Mission: Impossible – Operation Surma brings the exciting action of the films to the video game world

by Louis Bedigian

This interview, should you choose to read it, is packed with new information on this intriguing spy game.

Sneaking.  Spying.  Surveillance.  Three things gamers can’t live without.  If a game involves any kind of deception, they’ll be someone waiting to play it, no doubt.  That’s why GameZone Online formed the VGSS (Video Game Secret Service).  Outside of delivering the latest game coverage, our mission is to serve and protect the world from the threat of invasion.  Whether it’s stopping an evil assassin from completing a deadly mission, or preventing a bad game from infiltrating your console, GameZone Online will do what it can to make the world a better place.

During a heated race in F-Zero GX, I got a call from a man who offered me a job.  He wanted me to complete some kind of task for him – an objective, if you will.  I was told that the mission was perfectly safe, though I’d be sent a number of weapons and several gadgets in order to test them out for my potential employer.  It sounded like a great opportunity, and the money couldn’t be beat.

Before I could accept the offer, I realized that the voice on the phone was a recording.  The last thing the recording said was, “Your mission, should you choose to accept it—“ causing me to hang up immediately.  I’ve played the games.  I saw what Tom Cruise went through in those movies.  I know this is an impossible mission to complete!

But that wasn’t the end of it.  I received e-mails, voice mail messages, and even a FedEx letter insisting that I accept the mission.  There was no escaping them, so finally I gave in to their demands.

Within 12 hours I was flown to an undisclosed location overseas.  It was cold, snowy, and made me appreciate Michigan weather (a first!).  The reason I was there was unknown; they told me I’d be debriefed after locating the secret igloo base.

Once inside, I was greeted by Jim Galis.  Galis is the Executive Producer for Mission: Impossible – Operation Surma.  He informed me that my reason for being there was to obtain top-secret information about his forthcoming title.  It was a harsh way to obtain such information, but it was worth it.

With each game in the M:I saga, the aspect of sneaking and spying have become all the more intense.  How much further does Operation Surma take the genre?

Jim Galis: Stealth action game play is the main focus of Operation Surma. Ethan can use this mode to conceal himself in shadow, survey dangerous situations and surprise attack enemies with dramatic kill moves. The mix of this stealth ability, with extended gadget and weapon use provides the player with multiple solutions to each mission.

What kinds of weapons will players have to defend themselves if they're caught?

JG: Ethan has a cache of new gadgets and weapons to choose from when in compromising situations. He can perform ranged gun combat using pistols, machine pistols or a sniper pistol.  He also has an Electronic Warfare Gun, which is a multi-purpose weapon used to disable security cameras, track enemies and cause distractions in the world.

How are the levels structured?

JG: Level progression is structured in a linear fashion, with a wide variety of locales for the player to experience. Each level provides a challenge that can be solved with stealth, weapon combat, hand-to-hand combat, gadget use or a combination of these features. Level design has been created to improve the player's competencies with gadgets and weapons, with a final culmination test of the player's abilities in the Aerial assault levels. Level difficulty has been balanced for two settings, normal and "impossible."

Are there any outdoor areas?

JG: There are several missions that take place outdoors. The exteriors vary from a New Mexico research facility, to a sand-blown desert prison to a rainy European city. A final surprise has Ethan skydiving to complete his objectives.

Could you give us a few examples of the kinds of objectives that players will have to complete?

JG: Ethan must continually be aware of his surroundings, watching enemy behaviors, tracking guards, finding pipes to hang from and monitoring security cameras.

Ethan has to gain access to secure facilities undetected, extract critical data from high security computers and disable bombs. He must seek out certain characters and take pictures of their faces, allowing multiple masks for disguises. Fortunately, Ethan is in constant contact with Luther and his other IMF teammates, helping with hacking systems and keeping Ethan aware of trouble.

Does the game feature any bonuses or side objectives?

JG: The game does not currently offer side objectives, but you'll have to check out the final release for sure!

Mission: Impossible has always had some of the coolest gadgets around.  Could you share any of them with our readers, or are they too confidential to talk about? :)

JG: Mission: Impossible - Operation Surma includes many new gadgets and weapons. Ethan Hunt has a sophisticated set of contact lenses, giving the ability for night vision when needed. The Wasp Gadget, which is a miniature robot combining surveillance and weapon capability, packed into a remotely controlled flying device that is virtually undetectable.

The BCM (binocular/camera/microphone) gadget which allows Ethan to scout targets from a distance, take digital photos and listen in on distant conversations. Theses and others, as well as advanced hand carried weapons give Ethan the ability to accomplish objectives in many creative ways. Ethan also has the ability to micro-cord to the ceiling, and hangs horizontally to accomplish his objective. A Sonic Imaging device allows Ethan to see through doors, increasing his stealth abilities.

Graphically, Operation Surma is the most impressive-looking Mission: Impossible game yet.  What engine does it use?

JG: We are using our own internally developed graphics engine that has been optimized for character action gameplay. This proprietary technology provides us with the flexibility to react quickly to requests for new features as well as remaining on the cutting edge of lighting, special effects and character animation.

Are there any unique graphic effects that we'll see in the final version?

JG: The levels offer dramatic environments, in both daylight and night scenes. Use of dynamic lights throughout the levels further connects the player to the experience. Special FX are abundant in the game, and provide a satisfying amount of eye-candy.

When development of Operation Surma first began, where did you look to for inspiration?  Were they any movies or spy games that really got your juices going?

JG: Inspiration came mainly from the movie references for Mission: Impossible. Even though the game is not based directly on either movie, the design incorporates many mission moments that are reflections of scenes from the movies. Ethan's ability to do crazy stunts, and the insane risks he takes were motivation for some of the levels in the game, especially the skydiving levels.

What does the subtitle "Operation Surma" refer to?  Does it have anything to do with the story?

JG: Yes. The story revolves around the elimination of SURMA, a shadowy international conglomerate that serves as a front for the ambitions of Simon Algo.  Algo is a brilliant and ruthless ex-intelligence agent who has assumed control of Yugaria and is planning on extending his control over the entire Balkan region. The Yugarian mastermind is using a highly advanced virus known as the Ice Worm to bypass even the most advanced security systems in order to steal military secrets and weapons research from the west.  Ethan and his team become involved when one of their well-planned operations is sabotaged and they discover that the IMF's own ultra secure database has been hacked.  Faced with an opponent who has access to their deepest secrets Ethan and his team must track down and defeat Algo as well as recover the Ice Worm technology.

Is the beloved Ethan Hunt in charge of completing this impossible mission?  Are there any new characters – good or bad – who will aid him or prevent him from succeeding?

JG: Yes, Ethan Hunt is the main character of the game. He does take advantage of the superior skills of the IMF team, Luther Stickell, Billy Baird, newcomer Jasmine Curry and con artist George Spelvin. Ethan also becomes attracted to a female character, Sofia Ivanescu, who is one of the world's foremost computer experts and the architect of the Ice Worm Virus.

The player will face an array of formidable opponents in the employ of Yugarian mastermind Simon Algo.  These include Commander Berkut, a ruthless Yugarian military officer, Jong Ho Li an international mercenary with ties to Chinese organized crime, and Algo himself, a trained operative who possesses many of same deadly skills as Ethan Hunt. 

Metal Gear Solid has a restrictive camera, but it works well.  Splinter Cell has a movable camera and it is also quite impressive.  What camera style does Mission: Impossible - Operation Surma use?

JG: Operation Surma uses an adjustable camera that tracks Ethan from the third person perspective, but has the flexibility to change orientation. The player moves the character with the left stick, and controls the camera with the right.

Who is handling the game's soundtrack?  Will it have the same style of music as the movies?

JG: Paradigm has contracted with a capable composer, who has created a variety of in-game music based on the original Mission: Impossible theme.

Are there any puzzles in this game?

JG: Ethan will encounter many puzzles throughout the game. Some examples would be destroying bio-toxins in a laboratory, extracting critical data archives while hanging horizontally from his micro-cord, and navigating his way through laser grids using night vision capabilities.

Thank you for your time.