Syphon Filter 3 is another great success on the PlayStation. It may not offer original material relatively to the preceding games of the series, but it is an immortal episode.

Syphon Filter 3 is the direct sequel of the previous episode. Gabe and his partners are summoned before a Congressional hearing in order to respond to accusations of conspiracy. Each character thus comes to tell how they were first involved with the Syphon Filter affair. This formula brings us to relive son events previous to the first Syphon Filter throughout many flashbacks, with missions from the present time inserted in between. This formula will especially pleaser the fans of the series that will thus be able to learn a lot about the conspiracy roots and the creation of the virus. This time you will have to opportunity to play as one of the four main characters, e.i. Gabe Logan, Lian Xing, Lawrence Mujari and Teresa Lipan.

The story-line will have the player travel through a phenomenal diversity of exotic locations. Throughout the nineteen missions of the game, you will go from Tokyo to Ireland, and from Afghanisatn to the Australian outback. Each environment is as always rich and living, each one having is own atmosphere.

You will again have at your disposal a range of weapons and gadgets among the most sophisticated. Unfortunately, some of them are so powerful that their use make some parts of the game feel too easy. This is notably the case of the Falcon, a pistol that maches the Shotgun in terms of firepower. Other weapons are practically impossible to find during the whole game and and you will use them once, maybe twice.

The graphic level is still the same, which is a little disapointing, and this lack of evolution makes itself felt three years after the relase of the first Syphon Filter. Nonetheless, this does not take away any of the quality of the game which does rely on more than just the visuals, and which is as enjoyable as some of the first titles of the PS2. This is even maybe a good thing that the graphics have not changed, because this creates a sense of unity between the three games that thus feel better like one great story made out of three episodes. As for them, the graphics of the video sequences have greatly improved, to the detriment of the motion fluidity that are not as smooth as they were before during cinematics.

The interaction with the environment is still as efficient. Moreoever, you will regurlarly come accross civilians during urban missions, like it is the case in the first mission that is set in a hotel. This obviously increases in a significant way the level of realism.

As for the music, Syphon Filter 3 has called upon a new composer, Chris Stevens. Chuck Doud, former composer for SF and SF2, is still around as the musical director. Whatsoever, the changes is smooth and, despite a personal style, Stevens upholds to the level of excellency of the soundtrack. Each mission has a caracteristic atmosphere underlines by the music. The sound quality is still as high as in previous episodes, with convincing dialogs and eloquent ambiant sound effects.

Syphon Filter 3, as SF2, offers a multiplayer more where two players can fight one on one. However, the firepower of some weapons is here a factor that takes away some of the fun, because the fights tend too often to go one way only. On the other hand, this third episode pushes back to limits of playability by also offering a new mode called Mini-games, which consists in a series of one-objective short missions. This goes from eliminate all enemies to stealth a briefcase or shot a number of targets. With five mission types, each one having five level of difficulty, played on around ten arenas, that goes for a total of 250 mini-games! Furthermore, you will have to stand up to a few challenges in One Player mode in order to unlock arenas and secret characters for both secondary modes.

In conclusion, Syphon Filter 3 will especially appeal to fans of the series who will find again the same fun that they had discovering the first two episodes. Syphon Filter 3 ends with brio this amazing series on the first PlayStation console.

Gabe Logan

Last update: 2008-02-17