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Psychosis

TurboGrafx-16

TurboGrafx-16

This is a side-scrolling shooter played in a world created from the mind of a twisted demon. Your soul has suddenly wandered into that evil world that exists in every person's heart. The only way out is to blast your way past the grotesque creatures that block your path in five "causes" (stages)....

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Developer
Dual

Released on
1990

Size
1 Player

Version
TurboGrafx-16

Requirements
NEC TurboGrafx-16

Downloads
Shooter

Publisher
Naxat Soft

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

This is a side-scrolling shooter played in a world created from the mind of a twisted demon. Your soul has suddenly wandered into that evil world that exists in every person’s heart. The only way out is to blast your way past the grotesque creatures that block your path in five “causes” (stages). You must face the dangers of this psychedelic world by making full use of three shot types and the satellite option. With power-ups, you can change your shots to a wide-coverage beam, a satellite-generated laser and more. Each shot type can be powered up to three levels. You can also block enemy fire by rotating the satellites to a desired position. How you use these features will be the key to successfully escaping this strange and surreal world

Psychosis

Overview & History

Released by Naxat Soft in 1991 for the TurboGrafx-16 (and originally as *CD Maniax* in Japan), Psychosis is a surreal, dark-fantasy horizontal scrolling shoot 'em up that stands apart from standard sci-fi space shooters. The storyline plunges players into the troubled, dreamlike subconscious of a protagonist who must navigate bizarre, fleshy landscapes and surrealist nightmares to reclaim his stolen sanity. Unlike its contemporaries, the game swaps out metallic starships for a winged, robed sorcerer-like avatar battling biological horrors, floating eyeballs, and grotesque skeletal machinery. Its distinct art direction and haunting soundtrack by Keishi Yonao give the title an eerie, memorable identity within the platform's library.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The gameplay centers on aggressive horizontal shooting across six uniquely twisted stages. As players collect glowing orbs, they can cycle through three distinct magical formations: the spread shot, the piercing laser, and the homing fireballs. A crucial mechanic is the acquisition and positioning of floating "Option" familiars that shield the player and multiply firepower. Unlike many shmup sub-genres, timing your weapon switching to match incoming enemy types—such as armored biological clusters versus agile flying swarms—is paramount to survival. The difficulty is notoriously punishing, demanding precise memorization of enemy spawn points and boss attack patterns.