VIDEO GAME REVIEW

Somebody say sequels?

Do we really need a sequel to Die Hard Trilogy? Even though the graphics have improved greatly and gameplay is much more on key, as with the original only one of the three games on the disc is actually worth attention.

A third-person actioneer, a Virtual Cop-style shooter and a driving game combine to make the trilogy – yes, three games on one CD. But without extra accessories, the shooter is more like scroll-and-guess than training for the police academy; and the driving is so disabled that if an instructor caught a glimpse of it, he’d be paralyzed by fright. Still, the most prominent game is the third-person action version. Yet upon ejecting the trilogy and inserting the fabulous Syphon Filter 2, you should execute a perfect a Tex Avery-style jaw drop.

Comparing and contrasting is nearly pointless when Filter 2 is pitted against Die Hard 2, as Die Hard 2 is an unnecessary follow-up and Filter 2 is a sequel that is 10 times more extravagant than its predecessor. What is more interesting is the complex plot that Filter 2 wraps into its intense third-person action. Voice acting that is nearly perfect adds to the engrossing play, as do intense cinematic sequences.

And for players who hate puzzles, this game does such a superb job of weaving them into gameplay that they’re almost invisible. Even more fun are the enhanced espionage elements (i.e. head shots are no longer for the expert rifleman). So venturing into unknown territory with Special Operatives Gabe Logan and Lian Xing is simply about warfare, minus annoying quiz-itives and security codes. With 20 bullet-baked missions – both challenging and severely violent – just make sure you don’t forget about the rest of your life while playing.

Jon M. Gibson writes about video games for Metro Times.