989 Studios was the lifeblood of the PS1 back in the late 90s. I actually feel bad for N64 players because they will never experience NFL Extreme, Twisted Metal 3, and Syphon Filter.
Syphon Filter is like if Sam Fisher wanted to try stealth, but then got frustrated with it and went full Call of Duty. Syphon Filter gave you many gadgets to perform your ops job, but you will eventually need to mow down a couple hundred guys pointe blanc.
The PSP version adds a few tweaks to the gameplay, making sure Gabe Logan can look around, use cover, and use melee.
The great thing about the infrastructure is that the levels are compact and loaded with objectives, so backtracking and confusion are limited. The PSP can’t handle a giant map, but that works to your advantage as every scene feels tight with drama, intrigue, and danger.
The control scheme is Dreamcast (face buttons move the camera). This has always been a gripe from the PS2 community, but I love this proto-handicap. Your brain has to work differently to maneuver gunfire while incapacitating bad guys. It feels so different from the run-and-gun of PC games, but that is the charm.
Dark Mirror continues the story of Gabe’s team uncovering a plot to use a toxin to cause genocide. Each Act puts you in a new country, where some terrorist faction is double timing and backstabbing in the government. Eventually you will find the boss behind the conspiracy.
The game introduces a mini-boss every few missions. Usually, a heavily armored enemy or someone with a flamethrower will try to stop you. In most cases, you need to figure out how to blow them up or land a headshot, but the challenge serves as a refresher.
The only notable puzzle that Dark Mirror repeats is the use of Infrared or Electromagnetic goggles to find people or traps. A level will be full of invisible trip wires and you will have to play the whole level in a dark red tint to find them all. It is a migraine experience unless you like dark red filters in your game.
Syphon Filter would be PS5’s answer to the Call of Duty epidemic if Sony wasn’t so ready to throw away their old IPs.
At least Syphon Filter lives on the PSP.
Review: 8 out of 10
Check out the devotional on another popular shooter on handheld : Freedom Wars