Sony's been becoming quite versed in the promomentary -- documentaries meant solely to promote a certain product. Considering the incredible moves Logan can pull off in Logan's Shadow, that's certainly not a bad thing. After a brief introduction to Rucka's work, see how Logan can take out his enemies by using blind fire and grappling. We can describe it, but seeing it actually unfold in front of your eyes is another thing.

This latest Syphon Filter title received a 9.0 from PSP Fanboy, and comes highly recommended.

You already know how awesome Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow is. Did you know that the story is penned by popular graphic novelist Greg Rucka? Watch this new video to see the process behind Logan's Shadow's story, and how it expands upon the entire Syphon Filter franchise.

Your PS2 is quietly sobbing, jealous of your next PSP purchase. Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow is an incredible game that manages to defy the limitations of portable gaming. Packed with incredible graphics, fantastic music, and terrific gameplay, Logan's Shadow is one of the best PSP games to date. Fans of the series will be surprised at how far the franchise has matured: this is easily the best game in the Syphon Filter series.

The gameplay is what sets Logan's Shadow apart. It's still a stealth action game, but the action has been upped quite considerably. Logan can move through environments with masterful precision, and his updated roster of moves makes him a considerable killer. Cautious gamers will want to take the stealthiest approach to the game, and avoid detection as frequently as possible. By sneaking up to enemies, Logan will be able to slit their throats with a knife, throw them off ledges, or take them as hostages at gunpoint. Sneaking up behind a villain and snapping his neck is always a satisfying experience.

But perhaps you'll want to take a less subtle route. There are plenty of guns at Logan's disposal, and they're all very satisfying. The core of the gunplay is the cover system. You'll hide behind walls, crates, and other sizable objects. By pushing the analog nub, you'll be able to take aim and then duck out for a quick shot. This methodical approach will let you target specific areas of the body: headshots are usually effective, but helmeted enemies can be taken down with a nice shot in the kneecaps. The cover system is ideal for PSP, as it gives gamers time to adjust their aim with the face buttons. Who needs a second analog stick? Of course, if precision isn't your style, then switch to a fully automatic rifle and fire away through the protection of blind-fire, a la Gears of War. There are so many ways for you to kill your enemies -- and it's relatively easy to learn.

Click for high-res image.

... Before the review. We've raved about the gameplay, the graphics and the story before. Now, with the release of the game finally upon us, we can share these new screenshots from both the single player and multiplayer portions of the game.

Watch out. Logan's Shadow will redefine what gamers should expect from the Syphon Filter series. No, it will change what people should expect from handheld games in whole. The long-running franchise hits its peak in the upcoming PSP-exclusive Logan's Shadow and provides one of the most intense and immersive handheld experiences ever made. What makes Logan's Shadow so successful is its incredible production values. The graphics take full advantage of the PSP's true power. RUnning at 333MHz, the game outputs some of the system's best graphics, only falling shy of the upcoming SOCOM: Tactical Strike. The graphics found in the game best many PS2 games, with superior interactive water, beautiful volumetric smoke, and intense particle and shader effects. In addition, detailed animation and real-time physics bring the world to life.

The core of Logan's Shadow's success comes in its unrelenting pursuit of bringing a true console experience to the handheld. This is easily the most advanced Syphon Filter yet, allowing players to perform a variety of moves that establishes Gabe Logan as a true badass. Logan has a variety of moves at his disposal: stealth moves allow the player to grapple enemies and dispose of them in unique context-sensitive ways. Sneaking around, taking cover, peeking and blindfiring will be familiar to those that have played Gears of War, and its impressive that the controls translate so well on the PSP's admittedly limited interface. There are so many "wow" moments in the game that handheld gamers would never have expected. For example, in one of Logan's misadventures, he'll have to fight a submarine underwater. Given complete 360 degree freedom whilst fighting enemies underwater and figuring out how to defeat a submarine is one of the most epic experiences I've seen in all of handheld gaming ... and that's just one of the many brilliant set pieces to be found in Logan's Shadow.

There's a lot to rave about the game, but we're not allowed to talk about the game's latter half, which features some truly spectacular moments. Rest assured, it appears that Logan's Shadow will be the single best game ever made for PSP, provided you're a real hardcore gamer. Casual players will be offput by the complex controls and somewhat daunting difficulty level. The incredibly long levels also do the game some harm: gamers will have to devote a hefty amount of time to each level, with each individual level taking upwards of thirty minutes of continuous play. However, with a compelling story, great graphics, and exciting gameplay, you'll want to devote a lot of time to the game. Expect the full review soon.

Some time ago, hackers found an interesting beta for the multiplayer component of Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow. The multiplayer feature appears to be incredibly thorough, given its own presentation and title: Syphon Filter: Combat Ops.

There are five game modes in multiplayer, two of which are new to the franchise. In Sabotage, two teams must locate bomb codes and arm the other team's nuclear warhead. The other mode, Retrieval, is a virtual scavenger hunt of sorts, where players must retrieve items scattered throughout the map. In addition, Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Rogue Agent modes all return.

The servers were taken down, and information about Combat Ops has been hard to find. Thankfully, a user has uploaded a ton of impressive images from the beta to his Picasa album. Inside, you'll find some very impressive graphics, and a plethora of options to choose from. Hopefully, it won't be too long until we get some official confirmation of a Combat Ops beta.

[Thanks, vladimir356!]

There's something truly compelling about the story of Logan's Shadow, the upcoming PSP-exclusive sequel to Dark Mirror. Greg Rucka, the story writer behind Logan's Shadow, talked to IGN at Comic-Con about building Logan's Shadow's story. Interestingly, he was pitched to "salvage" the story and turn it into something far more substantial.

It didn't take long for Rucka to figure out that there was a lot of potential in the Syphon Filter franchise: it just needed to take advantage of the story elements introduced from the previous games. "Coming off of Dark Mirror and the stuff that had happened to the character there, I know of was stunned to be like 'Why aren't you using any of this stuff you set up?' I mean, he now has a kid! He knows that he's a dad! There's all this fabulous character stuff here. So, we discussed that and sort of tried to find a way to use the relationships that really have been building throughout this series and turn them into good story ... that's what we got here."

The story puts into serious question the loyalties of those around him. Although Rucka doesn't want to give anything away, it seems that he wants players to stay on the edge of their seats for yet another Syphon Filter beyond the next installment: "We got, I think, a good, good story for Gabe and I think at the end -- I don't want to give anything away -- it's got a nice ending. It's got the kind of ending that I think -- hopefully -- people will be like 'Where's the next one?'"

Chris Reese, Technical Director for SCEA's Bend Studio, has posted on the PlayStation.Blog to confirm that Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow will utilize the full 333MHz of PSP power. Reese claims the extra 67MHz will allow Bend Studio to create a look and feel that isn't possible using the original 266mhz. The increase in power will let them focus on adding detail and interactivity to the game's environments.

For those who are confused about 333mhz compatability, let us put your mind at rest. Games utilizing the 333 MHz clock speed will work exactly the same on a normal PSP as on a Slim PSP. The increase in power does mean that the battery in both models will drain more quickly than in other games, but for those who are picking up a PSP Slim you can use your old PSP's battery to lengthen the playtime. This does, however, come with its own problems.

Has there ever been a better time to be a portable gamer? Nintendo DS owners are blessed with an incredible lineup of unique software, and PSP owners are finally getting games that are delivering on the system's promise of bringing console-quality gaming on the go. Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow expands upon the excellent Dark Mirror with a plethora of gameplay improvements that make it one of the most exciting games for Sony's handheld. It's rare to see a handheld game dare to do so much ... and succeed.

Logan's Shadow has a lot to showcase, and does a fantastic job presenting all it has to offer. The game begins with a fully voice cinematic that already reeks of international politics and betrayal. We loved the writing, and were even more impressed by the incredible voice acting. Afterwards, Logan can be found, manning a minigun in a helicopter. This on-rails segment adds a nice cinematic touch to the game, while having players adjust to the PSP's analog nub. Once on the ground, players will have to take out enemies by brute force.

We were surprised to see the incredible variety of moves that Logan has at his disposal. We were easily able to duck for cover, and start blind-firing at enemies. Much to our joy, we saw enemies also taking cover, trying to intelligently move. Of course, this being a video game, there were conveniently located explosive barrels that helped our fight considerably. Eventually, we were able to get close to an enemy, disarm him, and use him as a body shield. The button commands were easy, and made Logan feel like an appropriately lethal killer. Scattered throughout the levels were quick time events, which have the player pressing on-screen commands, a la God of War. These sequences simply break up the action, and help the game's pacing.

Logan's Shadow is an impressive game that features great graphics, and great gameplay. (Although, this game makes us long for a second analog stick!) Regardless, Logan's Shadow offers a truly compelling gaming experience for portable gamers that will make console owners jealous.

Various members of the IGN Boards have spotted Logan's Shadow demo UMDs at GameStop/EB Games. The demo will allow you to get a taste of what the media got to play at Sony's Gamer's Day. Lucian04 from the forums noted that "they just gave me the demo when I asked for it. No pre-order involved." You may want to do the same.

The incredible graphics, sweet new control options, and fantastic presentation all have us thinking Logan's Shadow can become PSP Game of the Year. Rush to your nearest GameStop, hassle an employee, and tell us what you think of the demo.

[Update: You can get a free UMD from Sony at the official website.]

Sony's starting to send out preview demos of the upcoming Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow and IGN has captured video of the game in action. We've seen the impressive graphics of the game at Sony Gamers Day, and the latest build continues to impress. Check out this intro video, setting up the Greg Rucka-penned story. For more gameplay footage, check out IGN.

For anyone browsing the coming soon listings for PS2, you may notice a familiar title. The excellent Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror is being ported to Sony's last gen powerhouse. Previously, we've seen Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto titles and Tokobot make their way from PSP to PS2, but Syphon Filter may be the first Sony developed title to make the journey. Losing a PSP exclusive like this is usually somewhat maddening. In the case of Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror though, it so easily eclipses its precursors, that we can't help but want others to experience the series reboot. Besides, the PSP sequel Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow comes out on the same day, so PSP gamers should be too busy playing that to care.

Great graphics? Check.
Great music? Check.
Ambitious gameplay? Check.

From the looks of this new video, Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow could have it all. As previously mentioned, Logan's Shadow is adding tons of depth to the franchise with a Gears of War-styled cover system and a God of War-styled button-pressing system. The ability to use hostages as human shields is more than impressive -- it's awe-inspiring. Brilliant graphical touches, such as atmospheric fog and stellar lighting, make us continuously question the true potential of the hardware. Oh, and great music and story are nice bonuses too. Don't doubt it: Logan's Shadow might become the best PSP game of all time.

Looks like that accidental GameStop leak was correct -- there is a new Syphon Filter, and as you can see in these new screens, they look incredible. Logan's Shadow, which is currently planned for a fall release, has players returning to their role as Gabe Logan. In an all new story written by Greg Rucka (author of the Queen and Country series of novels and graphic novels), players must stop a criminal extremist group from using a dangerous new technology. The story will take players from the depths of the Indian Ocean to the deserts of the Middle East. In a surprising twist to fans of the franchise, Gabe must face the possibility that his long time partner, Lian Xing, is a double agent.

New gameplay mechanics include a Gears of War-esque "blind-fire", an advanced melee system that allows Gabe to use enemies as human shields, and 360 degree underwater combat. "Interactive moments" akin to those of God of War and Resident Evil 4 will also add a dash of cinematic thrill.

Logan's Shadow has a lot of impressive technology behind it. Aside from the visuals, it's also one of the few PSP titles (if not the first) to utilize the Havok physics engine made famous by games such as Half-Life 2. With such impressive production design, it may be Syphon Filter that becomes PSP's big "killer app," not God of War. Check out the images below, and then a video after the cut.

Is Syphon Filter returning to PSP? According to an updated GameStop release list, the answer is yes. Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow joins the newly revealed SOCOM: Tactical Strike and a US-release for Pursuit Force 2 in the retailer's latest update to their database. If Gamespot's investigating is to be believed, Logan's Shadow should hit PSP systems first -- September 4th. Afterwards, Pursuit Force 2 and Tactical Strike should release on September 25th and October 2nd, respectively.

Retailers are notorious for revealing unannounced titles accidentally, giving this report a great deal of weight. With Syphon Filter joining the PSP lineup again later this year, it's clear that PSP owners are going to have a lot of games to play this fall.