of sorts. This was a good way to introduce the powers, and it also allows the player to use them in mock combat situations.
The first (and most useful) power is telekinesis. Nick is able to target any object or enemy with his mind, lift them into the air, then toss them aside like yesterday's news. There are a lot of sections in the game where you have to use your telekinesis to solve puzzles, stack crates, or reach higher levels by climbing onto a box and levitating it under your feet. It's in battle that telekinesis really proves its worth, though. You can target an enemy, lift him off his feet, then brutally slam him against a wall or into other enemies. Smashing him into a wall will result in a sickening thud, a splash of blood, and one very dead terrorist.
Reference: http://uk.xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/psi-ops-the-mindgate-conspiracy/522674p1.html accessed 4th Oct 08
Images:
Videos:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9uZSbKL36s0
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=V4wmL0vhU74
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=38pAQLjknI0
Download link:
http://files.filefront.com/Psi+Ops+The+Mindgate+Conspiracy+Full+Client/;10665315;/fileinfo.html
