Psychic Force 2012
- November 24, 2000 14:47 PM PST
- Email this!
Psychic Force, one of the first fighting games for the PlayStation years ago, was an original and inventive game that gave a fresh new twist to the genre. Games have grown up since then - Psychic Force has not.
- GamePro Score
- User Score
- Write your review!
Psychic Sidekicks
Although there's probably a rich Japanese anime-influenced storyline behind this game, you won't care - nor should you. The bare bones of any fighting game is the fighting, and the action in Psychic Force 2012 never really takes off. That's probably because all the fighting is boxy and claustrophobic - literally. You find yourself constrained by a large, barely visible box that contains both fighters, and will damage you if you hit or get slammed into it.
The uninspired fighters don't help the cause. You choose from nine elemental Psychic Warriors - they control the wind, the fire, the rain, etc. They have a great anime look - all sharp lines and big eyes. Fans of anime may dig the look, but fans of fighting games will find the dual long- and short-range fighting style tedious at best. The minor combos cannot be strung for much more than a couple of hits, and the special attacks, although pretty, are way too powerful to be fair. Most fights are either over in a blink of the eye, or drag on while you chase your opponent around the cube like a lecherous boss after his secretary.
If Looks Could Thrill
The game's look has some style but little substance to it. The backgrounds are vivid and imaginative, and the fighters themselves are well illustrated and move fluidly. But you won't see much of the fighters in close-up as the camera zooms in and out of the fray with wild abandon, like a college film student trying to impress his instructors.
The sound isn't bad, but that isn't good. It just sort of hangs there without any purpose. The gibberish from the characters is strangely in sync with the tepid background music, which never bothers you but never really inspires you either. All the other sound effects are fairly standard.
The game's biggest flaw is the control, which leaves much to be desired. A simple button press unleashes a three-hit combo, and pressing two buttons simultaneously sends out your special attack (whose strength is determined by your psychic force meter). You'll find yourself relying on those two skills only as you easily plow through the seven stages. There's not even a great ending or terrific end-boss - just a mediocre finale to match the rest of the game's blandness.
The Force Ain't With You
There are plenty of fighting games for the Dreamcast that eclipse Psychic Force in style, substance, depth, and fun. Rent this one if you're a fan of anime, but avoid it if you're a fan of fighting games. You won't be missing much. We know. We're psychic.
