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The
PSP has been on the
UK
market for over a year now and, although there
have been some flashes of inspiration, there have not been any must
have titles. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is still
the best-selling PSP game, despite its subsequent port to
PlayStation2, which has lead many to think of the PSP as simply a
way to play games you already have portably, albeit with a worse
Control System. If the PSP wishes to catch the NintendoDS, which
currently outsells SONY’s portable in all major regions, it
will need its own must-have exclusives. Tekken:
Dark Resurrection could be considered a good start, with
many agreeing that it is easily the best Handheld 3D One-On-One
Beat-‘Em-Up released. With the PSP heavily marketed toward
action-hungry teen and twenty-something males, one genre that it
should do well in is the Third-Person Action game, however, the
omission of a second Analogue Stick has unfortunately crippled the
PSP in this regard, with many titles requiring more precise Camera
Control. Despite this, the PSP has been chosen as the platform of
choice for the newest iteration another trademark PlayStation
franchise, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror. Will the Control
Scheme be sufficient for a game traditionally placed with a system
with upwards of ten buttons?
Syphon
Filter: Dark Mirror is a Third-Person
Stealth/Action game in which the player once again steps into the
shoes of Gabe Logan, a secret agency type with a penchant for cheesy
one liners. Your character’s movement is controlled by the
Analogue Nub, while the Camera and aiming is undertaken via the Face
Buttons, whilst firing is governed by the R Trigger, similar to the
system used in Coded Arms. To help with the inaccuracy of
digital controls during run-and-gun style tactics, the L Trigger
allows players to Lock-On to enemies. However, both Gabe and his
foes can use cover, meaning that most players will find more
realistic tactics preferable. The Cover System is almost glitch
free, with Gabe able to use almost any flat surface as cover, and
animating realistically while firing. Due to the Face Buttons being
used for viewing, the D-Pad is used for most other actions. Up on
the D-Pad is a context sensitive action button which performs many
tasks, including pushing buttons, taking cover and reloading. Left
and Right allow the player access to the Visor and Weapon Modes
respectively, with the Face Buttons and Triggers confirming the
player’s choice. Down is used to crouch. Any other required
actions, such as telling allies to take cover etc. are covered by
Select. Although the Control System may sound fairly complicated,
which it is, it does work very well for the title and after a half
an hour’s play, will become almost second nature.
In-fact,
Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror is a lot better than expected on
many fronts. Enemy AI is way above average for the PSP, with foes
regularly using cover and occasionally throwing grenades to flush
the player out of hiding. This, together with the good cover scheme,
makes play more strategic and ultimately more engrossing than the
in-your-face style of many  Third-Person Shooters, even on the home
platforms. The variety of Vision Modes allows for some fairly
inventive puzzles and tactics. Alongside Night-Vision are Thermal
and EDSU Goggles. Thermal-Vision allows the player to see organic
targets through walls whereas the EDSU Goggles allow the player to
locate various electronic devices, including laser trip-bombs.
Alongside these, Gabe has access to an arsenal of different weapons,
with all the usual Action game gun types available. However, it is
Gabe’s Sniper Rifle that most gamers will find the most
interesting. As well as firing bullets, a variety of darts are
available; Gas, EDU and Explosive. Gas darts release clouds of
incapacitating vapours to take down groups of enemies silently; EDU
electrocutes a single enemy, whereas Explosive, well, explodes.
After firing, each dart’s ability is activates by the player,
allowing for some inventive tactics.
One
of Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror’s finer points is that its
story flows more like a polished Action film than simply filler. The
game is full of in game Cut-Scenes and FMV’s that flesh-out the
story and all are very slick; making the player actually interested
in what the outcome will be, as opposed to just finishing chapters
to see what the next big weapon is. These interludes, as well as the
generous amount of Checkpoints, keep the game going at a good pace
throughout.
Syphon
Filter: Dark Mirror is easily one of
the best looking titles on the PSP. In fact, the level of detail and
animation is above par for most PlayStation2 releases. The in game
Cut-Scenes are very nicely done using edgy directorial techniques
similar to those heavily used in 24: The Game and the like.  The FMV
sequences are also suitably over-the-top, and impressive. There are
very few glitches within the game and the presentation of the title
overall is inline with that of other AAA First Party releases. In
short, this game looks good.
The
weakest aspect of Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror is probably its
sound, but that’s not to say that it is particularly bad, just
that it is not quite up to the level of quality present throughout
the rest of the product. Although the story is well directed and the
Voice-Acting both plentiful and of decent quality, it has to be said
that a lot of the dialogue is very corny. However, if you approach
the game in the same way as a film featuring the King of Action B
Movies, Jean Claude Van Damme, you’ll find the script quite
amusing. The music is militaristic in nature and linked to the
action very well, further immersing the player in the experience.
However, the sound effects, aside from the credible radio chatter,
all seem a little tinny, with the guns not sounding anywhere near
beefy enough in the games many fire-fights.
Although
the Single-Player Story Mode is only around eight-hours long, the
longevity of the title is increased significantly through
Infrastructure and Ad-Hoc Multi-Player Modes similar to the ever
popular SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals, collectibles and a few
nostalgic Bonus Missions. Instead of unlocking the usual pointless 
Cut-Scenes and sound effects, the collectible Secret Documents
actually determine what weapons you can use in Multi-Player,
allowing dedicated players to show their superiority though
revisiting Missions and finding every last Secret Document.
With
its superb graphics, engrossing story, fully-functional Multi-Player
and excellent gameplay, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror is easily
the best game of its ilk on the PSP, and gives Tekken: Dark
Resurrection, Infected, Daxter and LocoRoco
a good run for best PSP game. In-fact, it’s probably one of the
best games in it’s genre to be released in the last year.
Admittedly, it is not for everybody, but anybody looking for a
portable, adult Action game can stop looking now, because Syphon
Filter: Dark Mirror is the benchmark for all other PSP Action
games to be judged.
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