Syphon Filter: The Rabid Monkey review

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Syphon Filter

So lemme get this straight....the name of an espionage game is "Syphon Filter". So...its SUCKS and STRAINS? Wow, I'm impressed. Seriously though, SF is 989 Studios redemption for TM3. SF is an action espionage game that bears absolutely no resemblance to Metal Gear Solid, even though they are being unfairly compared. This game is more about the better things in life, namely pure unadulterated violence.

GRAPHICS Woah, I'm now a graphics whore! This game is graphicly stunning! The first thing you will notice are the bright environments. Gone are the tri toned backgrounds of MGS. Here to stay are bright well lit streets, dark brooding subways, and maze like museums. These backgrounds rock! Plus they are interactive, so you can blow out lights, pump cars full of lead, and riddle the walls with bullets. The light sourcing is amazing, almost on the level of Thief, for the PC. Blow out the lights, and a set area will get darker, allowing you to sneak up behind the enemy for the sweet head shot. Mmmmmmm. The enemies themselves vary from one level to another, but they all go down real good. The skins are excellent too. If you hit someone in the arm, a big red blothc goes up on their arm. For a head shot,....well...it ain't pretty. There are also over 12 weapons in the game, each acting differently, and controlling differently. The only complaint that I have with the graphics is that the fires look a little pixelly, but who really gives a damn!

SOUND

The sound in SF is very high quality, and works extremely well. Each gun has a different sound and report, and you can tell what weapon the enemy has based on the sound. This is really far more helpful than it sounds. And I swear that I can hear the bullets hitting the enemy, but this may be just me. The only gripe I have is that I wished I could hear the enemies footsteps better, like in Thief. And the background noises and music are great too.

CONTROL

FINALLY! Someone made a third person game with the right control. Game control is standard analog fare, with Gabe jumping, ducking, rolling, etc. But the true gem is the aiming. There are three different aiming modes: straight shooting, target lock, and manul first person mode. The first person mode is what truly elevates this game above MGS. It is so easy to kill in FPS mode, as you can duck and lean around corners to get the perfect shot. Its just too good to be true. Plus the auto aim means that you will never lose the bad guy due to camera positioning, which is a huge plus. And the dual shock feature works great with this title. Just wait till someone unleahes a full clip from a G-18 into yer sorry ass, then try and hang onto the controller. It really shakes around. Too bad it doesn't vibrate enough as you shoot your gun. That would have been perfect.

GAMEPLAY

In my opinion, this area is where SF makes MGS its bitch. The reason? There is so much variety in the missions. The first four levels have you diffusing bombs, dodging subways while hunting someone, taking out terrorists with a sniper rifle while not being detected, stalking a man undetected and underarmed through a museum, and shooting guns out of peoples hands since you need them alive. There is far more variety than in MGS. Plus, the environments are more varied, so you aren't just stuck in drab Alaska. It is just more action! I know that I'll catch a ton of crap for this, but Syphon Filter truly is the on the level if MGS. It may not beat it in terms of story or acting, but who cares? If you want graphics, action, gameplay, and the satisfaction of taking off someones head with a full clip from an HK MP5, then come on in! If MGS is a James Bond movie, then Syphon Filter is a John Woo Hong Kong style action flick. Both excel in their own areas, and both are worth playing.And thats the bottom line!

GRAPHICS: 10/10

SOUND: 10/10

CONTROL: 10/10

GAMEPLAY: 10/10

OVERALL: 11/10

Yep, it really IS more than the sum of its parts!

-Madgrad

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