Official Website

Platform: PSP

Genre: Action

Number of Players: 1, WiFi Multiplayer – up to 6 players via Ad Hoc & 8 via Infrastructure Mode
 

I know there are a lot of people who have been a little upset that one of their favorite steal/action games, Metal Gear Solid, underwent a few changes when it came over to the PSP. Instead of getting the same gameplay they were used to, fans got a turn-based card game instead, and while it was fine for some, others have craved the action of the series, the joy of sneaking around, and there just hasn’t been anything that has come close. That is all about to change however, and Sony is offering the return of a series that has a very loyal fan base, but still hasn’t quite caught on with a few gamers, but that might very well change.

Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror marks the first appearance of Gabe Logan on the PSP, and if action and stealth are what you’ve been craving, this might be just the cure-all that you’ve been keeping your fingers crossed for. There were some long time fans of the series that were a bit disappointed with The Omega Strain (Gabe’s last PS2 outing) but if you have lingering doubts, I can assure you that this is the Syphon Filter that you all remembered fondly. Gabe is once again faced with a deadly threat. A mysterious project known only as Dark Mirror is facing and equally enigmatic terrorist cell called Red Section. What Logan and his team begin to uncover is that Dark Mirror is a new and deadly virus that might very well overshadow the Syphon Filer virus in terms of its potential, and now with the lives of everyone close to him on the line, Logan and the team must find out who is really behind this project before it’s too late.

The first plaguing question: can Syphon Filter make the transition from console to portable system? As a matter of fact, yes it can, and even minus a few buttons and analog stick, it’s quite a smooth change over. Just because you may have played Syphon Filter in the past however, don’t just assume that you’re ready to jump right into action. It’s a very good idea to start with training, and here Gabe will be given the rundown on how everything works, and each of the training missions also has objectives that, if completed, will unlock special features in the game. You will find this to be true throughout the course of Syphon Filter.

Once you have got the controls down fairly well, story mode will slowly to being what’s really going on, and this is where those stills will begin to come in very handy. The controls consist of using the analog stick to move and the buttons for your movement. At first, it can be a little tricky to grow used to, and the game isn’t quite as forgiving as what the training mode was, however they get easier to use, and for anyone who has played some of the first person shooters on the PSP, these really should be quite familiar.

The D-pad will actually be what you use to select items in the game. Pressing right will bring up accessories so to speak. Here you will find your IR (infrared), EDSU (Electronic Device Sensing Unit) and NV (Night Vision) goggles, all which will come in useful in your missions. Also, your flashlight and health packs are stored here. Hold right and then select what you’d like to equip (or remove) and it’s really that simple. Pressing left will bring up your current collection of weapons. Selecting and using those works the same way, but with weapons, you can also change the rate of fire on those which have the option available.

Logan has more moves however than simply running and firing. You can use the walls to sneak and peak around or hide behind boxes. You can crawl under things and in some instances you will see the Up arrow on the D-pad highlight. This will let you use items, open doors, or even grab things to add to your inventory. You even have melee combat, the ideal thing when you’re out of ammo or want to remain silent. There are also sections of the game that will allow you to issue commands to your team members, so overall, Gabe Logan has a number of things at his disposal to get the job done.

The job of course isn’t going to be easy. If you’re not sneaking around you’re dealing with terrorists that are going to try and stop you at any cost. If that’s not on the agenda, you may find yourself in a nasty boss fight, and on top of everything else, you’ll also be hunting for hidden evidence that will unlock bonus stages in the game. Luckily the stages do have checkpoints that can be reached, so failure doesn’t necessarily mean having to start over from the start. After completing missions in story mode, you can revisit them in mission mode to try and further perfect your skills.

Dark Mirror also offers players a chance to participate in multiplayer action. There is objective mode where two teams will be competing against one another to accomplish their mission. You also have deathmatch mode, but with multiple versions. You can have teams, a free for all, or one agent taking on everyone else. The online mode could use a few more games to be honest, but what is here isn’t too bad, and like many PSP titles, the option to connect with other players offers a great deal of fun and opportunity. In many ways some of this is reminiscent of SOCOM, and you’ll have a buddy list that you can maintain and there are even online rankings.

What is really impressive about Dark Mirror is how the game looks. I’ve actually played all of the games that have been released so far on both PlayStation systems, but the PSP version looks very much like the PS2 games. There also is a lot of dialog and some extremely well done cutscenes in the game, so even though this may be a smaller platform, playing Syphon Filter is just as great as ever, and in some ways, it may even be a little better in some regards.

There have been a lot of great action titles that have come out on the PSP since it was released, but Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror is definitely at the top of the list. Stealth and heavy action as well as a great story are what keeps this game moving like a juggernaut from the instant you start playing, and it’s not one that you’re going to be putting down any time soon.
 

-mike-