Fine wine improves with age. Unfortunately, Sony
Computer Entertainment can’t hold the Syphon Filter Series to that
standard. Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain is an adequate attempt to
re-open Gabe Logan’s reformed agency (I.P.C.A.) for business, yes. But
with only the addition of a sub par cooperative peer-to-peer online feature, its
really just rehashing old mistakes from the franchise’s "signature" gameplay.
The Omega Strain
is the latest chapter of the
Syphon Filter storyline. Gabe Logan, counter-terrorism expert, is back
on a new mission to stop global terrorists and their new and deadly virus from
spreading throughout the world. But rather than seeing the game through
the eyes of Gabe, you’re the new recruit. Training and working with Gabe
Logan and other top operatives on this covert mission, you will gain awards,
upgrades of weapons and gadgets, and climb up the chain-of-command every
assignment you complete through 17 international environments.
You start off by creating your own character (optioning
gender, body type, name, and other features). For anyone familiar with
past console RPGs, you know that character creation is extremely limited and
almost not worth the time of trying to distinguish yourself from other players
online (we’ll get to the "online" part a little later). Single player
action starts out with basic training. Right off the bat, I felt as if I
was holding the controller with salad tongs. One action button allows you
to do everything from open doors to climbing over walls. The control
scheme may be useful to newcomers to 3rd person shooters, but definitely cramped
my style. Even the auto-targeting system didn’t quite meet my
expectations, sometimes aiming at enemies the camera couldn’t even pick up.
Aiming yourself enables you to accurately nail terrorists with a headshot (it
will actually tell you in words when you can do it) but it will be rare when you
don’t just use auto-aim. Enemy AI is ok, but it usually takes more than a
pistol to keep them from firing at you. You have a diversified arsenal at
your disposal, which continues to improve as you complete levels.
Levels contain one major objective and then a bunch of
secondary objectives not necessary to complete to win. Though the maps are
large in size, getting through levels is easy when you don’t dillydally on the
extras (but what’s the point of that?). What makes the level system nice is
that you can do them either through single player or online with other gamers
and it will still go toward the ultimate objective of beating the game.
Like most online console titles, you must choose a region
close to where you are located. In SOCOM, a lengthy list of regions
opens up the option to playing with people in close proximity and
internationally. When I was playing at 4 in the afternoon, The Omega
Strain offered an East and West Coast server with 3-4 open games on each
one. Simply put, the number of servers available is scarce in-game.
Before playing, arm yourself with the appropriate weapon and equipment. Four
people can play together, accomplishing objectives and taking out the enemy with
swift but tactical maneuvering. The levels go fast compared to single
player, as you have more people doing the same job of one person. I would
like to say that teamwork is a must, but there are always those players who run
off on their own to accomplish their own objectives. Using radio
communication is a must to keep your team together and ready for the next move.
However, unplugging your headset will become a norm when co-agents start singing
karaoke through it (and they do).
The graphics, keeping in mind it’s all running on the
PlayStation 2, isn’t too shabby. The environments are pretty detailed and
though character customization leaves something to be desired and the camera
system was messed up, Sony manages to pull through in this department without
many cuts or bruises. The music in this game is simply outstanding to this
reviewer. When a soundtrack gets you pumped up to playing even before you
touch the controller, that’s a sign the music guys did a nice job. The
sound effects, on the other hand, aren’t particularly impressive in terms of
gunfire and explosions but the voice acting is nicely performed.
Altogether, this is definitely not the hit we were all
looking for. It doesn’t raise the bar for online cooperative gameplay and
even the basic character movements made me shutter. Rent the game if you
have played the previous installments before and only buy the game if you
consider yourself to be a fan. Not even acceptable graphics, sound, and
storyline can make it worth the $49.99 price tag.
Gameplay: 6.4
Nothing is up to snuff gameplay wise. The controls are horrid, enemies
take a longer than usual time to die, and it just wasn’t much fun at all.
Graphics: 7.3
Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain has nicely done environments but
fairly cheap character customization and a problematic camera system.
Sound: 7.7
The music portrays the haunting tone of a secret anti-terrorism agency.
The character voicing came out nicely although not much can be said about the
sound effects.
Difficulty: Medium
Concept: 8
Another chapter in the compelling story of Gabe Logan? Though a
long-awaited title for gamers everywhere, its obvious this one went out of the
gate too soon.
Multiplayer: 6.5
In what should be the most innovative element to the game, Syphon
Filter: The Omega Strain makes a cheap attempt to broaden the gameplay and
console online play.
Overall: 6.7
Sounds pretty cool, huh? Viewers of the hit TV show,
24, will look to this game as a fully interactive answer to living the
life of a counter-terrorism agent. But what it offers in concept, it lacks
in some of the major key ingredients to a successful game that brings this
installment down.
