Syphon Filter 2

Last updated
Syphon Filter 2
Syphon Filter 2 US Cover.jpg
Developer(s) Eidetic
Publisher(s) 989 Studios
Designer(s) Richard Ham
Programmer(s) Christopher Reese
Artist(s) John Garvin
Writer(s) John Garvin
Richard Ham
Composer(s) Chuck Doud
Series Syphon Filter
Platform(s) PlayStation
Release
  • NA: 14 March 2000 [1]
  • EU: 20 July 2000
Genre(s) Third-person shooter
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Syphon Filter 2 is a 2000 third-person shooter video game developed by Eidetic and published by 989 Studios for PlayStation. It is the second installment in the Syphon Filter franchise and a sequel to 1999's Syphon Filter . In 2022, it was added to the premium collection for PlayStation Plus. [2]

Contents

Gameplay

Syphon Filter 2 added multiplayer which features some characters to select from (including deceased characters from Syphon Filter), as well as new maps not found in single player mode.

Plot

Hours after the events of the first game, Gabriel Logan and Lian Xing are enemies of the state to the Agency after uncovering its connection to Syphon Filter, labeled as terrorists to the general public. Agency operative Dillon Morgan captures Lian at the PharCom warehouses, forcing Gabe and the CBDC soldiers to rendezvous with ex-Agency operative Teresa Lipan in Arizona. Simultaneously, the Agency scrambles a squadron of F-22 Raptors to intercept their transport over the Colorado Rockies, so Gabe and CBDC Lieutenant Jason Chance head down the mountain in search of their plane and a box of PharCom data disks. Agency operative Steven Archer attempts to stop them at all costs.

A group of conspirators, including Mara Aramov and Agency director Lyle Stevens, make a deal to deliver the virus to a rogue Chinese general named Shi-Hao. Meanwhile, Lian recovers in a U.S. Air Force base where Morgan, Derek Falkan, and Thomas Holman are working with Dr. Elsa Weissinger of PharCom to extract infected plasma from test subjects. Lian learns that the other subject was PharCom CEO Jonathan Phagan, who survived his gunshot wound long enough for the Agency to take the plasma. Weissinger protests that Phagan is useful and should be kept alive for further research, but Morgan, not intending that the U.S. government find Pharcom's CEO infected with an unknown virus, deactivates his life support, tying up a loose end.

Lian escapes the medical building and interrogates Holman to learn that Morgan is planning another operation to the PharCom Expo Center to find an encryption disk. She leaves the base in a helicopter after killing Falkan and teams up with Gabe to battle Archer's forces. Gabe shoots Archer during his escape, and recovers the PharCom data.

The protagonists follow Holman's lead to the Expo Center and kill Morgan before he can recover the disk he sought. After decrypting the PharCom data, Teresa realises that some information is missing. The other half must be with Russian SVR director Uri Gregorov, who appeared at the warehouses before Gabe left. Since Lian and Uri know each other, they agree to meet in Moscow.

Aramov instigates a gunfight while they meet and Lian pursues Gregorov. Lian later learns he is an impostor working for Mara and trying to find the other half of the data. The man admits that the real Gregorov is in a Russian gulag, Aljir Prison, which once held Lian captive. Gregorov uncovered a plot to sell the virus to Shi-Hao, so Aramov intervened. Lian stops Gregorov's execution, but is almost killed by the virus and collapses. Gabe takes her back to the States, while Gregorov promises to handle Shi-Hao.

Gabe and Teresa arrive back at the Virginia safehouse overseen by Lawrence Mujari, a freelance pathologist. They decide to trade the PharCom data to the Agency for Lian's vaccine. Director Stevens double-crosses Gabe in the Agency's New York City labs, but Logan escapes, downloads all of the Agency's information, and forces Dr. Weissinger to give him the vaccine. Gabe also finds out that Chance survived the mission in Colorado, and sets him free.

Pursued by NYPD SWAT cops and Agency personnel, Gabe hurries back to their helicopter. Along the way, Logan is forced to provide cover for a SWAT officer whose partner is wounded. He does so, but Stevens, who later takes the cop hostage, orders him to drop his weapons. Despite Logan complying in surrender, Stevens kills the officer anyway. Before he can get shot, Gabe is thrown into the sewers by an explosion that Teresa sets off. Gabe assumes that Chance was killed in the labs since Teresa says he never made it to the helicopter. Gabe and Teresa eventually corner Stevens and Gabe shoots him in cold blood.

Gabe and Teresa reach the helicopter to find Chance waiting in impenetrable Agency-issued body armor. He was really working for them, and he shoots Teresa. Gabe suspected it since the Agency always knew where he was in Colorado. Both men fight, and Gabe kills the man he trusted with an assault shotgun that drives Chance into the helicopter blades, decapitating him.

A news report reveals that the Agency's existence is now public, and U.S. Secretary of State Vincent Hadden promises that the government will investigate. Gabe cures Lian and demarcates a grave for Teresa. He, Lian, and Lawrence hold a small memorial and promise to keep fighting, while soldiers watch them from a distance. In a post-credits scene, Hadden and Aramov emerge from a helicopter, with Aramov saying that the Administration will soon fall allowing Hadden to become President. Although a team of soldiers requests for permission to kill Gabe and his team, Hadden calls off the operation, telling Mara he has other plans for Gabe. Aramov laughs as the screen fades to black.

Development

John Garvin stated that, unlike development of the first game, he and co-creator Richard Ham had a complete vision of what the game would be like prior to the development process: "I think I spent a weekend and wrote the entire screenplay. Rich and I got together and he helped revise the second half of the game, introducing all the Moscow stuff, making the end of the story more espionage-like and exciting. When the [development team] came back, we spent the next year building exactly what we had written. That was the first time that we had a vision up front, which we followed until the end." [3] Garvin has expressed pride in his inclusion of a diverse cast of characters, such as the American-Indian Teresa Lipan, African-American Lawrence Mujari and Chinese Lian Xing. [3]

Syphon Filter 2 was added as a part of the premium collection for PlayStation Plus in 2022, with Trophy support added to the game. [4] It is also the first PlayStation Plus Premium game with both 50Hz and 60Hz modes. [5]

Reception

Syphon Filter 2 received favourable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings. [6]

Many reviewers [16] [17] [18] [19] [22] stated that the game differed little from the original in terms of gameplay and graphics. GameRevolution concluded: "Fans of the original should aim for the head and pull the trigger – this one's a no-brainer." [16] Douglass C. Perry of IGN praised the two-player mode and favourably compared it to similar features in Medal of Honor . [18] Jeff Ludrigan of NextGen said, "If you don't mind a serious challenge, this game will reward your persistence with nail-biting action, excellent graphics, and a well told, memorable story." [19] A less positive review came from Jeff Gerstmann of GameSpot , who wrote: "If you were a big fan of Syphon Filter, you may get a kick out of the sequel, but the lackluster mission design and super-convoluted story really cancel out the improvements to the game's control." [17]

While most reviewers praised the game, the voice-acting was panned. Gerstmann stated: "Some of Gabe's lines and vocal inflection really don't fit the current situation, making it sound as if he were lounging by the pool instead of taking heavy fire from entrenched enemies." [17] Perry called the voice acting "truly awful", [18] while Patrick Klepek of Gaming Age called the voice acting "sub-par", continuing: "[...] the accents given to some of the characters are just terrible, though Gabe's voice is probably the worst offender of them all." [22]

Air Hendrix of GamePro said in one review, "When the awesome gameplay, sharp controls, and everything else are added up, Syphon 2[ sic ] is destined to be another huge hit. It's one of the PlayStation's best action games—with the PS2 on the horizon, it'll also rank highly among the last great PlayStation games." [23] [lower-alpha 3] In another review, The Freshman said that the game's difficulty "may turn off more casual gamers who dislike failing pinpoint twitch-action segments over and over and over, which is a pity, because Syphon 2's[ sic ] awesome storyline and tense action simply beg to be played. Patient gamers are in for a treat, but this virus might make you lose your hair." [24] [lower-alpha 4]

In a retrospective review, AllGame editor Rich Briggs highly praised Syphon Filter 2, referring to it as "a highly entertaining title filled with rock-solid gameplay and continuous action". [7]

As of 2007, Syphon Filter 2 had sold 1.32 million units, earning platinum status. [25]

Notes

  1. ↑ Two critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 5.5/10, and two others gave it each a score of 6/10.
  2. ↑ In GameFan 's viewpoint of the game, three critics gave it each a score of 94, 88, and 83.
  3. ↑ GamePro gave the game all perfect scores of 5/5 each for graphics, sound, control, and fun factor in one review.
  4. ↑ GamePro gave the game three 4/5 scores for graphics, control, and fun factor, and 4.5/5 for sound in another review.

Related Research Articles

<i>Tomorrow Never Dies</i> (video game) PlayStation video game

Tomorrow Never Dies is a 1999 third-person shooter stealth video game based on the 1997 James Bond film of the same name. It was developed by Black Ops Entertainment and co-published by Electronic Arts and MGM Interactive for the PlayStation.

<i>Cliffhanger</i> (film) 1993 American film

Cliffhanger is a 1993 American action thriller film directed and co-produced by Renny Harlin and co-written by and starring Sylvester Stallone alongside John Lithgow, Michael Rooker and Janine Turner. Based on a concept by climber John Long, the film follows Gabe (Stallone), a mountain climber who becomes embroiled in a heist of a U.S. Treasury plane flying through the Rocky Mountains. The film premiered at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival, and was released in the United States on May 28, 1993, by TriStar Pictures. It received positive reviews and earned $255 million worldwide, becoming the 7th highest-grossing film of 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">989 Studios</span> Sony video game developer subsidiary (1995–2005)

989 Studios was a division of Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) that developed games for PlayStation consoles and Windows personal computers. Their games include EverQuest, Twisted Metal III, Twisted Metal 4, Syphon Filter, Syphon Filter 2, Jet Moto 3, Bust a Groove, and others.

<i>SSX</i> (2000 video game) 2000 snowboarding video game by EA Canada

SSX is a snowboarding video game, the first in the SSX series. It was developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts under the EA Sports BIG label for the PlayStation 2 in October 2000. It was the first title released under the EA Sports Big publishing label, which specialized in extreme sports titles with an arcade feel.

<i>Syphon Filter</i> Video game series

Syphon Filter is a third-person shooter video game series developed by Bend Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, for the PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. In the series, Syphon Filter is the name given to a mysterious biological weapon.

<i>Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain</i> 2004 video game

Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain is a third-person shooter video game developed by Bend Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. It is the fourth installment in the Syphon Filter franchise and a sequel to 2001's Syphon Filter 3.

<i>Resident Evil Survivor</i> 2000 video game

Resident Evil Survivor is a light gun shooter video game developed by Tose and published by Capcom. It was released on the PlayStation in Japan on January 27, 2000, in Europe on March 31, 2000, and in North America on August 30, 2000. It is a spin-off of the Resident Evil video game series. It is also the first first-person perspective Resident Evil game predating Resident Evil 7: Biohazard by seventeen years. A Microsoft Windows version was released only in China and Taiwan on September 7, 2002.

<i>Gran Turismo 2</i> 1999 video game

Gran Turismo 2 is a 1999 racing simulation video game developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. It is the sequel to Gran Turismo, the second installment of the Gran Turismo series and the first installment in the series without involvement from Japan Studio. It was a critical and commercial success, shipping 1.73 million units in Asia, 3.96 million in North America, and 3.68 million in Europe for a total of 9.37 million units as of April 30, 2008, and eventually becoming a Sony Greatest Hits game. The PAL version featured a Scratch and sniff coating on the second of the game's two disks. The odor was described by Sony as “racing pit smell” and was reported to smell like "gasoline".

<i>Syphon Filter 3</i> 2001 video game

Syphon Filter 3 is a third-person shooter video game developed by Bend Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation. It is the third installment in the Syphon Filter franchise and a sequel to 2000's Syphon Filter 2. It was added on January 17, 2023 as part of PS Plus Premium Classic Catalog.

<i>Fighting Force 2</i> 1999 video game

Fighting Force 2 is a beat 'em up/shooter video game, the sequel to 1997's Fighting Force. The game was released for the PlayStation and Dreamcast and was developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive.

<i>Future Cop: LAPD</i> 1998 video game

Future Cop: LAPD is a third-person shooter developed by EA Redwood Shores and published by Electronic Arts and released first for the PlayStation, then Mac OS and Microsoft Windows. Future Cop was originally developed as an installment of the Strike series.

<i>Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror</i> 2006 video game

Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror is a third-person shooter stealth video game developed by Bend Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2. It is the fifth installment in the Syphon Filter franchise and a sequel to 2004's Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain. The PSP version of Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror was added on March 21, 2023 as part of PS Plus Premium Classic Catalog.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bend Studio</span> American video game developer

Bend Studio is an American video game developer based in Bend, Oregon. Founded in 1992, the studio is best known for developing Bubsy 3D, the Syphon Filter series, and Days Gone. Since 2000, Bend Studio is a first-party developer for PlayStation Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PlayStation Analog Joystick</span>

The PlayStationAnalog Joystick (SCPH-1110) is Sony's first analog controller for the PlayStation, and is the precursor to the PlayStation Dual Analog Controller. It is often incorrectly referred to as the "Sony Flightstick".

<i>Syphon Filter</i> (video game) Third-person shooter stealth video game

Syphon Filter is a third-person shooter video game developed by Eidetic and published by 989 Studios for PlayStation. It is the first installment in the Syphon Filter franchise. The plot centers on special agents Gabriel "Gabe" Logan and Lian Xing who are tasked by the United States government to apprehend a German international terrorist.

<i>Syphon Filter: Logans Shadow</i> 2007 video game

Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow is a third-person shooter stealth video game developed by Bend Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2. It is the sixth and final installment in the Syphon Filter franchise and a sequel to 2006's Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror.

<i>MX Superfly</i> 2002 video game

MX Superfly featuring Ricky Carmichael, released as MX Super Fly in PAL regions, is a motorcross racing game developed by Pacific Coast Power & Light and published by THQ for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and GameCube. It is the second installment of THQ's MX trilogy and a sequel to MX 2002 featuring Ricky Carmichael, garnering professional motorcross racer Ricky Carmichael's endorsement like its predecessor.

<i>WarGames: Defcon 1</i> 1998 video game

WarGames: Defcon 1 is a video game for the PlayStation and Microsoft Windows developed by Interactive Studios and co-published by MGM Interactive and Electronic Arts. Although both versions possess the same missions and content, the PlayStation version is a tactical vehicle-shooting game while the PC version is a real-time strategy game. The game is loosely based on the movie WarGames; the story was scripted by John Badham, director of the original film.

<i>Days Gone</i> 2019 video game

Days Gone is a 2019 action-adventure video game developed by Bend Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The game was released for the PlayStation 4 in April 2019. A Windows port was released in May 2021.

<i>Resident Evil 2</i> (2019 video game) Video game remake

Resident Evil 2 is a 2019 survival horror game developed and published by Capcom. A remake of the 1998 game Resident Evil 2, it was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in January 2019 and for Amazon Luna, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in June 2022, and a Nintendo Switch cloud version released in November 2022. Players control the rookie police officer Leon S. Kennedy and the college student Claire Redfield as they attempt to escape Raccoon City during a zombie outbreak.

References

  1. ↑ IGN staff (14 March 2000). "Syphon Filter 2 Poised for All-Out Sales Assault". IGN . Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  2. ↑ Smith, Rebecca (31 August 2022). "PS Plus Premium and Extra New September 2022 Games Include Sly Cooper". PlayStation LifeStyle. Evolve Media. Archived from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  3. 1 2 Shuman, Sid (25 October 2012). "Behind the Classics: Syphon Filter". PlayStation Blog. Sony Interactive Entertainment. Archived from the original on 13 August 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  4. ↑ Croft, Liam (31 August 2022). "Trophies Confirmed for Incoming PS1 Classic Syphon Filter 2". Push Square. Hookshot Media. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  5. ↑ Tailby, Stephen (20 September 2023). "Syphon Filter 2 the First PS Plus Premium Game with Both 50Hz and 60Hz Modes". Push Square. Hookshot Media. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Syphon Filter for PlayStation". GameRankings . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  7. 1 2 Briggs, Rich. "Syphon Filter 2 - Review". AllGame . All Media Network. Archived from the original on 15 November 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  8. ↑ Ham, Tom (15 March 2000). "Syphon Filter 2". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on 15 August 2000. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  9. ↑ Edge staff (April 2000). "Syphon Filter 2" (PDF). Edge . No. 83. Future Publishing. pp. 72–73. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  10. ↑ Chou, Che; Boyer, Crispin; Davison, John; Johnston, Chris (April 2000). "Syphon Filter 2" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 129. Ziff Davis. p. 165. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 November 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  11. ↑ Conlin, Shaun (9 May 2000). "Syphon Filter 2". The Electric Playground . Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on 14 November 2003. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  12. ↑ McNamara, Andy; Fitzloff, Jay; Reiner, Andrew (April 2000). "Syphon Filter 2". Game Informer . No. 84. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on 5 December 2000. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  13. ↑ Higgins, Geoff "The Judge" (April 2000). "Syphon Filter 2". GameFan . Vol. 8, no. 4. Shinno Media. p. 37. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  14. ↑ Chau, Anthony (21 March 2000). "REVIEW for Syphon Filter 2". GameFan. Shinno Media. Archived from the original on 11 May 2000. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  15. ↑ Mylonas, Eric "ECM"; Ngo, George "Eggo"; Rodriguez, Tyrone "Cerberus" (April 2000). "Syphon Filter 2". GameFan. Vol. 8, no. 4. Shinno Media. p. 12. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  16. 1 2 3 Brian (March 2000). "Syphon Filter 2 Review". GameRevolution . CraveOnline. Archived from the original on 9 October 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Gerstmann, Jeff (20 March 2000). "Syphon Filter 2 Review". GameSpot . Fandom. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Perry, Douglass C. (14 March 2000). "Syphon Filter 2 Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  19. 1 2 3 Lundrigan, Jeff (May 2000). "Syphon Filter 2". NextGen . No. 65. Imagine Media. p. 99. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  20. ↑ MacDonald, Mark (April 2000). "Syphon Filter 2". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine . Vol. 3, no. 7. Ziff Davis. p. 87. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  21. ↑ Braxton-Brown, Justin (2000). "Syphon Filter 2 lives up to original". The Cincinnati Enquirer . Gannett Company. Archived from the original on 28 April 2001. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  22. 1 2 Klepek, Patrick (2000). "Syphon Filter 2". Gaming Age. Archived from the original on 14 July 2001. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  23. ↑ Air Hendrix (April 2000). "Deadly Covert Ops! (Syphon Filter 2 Review)" (PDF). GamePro . No. 139. IDG. pp. 46–47. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  24. ↑ The Freshman (20 March 2000). "Syphon Filter 2 Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro. IDG. Archived from the original on 18 October 2004. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  25. ↑ "US Platinum Videogame Chart". The MagicBox. Archived from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.