Get used to its basics, and Syphon Filter continually pleases and surprises, in equal measure. From diving through glass windows, to a 'head shot' performed on-the-fly during a tricky stealth mission, its immersive credentials are considerable.

Progress through each section is measured by checkpoints. Should you die (or perform a mission-crippling faux pas), you are returned to the last restart point reached. This, more than any other feature, highlights Syphon Filter's strengths. On a first attempt, you can blast your way routinely through an exchange of munitions. On an (unintentional, enforced) second attempt, that very same situation can lead to an almost technical, but certainly absorbing battle of wills.

It's saddening, then, that Syphon Filter - like Metal Gear Solid and, to a lesser extent, GoldenEye's 'easy' mode - can be comprehensively explored between 10 and 15 hours. Some levels - the enjoyable stealth outings in particular - are tricky, even frustrating. A modicum of persistence will beat them, though. And, again, there's always a nagging suspicion that problematic sections are hard for one reason alone: the third-person view and control mechanism are unsuited to the demands of the design.

Still, you'll struggle hard to find a game that can engender the kind of excitement that Syphon Filter (almost inadvertently) evokes. It's no looker, and certainly imperfect, but there's something about it that makes it categorically right.

It's greater than the sum of its parts. Like the fruits of a sweaty dalliance between Ms Croft and Solid Snake, it's something that any self-respecting PlayStation owner will want to behold. Strangely, and confirming the relevance of the previous metaphor, it is just that. Recommended.