After the disappearance of two of the best NSA agents in the Former Soviet Republic of Georgia, a secret government security agency called ‘Third Echelon’ recruits the help of a convert ops veteran, Sam Fisher, to investigate. As he delves into the mystery as a Splinter Cell - one operative backed up by a remote team, a plot to systematically wipe out the US using digital warfare is brought to light. With the help of a team of field experts, it is now Sam’s job to save America from impending destruction.
With a deep, and involving story straight from the mind of Tom Clancy, Splinter Cell is a prime example of movie-quality game production. Cutscenes presented in the form of a cable news network broadcast propel the story forward, and you'll chuckle when you see how your presence in a certain area has been glossed over by the governent.
So how does it play? Well, the main concept of Splinter Cell is stealth. You must sneak into a foreign location, complete a set of objectives, and get out again. This is made VERY difficult by the unbelievably smart artificial intelligence. Enemies can hear you. They can see you. They will investigate. They will shoot without question.
As Sam, you have a lot of cool moves at your disposal. You can stick your back to a wall and slide along to avoid enemies in the dark. You can hang from poles, and shimmy your way across them. You can rappell down walls. You can take enemies hostage, and use tham as human shields, or you can knock them out with the butt of your weapon. Almost anything you'd want Sam to be able to do, you CAN do. This makes for a very original gameplay experience as you try and figure out which set of actions would suit each situation best. Should you climb up a pipe and jump down onto an enemy, or should you hide in the shadows and shoot him in the head? Should you take a hostage to get through a room filled with enemies, or should you just lob a gas grenade in there? Those are the kinds of tactical decisions you'll have to make.
Splinter Cell uses a free-roaming camera system that is initially disorientating, but after the first mission, you'll be nicely acquainted with it. You control the direction that Sam looks with the right analog stick, and it has just the right amount of sensitivity.
With each level that passes, you're placed in increasingly nerve wracking situations that require patience, persistence, and a lot of logical thinking. There are many ways to complete each area, depending on which strategy you use. If you choose to be quiet, then you'll avoid confrontation. If you choose to go in with guns firing, then you'll have a harder time, but it will be a lot more satisfying.
You wouldn't expect Third Echelon to send you in to action unequipped, right? Fortunately, you're equipped with a myriad of high-tech gadgets, ranging from Sticky Shockers which stick to and electrocute enemies, to Diversion Cameras that whistle loudly and gas anyone who comes to check it out. You've also got two main weapons - a silenced pistol, and a multi-function submachine gun. You're always appropriately equipped with useful items at the beginning of each level, and you'll also find some other useful items in the levels, such as health packs and bottles which you can throw to make a distraction.
The gameplay relies heavily on trial and error. Some may get enjoyment out of perfecting a certain section, but I for one found repeating a section more than five times to get tedious and repetitive. You do get immense satisfaction from completing a tricky section however, so it never becomes tiresome to the point of giving up.
Beautiful Terrorism
One look at the game in motion, and you’ll be convinced you’re playing it on the Xbox 2. Character models are unbelievably detailed, their movement flawless and believable, and they interact with the incredible lighting and shadowing engine. The lights in each area actually exist, meaning that if you shoot out a light, you’ll be plunged into total darkness to the point where the screen is entirely black. Shadows are cast fantastically, with complete realism, warping around Sam’s body as he walks under staircases or in front of windows. The voices are lip-synched to the character’s faces, which looks great, albeit slightly robotic.
The game’s textures change from level to level, making each new area seem fresh and exciting, just begging you to explore. Weather effects come into play in various parts of the game, and look convincing. The environments you explore are some of the largest, and most realistic ever portrayed digitally, and are a treat for the eyes.
Toward the end of the game, the framerate drops from it’s normal 30fps which is slightly disappointing, but not surprising once you see some of the situations you’ll be involved in. The drops are infrequent, and thankfully don’t hamper the overall graphic quality.
5.1 Terrorism
As shown in the ‘Behind-The-Scenes’ area on the disc, every sound effect used in Splinter Cell is original, and it sure does show. You may not be aware that some development studios recycle and share sound effects from generic libraries, and that makes the sound design in this game all the more impressive.
The music is dynamic, reacting to the environment around you. If you get spotted by an enemy, a distinctive bass note will sound, giving you time to get control of the situation while tense music fades in to get your heart pounding. If the enemy then finds you, a fast-paced techno theme will jolt you into action to escape certain death.
During the normal course of a level, you’ll be periodically treated to music native to the country you’re in, such as choirs and violins. It all adds to the unimaginably immersive atmosphere created in the game.
Splinter Cell is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound for total aural immersion. If you've got a compatible receiver, then you're in for a nice treat.
Live Terrorism!
Splinter Cell has ten missions overall – including training – and that may not seem a lot at first, but once you realise that these missions can take anywhere from one to three hours to complete, you’ll appreciate the length of the game. You can play the through one of two difficulty settings, Normal and Expert, the latter being only for those who stare death in the face. The Xbox version also includes the ability to download extra levels from Xbox Live, indefinitely extending the length of the game until Splinter Cell 2 comes out.
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