Bad camera = Frustrating Stealth + Time-Travel
I really wanted to like Second Sight a lot, after all it was made by Free Radical, the dudes behind one of my favorite franchises "Timesplitters". That franchise's crazy sense of humor (absent from this game) really made it easy to like, and a blast to play with friends and family alike. Rather than rely on their FPS development prowess to make a decent third-person shooter with an interesting psychic element, though, Free Radical opted instead to make a flawed stealth-action game with a wonky camera.
You begin the game as John Vattic, an amnesia-stricken doctor with an uncanny ability to manipulate the physical world with his MIND. Throughout the game, you'll earn more psychic powers that you can use to fool the games enemies, knock them out, or even outright possess them and make them shoot the other enemies. This is all governed by a meter that recharges regularly, balancing the game without making it frustrating. These powers also play into the story...somewhat, the game switches between perspectives and styles. You'll be gunning down pesky Soviets as the "past" version of John Vattic only to be sneaking around U.S. Government ops as the "present" John Vattic. Without spoiling too much, I can tell you there is a plot twist that happens at the very end of the game that justifies my quotes around "past" and "present"; said plot twist is not too hard to spot if you're paying attention.
Second Sight's graphics are, like its name, worth a second look. It's art style is largely to thank for this quality, as otherwise it would not have stood the test of time. In fact, I would bet you 0$ (since I am in no position to make good on any bet) that they hired a caricaturist (or whoever came up with the Timesplitters art style) to draw their concept art. On the whole, Second Sight's art style goes a long way to keeping it fresh, however, I believe it is the music (which is appropriately atmospheric) and voice acting that really brings it all together. A shining example of its good or otherwise laughably awful is this clip, in which John meets up with his CO in said CO's "old neighborhood", its great stuff.
Again, I really wanted to like this game, but a lot of factors kept me from it, foremost among the uncontrollable camera. Getting into corners or moving along walls is nearly impossible thanks to said camera. In a stealth game knowing where your enemies are is crucial, and while stealth isn't the only thing you'll be doing in Second Sight its a hefty enough chunk of gameplay to make the camera super noticeable. The game is not without its very bright spots, though, I found myself smitten with the cast of WinterICE, and John Vattic's plot is interesting enough to follow till the mind-blowing twist at the end. If you can get past the aggravating camera and some frustrating stealth sections, then this game's story will put a bright smile on your face.
