Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow (PSP)
- Publisher:
- SCEA
- Developer:
- Slant Six
- Release Date:
- 02.10.2007
- Number of players:
- n/a
- Type:
- Action Adventure
- Reality Factor:
- Science Fiction
- Age:
- Futuristic
We play Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow...
With Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror, Sony Bend was set on showing everybody just what the PSP was capable of. Excellent graphics, a gripping story line and a surprisingly deep and fully featured multiplayer were just some of the features Dark Mirror had on display, and thus the game was widely praised. Just over a year later, we’ve got the sequel and it’s every bit as lovely as the first - if not better.
Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow is another run and gun adventure for the veteran agent Gabe Logan. In fact, the story in this latest entry was penned by Greg Rucka, who some of you may know is the author of the Queen & Country series of comic books and novels. Gabe and his team are called in to take on yet another terrorist organization, but things quickly go pear-shaped when it’s discovered that the group in question holds technology wanted by not only the United States, but Russia and China as well. Not only that, but Logan’s partner Lian Xing is accused of being a double agent which causes the Agency to be closed. It’s a surprisingly good narrative for a video game, full of twists and turns; certainly one that players will want to see through.
What’s a good story without gameplay to back it up? Fortunately, Logan’s Shadow doesn’t drift too far from its predecessor, opting for enhancement over reinvention. The control method is just as tight as ever, with the developer again opting to put movement on the analogue stick, and using the face buttons for camera movement. PSP shooters tend to be a little imprecise due to the fiddly analogue nub, but this substitute, while a little stiff at first, works wonders.
Of course, Gabe does have a bunch of new abilities at his disposal. He can now blind fire around corners and over cover to force enemies back, and also grab his enemies and use them as human shields. A few new weapons have also been added to Gabe’s arsenal; grenade launchers, sticky mines, smoke grenades and flash bangs should help to further your anti-terrorism activities.
Not everything new in the game is particularly grand however. The underwater sections in the game require an incredible amount of patience at first, and players have to adapt to the tricky control method quite quickly, as entire stages are set underwater. Being able to stick one of those terrorists with a spear gun is kind of worth it, though. The other drawback is that Sony Bend has hopped on the quick time event bandwagon, adding unnecessary button pressing into its cinematics.
Still, minor squibbles aside, Logan’s Shadow does provide some incredible action. It retains the action/stealth gameplay of its predecessors; the game lets you fight your way out when you make mistakes when attempting to be stealthy, which is kind of a relaxing break from some of the stricter stealth titles on the market. Gabe is seldom alone in this game, however, with players often having support units at their disposal, which gives the title something of a more team-oriented feel. While commands over your NPC allies are basic, it’s still pretty cool working in tandem, particularly when they’re controlling a tank or helicopter. The AI hasn’t seen much work in the sequel, but they still put up a substantial fight.
Once the solo part of the game has run its course, players can delve into the game’s rather meaty multiplayer section. The three of the game modes (Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Rogue Agent) from Dark Mirror’s multiplayer have been retained, and two new modes have been added. Retrieval is a pretty typical Capture the Flag clone, with players charged with the task of fetching a particular item and returning it to their base. Sabotage replaces Dark Mirror’s objective mode and has one team of players attempting to complete a series of tasks (such as trying to launch a warhead) while the other team stops them. Seven maps have been provided, with some favorites returning from Dark Mirror, although with a bit of tweaking for new abilities and such.
Sony Bend has put a lot of effort into correcting issues with balancing and spawn-camping based on user feedback. Higher ranked soldiers are now assigned to teams at the game’s discretion to avoid lopsided encounters. Player spawn points are cycled too, with the option for manual or auto spawning available. Clan support has also been added for those wishing to form teams for ad-hoc or infrastructure play. The game’s netcode is very solid, even with all eight player slots filled.
Dark Mirror was one of the most impressive looking PSP games to date, and Logan’s Shadow improves on it by cleaning up the HUD and adding extra detail to level environments. The detail of the game’s character models is particularly good for the PSP hardware, and the animation is certainly top shelf quality. The frame rate is also remarkably solid, even when the action heats up. Logan’s Shadow encompasses a high quality aural experience as well – headphones are highly recommended for the game’s chilling musical score. The music really ramps up during action sequences, which gets the blood pumping and the bullets flying. Sound effects are excellent as always, and the voice acting is superb.
Logan’s Mirror had pretty big shoes to fill, but Sony Bend has managed to deliver a game that exceeds its predecessor in every way. It’s not without fault; the underwater bits are annoying, quick time events are unnecessary, and the control takes a little bit of getting used to. If you can forgive these few shortcomings, then you’ll be treated to one of the finest experiences on the PSP.
Top Game Moment: Going underwater and using the spear gun on unsuspecting divers. Terrorists aren’t the best source of Omega-3, though.
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| Gabe celebrates Guy Fawkes Day on the terrorist’s ship | Dwarf Tossing is not acceptable Agency protocol |
Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow is another run and gun adventure for the veteran agent Gabe Logan. In fact, the story in this latest entry was penned by Greg Rucka, who some of you may know is the author of the Queen & Country series of comic books and novels. Gabe and his team are called in to take on yet another terrorist organization, but things quickly go pear-shaped when it’s discovered that the group in question holds technology wanted by not only the United States, but Russia and China as well. Not only that, but Logan’s partner Lian Xing is accused of being a double agent which causes the Agency to be closed. It’s a surprisingly good narrative for a video game, full of twists and turns; certainly one that players will want to see through.
What’s a good story without gameplay to back it up? Fortunately, Logan’s Shadow doesn’t drift too far from its predecessor, opting for enhancement over reinvention. The control method is just as tight as ever, with the developer again opting to put movement on the analogue stick, and using the face buttons for camera movement. PSP shooters tend to be a little imprecise due to the fiddly analogue nub, but this substitute, while a little stiff at first, works wonders.
Of course, Gabe does have a bunch of new abilities at his disposal. He can now blind fire around corners and over cover to force enemies back, and also grab his enemies and use them as human shields. A few new weapons have also been added to Gabe’s arsenal; grenade launchers, sticky mines, smoke grenades and flash bangs should help to further your anti-terrorism activities.
 |
 |
|
| The terrorists have hijacked Steamboat Willie! | No accusations, just friendly crustaceans |
Not everything new in the game is particularly grand however. The underwater sections in the game require an incredible amount of patience at first, and players have to adapt to the tricky control method quite quickly, as entire stages are set underwater. Being able to stick one of those terrorists with a spear gun is kind of worth it, though. The other drawback is that Sony Bend has hopped on the quick time event bandwagon, adding unnecessary button pressing into its cinematics.
Still, minor squibbles aside, Logan’s Shadow does provide some incredible action. It retains the action/stealth gameplay of its predecessors; the game lets you fight your way out when you make mistakes when attempting to be stealthy, which is kind of a relaxing break from some of the stricter stealth titles on the market. Gabe is seldom alone in this game, however, with players often having support units at their disposal, which gives the title something of a more team-oriented feel. While commands over your NPC allies are basic, it’s still pretty cool working in tandem, particularly when they’re controlling a tank or helicopter. The AI hasn’t seen much work in the sequel, but they still put up a substantial fight.
Once the solo part of the game has run its course, players can delve into the game’s rather meaty multiplayer section. The three of the game modes (Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Rogue Agent) from Dark Mirror’s multiplayer have been retained, and two new modes have been added. Retrieval is a pretty typical Capture the Flag clone, with players charged with the task of fetching a particular item and returning it to their base. Sabotage replaces Dark Mirror’s objective mode and has one team of players attempting to complete a series of tasks (such as trying to launch a warhead) while the other team stops them. Seven maps have been provided, with some favorites returning from Dark Mirror, although with a bit of tweaking for new abilities and such.
Sony Bend has put a lot of effort into correcting issues with balancing and spawn-camping based on user feedback. Higher ranked soldiers are now assigned to teams at the game’s discretion to avoid lopsided encounters. Player spawn points are cycled too, with the option for manual or auto spawning available. Clan support has also been added for those wishing to form teams for ad-hoc or infrastructure play. The game’s netcode is very solid, even with all eight player slots filled.
Dark Mirror was one of the most impressive looking PSP games to date, and Logan’s Shadow improves on it by cleaning up the HUD and adding extra detail to level environments. The detail of the game’s character models is particularly good for the PSP hardware, and the animation is certainly top shelf quality. The frame rate is also remarkably solid, even when the action heats up. Logan’s Shadow encompasses a high quality aural experience as well – headphones are highly recommended for the game’s chilling musical score. The music really ramps up during action sequences, which gets the blood pumping and the bullets flying. Sound effects are excellent as always, and the voice acting is superb.
 |
 |
|
| Got marshmallows? | How romantic |
Logan’s Mirror had pretty big shoes to fill, but Sony Bend has managed to deliver a game that exceeds its predecessor in every way. It’s not without fault; the underwater bits are annoying, quick time events are unnecessary, and the control takes a little bit of getting used to. If you can forgive these few shortcomings, then you’ll be treated to one of the finest experiences on the PSP.
Top Game Moment: Going underwater and using the spear gun on unsuspecting divers. Terrorists aren’t the best source of Omega-3, though.
