The potential of an idea is nothing without the resources to back it up.

Sounds like a great quote, huh? Just something off the top of my head. Perhaps I should make a patent on it and put it on bumper stickers or something. Heh. But, anyway, it perfectly describes the fate of the Syphon Filter games, a series that started out so strongly on the PlayStation 1 console and eventually fell over to the weight of its own mediocrity. You had the original game, boasting with splendid gameplay ideas and a presentation that was second-to-none at the time. But, before Sony could really enrich the idea of the formula, a series of sequels began to get churned out, bogging down the series with bland gameplay and a story that eventually went nowhere. Things got even worse when the much hyped Omega Strain chapter for the PlayStation 2 arrived, and carried with it unappealing gameplay and multiplayer options that went nowhere. Like many, I had lost hope for the series, whether the thunder would ever return.

And indeed, it has. And on the unlikeliest of platforms, no less. No one would've thought that the Sony PSP would be an ideal place for the return of the Syphon Filter brand, but Dark Mirror fits it like a glove. It returns not only the splendor in which we saw from the series to begin with, but also the type of gameplay and multiplayer options that make it a must-own for Sony's handheld machine.

The game once again puts you in the shoes of Gabe Logan, an operative of a Precision Strike team that works undercover to mute out a number of terrorist threats. They use tactics that involve stealth as well as brutal force to get the job done, as you might have guessed from previous chapters in the series. Well, a new threat has emerged, and it's up to Gabe to use his numerous skills at hand to save the day. Where the story fell into a bit of corniness in previous chapters, here it seems to feel more natural, returning to the suspenseful side of the matter for a change. It stays pretty involving, which is nice for a change. It's told through a series of briefings and cut-scenes that are actually worth paying attention to, instead of something just put together for a mere showcase.

The gameplay is what feels right on par here. While it takes a little bit of getting used to switching between movement with the analog stick and minor functions (jumping to ledges) with the digital pad, it feels like second nature after settling in. The way you can use stealth movement to take out enemies feels terrific, and there's also an assortment of attacks that can be used. You can either go all-gusto with a series of handguns and weapons that can obliterate targets pretty easily (thanks to the inclusion of a targeting system that actually makes sense and doesn't get stuck on gimmicks), use a sniper rifle with all sorts of different ammunition types to take out enemies from a distance (explosive ammo FTW), or get up close and personal with a survival knife, hand-to-hand beatings, or a taser gun that, used to the right effect, leaves a bit of guilty pleasure as a bad guy starts to ignite in flames. The balance between action and stealth is perfectly found here, while not losing any energy in the gameplay.

But the presentation is also surprisingly solid as well, kind of paying a tribute to the old engine from the PS1 game while fitting the PSP to a tee with its features. The graphics look positively sharp, with environments that really capture the essence of dangerous missions and animation that backs it up nicely, and the game also pays a bit of attention to lighting, forcing you to use different goggles in order to get a better view of things. You can also use a flashlight, which has a nifty lighting effect all its own (kind of like Doom 3 did with its environmental shadowing). The sound is good as well, although some guns sound a bit meatier than others. Oh, well, at least the dialogue isn't brought down to ridiculous levels, and the music is suitable.

The multiplayer may throw off some momentarily, especially when you consider how few maps are available for multiplayer play, but don't be fooled. It has a number of modes that allow it to rival others in comparison, even the likes of Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow. Up to eight players can jump in, either via AdHoc or Infrastructure, and the games appear to be without that much lag in them to slow the speed of the game. Furthermore, there's a few modes available that expand upon the multiplayer idea, so things don't get boring.

You have your Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch, of course, so you can jump right in and work on a series of your brutal kills. But the real feast lies in Rogue Agent and Objective, which puts a competitive spin on things even more so than the Deathmatch modes. Rogue Agent has you working on the same team, until you manage to get an item in question in a level. Then you're basically labeled as a Rogue Agent and sought after until you're killed, in which the next person grabs the item and becomes the Rogue Agent. Think of it as Capture the Flag, but working much better.

Then there's Objective, where you can choose the side you're on (Gabe's team or the terrorist forces), which basically works in a base-defense system where you try to infiltrate certain objectives in your given map. It too has reflections of previous modes in other games, but manage to feel all its own here, thanks to the presentation within the game

So, with the multiplayer options alone, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror would've soared to great heights. But the fact that Sony Bend put so much focus into the single player mode as well, along with the presentation, is what makes it stunning. It truly is a must-have for the PSP, taking advantage of the hardware at hand while also delivering a performance that gamers have been waiting several years for, since the original game. Looks like the Dark Mirror really reflects well on the situation.