Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy on Xbox (2004)

Brief synopsis of Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy

During a raid on an oil refinery guarded by UN anti-terrorist troops, a squad of UN soldiers is taken prisoner by The Movement. Players will assume the role of one of these soldiers, Nick Scryer, as he finds himself locked away, deep within a former Soviet missile silo where terrorists are performing unusual experiments on their prisoners. It's not long before a woman called Sara Blake approaches Scryer's cell and tells him that she intends to help him escape. Sara's a double agent from the US government who has infiltrated the terrorist group, and the two of you will interact throughout the game as you seek to uncover The Movement's hidden agenda.

Nick and Sara go on to infiltrate The Movement's secret bases around the world. They discover that at the centre of this PSI-war is a strange and ancient artefact known as The Monolith. Nick is determined to find out the true purpose of The Monolith - why is it so vital to the outcome of this most deadly of spy games? He's ideally equipped for the task ahead too; Scryer's PSI-powers include telekinesis, remote viewing, mind drain and control, pyrokinesis and aura viewing. Talented fella. He's got the perfect partner in Sara Blake. She's proficient in the power of telepathy, and was formerly recruited by Project Mindgate to train as a PSI-operative. After the project was shut down, the man in charge became the leader of The Movement. Sara Blake went underground and all but disappeared for a time, but never let the leader out of her sights.

So far, so, erm...what!? Well, Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy boasts not only the power of the mind to defeat the enemy, but good ol' traditional weapons - pistols, rifles, etc., are included too. Psi-Ops is also a non-linear experience, allowing players to complete the levels in several different ways, which means the replay value is boosted, given that there are seven massive levels to conquer. It's an intriguing mix of playing styles, with the stealthy attitude of a Headhunter or a Metal Gear Solid, the mind games of Codemasters' Second Sight, and the no-frills rootin' tootin' gunplay of any contemporary shooter you can think of. We think it'll do quite well.