Syphon Filter

Syphon Filter is a third-person stealth action game developed by Eidetic for the PlayStation. 989 Studios published it in North America on 16 February 1999, Sony Computer Entertainment released it in Europe in July 1999, and Spike ported and published it in Japan on 12 August 1999.

The project began as nothing more than a name suggested by a 989 Studios producer. Richard Ham's first concept was a cinematic action game inspired by John Woo films, but the E3 1997 trailer for Metal Gear Solid pushed the team in a radically different direction, and Ham looked to GoldenEye 007 for a super-spy feel. Eidetic's only earlier console game was Bubsy 3D, and the core team numbered thirteen people. The original science-fiction plot, about kidnapped scientists building a time machine, was rewritten after John Garvin joined as art director.

The game sold more than 900,000 units and returned on PS4 and PS5 in 2022.¹²