You are Lieutenant Nick Scryer, an agent of the government organization Mindgate, codenamed for psi powers research operations. Abandoned a few years ago, the Mindgate project has, despite everything, continued unofficially under the tutelage of a megalomaniac general and has drifted to create the Network, a military cabal aiming for world domination (just that). After a brainwashing to 'erase' your powers and a facial restructuring to fall back into anonymity, you are now part of the blue helmets. Captured during a raid carried out by the Network itself (to say if it's bad luck), you are directly plunged into enemy territory, in search of your own identity and your powers.
We'll erase everything and start again
Thrown to the bottom of a cell, your fate does not look very pleasant. This is without counting on the help of Sara Blake, a double agent infiltrated in the Network (blonde with big breasts), with a stormy past, however. Failing to really have a choice, you decide to trust her, after all, she is the one who got you out of there. So you begin the adventure in the prison complex of one of the many centers of the general's organization. For lack of ammunition in number, your first steps will have to be taken in the shadows and you should not hesitate to use the elements of the decor to ensure your survival. Very classic in the very first minutes of play, Psi-Ops becomes interesting very quickly as Nick's brain kicks back in and he regains his powers. First on the list to come back to our hero's memory, but above all the one that in the end we will use the most throughout the game: telekinesis, or more simply the power to move objects from a distance, or even funnier, the enemies. Each new power found will be accompanied by a flashback that will take you back many years, during your learning at the Mindgate center, in order to rediscover the basics of use of each of them.
Barely found, telekinesis (called TK) becomes a new weapon which will very quickly prove to be more effective than your pistol or your machine gun, and we are surprised from the first seconds to project objects on enemies with indescribable ease. Very flexible to use, the TK offers mass play possibilities. We can thus project an enemy violently against a wall (leaving a beautiful red mark on it), against another enemy or any other surrounding object (like in a crematorium), or even simply place them in levitation in order to better riddle them with bullets. In addition to these offensive possibilities, telekinesis can be an excellent tool for movement since you can move the inevitable crates to build a staircase but above all place yourself on an element that you will manipulate by thought and thus do "TK surfing". .
Tell me your power, I'll tell you who you are
Quickly, Nick will recover his new powers one by one, each offering new gameplay possibilities. You will learn, or rather relearn, remote vision (which allows you to detach your mind from your body to observe the surrounding areas and thus better prepare your attacks), psi drainage (to recharge your psychic energy by directly absorbing the brain of your opponents until they burst the noggin into pieces), mental control (or like a Messiah you will take control of an enemy body), pyrokinesis (or the art of mastering fire) and finally astral sight (offering a second vision to find clues and secret passages). Obtained at key moments in the game, each new power will allow you to manage new situations, such as taking control of an enemy sniper so that it eliminates its own allies, opens the door for you and finally throws itself into the void.
Gradually you will have to face soldiers who will know how to apprehend your psychic powers, and if the first panicked once in levitation via your telekinesis force, quickly they will not show themselves and will continue to shoot at you, so it's up to you. get rid of as soon as possible.
The bosses of the different levels will be masters in a particular discipline, and will not hesitate to take advantage of it to weaken you. You will then have to face a mind control expert who will send you kamikaze troops, a queen of illusions who will make you face a monster from elsewhere, a powerful telekineticist who will direct all the elements of the decor on you, or even a mistress of flames who is clearly not shy.
Destruction by Havoc
All special effects Psi-Ops would not provide as much pleasure without an excellent physical rendering. The choice of the developers therefore judiciously turned to the engine of Half-Life 2 to bring not only the soldiers to life, but also every element of the scenery. Thus, telekinesis and pyrokinesis come into their own in the game, with extremely precise inertia for projections and collisions, and an advanced flame transmission system. The best way to realize the complexity of the engine is, beyond the levels of the scenario mode, to take advantage of the specially designed psychiatric training room. We will have fun building chains of wooden boxes to set fire to the first one and see it spread to the gas tank which, when it explodes, will make all the surrounding debris fly, play bowling with the barrels and a ball suspended by a cable, or simply trying to remove an object from a pyramid without dropping the rest (delicate). In short, it is complete and effective.
Finally, Psi-Ops is an excellent surprise that benefits from an impeccable realization, an innovative gameplay and above all gaming sensations to know.
