Metascore
76 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 48 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 48
  2. Negative: 0 out of 48
  1. Fantastic little touches abound, adding up to a firmly cohesive, engagingly structured, marvelously imagined setting to explore. [Oct 2004, p.67]
  2. It's like going to your favourite band's concert, seeing them live and coming out gob-smacked - you know that you've enjoyed it and you loved every minute of it but you're stuck for words on how to convey the experience.
  3. The different styles employed within the game: stealth, shooting, psychic abilities means this will be enjoyed by many different gamers, whether they love their Timesplitters, their Tomb Raiders or their Metal Gear Solids.
  4. 87
    Some parts of the game have you on the edge of your seat with your heart racing as you can really feel for Vattic when attempting to be stealthy and sneak through an area.
  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.
  6. Even with some unpolished technical aspects, the way the story unfolds is innovative and engaging, and the number of ways around every problem is impressive. [Sept 2004, p.106]
  7. Forced stealth quibbles and slightly iffy physics aside, Second Sight's offering of a decently complex story (or as complex as you're going to get for an 8-10 hour action game) with a couple of twists and a silky smooth, high-budget presentation is one of the best Free Radical has pulled off to date.
  8. 85
    It's just fun, in an admittedly creepy way, to telepathically grab guys by the throat and slam them into walls and ceilings!
  9. The storyline is everything you'd expect from a game by Free Radical, as is the look. The gameplay is also very solid, although one of these days someone is going to have to learn how to make some really good enemy AI.
  10. My biggest gripe with the game is that the 17 levels aren’t very long. You can whip through them pretty quickly and even though you can move between them once completed, trying to better your comprehensive stats, who really wants to once you know the story?...[But] very much worth your attention.
  11. No game, however has managed to bond together two completely different games into one storyline and actually make it work. Second Sight is an exception.
  12. While its engine handles combat well enough, the targeting crosshair was not made for human eyes. It'll lock onto somebody's chest effectively enough, but it's got a sense of humor. You'll often aim at a crate or barrel when you really want to be aiming at the chest of the guy who just stormed into the room.
  13. While the game does many things well, it doesn’t do anything particularly remarkable.
  14. Despite some unpolished spots, Second Sight is easily one of the best balances of stealth and action, combined with a nifty gimmick and an excellent plot.
  15. A little more polish and gameplay balance could have made Second Sight a classic gaming experience. This really is too bad since it contains a story that puts Psi-Ops to shame.
  16. In short, this is a surprising little gem. [Nov 2004, p.90]
  17. An example of narrative dictating game, uncovering a decent mix of game styles along the way. The developers should be commended - they've listened to their fans, grown as a team and created a game that stealth action fans will lap up.
  18. Slick thriller touched with psychic powers from the 'Splitters boys. [Jan 2007, p.106]
  19. The fact that you are left trying to finish off each level just to see what happens next as the conspiracy unravels is a testament to the game’s producers.
  20. 80
    Though it's a bit rough around the edges, Second Sight packs a huge core of ideas into what could have been a standard shooter. Powerful psionics, extensive gun combat, and a great story are all just part of the plan.
  21. Second Sight's absorbing plot and high-quality cinematic presentation are backed up with tight and entertaining gameplay.
  22. The controls are smooth and well implemented, with nearly every button on the controller used. Unfortunately, the default control scheme is the only option but considerable thought went into it and it shouldn’t offer most gamers any trouble.
  23. An excellent way to chew up some time with a rewarding feel each time a puzzle is solved.
  24. The combination of a fantastic story, clever puzzles, strong (albeit psi-lite) combat overcome any gameplay nitpicks or deficiencies.
  25. If you're looking for a finely crafted, thought-provoking story to go with your psychic phenomena, look no further than Second Sight. [Nov 2004, p.128]
  26. Our hero is usually equipped with a sniper rifle, complete with a brilliant targeting scope.
  27. 79
    Perhaps the biggest problem in Second Sight is the game's over reliance on ho-hum pistols and machine guns. Seriously folks, the game gives you the ability to choke people in mid-air. That's serious Darth Vader sh_t.
  28. 78
    A very solid, if slightly unspectacular title. It's not amazingly long, but unlike some of its contemporaries it hangs together well.
  29. It's got some flaws and it's not very long or replayable--you'll probably finish it in 12 to 15 hours, without much incentive to go back to the beginning--but it's fun while it lasts.
  30. Though quirky and enjoyable, slight hiccups in the game's challenge, physics and firearms system let this title down somewhat, although a varied raft of psychic powers and an accomplished narrative go some way towards compensating.
User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 16 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 10
  3. Negative: 1 out of 10
  1. JeffS.
    9
    I deducted one point for outdated graphics. This game puts others to shame in terms of story and gameplay. There are a few minor bugs with the game, but nothing you can't work around easily. As a developer, I play a lot of games, and after returning armloads of games after a day's play, it's refreshing to run across one that was actually fun to play. Full Review »
  2. Fascinating story is excellent voice acting and setting. This mind bending game is pretty unique, it has great characters and psychic powers as you play along. It's about a bald man with red eye waking up in a facillity in the middle of nowhere, and you have to work out what's going on and uncover your haunting memories as you bend the world with your psychic powers and change history through flashbacks. What they did need to work on though was the quality of the levels, they are short and once you've finished this game, you're not really gonna come back and play, and it's annoying that when you finish the game, you don't get unlimited psychic powers and all of them in the levels and the story did need more work on the 3rd and 4th quarter of the game. Despite the annoyances, this is a unique game with a very interesting story while you're playing through it. Full Review »
  3. i played this on xbox which took me 2 days to complete really loved it..... i decided to play again only wish it would reboot this game on ps3 and xbox 360 with Better graphics Full Review »