PSI OPS: The Mindgate Conspiracy

The Basics:
Platform: Xbox
Developer: Midway
Price: $39.99 (November 2004)
ESRB rating: M (Mature)

Summary: Psychic or not, this game wastes the power of your kid's mind.

Note: PSI OPS takes the typical first-person shooter and adds elements of psychic mind control. However, by allowing players to smash enemies into walls, essentially beating them to death or burning them in a rush of "pyrokenisis"… the addition of psychic abilities may make the game different than most first-person shooter games, but one that is definitely not kid appropriate.

Further Breakdown:

Overall rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Best for ages: 18+
Playability: Medium
Graphics: Very Good
Entertainment value: Good
Educational value: None
Reading Level: 5+
KidScore Rating

Ages 3-7: Red
Ages 8-12: Red
Ages 13-17: Red
Violence Amount: Red
Fear: Red
Illegal/harmful: Green
Language: Red
Nudity: Green
Sex: Green

Review:
Adding a new twist to the well-established genre of first-person shooting games, PSI-OPS: The Mindgate Conspiracy, takes the phrase "mind over matter" to a new level. In the game, the player assumes the role of Lt. Nick Scryer-member of the UN Anti-Terror Corps, and a seasoned combat vet who wields a number of different psychic abilities. Nick is planted inside the terrorist organization known only as "the movement", and proceeds to unravel the mysteries of both the organization and his past. Using both traditional weapons, and the power of his mind, Nick fights the minions and henchmen of "the general"-the former leader of a United States special forces program known as Project Mindgate. When the general was relieved of his duties for insubordination, he began gathering his forces to start a new war-a war between those who have psychic power and "the mundanes, or those who do not. Now it is up to Nick, and his allies to unravel "the general's" plan.

As with most first-person shooting games, there are plenty of weapons to be used, including silenced pistols, machine guns, sniper rifles and even flame throwers and rocket launchers. The enemies: "meat puppets", or in other words, kidnapped soldiers who have been brainwashed and trained to "lay down their lives without question." Unrelenting in their assault, the player must use all and any method to defeat them. However, the player/Nick has a more powerful weapon than any gun-his psychic power . . .

The character of Nick Scryer is adept at a multitude of psychic powers . . . and there is a lot more than bending spoons going on in PSI-OPS. These abilities are powerful-and can be used with devastating effects. Some of the more "spectacular": Mind drain, in which the player drains the life energy from their victim until their head pops in a shower of blood, or "pyrokenisis" allowing the player to shoot a stream of flame at enemies. One strategy used with this technique is to ignite a corpse and hurl them at your enemies to burn them alive.

Many factors make PSI-OPS: The Mindgate Conspiracy a poor choice for kids. Needless to say, the game contains a good deal of violence, blood and gore. The player can smash enemies into walls, leaving blood stains, or throw them into electrical generators until they burn into a smoking corpse. Scariness is also a factor for younger players. The enemies are always on the hunt for the player and are working to kill the player at any cost. Later in the game, some of the enemies are ghost-like creatures that attach themselves to Nick's head and suck the life from him. Finally, strong language is sprinkled throughout the game, adding a final element that is not kid friendly.

In conclusion, the addition of psychic powers may make the game more interesting from a gameplay perspective, but it does nothing to make the game more kid-friendly-if anything it makes it worse.