This was not my first Syphon Filter game, but it was my OFFICIAL first Syphon Filter game. I played SF1, but I never beat it, nor did I bother to try to. I borrowed SF2 from someone back in the summer of 2001, and I immediately got into it. Let's break down why:
GRAPHICS: Certainly not the BEST graphics ever seen on a PS1 game, but you have to admit, this game looks a lot better than most other PS1 games. Even the explosion effects are nice to look at. No complaints here. However, the only complaint I have is the character models. For some reason, most of the characters don't seem to have faces, and in one cutscene, Gabe and Lian's pictures are on a news broadcast, and both of them look like a faceless Bonnie and Clyde. The problem with the faceless character models was remedied in SF3, though, but if you're like me, you won't care about the missing faces.
GAMEPLAY: The physics engine is not a legendary make-up, but you won't find yourself complaining, either. Since this is 2004, people expect better from a game's physics engine, but this game was made during the PS1's final breaths, so of course it might feel a little...off. I haven't played the newest SF game "The Omega Strain," but that game may prove these physics obsolete. Also, the targetting system of SF2 is perfect. You have two target modes...manual and auto fix target. Holding L1 down will switch you to 1st-Person View, and fix the green target reticle on what you want to shoot.
Hold down R1 to automatically fix your target to nearby enemies. You will find that auto fix will be THE most commonly-used function. You also get an enormous selection of weapons to choose from. You'll only run across certain weapons at certain points, but if you access all weapons into your inventory at once, you will see there's enough guns to do your secret agent bidding. Even when you pick out a target, a small info tab will point to them, telling you what's happening with them. So, if you aim the target reticle at someone's head, the info tab will tell you you're about to make a headshot. Info tabs will also tell you if the enemy is wearing a Flak Jacket. This will force you to perform a headshot. There's also a multiplayer mode, but don't expect an iteration of GoldenEye or TimeSplitters. You and a friend are chucked into the playing field, and are forced to shoot each other for points. That's basically all the multiplayer is about, but you still might have a LITTLE fun doing it.
SOUND: The sound is probably the best ear party you can possibly have. Shooting un-silenced .45s as others fire back practically sounds like a war.
And don't complain about the music...at least it sounds better than SF3's quiet and unexciting tunes.
STORY: Simply put, the Syphon Filter virus runs rampant for the second time around, and it's Gabe Logan's and Lian Xing's job to contain it. The game is long enough...it'll probably last you quite a few hours if you die a lot, but if you know what you're doing, it will certainly be no problem. There's also a lot of agent/spy talk, which contradicts how the actual CIA would work. Gamers who just play something to shoot something will probably be turned off by the dialogue in this game, but if you actually like listening to secret agents talk about shipments provided by the NSSOAA after NASDAQ collapsed in 2007, and the CIA requested a peace treaty with the Taliban (by the way, none of that ever happened in the game), then you'll be engulfed into the storyline and dialogue.
BOTTOM LINE: If you're looking for a good PS1 Syphon Filter game, get this instead. Don't be a fool like me and blow $45 on SF3 when it wasn't that great...take your time now and spend $20 or $30 on a far more superior secret agent adventure. Though the game does not put a candle to the James Bond games (the GOOD ones, anyway), it's still enough to keep you gun-totting CIA-style for a few hours.
