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MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE
LANDMARK LEVELS: RUSSIAN EMBASSY
PlayStation | October 1999 (Europe) | Action/Adventure | Infogrames | Infogrames
By Tom Clare © 2022. Posted 9th July 2022.
By Tom Clare © 2022. Posted 9th July 2022.
Landmark levels need not come from landmark games. Mission: Impossible is a perfect example of this. Releasing on Nintendo 64 in 1998 and PlayStation in 1999, the Infogrames-developed film tie-in had its work cut out with the likes of GoldenEye 007, Metal Gear Solid and Syphon Filter fresh in the memory and each delivering espionage action to a higher standard. When compared to many Hollywood adaptations of the time though, MI was a solid effort. It featured a surprising degree of variety, novel gadgets and plenty of levels, even if its endeavours were tempered by dated visuals and clunky controls.
Yes, everything’s a bit wobbly and yes, the character models do bear an uncomfortably close resemblance to our neanderthal ancestors. For this article, however, such foibles can take a back seat. Mission: Impossible’s third level, “Russian Embassy”, is deserving of celebration. During a time when stealth and action adventures still modelled their playing spaces around elaborate, high-stakes games of hide-and-seek, the embassy made for a significant and refreshing change of pace.
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Ethan's got to plant some smoke bombs, but must keep a watching brief for a guard who's doing the rounds
Mission: Impossible’s first couple of levels make for solid if unoriginal fare set around a wintry silo, with little snippets of action and stealth to get things going. It’s the Russian Embassy, however, where we see a noticeable jump in terms of quality and ambition. This fantastic and elaborate level sees Ethan Hunt transitioning from an action hero to an undercover agent.
Shooting is off the table and stealth isn’t really necessary, so it’s time to give your brain a workout instead. Posing as a waiter, Ethan’s primary task involves slipping a number of smoke bombs into vents situated around the level, before escaping through a restricted area. He must do so without attracting the attention of a watchful security guard. Planting bombs or becoming violent in their presence results in a cool game over scene showing Ethan being held at gunpoint. The player can engage in chit-chat with guests and staff, as well as an undercover agent behind the bar. Whilst the environment isn’t massive, some nice little intrigues quickly emerge.
Shooting is off the table and stealth isn’t really necessary, so it’s time to give your brain a workout instead. Posing as a waiter, Ethan’s primary task involves slipping a number of smoke bombs into vents situated around the level, before escaping through a restricted area. He must do so without attracting the attention of a watchful security guard. Planting bombs or becoming violent in their presence results in a cool game over scene showing Ethan being held at gunpoint. The player can engage in chit-chat with guests and staff, as well as an undercover agent behind the bar. Whilst the environment isn’t massive, some nice little intrigues quickly emerge.
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How to get upstairs? Asking staff and guests helps Ethan deduce he'll need to flush out the ambassador
The majority of the level pans out as an offshoot of needing to access the upstairs area, to plant the final smoke bomb and escape. This is no easy task because the staircase in question is guarded. Blasting through is not an option and thus the mission changes tack, challenging the player to engineer a plan to slip past the guards without raising the alarm. This is where the fun begins, hob-nobbing with various hilariously-voiced guests and utilising classic spy equipment in creative ways. To pass security, Ethan must assume the identity of a high-ranking official. The pianist hints that Ethan might coax the ambassador out of hiding, should he find a stirring piece of music to play.
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...But first there is an assassin to deal with. Lead Schofield away from the bustle of the party and neutralise her with a dart
What stands out about the level is its atmosphere, created in significant part by the gathering of figures within the Embassy. Particularly in 3D titles of the time, a single area housing a dozen or more individuals with unique appearances, behavioural patterns, quirks and speech responses was highly unusual. The music for this section is also excellent. Intoxicating and incredibly dramatic, the BGM feels right at home in a spy setting, giving the player a sense of a brooding, simmering danger. It’s tense stuff, even without a great deal of action.
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Find a particular musical score and the pianist will play something to appeal to the ambassador's patriotism
Whilst Ethan’s pondering how he’s going to lure the ambassador downstairs without the help of any Ferrero Rocher chocolates, there’s a rather pressing matter to deal with in the meantime: an assassin. An agent known as Schofield is out to kill him and at around the mid-point in the mission, you’ll have clocked a femme fatale in a red dress shadowing his movements at a distance. A dangerous situation, especially with guards and guests milling around. Heading into the restroom, Mission: Impossible gives you the ungentlemanly option of delivering a knockout punch, or the more subtle use of a dart gun to incapacitate her. Don’t feel too bad though: should the player hesitate, Schofield will deal Ethan an altogether more lethal fate. This segway amounts to a separate intrigue, a mission within a mission, where a bit of lateral thinking helps the player.
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Early on you'll have acquired a drink/powder combination: this is Ethan's chance to isolate the ambassador with another bathroom knockout
Remember the music score? After hiding the unconscious Schofield in a cubicle, Ethan must locate the sheet music and have the pianist play it. Lo and behold, the ambassador is suitably roused by the resultant cacophony and comes down to the foyer to listen. Ethan needs this man’s identity, needs his face, to get up the stairs. After a little more plotting, the solution comes in the form of slipping an irritant into the man’s drink, before proposing a toast and watching as the hapless diplomat waddles away to the bathroom.
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A guest will slip you the facemaker, a marvellous device that allows Ethan to assume the ambassador's identity...
Here, Ethan can deliver his second bathroom-break knockout in the space of a few minutes and steal his identity. But first, he must locate the facemaker gadget, which is being looked after by another disguised agent. Then it’s back to the restroom and a swift change of identity. This is one of Mission: Impossible’s coolest gadgets, shown off to clever effect. You now appear to be playing as the ambassador, something that’s rather niftily reflected in a new set of dialogue reactions from guests. Ethan can now pass the guard on the landing, plant the final bomb and leave. Voila! The sense of achievement is palpable.
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...and this is the key to planting the final smoke bomb, accessing the restricted area and thus, the end of the level.
The following level is a rather arduous, trial-and-error labyrinth tasking Ethan must locate a gas mask whilst being poisoned and shot at from all over the place. It’s indicative of Mission: Impossible’s scattergun execution, attempting a host of different approaches with inconsistent results. For the mini-epic that is the Russian Embassy, however, all the stars aligned. Its original concept, married with neat puzzles and secondary scenarios, makes for an immersive and enjoyable experience that easily ranks among the busiest and most atmospheric levels to feature in a PlayStation game.
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VERDICT
"For the mini-epic that is the Russian Embassy, all the stars aligned. Its original concept, married with neat puzzles and secondary scenarios, makes for an immersive and enjoyable experience that ranks easily among the busiest and most atmospheric levels to feature in a PlayStation game." |