The digital delights of Sony’s scrumptious PlayStation Network service know no bounds. Aside from letting punters compete in online gaming, stream films, browse the Internet and more, its premier attraction rests in the copious supply of downloadable games ripe for the picking. From PSN exclusives to PSOne Classics, minis and plain old add-on content, Sony’s online space is chock full of goodies battling it out for your hard-earned digital dollars.
Welcome back to another installment of Inside PlayStation Network, where every Monday – Friday we’ll pluck a PSN release—be it new or old—and put it in the spotlight for a thorough dissection. Fancy getting a new PSN game but don’t know what one to plump for? Perhaps this feature will help. Didn’t realize that a game was available in your region until now? We’ve got you covered. Or, perhaps you were musing over what those lucky Japanese folk were tucking into over in the Land of the Rising Sun? You can be sure our coverage will extend to those rare regional exclusives as much as those firmly embedded on the public consciousness.
Today, we focus on stealth-em-up Syphon Filter.
——————-
Developer: Eidetic
Region(s) available: North America
Players: 1
Syphon Filter may have conceded the stealth crown to Konami’s Metal Gear Solid franchise some time ago, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored in favour of Solid Snake’s acclaimed adventure. Eidetic’s celebrated sneak-em-up stands shoulder to shoulder with the very best that Sony’s original console has to offer, and as such deserves a place in anyone’s collection. In case you were one of those who passed up this classic back in the day, Sony’s now made it available on PSN so you can plonk down the cash and see what all the fuss is about.
Syphon Filter places you in the shoes of Agency member Gabe Logan, who is dispatched to apprehend the nefarious individual behind a series of viral outbreaks across Third World countries. The game adopts the familiar behind-the-back perspective seen in many adventure games of the day, with Logan able to zoom into a first-person view for sniping baddies. Aiming mode also lets you engage in bread-and-butter techniques such as ducking behind cover and popping out for a quick shot.
Get spotted however, and Syphon Filter employs a danger meter that appears on-screen and increases or decreases depending on how close an enemy is to locking on to you. Similarly, a dedicated meter will also crop up when utilizing auto-targeting; when it’s full, Logan’s shot is guaranteed to hit its mark. Conversely, when the meter is low it means you won’t have a hope in hell of hitting your target. Logan also has a few other tricks up his sleeves, including an evasive roll, and can also crouch-walk to facilitate his chances of slipping by enemy positions unnoticed.
Mission wise Syphon Filter likes to mix things up, with objectives ranging from capping bad guys off, protecting a bomb squad, to tailing an assailant through a museum. Combat is still the meat-and-potatoes of the action though, with head shots being the most effective means of neutralizing your enemies. Furthermore, the game packs an impressive weapons line-up, ranging from silenced pistols and grenade launchers to rifles and machine-guns. Ammo is limited though, so you’ll have to conserve it where necessary – either that, or end up zapping foes with your taser.
Foes are fairly competent in their attempts to take you down, and will frequently use cover where possible and chuck grenades in your direction to flush you out. And, while they aren’t the best of shots, their numbers are plentiful enough to keep you on your toes, plus latter stages will pit Logan against gun-toting goons equipped with flak-jackets. Furthermore, the hit animations, though obviously bogged down by the passing of time, are still fairly impressive with foes reacting appropriately depending where you shoot them. The game’s aural component isn’t too shabby either, with a stonking score and some decent voice acting making for quite the cinematic experience.
Tune in again same time tomorrow as we once again go gallivanting around Inside PlayStation Network.