When the games industry jumps from one generation to the next, the most common course of action for many developers is to bring existing franchises along with them. Mario gets updated, Sonic gets updated, and so does Crash Bandicoot. So when PSOne took a back seat to its brawnier PS2 brother, some of us were disappointed to be denied a fourth instalment of Sony's Syphon Filter series. But fear not, because Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain - the first and probably last PS2 offering in the series - has finally arrived.
Another modern day epic, Omega Strain takes place in a world where global terrorism threatens mankind with the Syphon Filter virus. Stepping into the boots of series protagonist Gabe Logan one more time, you must maintain world peace and prevent a global outbreak of the Omega Strain with the help of a few trusted recruits.
The story is very Metal Gear-esque, and the same goes for several parts of the game, but on the whole, Omega Strain is more action-orientated with an emphasis on weapons as well as strategy. Playing solo, gamers will traverse some 17 heroic missions, many of which are faithful - even reminiscent - to the series' previous instalments. Of course the game looks much better after a 128-bit facelift, and boasts clean animation, a smoother frame rate and all-round convincing locales. The control method also benefits slightly.
But there is one crucial addition to the latest instalment of Sony's in-house franchise that makes the long wait completely worthwhile, and that's online play. A brand new and intriguing aspect to newcomers and followers of the games alike, players can now hook up to the wonderful World Wide Web for a much-needed dose of online multi-player action. Players are now able to join with three others in a bout of team-based gameplay throughout the Omega Strain adventure. They will be required to communicate, make joint decisions, and help one another to succeed.
You've got the whole world in your hands... what will you do?