Free Radical is on the right road in expanding their franchise on new and different games.
User Rating: 8.5 | Second Sight PS2
For the past few years, Free Radical has been one of my favorite developers. Naturally their game series Timesplitters is what made me fall in love with them. All those endless hours playing the best console multiplayer based game just makes me feel giddy all over. However, I wondered after Timsplitters 2 if Free Radical would be making any others games other than the famed Timesplitters series. Much to my surprise they have with Second Sight. Why it’s not the best game in the third person genre, it certain is a giant leap for Free Radical in the right direction with developing different games. In the game Second Sight you play a scientist named John Vattic, who has no memory of his past, and is locked in a secure medical facility. As soon as John escapes, he begins to piece his life together and finding out why he woke up with psychic powers. Story wise this game is great. From beginning to end you will be hooked with this great story. It really shows that the writers at Free Radical are really creative in capturing their gamers with a story. While not giving the story away, I will say that it’s really complex, and a lot of fun to figure out. At least it isn’t lame like Psi-Ops The Mindgate Conspiracy. Control wise the game can be pretty awkward at first. It’ll take a few minutes to fully get the buttons down before you begin rockin’ and rollin’. While most of the interface with getting up against walls, and selecting things is really easy, it’s the firing of weapons and the use of powers than can become a pain in the rear. All of that is done with the R2 button. While some veterans of the Timesplitters series may love that setup, I did not. It took me awhile to get adjusted to it, but after a while you get used to it real quickly. Game play wise the game is pretty solid. For the most part it is a stealth game with the aid of your powers to help you get through each level. You have your typical telekinesis, astral projection, possession, invisibility, mind control, and a psi blast. Each one for the most part is unique in it’s own way to help your progress in the game, but I found myself using Charm (invisibility) on the stealth. Of course the game isn’t all stealth. You gain a lot of different weapons in the game, and it wouldn’t be a Free Radical game if you can’t run and gun. Yes friends you can do that even too. It’s a nice addition than making the game your typical Splinter Cell or Metal Gear Solid. The only problem with the game play is that the enemy AI is pretty stupid at times, and can be easily dispatched even when they are standing right in front of you. Graphically the game is a step up from the Timesplitter series. It’s pretty impressive for the most part, but not perfect. However, the game is cartoonish, as should be from the quirkiness from the Free Radical team. One of the nice additions would be the use of blood in the game. This is the first game that Free Radical has made that actually has blood. It’s actually pretty comical to see blood and cartoonish characters get shoot up. Good stuff. Sound wise the game is great. Most of the weapon and background sounds are used from the Timesplitters series, and many of the veteran voice actors from Timesplitters 2 play the roles of the characters in Second Sight. The voices are all diverse, and really bring the characters to life. Musically the game is great. Each level has great music that really sets the mood. Even the evasion song is great. Overall this game is pretty worthwhile, however you’ll beat it in a day or two. Other than two modes of difficultly, there really isn’t anything else that makes this game high on replayability. However, the story is good enough for a spin around for anybody. I personally found the game pretty good, and a sign that Free Radial is heading in the right directions in trying new things. Some people may not like this game, but that’s okay. This game is about story and decent game play, nothing else. Buy or Rent: Definite rental seeing as anybody will breeze through it very quickly. However, the game is a wild ride, and fun to watch the story unfold again later on down the road. If this game had more replayability I would suggest a definite purchase, but it doesn’t. In short it’s a lot like Ghosthunter in that regard. However, I do feel that the game is worth a purchase when there is a full-fledged price drop. It’s just that good despite the flaws. 
