Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell

The Good
Before I start, let me make one thing abundantly clear: Splinter Cell is nothing at all like Metal Gear Solid 2. Everywhere I look, I see Splinter Cell being compared to MGS2. Splinter Cell and MGS2 are as much alike as apples and bananas. MGS2 is an action game, complete with a barrage of weapons, boss battles, and a surreal plot. Splinter Cell actually is a stealth game. Your objective is to never once get caught. Gameplay is realistic, as is the plot. So if you are looking for an MGS2 clone, search elsewhere, because Splinter Cell is far from it.

Now that I have that off my chest, on to the actual review. Like I said, Splinter Cell is a stealth game, and Ubi Soft did a brilliant job with it. The gadgets and the atmosphere contribute to the feel of this game immaculately. This game skips past all the glamour, relinquishing that suave type quality found in other "stealth" games, in order to make it feel real. Real in a good way, that is. Think of it this way: Splinter Cell is more of a strategy game than an action game. You will most likely do each level numerous times before you beat it, scoping out your surroundings in order to make the best decision for your next run. What makes this especially fun is that while scoping out your surroundings, there are lots of factors to consider.

One of the things in Splinter Cell that contributes so greatly to the stealthy feel of the game is the light meter. At the bottom right hand side of the screen, you have a picture displaying your current weapon, item, and/or gadget. Right above this icon, there is a meter that is dark on one side, and gets increasingly lighter as it gets to the other side. Can you guess what this is for? That's right, this meter shows you how much light you're in, by utilizing a bar that shows your current position on the meter. If the bar is at the very left side of the meter, no worries, because you are completely invisible to the enemy. The more light you're in, the farther the bar moves to the right. I loved this so much, just because you are actually forced to use the darkness as your ally, and believe me, it will be by far your most important ally. And because you'll be spending a lot of time in the dark, you can just pop on your night vision goggles to help you see, and later on, the heat vision goggles, both of which will prove to be invaluable at some point in the game.

Another thing I loved about this game that some people might have a slight problem with is that you get only two weapons throughout the entire game. One is a standard silenced pistol, while the other is a standard rifle/sniper rifle/machine gun/gadget shooter. The pistol you get right away, while you get the "SC20K" you get later on. When you get the SC20K though, that's when the real fun starts. Not only is it incredibly useful as a gun, but also a lot of the gadgets you get will be used through this gun.

Ah, the gadgets. How I loved those precious little items. If a game were released that was composed solely on being able to play with the gadgets in Splinter Cell, I'd get it in a heartbeat. Some of them are real things, things invented by military experts and what not, while others are made up. Real or not, they are all fun. Some of them include your Sticky Shockers, which electrocute a victim upon impact, Sticky Cameras, which can be shot into the wall or ground, or anything that isn't a person, providing you with a reconnaissance opportunity where you may have otherwise been in a lot of trouble. And then, my favorite, the Distraction Camera. Man these things were great. What they do is, they work the same as Sticky Cameras, except they are a little limited in their abilities, like limited rotation and no zoom capability (which the Sticky Camera has). But what the Distraction Camera can do instead is so much better. Once stuck to a wall or other solid object, you push a button to make a noise in order to distract a guard and have him come over to investigate, and when he comes close enough, press another button to release gas to knock him out, all while watching from the front seat camera view. All of the gadgets have specific purposes, and while it is possible to make it through a level using only a few of them, it is easier and much more fun to use the ones you have.

If you've ever seen the manual for Splinter cell, you'll notice that there are a good two pages or so dedicated to all the specific moves Sam Fisher can do. Crawling, hanging, and rolling are some of the basics, but there are a whole lot more. One of the coolest, yet by far the most useless (I only used it once the entire game) is the split-jump. This is where you jump up and do a mid-air split, catching yourself on the walls on both sides of you with your legs. There are lots and lots of other moves, some useful, others not as much, but you'll have fun trying them all out.

One thing that I wasn't sure whether to put into the good or bad section is the A.I. Play the game and it will be blatantly obvious that the A.I. is certainly advanced, except it may sometimes seem too advanced, if that makes sense. I finally find a game where the enemy is actually fairly intelligent, and then there are some points in the game where it seems like they are more genetically altered super humans rather than plain old intelligent ones. In the game, controls are touch sensitive, so if you move the analog stick a little, you move slow, move it a lot, and you move fast. So usually, if you are close to a guard and go as slow as possible, he won't hear you. But in some missions, if you even flinch, the guards are on you like crazy. So why did I put the A.I. in the good section? Well, it is a fairly rare occasion that the guards become super-human...most of the time they provide challenging yet reasonable difficulty to the level, and dealing with them just makes the game more fun.

Plot-wise, Splinter Cell is relatively dull, yet at the same time frighteningly realistic. You, as Sam Fisher, near the end of 2004, are sent to investigate the disappearance of a CIA agent who was investigating the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. Turns out that their leader is really angry with America, and you have to terminate all threats using the "Fifth Freedom": the freedom to steal, kill, and so on in order to withhold peace throughout the world. The story is dull because it's more like a news story from the 10:00 news than an original, exciting plot of twists and turns that you might be expecting. But it is also a bit frightening in the same way, because it happens to be the type of story you dread watching. All in all though, the story is of little importance, even if you have a high emphasis on stories in video games, because chances are good that even you would like this game.

Finally, Splinter Cell got a lot of attention because of its graphics. But when I first played the game, I noticed that the game didn't really look all that great, don't get me wrong, it looks good, but it's really nothing extraordinary. And then I noticed what all the talk was about. One of the really big things about Splinter Cell's graphics are the lighting effects. Like I said before, light and dark play a huge part in the game's stealthiness, and to make this really work, Ubi Soft tried real hard on making the lights look good. This is especially evident when you wear the night vision goggles, the way they made those work is outstanding. But in order to fully understand, you'll just have to try it out yourself.

The Bad
So, the plot is lacking, but there's still hope for the character development right? Sorry, but no. I mean, there are characters in the game, and things happen to these characters, but even when the game tries to make dramatic sequences by doing something unexpected to one of the characters, I sit emotionless because I have no attachment whatsoever to any of them. They even try to bring in Sam Fisher's daughter for something, but that whole thing is so underplayed it is really just a pathetic cry for help.

Another very small bad thing is, if you are using the silenced pistol, it is extremely difficult to shoot small things, things far away, and especially far away small things. If you are trying to shoot out a light bulb from even a fairly small distance, and you are 100% positive that the cross-hairs are right on the mark, and you shoot, you'll still probably miss. That can get really annoying, especially in critical parts of the game, but it certainly isn't enough to even come close to ruining the game in any way.

The Bottom Line
Play Splinter Cell if you want a really good strategy stealth game. And even if that isn't what you're looking for, try it out anyway, because this is a darn good game.

The Good
Between encryption and counter-encryption cat-and-mouse games, sometimes the best source of intelligence comes from a human. Enter Sam Fisher (voiced by Michael Ironsides), a former Cold Warrior who hasn’t laughed since the Reagan Administration and the NSA-backed Third Echelon’s man on the ground. When two CIA agents go missing in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, it’s up to Sam and his remote operations team to bring them out. But things aren’t that simple. Georgian president Kombayn Nikoladze is ready to launch a military campaign against oil-rich Azerbaijan and there’s a Chinese connection too. Can Sam Fisher prevent a war?

After playing the “realistic” one shot, one kill squad-based Rainbow Six games, I was hesitant to play Splinter Cell. After all, wasn’t Splinter Cell just another third-person action game with ammo and health packs laying around and a life bar to boot? Boy was I wrong. Splinter Cell is the most sophisticated stealth game since Looking Glass perfected the formula and at every level, Sam Fisher out-Bonds Bond. Don’t be fooled by the arcade elements, Splinter Cell is a smart, cynical stealth game informed by September 11th.

Sam is a lethal machine, but he won’t get far by shooting his way through levels—so it’s best to be a ghost. Sam can hide in shadows (facilitated by a light meter and lights that can be shot out), crouch and move silently, and distract enemies with stray objects and special gadgets. Of course this won’t help for dogs which can follow your scent. When people do get in his way, he can incapacitate them from behind or take them out (and then hide the bodies).

Sam has the moves. Yeah there’s running, walking, creeping and jumping. But he can also do a Jean-Claude van Damme scissor kick in a narrow hallway to hide above enemies, launch himself off a wall to jump higher, rappel down buildings, peak around corners and more.

Sam has the gadgets too: peer under doors with an optic cable before picking their locks (a great interactive feature), knockout enemies with an airfoil, use a remote camera to investigate a location, and use night or thermal vision to study your surroundings. Finally, you can take out enemies with your silenced SC pistol or your multipurpose SC-20K Modular Assault Weapons System.

While Sam’s ingame objectives tend not to vary, his mission locales do. Level design is great, graphics are top notch, and the settings (whether in a Georgian Police Station, a burning oil rig, or CIA Headquarters) are believable. There’s also a sense of urgency to the missions that adds to the tension. The story is furthered along by Headline News style cutscenes with ironic discrepancies between what is reported and what actually happened.

The Bad
Three nitpicks:

• Why do all the guards whistle If I were a rich man?
• Why not have the Russians speak Russian and the Chinese speak Chinese? Poorly accented English just distracts from the game.
• Where are the voices coming from that announce that bodies are found?

The Bottom Line
This is a terrific third person stealth game that advocates brains over brawn. It's challenging enough that you actually feel like you've accomplished something after the mission is over.

Sam Fisher will return.

The Good
I especially liked the gameplay of "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell", and also the graphics, the shadows, the complexity of the game, and the soundtracks! Also, i liked the characters dialogs, especially between Sam and Lambert. I think Sam Fisher personality is exactly like a real spy's personality. The voices of the characters were carefully chosen, and they fit perfect with their role in the game. So, an excellent game, the same as the other "Splinter Cells" (Pandora Tomorrow and Chaos Theory). I must say that the storyline is well presented, not only because it's elements fit well to each-other, but also because, the game has some movies in which, different aspects of the storyline are presented.

The Bad
I enjoyed playing this game so much, i like all things related to it, so, i liked everything.

The Bottom Line
Well, "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell" its much better than all of the other stealth action games. In my opinion its much better than most of the other action games. I played it first time in August 2004, I have finished it 6 times until then, and I still enjoy playing it. So, as I said, it better than any action, or stealth action game ;-)

The Good
This game deserves much more than a benefit of a doubt when it comes to the fact of being existent on multiple platforms. Why, you may ask, why is this one better than some Resident Evil or Final Fantasy game which exist on multiple platforms? Well, it's because the programming was made from scratch for each of the platforms, XBox, PC, PS2, etc. using the full advantage of the current platform. But since this review is based upon PS2 version, and since I haven't seen any other, don't expect to find here graphical or any other kind of comparisson to the other platforms. But as for the game on PS2, this game will give you what is promissed, no doubt about that.

I've heard a lot of good stuff about this game, Splinter Cell this, Splinter Cell that, and with such an aspect, I've come to disappoint myself. No, this is by no means a bad game, not at all. But what I expected is that it has the power to bury Metal Gear Solid 2 undoubtedly. It didn't take long enough to see how that is virtually impossible. This is a great game, but on the level of Half-Life. The gameplay is perfected with so much possibilities, but you will barely ever use the most fun ones, so no matter how many things your character is able to do, you will not get much of a chance to do them. However, the abilities and moves you can do are still long in minority when comparing to those of MGS2. As are weapons. But means and methods vary. Whereas in MGS2 you didn't get the chance to use dark places a lot, instead, you could hide in a locker or hang over the rail, in Splinter Cell you can literally be one step from an enemy soldier and if you're in a perfect dark, he will not see you. That is, if you're not moving too much, and don't make a sound louder than a silent footstep.

Textures in this game are very good, as is the graphic in general, and light effects, water, or fire are well done, but expect some real slowdown in a game when near the fire. That is kinda strange 'cos I didn't expect they can make a game for a console that would go slow. With PC it's understandable due to hardware you possess, but with consoles... oh well. Variety of weapons is at bare minimum, a silencer and a sniper are the only two you will use aside your mano-a-mano skills which aren't so plentiful as in MGS2.

You are playing Sam Fisher, a former CIA commando who's beein re-activated, and whose mission is to find out what happened to two of CIA agents with whom headquarters recently lost connection. The game starts with an easy plot which later evolves in a global war possible incident. Nuclear missiles, tricks of the government, raising an army, stealing top-secret government files, those are things you will have to confront and face with virtually no help but your own. It's up to the players virtue and tricks of trade that count in accomplishing each of the missions that stretch from Georgia to China.

Music is very ambience supportive and it will not take out the front scene or be distractive while you're playing, and sound in general (although not very versatile) are good enough. Nice thing that connects this game to Command & Conquer games by something they have in common is that there are pre-rendered FMVs in between each of the missions. Yup, gotta love it. However good they are, they are not as good as the wide-screen intro cinematic made specifically for PS2 version of the game with nice following orchestrated score specially for that intro.

I cannot say if previous versions on other platforms had extra contents included, but this game has many, from developer's interviews and making of documentaries, to review with Sam Fisher himself (Sam, as in main character of the game, that one is neatly done).

Another thing worth mentioning is that this game is much more realistic than Metal Gear Solid 2 to the point that your character moves relatively slower than Snake or Raiden from MGS2, and his moves aren't as stretchy and quick as they may appear at first. This may be a good point, but also gives a feeling of this game being kinda slow.

The Bad
Although very neatly done, this game doesn't rise up to the voice of the crowd as expected. As much as the music is nice enough, there isn't much of it in the game, and seems like it takes most parts in the cinematic themselves. But that doesn't make this game any less worthy (just think of Half-Life, and how much music that game had ;)

I haven't seen graphic on a PC verison nor XBox version of this game, but I don't doubt it looks much better, 'cos frankly, graphic in PS2 verison is very strong on the effects and surroundings account, but characters could've been better. Why I know they could've been better is 'cos I've seen how good MGS2 looks on PS2, and this game doesn't beat that.

Now a few words about an AI. Well, it is neatly thought of, and sometimes it seems that your foe is quite smart, wether he'll run off to sound the alarm or call for backup and then enter the room you're in, or wether he'll just duck behind some box waiting for you to pass the point you must, but then again, using constant phrases like "we got you surrounded" or such even though there's only one enemy I dunno wether to call bugs or did the developers made that on purpose as to try and deceive you. But AI isn't problem at all, the shooting is. Precise hit in the head will kill every enemy instantly, no doubt about it. But shoot him anywhere else, and it'll be like you lost your bullet in vain. Even if they all wear a bulletproof vests, shot in the leg or arm should have its impact. Also, seems like when you shoot someone, there is a short time when he recovers if not dead, and you can shoot him again until you whack him. However, if you're shooting in between the time ot your first shot and recovering, you'll have to shot more times to make a kill. Maybe it sounds silly the way I'm telling this, but it does look annoying when you can never be sure if you need to shoot more or not, and that may be important when you're low on bullets. And unlike the MGS2, you can't always shoot your way through, sometimes you simply must avoid conflicts of any kind.

The Bottom Line
All in one, I expected so much more from this game. However, the game itself was very entertaining and challenging, and giving you a solid info on whatever you wanted to do. But I can't help but to think of this game as if being made 13 years back. It kinda creates that feeling, just as Tzar, for example, creates similar feeling. But that only makes me like the game more, actually. Sort of, like adding a part of nostalgy to something which is completely new. I know, I know, sounds silly, but that's how I felt while playing it.

I too have an XBox so I could've get myself that version, or a PC one, but I ricked the graphic quality for more stuff like that completely new 4min long intro animation and some new levels or whatever. And I can't say I regretted it, duh, I never regret when it comes to games I have ;) But let's make one thing clear - this game can by no means match up to the standard that was set by Metal Gear Solid 2, story-wise, graphic-wise, gameplay-wise, music-wise, nor anyhow else. But that doesn't mean this game is anything less than good, it's just the fact that MGS2 is that good, that's all. Any fan of action-espionage and action-sneaking games should get both of them in the collection, no doubt of it.