Psybadek | |
---|---|
North American cover art | |
Developer(s) | Psygnosis |
Publisher(s) | Psygnosis |
Designer(s) | Graham Sidwell [1] |
Artist(s) | Mick Harrison [1] |
Composer(s) | Mike Clarke [2] |
Platform(s) | PlayStation |
Release | |
Genre(s) | Platformer |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Psybadek is a video game for the PlayStation console. It was designed and released by Psygnosis on November 17, 1998. The game was sponsored by shoe company Vans.
The evil Krakken has appeared and causes a rampage at the local "hoverdek" park, where "dekkers" Xako, Mia, and their friends practice their skillz. Using his powers, Krakken kidnaps the "dek kids" and magically transforms them into his minions all to make the place his new home. Now it is up to Xako and Mia to save their friends and stop Krakken's evil, sending him back to where he came from.
The player warps to different worlds, known as time zones [4] from a hub area. Each world is broken down into levels which consist of courses that the player must travel through on their hoverboard. [5] In order to properly complete each world, the player must collect a certain number of stars, obtained along the course or by stomping on the heads of enemies. At the end of each world, the player faces a guardian which lies in wait at the end of the level. [4] Some levels feature a shooting gallery format. Here the player character is positioned in the center and fires a weapon within a time limit.
Player characters have no weapons by default, and must pick them up from drop boxes scattered through the levels. [5]
Psybadek was developed by Psygnosis at its Liverpool Headquarters. The game was designed by Graham Sidwell, [1] and Nick Burcombe was the project lead. [6] Programmer Stephen Balmer came up with the game's original concept of the player free-roaming across landscapes on a board, while concept designer Mick Harrison drew images of characters on hoverboards. According to Sidwell, the game was in development for both the PlayStation and PC, but the latter was scrapped because it "diluted" the design team's focus. [1] Sidwell explained that creating Psybadek involved much trial-and-error, mainly due to the difficulty of melding traditional platform genre obstacles with sports-related "momentum". [1] Sidwell emphasized the difference between Psybadek and other boarding games. "There's obviously the snowboarding feel to this game," he stated, "But unlike most games in which you're racing against the clock and performing tricks on the way down for points, in Psybadek, those tricks actually do something. The stunts themselves are weapons." [7]
Psybadek was officially announced in May 1997, with a tentative release for the last quarter of that year. [8] However, the entire development team was temporarily pulled away from the project in order to work on other Psygnosis games. [9] After their releases, the developer continued work on Psybadek, attempting to improve its character motions, touch up its 3D environments, and expand the number of levels. [10] Like many other Psygnosis titles at the time, Psybadek was created using Softimage 3D. [11] Psygnosis partnered with California-based apparel company Vans to sponsor the game. Psybadek's in-game characters feature Vans clothing in exchange for the game's promotion at the Triple Crown series and the Warped Tour. [3] The characters were designed to have a cute yet cool manga-style look. [6]
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
GameRankings | 48% [12] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
AllGame | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Electronic Gaming Monthly | 2.5/10 [14] [lower-alpha 1] |
EP Daily | 6/10 [15] |
Game Informer | 3.75/10 [16] |
GameSpot | 5.1/10 [17] |
IGN | 4/10 [18] |
Jeuxvideo.com | 14/20 [19] |
Next Generation | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
PlayStation Official Magazine – UK | 4/10 [21] |
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The game received unfavorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings. [12] Next Generation said, "As a concept, Psybadek has been dangled in front of gamers for quite a while and created at least some excitement. It's a shame that because of bad designs, controls, and graphics, the potential was never realized." [20] GamePro said that the game was "too annoying for novice gamers and just not entertaining for experts." [23] [lower-alpha 2]
GameRevolution listed Psybadek as eighth on their list of the 50 Worst Game Names Ever. [24]
Wipeout is a series of futuristic anti-gravity racing video games developed by Studio Liverpool.
Wipeout 2097 is a racing video game developed and published by Psygnosis. It is the second installment released in the Wipeout series and the direct sequel of the original game released the previous year. It was originally released in 1996 for the PlayStation, and in 1997 for Microsoft Windows and the Sega Saturn. It was later ported by Digital Images to the Amiga in 1999 and by Coderus to Mac OS in 2002.
Fighting Force is a 1997 3D beat 'em up developed by Core Design and published by Eidos. It was released for PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, and Nintendo 64 on 15 October 1997. Announced shortly after Core became a star developer through the critical and commercial success of Tomb Raider, Fighting Force was highly anticipated but met with mixed reviews.
Formula 1 98 is a racing video game developed by Visual Science and published by Psygnosis exclusively for PlayStation. It is the sequel to the 1997 video game Formula 1 97 and was based on the 1998 Formula One World Championship.
Formula One 99 is a racing video game developed by Studio 33 and published by Psygnosis for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows. It is the sequel to the 1998 video game Formula 1 98 and was based on the 1999 Formula One World Championship.
TrickStyle is a futuristic racing video game developed by Criterion Games and published by Acclaim Entertainment for the Dreamcast and Microsoft Windows. Set in the future, the player takes part in stunt-filled hoverboard races through London, Tokyo, and Manhattan, or inside a massive arena called the Velodrome. AirBlade by Criterion and Namco is a spiritual successor. The game received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its graphics and physics, but criticized its gameplay, animations and sound.
O.D.T. is a 1998 action-adventure video game developed by FDI and published by Psygnosis for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows.
Rollcage is a racing video game developed by Attention to Detail and published by Psygnosis for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation. A sequel, Rollcage Stage II, was released in 2000 for PlayStation and Windows.
Overboard! is a top-down adventure game, released by Psygnosis for the PlayStation and Microsoft Windows in October 1997. It employs a light-hearted, all-ages piratical theme. A relatively low-key release for Psygnosis, the game was met with mixed reviews.
Rogue Trip: Vacation 2012, also known as Rogue Trip, is a vehicular combat video game developed by SingleTrac and published by GT Interactive for the PlayStation in 1998. The game is set in an apocalyptic fiction alternative history version of the year 2012 where mercenaries fight against each other using vehicles, and various weapons as they pick up tourists, hitchhikers, and passengers paying them fares for bringing them to vacation destinations around the remnants of the destroyed United States, and these mercenaries call themselves "auto mercenaries".
Rascal is a platform game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Psygnosis for the PlayStation. The main character and several enemies were designed by Jim Henson's Creature Shop.
Batman & Robin is an action-adventure video game for the PlayStation based on DC Comics character Batman, and the 1997 film Batman & Robin. It was developed by Probe Entertainment and published by Acclaim Entertainment in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics. It is a sequel to Batman Forever, which was based on the 1995 film Batman Forever.
Colony Wars: Red Sun is a space combat simulator video game for the PlayStation developed by Psygnosis and published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Midway Games in 2000. It is a sequel to Colony Wars in 1997 and Colony Wars: Vengeance in 1998. Instead of being a starfighter pilot for the League of Free Worlds or the Colonial Navy, the player now assumes the role of a civilian miner-turned-mercenary.
Thunder Truck Rally is a monster truck racing video game developed by Reflections and published by Psygnosis where players select a monster truck or otherwise 4X4 vehicle equipped with monster truck tires and have the option of either racing or crushing cars in an arena.
Sentient is a first-person adventure developed by Psygnosis and released on the PlayStation and PC (DOS/Windows) in April 1997.
Lifeforce Tenka is a first-person shooter for PC and PlayStation released in 1997 by Psygnosis. It is also known as just "Tenka" in some other forms of release.
Shadow Master is a video game developed by HammerHead and published by Psygnosis for the PlayStation and Microsoft Windows. It is a first-person shooter in which the player character rides in an armed vehicle. It met with predominantly negative reviews which praised its visuals but criticized it for clunky controls and poorly designed, frustrating gameplay.
Newman/Haas Racing is a racing video game developed by Studio 33 and published by Psygnosis for the PlayStation and Windows in 1998. It has been described as similar to Psygnosis's Formula One series.
Eliminator is a shooter game developed by Magenta Software and published by Psygnosis for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows in 1998–1999.