Software:Syphon Filter 3

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Short description: 2001 video game


Syphon Filter 3
Developer(s)Sony Computer Entertainment America
Publisher(s)Sony Computer Entertainment
Producer(s)Darren Yager
Designer(s)Jeff Ross
Programmer(s)Christopher Reese
Artist(s)John Garvin
Writer(s)John Garvin
Richard Ham
Composer(s)Christopher Stevens
Chuck Doud
SeriesSyphon Filter
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • NA: November 6, 2001
  • EU: November 30, 2001
Genre(s)Third-person shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Syphon Filter 3 is a 2001 third-person shooter video game developed and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. It is the third installment in the Syphon Filter series and the last to be released on the PlayStation. It was re-released in 2023 for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

Gameplay

Player experiences a third-person shooter that strongly emphasizes action, with less reliance on stealth compared to previous entries. According to the developers, there was a deliberate shift toward more fast-paced combat, and players are encouraged to engage enemies directly rather than always sneaking through levels. Movement is fluid, and the camera allows free rotation to track threats and navigate the environments.[1]

The game offers a very large and varied arsenal. As explained by the development team, new weapons include an X-ray gun, explosive shotgun rounds, proximity mines, and a concealable submachine gun, while legacy weapons like the grenade launcher, night-vision rifle, and taser also return. Particularly, one notable weapon is the Steyr AUG with an infrared scope that enables “seeing through” walls, while other gadgets such as a mine detector and a heartbeat sensor also expand tactical options.

Addition to the core campaign missions, Syphon Filter 3 introduces a variety number of mini-games. These side challenges include evasion (dodging pursuers), retrieval (fetching or defending items), and demolition tasks. The mini-games are not only for diversifying gameplay, but technically, they were made using the existing scripting engine (SyphonScript) rather than being built with entirely new code.[2]

Multiplayer in Syphon Filter 3 has worth a significant enhancements. The two-player mode features approximately ten or more arenas, some drawn from single-player levels and even classic maps from earlier games. To encourage more strategic engagements, the designers added sniper posts, gas grenades, and layout changes to favor tactical play rather than pure run-and-gun deathmatches. There are also many playable characters in multiplayer, giving the mode variety and playability.

Given the breadth of weapons, gadgets, and mission types, the gameplay loop in Syphon Filter 3 emphasizes adaptability: players must decide when to use stealth, when to trigger a firefight, and which tool best fits the situation. The inclusion of mini-games and a robust multiplayer mode extends the game’s longevity well beyond the campaign, offering both short bursts of gameplay and more traditional objective-based action.

Plot

Secretary of State Vince Hadden brings in Gabriel Logan, Lian Xing and Lawrence Mujari to testify in Congress about their relationship to the Agency. He believes all three to be guilty, and questions them after they assassinate Shi-Hao from a hotel in Japan. The three do not realize that Hadden is involved in the conspiracy, and is looking for scapegoats.

Gabe begins by describing the first Syphon Filter investigation. He and Lian went to Costa Rica to find missing Agent Ellis. When they arrive, the two see that Erich Rhoemer has ordered Ellis killed, but Gabe must continue his mission and identify what Rhoemer was doing at the drug plantation. Gabe chases Rhoemer onto an airplane despite his Agency superior Edward Benton denying him permission. Gabe did not know back then that Benton and the Agency controlled Rhoemer, who escaped from the plane.

Mujari testifies next, and tells Hadden how he once worked for a resistance during the Apartheid era in South Africa. At the Pugari Gold Mine, he discovered that mining slaves had caught a deadly plague and the mine owners were covering it up. Mujari retrieved samples and gave them to Teresa Lipan.

When it's Lian's turn to testify, she details her first encounter with Gabe during the Soviet–Afghan War and her role in the Costa Rica operation. Meanwhile, Gabe goes to Ireland with MI6 agent Maggie Powers in an effort to scuttle a shipment of Syphon Filter, denying possession to the consortium and the local IRA cell. On board the S.S. Lorelei, Gabe plants several explosives and finds a document that will point to a virus test site in Australia. He also looks for any information on the mysterious arms consortium that controls the Agency. Gabe uncovers a mole in MI6, Nigel Cummings, who is aiding them. He kills Nigel and secures the last viral transport on the docks. The Lorelei is sunk with all hands lost.

Back in Washington, D.C., Gabe talks about his first meeting with Benton during the Soviet–Afghan conflict. Benton claimed to be a CIA agent transporting weapons to Afghans rebelling against the Soviets, but when Gabe and Ellis escorted the convoy, the Afghans attacked them. Gabe reaches Kabul and meets Lian, who sets up the diversion. However, a tank gets in their way, so Gabe destroys it. He learns that Benton was supplying arms to the Soviets, and was really an Agency operative.

As Hadden questions Gabe, Lian teams up with Maggie to abduct Dr. Elsa Weissinger from the Australian test site. Elsa is ready to betray the conspirators since Aramov left her behind, and she has Lian assemble a vaccine for aborigines held captive by Commander Silvers. Silvers plans to kill the test subjects, so Lian kills him first. When she returns to Elsa, Lian finds her gone.

Hadden accuses Gabe of lying and corruption. He believes Gabe murdered Teresa, but Teresa surprises him by appearing herself. Agency operative Jason Chance had only injured her, not killed. She describes her first meeting with Gabe during her time as an officer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. A group of NSA agents headed by Colonel Silvers were posing as FBI to eradicate a private militia that had recovered data from a government satellite. Gabe, as an Agency operative, saved her life, and helped her when she rescued the wife and son of the militia leader. She left the ATF and joined the Agency.

Teresa faked her death to find the people behind the Agency. Her investigations into Aramov yielded a connection to Hadden himself. Before Gabe can apprehend him, Mara kills Hadden. She and several consortium terrorists take over the Senate building, but Gabe prevents her from detonating any explosives. He chases her onto a train full of hostages, and wounds her.

In a post-credits cutscene, Mara escapes despite being incarcerated. Gabe decides to find her, but for now the Syphon Filter crisis appears to be over with the death of Hadden. Gabe will become the new Agency director, and free it from corruption. Little does he know that an operation is ongoing near the S.S. Lorelei's wreck site. People are recovering the viral crates, and Mara is heard laughing, setting the stage for Software:Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain.

Release

The game was developed by Sony Bend, which was formed after Sony's purchase of Eidetic.[3] It was originally slated for release on September 25, 2001, but the fallout of the September 11 attacks forced Sony to postpone the release while modifying the marketing campaign; the game was eventually released in November.[4] The game's original cover had Gabe and Lian in action inside a courtroom that had a U.S. flag in the background amidst a swirl of gas. The anthrax scare following the attacks resulted in the cover being changed to a simple one showing Gabe's and Lian's faces, while the header line "United States Federal Bureau of Investigation" on the back cover was changed to "Agency Mission Briefing".[5]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic73/100[6]
Review scores
PublicationScore
GameRevolutionB−[7]
GameSpot6.5/10[8]
IGN7.5/10[9]
Next GenerationStarStarStarStar[10]

Syphon Filter 3 received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[6]

Tommy Layton reviewed the PlayStation version of the game for Next Generation, rating it four stars out of five, praising the graphics, gameplay, story and level design.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Syphon Filter 3 Q&A" (in en). GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/syphon-filter-3-qanda/1100-2799895/. 
  2. ↑ "Pixel Q&A - Jeff Ross, Lead Designer, Syphon Filter 3". https://www.thepixelempire.net/pixel-qa---jeff-ross-lead-designer-syphon-filter-3.html. 
  3. ↑ I. G. N. Staff (2001-08-09). "Interview With the Producers Behind Syphon Filter 3" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/08/09/interview-with-the-producers-behind-syphon-filter-3. 
  4. ↑ "Sony delays Syphon Filter 3 - GameSpot.com". Asia.gamespot.com. 30 November 2001. http://asia.gamespot.com/news/sony-delays-syphon-filter-3-2813691. 
  5. ↑ "Game Rave Presents: Syphon Filter 3 - September 11th Version". Game-rave.com. http://www.game-rave.com/psx/playstation_perfect_guide/features/syphon_filter_3/index.html. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Syphon Filter 3 for PlayStation Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/syphon-filter-3/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation. Retrieved 25 March 2014. 
  7. ↑ Nash, Joe (1 December 2001). "Syphon Filter 3 Review". Game Revolution. http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/syphon-filter-3. Retrieved 25 March 2014. 
  8. ↑ Shoemaker, Brad (19 November 2001). "Syphon Filter 3 Review". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/syphon-filter-3-review/1900-2825790/. Retrieved 25 March 2014. 
  9. ↑ Fujita, Mark (27 November 2001). "Syphon Filter 3 Review". IGN. http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/11/28/syphon-filter-3. Retrieved 25 March 2014. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Layton, Tommy (January 2002). "Finals". Next Generation (Imagine Media) 5 (1): 88. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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