Bluepoint Games has built a reputation for itself as a studio that can produce extremely high quality remakes and remasters that not only capture what made the originals so great to begin with, but takes them to the next level. Bluepoint has accomplished this with projects like the Shadow of the Colossus remake on PS4 and more recently, the Demon's Souls remake on PS5, which brought the classic game to modern times in a big way.
Now that the Demon's Souls remake is out, fans are naturally wondering what's next for Bluepoint Games. The studio has not announced its next project, and while there have been rumors of a potential Sony acquisition, it remains an independent studio. But while Bluepoint Games may or may not be acquired by Sony at some point to officially join the PlayStation family of studios, chances are good that its next project will be a PS5 exclusive.
One of the more persistent rumors is that Bluepoint Games is making a Metal Gear Solid remake, though there's been no concrete evidence to back up those claims. It's entirely possible, but it's also just as likely that the studio is working on a different remake instead, an IP that Sony actually owns. Whatever Bluepoint Games is working on next, hopefully it one day gets to take a crack at the classic PS1 game Syphon Filter, which would be a much more worthwhile remake than many of the other options.
Syphon Filter Is A Cinematic Experience Begging for A Graphical Upgrade
Syphon Filter is a relatively cutscene-heavy game for the PS1 era, with over-the-top sequences, explosions, and set-pieces. All of this is done on the original PS1, though, so as one might imagine, it all looks quite archaic by today's standards. There's still some excitement to be had with Syphon Filter's action spy story, even with the outdated visuals, but one can't help but imagine how much it would all be enhanced with a sleek PS5 makeover.
The opening level of Syphon Filter alone is a perfect example of why the game so desperately needs a remake. In the opening level of the game, players take on the role of Gabe Logan as he mows down terrorists in Washington, D.C., protecting fellow agents and dealing with explosives that have been planted all over the city. The first level sees Logan battle it out in city streets as well as various interior locations. Bullets smash through glass, enemies snipe at Gabe from rooftops, explosions rock the streets. It's all very intense, but that intensity doesn't translate as well today as it maybe did when the game first launched in 1999.
It would be amazing to see these scenes recreated with the same level of care that Bluepoint Games gave to the Demon's Souls remake on PS5. Taking these action-packed moments and giving them a new coat of paint would breathe new life into the whole thing, and the developers wouldn't even really have to change much of what happens - just make it look better to match today's standards.
Syphon Filter Gameplay Hasn't Aged Well
While there are many PS1 games that are still as fun today as they were at launch, Syphon Filter may not necessarily fit the bill. It's not that the game is "bad" by any means, but there are certain things about it that simply haven't aged well at all. Syphon Filter's controls are janky and stiff, the gameplay mechanics are poorly explained, and exploring the levels can be more of a chore than anything else.
When it comes to the Bluepoint Games remakes that have been released so far, they have all been games with top tier gameplay that didn't really need many changes. Syphon Filter is much older than any other game Bluepoint Games has remade, and so it stands to reason that it could go a lot farther when bringing the experience to PlayStation 5. A Syphon Filter remake could be more like an espionage take on Uncharted, borrowing that franchise's cover-shooting mechanics and more advanced climbing/platforming.
Modernizing Syphon Filter's controls and gameplay, along with implementing quality of life improvements, like less frustrating checkpoints, could make the game infinitely more accessible to today's audience. And since Bluepoint Games already has extensive history with the Uncharted franchise, having developed Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, it seems like the studio would be able to apply what it learned there to make Syphon Filter play more like something that fans would expect from a video game of today.
Syphon Filter Was Once A Major PlayStation Franchise
Giving Syphon Filter the remake treatment would also thrust what was once a major PlayStation franchise back in the spotlight. The first two Syphon Filter games on the PS1 earned widespread critical acclaim at the time of their release, and the PSP Syphon Filter games were quite well-received as well. It's a shame that it's been so many years without a new Syphon Filter game, but a remake of the original could put it back in the spotlight.
And while usual Syphon Filter developer Bend Studio is working on a new open world IP, perhaps if a remake is successful, it could lead to a brand new game in the series. For now, though, fans will just have to stay tuned and wait to learn more about what Bluepoint Games is working on next.
Syphon Filter is out now on PS1.