A Russian doctor, working out of Siberia, has been working diligently on something to do with psychic phenomenon for the past 50 years. He has asked for political asylum in the United States. The government recruits scientist Dr. John Vattic, and a force of highly trained Marines to drop into the frozen wasteland and discover what the Russian was working on.

But that is in the past. In the present, a patient, far underground in a heavily guarded asylum is waking up to snippets of conversation. A psychological nutcase, a ruthless killer, under heavy sedation, and chained down … until … something removes the cuffs to the bed, and John begins his trek to find out who he is and what has been done to him.

Second Sight is a PlayStation 2 release from Free Radical and Codemasters, and is a multi-part journey into action. The present is a raggedy man, beaten, misused, without a past wandering through a hostile environment looking for answers. The other part involves training and a trip to see the Russian and what his research has yielded.

Though the game has some notable flaws in targeting (and camera angles are generally sluggish), all in all, this is a taut and enjoyable romp. Vattic uncovers his abilities and identity in layers, learning what was done to him to change him from passive and skeptical scientist into a feared and extremely dangerous man who kills without conscience.

Along the way there are plenty of corrupt government agents, secret agendas and more guards than you can possible tear asunder with a psionic attack.

Yes, this is a grim game, filled with flying bullets and pools of blood. There is one screen that charts the amount of enemy blood you have loosened into the world, as well as the amount of blood you have spilled. And when John uses his psionic attack to rip apart his opposition, should he walk through the pool of blood, he leaves a nice trail of bloody footprints as he continues to move through the world.

Second Sight starts out in the present and then through a series of mission-based flashbacks, you begin to unravel the mystery behind Vattic’s emerging powers. The game is not overly complex and players should be able to easily chart a course through it. Experienced suspense/mystery/action gamers should eat through this title in a hurry. But that is not a bad thing – the game pacing and plot is worth the price of admission.

The controls are kept simple, and the user interface is also easy to use.

Graphically, Second Sight has both good aspects and some clunky ones. The camera controls do allow for rotating but only marginally. You may not get to survey a room as you would like, and as a result, targeting suffers. The animation is also a little slow moving at times.

The soundtrack features a solid musical score, and a great narrative. Some of the ambient noises are a little staid, and the background dialogue sounds a little forced at times.

The combat is also heavily slanted toward player success. John can take a number of shots before its lights out, and his regeneration rate for his psychic abilities is very fast – and wouldn’t you know it, one of his abilities is a heal.

But what Second Sight lacks in overall intense challenge, the game makes up for with a good story well told. This is definitely a game worth checking out.

Gameplay: 8.5

The game has a lot of cutscenes and load times interrupt the flow, but the story is intriguing enough to pull players through those moments.

Graphics: 8.3

The animation is a little jerky at times, but the effects look very good. The environments are good, but do not stand out.

Sound: 8.8

The narrative is very good, and the musical score does a great job of setting the tempo and mood. The ambient sounds could have been a little more original, but other than that, this portion of the game shines.

Difficulty: Medium

There are two difficulty settings in this game, normal and bring you’re ‘A’ game. Even at the normal level, this game is intuitive and you will be pulled through it easily. The game is rather linear in that regard – there is always a correct path and it is close by. 

Concept: 8.5

This is a wonderful idea, with a nicely woven storyline. The controls are simple to use, the interface accessible, but the camera is a little clunky.

Overall: 8.6

This storyline is very good and players will quickly be lured into the game. Though somewhat simplistic, the action is well paced and the game looks and sounds great. If you are looking for a story that has intrigue and will keep you involved, pick this title up. It may have some faults, but they can be overlooked as you try to unlock the mystery behind the psychic monster John Vattic.