I'll cut to the chase, Syphon Filter 3 looks just as good as the first two, and except for a few minor details, it's hard to tell them apart. The graphics are not bad and while at times the environments can look a little flat, they still do the same great job they've done in the past. The only flaw I could find was Lian's run animation. It's nothing bad, but it just looks like she's kicking herself in the ass with every step.

Sound is good, very good in fact. The voice acting is top-notch, although the sometimes-flat dialog does detract from it. I would say the sound effects sound realistic, but I've never shot anyone with a sniper rifle or silenced handgun, so I'll just say they are good. The music is very low key, never gets in the way, and always feels right.

In the past two games, Gabe Logan and his team have faced some pretty conniving and evil people, but nothing could have prepared him for his newest nemesis - the United States Legal System. As it turns out, Gabe and his team are on trial by Vincent Hadden, the Secretary of State, who is convinced Logan and his group are terrorists. This is where things get interesting. Each mission is introduced by either Gabe or one of his team members giving their deposition, and as their words fade out you find yourself playing that mission. While this isn't a groundbreaking idea, it still works and makes the game's events all that more believable, instead of stringing the player along on one big adventure.

Those who have played the other two Syphon Filters will immediately realize that this one is not as stealth happy as past games, in fact there is very little stealth involved. Those expecting something like Metal Gear may be a bit disappointed because Syphon Filter 3 is all about pure, all-out action as opposed to sneaking around and hoping to not get caught.

The missions are a lot of fun, and have some of the most original, if not unique mission goals I've seen yet. For example, in how many games have you saved a tribe of Aborigines? But by far, my favorite mission (and I am willing to bet the favorite of anyone who has played it) would have to be the hillbilly mission. Yes you heard me right, hillbillies! The mission has you fighting with a hillbilly (we'll call him Jethro) and his slack-jawed friends against the FBI. As the mission progresses, you soon find yourself protecting a very pregnant 'Maw' and a shotgun wielding, trigger-happy Jethro Jr. I'm not kidding folks, this mission alone makes the game worth at least a rental. Heck, until an unfortunate Thanksgiving morning incident, I had a memory card queued up to this baby.

Now we come to the multi-player aspect, which was probably my least favorite part of the game. This is mostly due to the control scheme, which lends itself more to the single player game than a deathmatch. Syphon Filter 3 also offers some very addicting mini-games once you beat the game, such as: Thief, Elimination, Demolition, Assassin, and Biathlon. Of the four, I liked Assassin (where you would try to kill the highest number of people without being detected) the most. Completing each other these modes will unlock a new, more challenging version of itself.

Syphon Filter 3 is just as challenging as the past games. Playing it requires you to find that good balance of patience and gunplay. Those wanting to run down halls blasting away with any weapon will have a hard time completing more than a few of the missions, while those who have to think out every situation will have just as much difficulty. Like the other games, it is all about knowing the right gun to use and best way to accomplish goals. I really liked how the game never takes you by the hand and leads you through your objective, but instead gives you a list and lets you loose in the area of operations. It can get tricky at times (such as when you are trying to find the plant samples), but completing them gives you a nice sense of accomplishment. Expect to take at least one or two peeks at a walkthrough over the course of your missions.

Control is the same as it has always been. You can walk, shoot, strafe, climb - you know the drill. Things really haven't changed, which is a good thing, but there are a few glitches that I really wish would have been looked at. My main gripe is the auto-aim feature, which seems to pick targets with no real reasoning. For example, one of the missions has Lian going up against Russian snipers and ground forces in Afghanistan. While running down the street, you would expect the auto-aim to lock on to the nearest target, but instead it locks on to a sniper behind a wall a mile away. This not only killed me more than a few times, but the fast paced action that the entire game is based around as well.

Overall, this is an excellent closer to the PlayStation's Syphon Filter series, and personally I cannot wait for the series to continue on the PS2 (in whatever form they do). This is definitely not a game for young kids, so parents may want to look elsewhere. I also feel I should mention that gamers who are still a little queasy about recent national tragedies may also want to take heed before playing Syphon Filter 3 as it does have at least one mission that may be something of a sensitive issue for some people.