The first Syphon Filter game on the original PlayStation remains one of my favourite action titles for that console. But its pair of sequels, with apologies to the guys in FUBAR, turned down the good and turned up the suck.
So it was with high hopes that I dove into Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain on the PS2, only to find that while the game has good graphics, a nice selection of weaponry and complex missions, the simple excitement of the original is still missing in action. The suck has been turned way down, but someone forgot to fiddle with the good knob.
The game's 17 lengthy counter-terrorism missions present you with a huge array of objectives to complete and endless waves of enemies to perforate, and at times it can be really difficult - on your own. Since Omega Strain's multiplayer mode is strictly co-op focused, it's almost as though the developers expect you to be tackling the missions online with pals rather than flying solo.
But co-op play can be a tricky thing to pull off with three other players, especially if they're strangers you've just hooked up with online. Omega Strain predictably supports USB headsets for voice communication, but games in which the players are at varying skills or levels of familiarity with the maps can be more frustrating than rewarding.
Sony's own SOCOM II is probably the best example of a game that balances multiplayer fun with a polished and rewarding single-player experience. The sheer scope and difficulty of Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain makes it lean too heavily towards the multiplayer aspect, sometimes leaving those who choose to go it alone out in the cold.
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BOTTOMLINE
The first PlayStation 2 title in the Syphon Filter franchise doesn't quite live up to the simple fun and excitement of the original game, mainly because it seems to have been designed with its co-op multiplayer mode in mind. Diehard online gamers might find lots here to love, though.
