Syphon Filter is a 1999 third-person shooter/stealth video game developed by Eidetic and published by Sony Computer Entertainment's 989 Studios for the PlayStation. It is the first game in the Syphon Filter series.
Syphon Filter follows American special forces agent Gabriel Logan, as he and his partner Lian Xing investigate a German terrorist whose operations are linked to the titular substance: a deadly virus that can be programmed to target specific groups of people. Syphon Filter is a third-person shooter-stealth video game, in which players control Logan. Logan has an access to a variety of various weapons for both direct combat situations and stealthy tactics. Levels allow the players to choose their approach, while several of them impose stealth-based challenges.
For the development of Syphon Filter, Eidetic was approached by a producer of 989 Studios with a one-page synopsis of the future product; Syphon Filter was "just a name" at the time the original pitch was offered. Eidetic faced challenges due to the studio's lack of experience with realistic-looking shooters, and the game was almost cancelled several times before release. The story and development radically changed with the hiring of John Garvin, who served as the game's creative director, lead artist and writer.
Despite its turbulent development cycle, Syphon Filter was released to critical acclaim. Reviews praised it for the visuals, artificial intelligence and the blending of action and stealth mechanics, though it received some criticism for performance issues; it was favorably compared to Kojima Productions' Metal Gear Solid. Syphon Filter enjoyed strong sales, with over 900,000 copies sold by July 1999. It was followed by 2000's Syphon Filter 2.
Syphon Filter saw subsequent releases for Sony's PlayStation Network services for the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3. In October 2022, the game was digitally released for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 as part of PlayStation Plus' Premium tier.
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By July 9, 1999, Syphon Filter sold over 900,000 copies in North American markets.[1]