Psybadek

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.

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

Plot

The evil Krakken has appeared and causes a rampage at the local "hoverdek" park, where "dekkers" Xako, Mia, and their friends practice their skills. 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.

Gameplay

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]

Development

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]

Reception

Next Generation reviewed the PlayStation version of the game, rating it one star out of five, and stated that "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 design, controls, and graphics, the potential was never realized."[12]

Gamer Revolution listed Psybadek as eighth on their "The 50 Worst Game Names of All Time" [13]

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References
  1. Nelson, Randy (September 3, 1998). "Psybadek's Designer Speaks". IGN. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  2. vgmdb. "Psybadek - Les musiques du jeu".
  3. Psygnosis staff (November 17, 1998). "Ride High in Psybadek From Psygnosis; The Latest 3D Platformer Provides Hover-dekkin' Action for Boarders Who Prefer to Remain Indoors". Business Wire. Berkshire Hathaway. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  4. Playstation Plus UK Volume 2 Issue 09. June 1997. p. 9.
  5. Semrad, Ed (August 1997). "Psygnosis". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 97. Ziff Davis. p. 83.
  6. "NG Alphas: Psybadek". Next Generation. No. 33. Imagine Media. September 1997. pp. 74–75.
  7. GameSpot staff (March 2, 1998). "Colony Wars 2 Shown by Psygnosis". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  8. IGN staff (May 30, 1997). "Decked Out". IGN. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  9. IGN staff (January 27, 1998). "Psybadek Back on "Trak"". IGN. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  10. IGN staff (January 28, 1998). "Psybadek Gets Pumped Up". IGN. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
  11. Microsoft staff (June 19, 1997). "Psygnosis Uses Softimage to Create Hot New Games Lineup". PR Newswire. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  12. "Finals". Next Generation. No. 49. Imagine Media. January 1999. p. 106.
  13. "The 50 Worst Video Game Names Of All Time". Gamerevolution.com. Accessed October 8, 2007
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