Circa 1998, 989 Studios had been pretty much a sports game developer. The games that weren't related to sports had often been mediocre products and it was easy to assume Syphon Filter would be no different. In fact, most were expecting it to wind up on the discount rack a month after release. Obviously fueled by ambition (due in part to mass critical and commercial panning), 989 Studios decided to take their time with Syphon Filter -- and it shows. It is an extraordinary title that excels above most in the genre.

What makes Syphon Filter so great is the amount of missions you are presented with. Taking a page from Electronic Arts' Strike series, each mission lays out several things for your character to accomplish. There is a wide variety of tasks -- some require you to take out the terrorist guarding a military installment and some have you destroying an enemy satellite link-up. At times, the mission will simply call for the killing of a large group of terrorists.

Always an important aspect in games like this, the controls handle amazingly. Every button on the control pad is used and actually has a purpose. Multiple button combinations perform special moves that become a prerequisite during the later levels. Additionally, the control scheme is well thought out and comfortable enough to allow for easy maneuvering.

Graphically, Syphon Filter simply shines despite the pixelation and some funky looking textures. You hardly notice these things when you're running from terrorists or dodging bullets because if you stopped, you'd probably get killed. As a whole, the graphics are very impressive and realistically modeled with 3D texturing. Speaking of the modeling, each character moves fluidly and convincingly. This, combined with some very impressive lighting effects, does wonders for the immersion factor.

Another big plus is the incredible audio experience. Depending on your location, sounds become either increasingly louder or quieter (if you're moving away from something). Everything makes a sound -- dying terrorists scream out in agony and the gunshots sound frighteningly real. New objectives are sent to you via radio contact and the dynamic music is perfect. It changes whenever something dramatic is happening -- if it is something sad, it becomes somber; if it is thrilling, it becomes ambient. This is truly excellent work on the sound developers' parts.

Sure, Syphon Filter can be compared to the Konami masterpiece Metal Gear Solid, but this comparison isn't exactly fair. 989 Studios has created a game that can stand on its own two feet and excels in its own right. It shouldn't be confined to live under the shadow of the aforementioned game because it is much more action-oriented in design. The bottom line is that Syphon Filter is an excellent slab of gaming goodness. ~ Joshua Romero, All Game Guide

These visuals are some of the best you'll ever see on the PlayStation. With its lighting effects and great looking textures and environments, the player is easily immersed in a realistic action world. ~ Joshua Romero, All Game Guide

The sound is simply amazing. With ambient and dynamic sound effects and music, it excels in the realm of creativity and greatness. If you have a home theatre system, I suggest cranking up the volume switch to experience Syphon Filter to its fullest. ~ Joshua Romero, All Game Guide

Because of the varying missions, wide plethora of enemies to shoot and great weaponry and gadgets to play with, it allows you to carry out your wildest spy fantasies. This is a very enjoyable game from start to finish. ~ Joshua Romero, All Game Guide

When you complete the game, there isn't much reason to come back. You could always try to go through it again and successfully complete each mission, but some of the fun will have been lost. ~ Joshua Romero, All Game Guide