New Syphon Filter games coming to Vita and PS4 (rumor)

[Andy]

Take this with a grain of salt, of course, but...

"Over the years, there have been many rumours about the return of the Syphon Filter series in one form or another, and you can read them all through here, but now we have something more credible. We've heard from an inside source at Sony Computer Entertainment America, who has teased the return of the Syphon Filter series on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita.

"He told us that development of Syphon Filter: The Opposition Effect, the digital comic which was announced in 2010 and cancelled in 2012, has started up again, and that it is now a PlayStation Vita title that will be released as a digital download only, in episodic segments in 2016. Unfortunately, he said that it won't come with any multiplayer or co-op modes, as it is designed to be single player only, that will tell the story of Gabe Logan between Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror and Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow. Also revealed to us was news that SCE London Studios are developing it, and that SCE Bend Studiosare overseeing it.

"He then said to us that the next installment in the Syphon Filter series, which has been rumoured for PS3 multiple times, is now a PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita title. He went on to say that the game would be split into two separate campaigns. The first would be on the PlayStation Vita and see Gabe Logan reliving classic moments from all of the previous titles on PSOne, PS2 and PSP, like a condensed reboot, while the second campaign would be on the PS4, be open-world, open story, and pick up after the events of the first campaign on PlayStation Vita.

"He concluded by saying that both of these games are being developed together between SCE Bend Studios and Guerrilla Cambridge, and that the PlayStation Vita title is due in 2017, while the PS4 title is due to follow in late 2018.

"Unfortunately, when contacted by Hybrid Games, Sony said that they won't comment on rumour and speculation, so everything mentioned above should be taken with the usual amount of skepticism and grains of salt reserved for rumours."

http://www.hybridgames.co.uk/syphon...s-the-return-of-syphon-filter-on-ps4-ps-vita/

 

[menace-uk-]

Used to love Syphon Filter. Not sure about making it open world though. Oh, and 2018, damn. That is a long wait.

 

[de3d1]

I'm down for this.

 

[Viktor]

This better not be an April Fools bulls***. Also required:

 

[Dno69]

I was never really a fan. But a modern revision could be cool.

 

[Andy]

It was the first shooter I ever played on console, so I have fond memories.

 

[HorTyS]

Used to love Syphon Filter. Not sure about making it open world though. Oh, and 2018, damn. That is a long wait.

MGS:TPP looks to be transitioning to open-world fairly well, I think Syphon Filter could pull it off with a talented enough developer at the helm, given the appropriate time & support...

It was the first shooter I ever played on console, so I have fond memories.

Pretty sure it was one of the first 'shooters' I played as well (aside from the likes of original doom or wolfenstein on my cousin's computer) so I also have more positive recollections of it. With more modern game mechanics I think the basic premise could translate fairly easily. Honestly, if well made, I never get sick of 3rd person action games, so having another set in the modern day espionage/ special forces type scenario could be great fun...

 

[Ryubusa]

Syphon Filter was one of the few PS1 games I owned as a youngin', and I absolutely loved it. Unfortunately I never ended up playing the rest of the series for whatever reason, but guess what... I actually just received this bad boy in the mail this very afternoon!

I like the timing on that, hahah!

 

[HorTyS]

HA, nice man. If I remember, I don't think I even beat the first game. Got stuck on a level early on and in those days I'd just give up after a while, but I enjoyed what I had played, and I think the setting/ premise has potential with a more modern design behind it, so I like the idea of a new one. Have fun with SF2 though!!

 

[Andy]

Pretty sure it was one of the first 'shooters' I played as well (aside from the likes of original doom or wolfenstein on my cousin's computer) so I also have more positive recollections of it.

That's my story, too. My first experience of playing a shooter was Doom on the PC, which felt awkward because of the keyboard and mouse controls, and then after that, I played Syphon Filter on the PS1. Once I got used to the controls, it was great fun.

I played through all three of the Syphon Filter games. I heard the 4th one (the one on PS3, not the Vita ones) was kind of a turkey, but I never played it. I tried to replay SP1 lately, but I just could not get used to those controls. They seem really antiquated now.

 

[HorTyS]

That's my story, too. My first experience of playing a shooter was Doom on the PC, which felt awkward because of the keyboard and mouse controls, and then after that, I played Syphon Filter on the PS1. Once I got used to the controls, it was great fun.

I played through all three of the Syphon Filter games. I heard the 4th one (the one on PS3, not the Vita ones) was kind of a turkey, but I never played it. I tried to replay SP1 lately, but I just could not get used to those controls. They seem really antiquated now.

Yeah, I can't imagine playing a game now with lock-on targeting and such. If I remember correctly, the movement felt sort of like you were running through molasses, very sluggish. I think though that by implementing today's standards for controls & responsiveness though that theres plenty of potential in a reboot/ return of the franchise...

 

[TeKPhaN]

could be big

 

[Shawn Jelsic]

Yeah, I can't imagine playing a game now with lock-on targeting and such. If I remember correctly, the movement felt sort of like you were running through molasses, very sluggish. I think though that by implementing today's standards for controls & responsiveness though that theres plenty of potential in a reboot/ return of the franchise...

Its interesting you would say that. I used to say the samething. Perhaps you knew this or never really cared to give it much thought, but the lock-on targetting system was a placeholder, or least that is how it was generally used. You only use it to locate and keep track of a target near by before switching to manual aim. This is where headshots came from.

 

[Viktor]

Think I still have 1 and 2. Unfortunately my PS1 disc drive is fried.

 

[HorTyS]

Its interesting you would say that. I used to say the same thing. Perhaps you knew this or never really cared to give it much thought, but the lock-on targetting system was a placeholder, or least that is how it was generally used. You only use it to locate and keep track of a target near by before switching to manual aim. This is where headshots came from.

It's been sooo long since I played I don't remember the mechanics exactly, I just remember the little reticule would highlight enemies so figured it was a lock on system. All I can think of now though is how sweet a new SF could be with controls more akin to today's 3rd person action/ stealth games. DO WANT!

 

[Andy]

It's been sooo long since I played I don't remember the mechanics exactly, I just remember the little reticule would highlight enemies so figured it was a lock on system. All I can think of now though is how sweet a new SF could be with controls more akin to today's 3rd person action/ stealth games. DO WANT!

It wasn't the lock-on mechanic that made SP shooting awkward, it was just the way it was set up. It's hard to appreciate how much console shooters have changed since Halo introduced the dual analog stick setup that is now standard. It was really hard for me to wrap my head around the old style. Felt extremely awkward.

 

[HorTyS]

It wasn't the lock-on mechanic that made SP shooting awkward, it was just the way it was set up. It's hard to appreciate how much console shooters have changed since Halo introduced the dual analog stick setup that it now standard. It was really hard for me to wrap my head around the old style. Felt extremely awkward.

Yeah, I guess thats the same thing I'm feeling. I straight up don't even remember how shooters played now without the standard dual analog set-up. At any rate, obviously I'd prefer today's type of controls for a modern SF game. Some sort of amalgamation of Uncharted/ Gears of War/ Tomb Raider type situation (generalizing, obviously). I'm also trying to remember what other sort of gameplay mechanics SF used to have. What was there to the game besides shooting guys and some light stealth elements? Any sort of navigational components to it? Puzzles/ mini-games of any sort?

 

[Andy]

Yeah, I guess thats the same thing I'm feeling. I straight up don't even remember how shooters played now without the standard dual analog set-up. At any rate, obviously I'd prefer today's type of controls for a modern SF game. Some sort of amalgamation of Uncharted/ Gears of War/ Tomb Raider type situation (generalizing, obviously).

I remember trying to use the left stick to move forward, and I would just spin around in circles. Made me dizzy. I had to hold L1 before I could move sideways -- and then I did so in a straight line, in that old-school "strafe" style. And you shot with the O button. It was very disorienting.

I'm also trying to remember what other sort of gameplay mechanics SF used to have. What was there to the game besides shooting guys and some light stealth elements? Any sort of navigational components to it? Puzzles/ mini-games of any sort?

I can't remember any puzzles, platforming, or anything like that. You shoot guys, defuse bombs, sneak up on enemies, shimmy along walls, ride in helicopters, that sort of thing. Watching Gabe run was a sort of mini-game. He ran like he had a full diaper.

 

[HorTyS]

I remember trying to use the left stick to move forward, and I would just spin around in circles. Made me dizzy. I had to hold L1 before I could move sideways -- and then I did so in a straight line, in that old-school "strafe" style. And you shot with the O button. It was very disorienting.



I can't remember any puzzles, platforming, or anything like that. You shoot guys, defuse bombs, sneak up on enemies, shimmy along walls, ride in helicopters, that sort of thing. Watching Gabe run was a sort of mini-game. He ran like he had a full diaper.

haha, gotta love that OG playstation era animation! Yeah, now that you say it the control scheme was bonkers... It'd be crazy for a game to come out nowadays with shooting being anything but a trigger button...

 

[timmy-boy]

You can tell this is fake as Sony won't make a AAA game on Vita any more. PS4 version is possible but again SCE Cambridge with SCE Bend doesn't seem feasible as Bend are making their own game and aren't that big and I am pretty damn confident Cambridge will be making the next Killzone or Resistance on PS4.

 

[eVo7]

You can tell this is fake as Sony won't make a AAA game on Vita any more. PS4 version is possible but again SCE Cambridge with SCE Bend doesn't seem feasible as Bend are making their own game and aren't that big and I am pretty damn confident Cambridge will be making the next Killzone or Resistance on PS4.

Exactly, that should have been the red flag right there. Sony doesn't care about Vita any more.

 

[Andy]

Hmm. So maybe bogus, then. Bummer.

 

[HorTyS]

Too bad, a new Syphon Filter is actually one of the better things they could make for ps4 IMO....

 

[Ryubusa]

I mentioned my timely purchase of Syphon Filter 2 earlier in the thread, but I did happen to pick up #1 a couple months earlier as well, and you guys inspired me to play it right now. I was super curious to refresh my memory and see what it's like for myself again, 15 years later. So far I've made good progress in 5 or so hours of playtime and I've been easily reminded as to why I always adored this damn game. It's a really cool and fun adventure.

Its interesting you would say that. I used to say the samething. Perhaps you knew this or never really cared to give it much thought, but the lock-on targetting system was a placeholder, or least that is how it was generally used. You only use it to locate and keep track of a target near by before switching to manual aim. This is where headshots came from.

Yes, I've found this to be true as well. It's actually much better in most circumstances to simply rely on the normal/passive auto-aim ability, rather than the active lock-on function. As long as you're facing in the general direction of the enemy you'll hit them consistently without any need to lock-on, even when they're above or below you, and even from quite far away. It works very well, exactly as you'd want it to. The lock-on function, however, actually hinders your combat ability (for a variety of reasons that I won't bother to mention) more than it helps, from my experience.

Normal auto-aim does the job the majority of the time, but as Shawn Jelsic here mentions, crosshair mode is very important for headshotting armor-clad enemies. Precision aiming this way isn't something you can do very swiftly or even on-the-run since it forces you to remain stationary, so in many cases your survival boils down to your positioning in the environment, using improvised cover to your advantage, then popping up from a crouched position or leaning out to the side (with the 'strafe' buttons in crosshair mode) to line up your shot. The gunplay in this manner differs greatly from modern games where you can massacring everything in sight relatively carefree, and I actually appreciate this change of pace and slightly more strategic emphasis in this game's oldschool design. It's balanced with its control limitations and mechanics in mind, so the challenges aren't too difficult once you know what you're doing and attune a more methodical approach to combat.

That's my story, too. My first experience of playing a shooter was Doom on the PC, which felt awkward because of the keyboard and mouse controls, and then after that, I played Syphon Filter on the PS1. Once I got used to the controls, it was great fun.

I played through all three of the Syphon Filter games. I heard the 4th one (the one on PS3, not the Vita ones) was kind of a turkey, but I never played it. I tried to replay SP1 lately, but I just could not get used to those controls. They seem really antiquated now.

Yeah, I can't imagine playing a game now with lock-on targeting and such. If I remember correctly, the movement felt sort of like you were running through molasses, very sluggish. I think though that by implementing today's standards for controls & responsiveness though that theres plenty of potential in a reboot/ return of the franchise...

The controls are definitely abnormal and it takes a certain level of patience, dexterity, and skill to be effective. I find myself actually having to think about the controls before I execute an action, rather than relying purely on muscle memory and reflexes as with modern games. It feels awkward nowadays having to press a button to strafe, and not having the analog control to walk vs. run (you just always run, unless crouching). As well, the character can make veerrry wide turns when running, and even the camera moves in an unusual, exaggerated swooping manner.

A great thing is that the game gives you the option to fully customize controller button assignments as you see fit. Personally, I've assigned strafe left/strafe right to Square and Circle, respectively (rather than L2 and R2), and then assigned crosshair mode to L2 and shoot to R2. This way feels at least a little bit more natural to me, and I've been having great fun with the game once I practiced and got used to things (like Andy). Again, the game is well balanced so it never feels unfair, but the methodical pace simply won't be every gamer's cup of tea.

I'm also trying to remember what other sort of gameplay mechanics SF used to have. What was there to the game besides shooting guys and some light stealth elements? Any sort of navigational components to it? Puzzles/ mini-games of any sort?

The level design is where the game really shines, I think, as levels aren't simply linear A-to-B affairs but rather do require quite a bit of exploration, navigation, and some problem solving of sorts (though not exactly what I would call 'puzzles'). Each map is a decently large area with multiple mission objectives placed about, always requiring thorough exploration and sometimes navigational components/environment traversal, like climbing. The mission objectives, locales, and scenarios are all actually quite varied and interesting, ranging from hostage rescue in a rainy Central Park to stealth infiltration in a snowy Antarctic (the stealth is pretty forgiving so it makes for a nice little change-up to the typical gameplay, rather than an annoyance). Also, there are some good ol' classic boss fights, which I always appreciate.

There are so many things I like about Syphon Filter. I like the entire vibe/tone/style of it. I like the weapon selection and some of their functions (like the classic taser combustion, or the night-vision rifle). I like the little line with text that pops up onscreen to tell you when you have a headshot lined up or when an enemy is wearing a flak jacket. Hell, I like the fact it calls bulletproof vests "Flak Jackets" in the first place. I like referencing the map screen, and reading the weapon ratings and descriptions. I like the weightyness of the character movement and animations, and I like how it looks as though Gabe has a pickle up his butt. I like the moody graphics, even despite the stupid people's stupid thumb-looking faces (which I also like). The story is incoherent and the voice acting atrocious, but I like the B-movie campyness of the whole thing.

Perhaps best of all, I like the 'Danger Meter' mechanic at the crux of the combat, informing the player when it's paramount to get behind cover (or start roll-dodging) lest they take damage; a very sensible, unique, and fun mechanic that works extremely well in the general context of third-person shooter gameplay. I'm actually surprised more games didn't try to emulate it.

Anyways, I don't want my 'nostalgia glasses' to get things too overblown, but for an early 3D third-person action/adventure game, Syphon Filter is pretty freakin' rad. I'm gonna have to jump into #2 for the first time ever, right after this.

 

[Andy]

Wow, great post. I love that you're so into Syphon Filter, and that you write so much about what you like.

Speaking of the level design -- it's really remarkable, how well I remember those levels, even though I haven't played the game in over a decade. Like, when you said, "hostage rescue in a rainy Central Park" and "stealth infiltration in a snowy Antarctic," I immediately got a mental flash of those levels. I clearly remember several other levels, too (e.g., the underground train station). It's strange how clear the pictures in my head are of those levels, after all these years. Syphon Filter is like a song I've never forgotten -- a song about a guy with a pickle up his butt.

Absolutely right about the B-movie campyness of the whole thing, too.

 

[Shawn Jelsic]

I mentioned my timely purchase of Syphon Filter 2 earlier in the thread, but I did happen to pick up #1 a couple months earlier as well, and you guys inspired me to play it right now. I was super curious to refresh my memory and see what it's like for myself again, 15 years later. So far I've made good progress in 5 or so hours of playtime and I've been easily reminded as to why I always adored this damn game. It's a really cool and fun adventure.



Yes, I've found this to be true as well. It's actually much better in most circumstances to simply rely on the normal/passive auto-aim ability, rather than the active lock-on function. As long as you're facing in the general direction of the enemy you'll hit them consistently without any need to lock-on, even when they're above or below you, and even from quite far away. It works very well, exactly as you'd want it to. The lock-on function, however, actually hinders your combat ability (for a variety of reasons that I won't bother to mention) more than it helps, from my experience.

Normal auto-aim does the job the majority of the time, but as Shawn Jelsic here mentions, crosshair mode is very important for headshotting armor-clad enemies. Precision aiming this way isn't something you can do very swiftly or even on-the-run since it forces you to remain stationary, so in many cases your survival boils down to your positioning in the environment, using improvised cover to your advantage, then popping up from a crouched position or leaning out to the side (with the 'strafe' buttons in crosshair mode) to line up your shot. The gunplay in this manner differs greatly from modern games where you can massacring everything in sight relatively carefree, and I actually appreciate this change of pace and slightly more strategic emphasis in this game's oldschool design. It's balanced with its control limitations and mechanics in mind, so the challenges aren't too difficult once you know what you're doing and attune a more methodical approach to combat.





The controls are definitely abnormal and it takes a certain level of patience, dexterity, and skill to be effective. I find myself actually having to think about the controls before I execute an action, rather than relying purely on muscle memory and reflexes as with modern games. It feels awkward nowadays having to press a button to strafe, and not having the analog control to walk vs. run (you just always run, unless crouching). As well, the character can make veerrry wide turns when running, and even the camera moves in an unusual, exaggerated swooping manner.

A great thing is that the game gives you the option to fully customize controller button assignments as you see fit. Personally, I've assigned strafe left/strafe right to Square and Circle, respectively (rather than L2 and R2), and then assigned crosshair mode to L2 and shoot to R2. This way feels at least a little bit more natural to me, and I've been having great fun with the game once I practiced and got used to things (like Andy). Again, the game is well balanced so it never feels unfair, but the methodical pace simply won't be every gamer's cup of tea.



The level design is where the game really shines, I think, as levels aren't simply linear A-to-B affairs but rather do require quite a bit of exploration, navigation, and some problem solving of sorts (though not exactly what I would call 'puzzles'). Each map is a decently large area with multiple mission objectives placed about, always requiring thorough exploration and sometimes navigational components/environment traversal, like climbing. The mission objectives, locales, and scenarios are all actually quite varied and interesting, ranging from hostage rescue in a rainy Central Park to stealth infiltration in a snowy Antarctic (the stealth is pretty forgiving so it makes for a nice little change-up to the typical gameplay, rather than an annoyance). Also, there are some good ol' classic boss fights, which I always appreciate.

There are so many things I like about Syphon Filter. I like the entire vibe/tone/style of it. I like the weapon selection and some of their functions (like the classic taser combustion, or the night-vision rifle). I like the little line with text that pops up onscreen to tell you when you have a headshot lined up or when an enemy is wearing a 'Flak Jacket'. Hell, I like how it calls bulletproof vests Flak Jackets in the first place. I like referencing the map screen, and reading the weapon ratings and descriptions. I like the weightyness of the character movement and animations, and I like how it looks as though Gabe has a pickle up his butt. I like the moody graphics, even despite the stupid people's stupid thumb-looking faces (which I also like). The story is incoherent and the voice acting atrocious, but I like the B-movie campyness of the whole thing.

Perhaps best of all, I like the 'Danger Meter' mechanic at the crux of the combat, informing the player when it's paramount to get behind cover (or start roll-dodging) lest they take damage; a very sensible, unique, and fun mechanic that works extremely well in the general context of third-person shooter gameplay. I'm actually surprised more games didn't try to emulate it.

Anyways, I don't want my 'nostalgia glasses' to get things too overblown, but for an early 3D third-person action/adventure game, Syphon Filter is pretty freakin' rad. I'm gonna have to jump into #2 for the first time ever, right after this.

Also, use this tactic in the evading roll. It helps out a lot. Use auto lock to find targets while rolling. This allows you to scan your surroundings at 360° - depending on where you decide to roll, even when being fired upon. If the targets are within range enough, you can auto lock them and quickly switch to manual lock to pick them off. If you have a good side arm, i generally go with dual arms, you can nail targets 97% of the time both with head and leg shots.

 

[This_Hard_Land]

It wasn't the lock-on mechanic that made SP shooting awkward, it was just the way it was set up. It's hard to appreciate how much console shooters have changed since Halo introduced the dual analog stick setup that is now standard. It was really hard for me to wrap my head around the old style. Felt extremely awkward.

Timesplitters was a PS2 launch game that introduced dual thumbstick controls to the FPS genre.

 

[This_Hard_Land]

Exactly, that should have been the red flag right there. Sony doesn't care about Vita any more.

Not only that but you can't confirm a game's in development if it's 3 years away. Projects that early in development get cancelled/changed all the time.

Didn't a Sony Bend employee just go on Reddit and say the entire franchise underperformed financially?

 

[Ryubusa]

If you have a good side arm, i generally go with dual arms, you can nail targets 97% of the time both with head and leg shots.

Thanks for the tips! I'm not sure I quite understand this last part though. Are you saying that you can dual-wield sidearms in Syphon Filter 1? I really hope that's what you're saying, because that would be awesome and I had no idea it was possible, lol.

 

[Shawn Jelsic]

Thanks for the tips! I'm not sure I quite understand this last part though. Are you saying that you can dual-wield sidearms in Syphon Filter 1? I really hope that's what you're saying, because that would be awesome and I had no idea it was possible, lol.

unfortunately, no. This doesn't start until later on in the series. I do, however, recommend a good handgun, though. It works pretty well when surrounded.