PlayStation
ArcadeOverview
Psychic Force is a 2.5D contemporary-fantasy fighting game developed and released by Taito for arcades (using PS1-based Taito FX System hardware) in 1995.
Set in near-future 2010, Psychic Force puts players in one-on-one fights as superhuman individuals blessed with psychic elemental abilities (giving them the name "Psychiccer"). The plot involves a mysterious organization known as NOA, whose leader seeks to form a utopia for Psychiccers (even at the cost of human life).
Unlike traditional fighting games, Psychic Force has both combatants levitating in the air at all times, giving them more free-form movement around the 2D playfield while removing ground-based game mechanics (such as "jumping" and "crouching"). The game also focuses on projectile combat, with attacks from far away throwing different types of energy projectiles and a regenerating gauge (known as the "Psycho Gauge") to determine their efficiency.
It later received an updated revision in 1996 with Psychic Force EX, updating the gameplay and character costumes while making the final boss playable. It also received a home release for the Sony PlayStation, with Taito first publishing the game in Japan (on October 4, 1996), then Acclaim publishing the game in both North America (on April 1997) and Europe (in July 1997).
It later received a sequel with Psychic Force 2012, and both games were bundled with the Japan-exclusive PS2 compilation Psychic Force Complete. It also received a Japan-exclusive puzzle spin-off with Psychic Force: Puzzle Taisen and a two-episode OVA.
Gameplay
The game is unusual for a fighter, in that battles take place in the air whilst the characters levitate, giving the player 360 degrees of movement. Fights take place within a large transparent cube that designates the level boundaries; however these can smash when an opponent is defeated. There are only three attack buttons in the game; a quick attack, a heavy smash attack, and an energy blast. The three of these can be combined to create simple combos.
The fighting also has a strong emphasis on special projectile attacks, the use of which consumes energy from a power bar that recharges while the character is motionless. While the fighting may seem simplistic, a greater priority in the gameplay is usually given to timing and avoiding these special moves.
Characters
The game features eight characters, each of whom fight using a specific element
| Name | Gender | Age | Element | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Burn Griffiths: A young American man who has the psychic ability to control fire. He seeks to dissuade his old friend Keith Evans from creating a utopia for Psychiccers by wiping out all the normal people. | Male | 18 | Fire | U.S.A |
Emilio Michaelov: A young Russian Psychiccer who can barely control his power and lives in fear of it after wiping out a small town. Emilio travels the world in search of peace and solitude but trouble always seems to find him. | Male | 14 | Light | Russia |
Wendy Ryan: An Australian Psychiccer in search of her missing older sister Chris. Her investigation leads her to believe that NOA is involved in her disappearance. | Female | 15 | Wind | Australia |
Sonia (Chris Ryan): A bioroid agent of NOA and loyal servant of Keith. She is actually Wendy's older sister Chris, who was kidnapped and turned into a bioroid by Wong. | Female | 17 | Electricity | None |
Brad Kilsten: A Psychiccer who suffers from a split personality disorder. He joined NOA due to Keith being able to keep his bloodthirsty psychotic side at bay but is beginning to lose control of it. | Male | 24 | Gravity | Germany |
Richard Wong: A Chinese man who serves as Keith's consultant and strategist in NOA. He secretly plans to betray Keith and take his place to fuel his ambition of world domination. | Male | 34 | Time | China |
Rokudo Genma: A Japanese Yamabushi monk/priest who uses a unique style of Shugendo magic while in battle. He sees Psychiccers as a threat due to their immense power and seeks to eliminate them all. | Male | 53 | Magic | Japan |
Gates Oltsman: An American soldier who received cybernetic enhancements after a devastating Psychiccer attack that claimed the life of his wife and daughter. He now seeks revenge against all Psychiccers. | Male | 37 | Cyborg | U.S.A |
Keith Evans: The leader of the NOA. His ultimate goal is to create a safe utopia for all Psychiccers and will eliminate all who stand in his way. | Male | 17 | Ice | U.S.A |
