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Sandwiched between the 1998 and 2002 releases of Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell, respectively, was the oft-forgotten Syphon Filter that hit the original PlayStation in 1999. Each title contributed building blocks to the stealth-action genre. Metal Gear Solid with its innovative storytelling and mechanics set a perfect cadence. Splinter Cell’s masterful use of shadows and immersive gameplay laid new ground. Syphon Filter left its own mark on so-called sneak 'em ups, leaning heavily towards the genre’s action-oriented qualities while tackling then-contemporary subjects such as bioweapons and shadowy terrorist cells.

Many remember the PlayStation franchise’s first three entries as bonafide classics, yet the fourth release—The Omega Strain—ventured too far from its roots. Dismal reviews and a subpar commercial showing for The Omega Strain brought Syphon Filter’s momentum to a sudden stop. Not even the acclaimed PSP installments could restore the series' former glory.

The property, consequently, lay dormant for nearly 15 years before a ray of hope shined on future prospects for protagonist Gabe Logan and The Agency under which he conducted covert operations. That hope manifested via Days Gone, an open-world zombie game that deftly tied the former’s outbreak to the programmable virus that PlayStation players tried repressing in years past.

A questionably-managed day one release and reportedly missed sales targets shifted Days Gone to the sidelines, once more calling Syphon Filter’s future into question. Given that key creative forces have since departed developer Bend Studio, it would appear Syphon Filter’s long-standing status as little more than a PlayStation classic won’t be remedied anytime soon.

This is the rise and fall of Syphon Filter.

 

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[adamsapple]

Video is unavailable.

Whoops, fixing now. Gaf YT embed doesn't like it if the video url pasted also includes the 'watch list' tags at the end.

 

[clarky]

Syphon Filter was awesome.

 

[adamsapple]

What a damn fucking unlucky coincidence for the developers that 2 of their mainline releases suffered because of their close proximity to real world tragedies.

 

[Infested Goblin]

Good times when whole trilogy was realased during one generation

 

[Humdinger]

I really enjoyed the first three games, 20 years ago. They were the first console shooters I ever played. I never played the other games in the series. Shame they ran out of gas.

I've tried to go back and play them, but the control scheme just feels too awkward for me now. Good memories, though.

 

[March Climber]

Syphon Filter was awesome.

I look at it like Tomb Raider. A lot of people celebrate and reminisce over the first 3 PS1 games to the point where they are put on a pedestal.

A dip in interest and quality happens afterwards, and not many people discuss the games that came out after the initial 3.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

Something was lost when Benz was tasked with being a PSP-centric studio. Perhaps it was just a visibility issue, but it also felt like the franchise stopped growing at that point in time.

All I can recall is hating the PS2 games and loving everything else.

 

[diffusionx]

The PSP games are really good and still worth playing today. Lots of variety in the missions and fun. I think they have PS2 ports.

 

[Pelao]

Syphon Filter 1, one of my favorite PS1 games, second only to Metal Gear Solid.
I like the PSP games, but Gabe deserved a better ending.

 

[clarky]

I look at it like Tomb Raider. A lot of people celebrate and reminisce over the first 3 PS1 games to the point where they are put on a pedestal.

A dip in interest and quality happens afterwards, and not many people discuss the games that came out after the initial 3.

I still have 1-3 in the loft with the OG PS1.

This series in particular would be great as a reboot/remake.

 

[clarky]

I really enjoyed the first three games, 20 years ago. They were the first console shooters I ever played. I never played the other games in the series. Shame they ran out of gas.

I've tried to go back and play them, but the control scheme just feels too awkward for me now. Good memories, though.

Yeah they have not aged well. Love to see them updated as per my post above.

 

[adamsapple]

The PSP games are really good and still worth playing today. Lots of variety in the missions and fun. I think they have PS2 ports.

They do, with much better controls (right analog stick) for camera stuff. That's how I preferred playing those way back in the day.

 

[March Climber]

I still have 1-3 in the loft with the OG PS1.

This series in particular would be great as a reboot/remake.

The crazy thing is that there is a rather large opening for a big budget spy thriller video game, since no one else is really doing it right now.

007 is currently in hibernation, MGS has been put on indefinite hold(aside from one remake), Perfect Dark is still in the shadows, and Splinter Cell is on life support. There's currently nothing standing in anyone's way.

 

[clarky]

The crazy thing is that there is a rather large opening for a big budget spy thriller video game, since no one else is really doing it right now.

007 is currently in hibernation, MGS has been put on indefinite hold(aside from one remake), Perfect Dark is still in the shadows, and Splinter Cell is on life support. There's currently nothing standing in anyone's way.

Hopefully we see something of Perfect Dark this summer.

(Who am I kidding lol).

 

[March Climber]

Hopefully we see something of Perfect Dark this summer.

(Who am I kidding lol).

If Perfect Dark comes out this year I’ll change my avatar to something PD-themed to celebrate.

 

[clarky]

If Perfect Dark comes out this year I’ll change my avatar to something PD-themed to celebrate.

Just hoping to see anything at all to be honest, I think its time. What's it been 5-6 years??

 

[March Climber]

Just hoping to see anything at all to be honest, I think its time. What's it been 5-6 years??

Since announcement, yes, but their clock had a soft-reset due to internal development issues with the studio. I actually don’t know how long for sure they have been developing the title.

Worse case scenario, it’s another FFXV situation where people will be saying ‘10 years’ but it actually ends up being 2-3 years with scraps and a cleanup job.

I still can’t fathom how that game is anyone’s favorite FF when it feels like it was put together with glue and staples, from gameplay to level design to plot lol.