Tom Clany's Splinter Cell
- Developer
- Ubi Soft
- Publisher
- Ubi Soft
- Genre
- Action
- Players
- 1
- Rated
- Teen
- Released
- 04/10/2003
8.8out of 10gameplay 9 · visuals 8 · audio 9 · value 8
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
When Splinter Cell came out last year for the X-Box, it was met with critical acclaim and blockbuster sales. It was the best game Microsoft's X-Box had seen since Halo. Controversially, the AIAS awarded it the best game of 2002, beating out even Nintendo and Retro Studios own stellar title, Metroid Prime. However controversial the decision, Splinter Cell could not be ignored; it stood as one of the most thrilling original titles bearing the Clancy name and a testament to the skills of developers Ubi Soft. Splinter Cell was indeed, one of the best games of last year. In 2003, the game made it's way on to Nintendo's GameCube to satisfy Cube enthusiasts desire to engage in the popular stealth tactics and hi-tech espionage that X-Box owners had been bragging about.
Splinter Cell puts you in the role of Third Echelon operative Sam Fisher, who is sent to the Former Soviet Republic of Georgia to locate missing NSA agents Madison and Blaustein, who had been sent to gather intelligence on a possible threat to the U.S. Working with limited information from the U.S. higher powers and a wide range of weaponry and gadgets, Fisher must gather as much information as possible and avert a looming international crisis. I wish not to spoil it, but I will say that the story is ever enthralling and takes its twists, taking Fisher all over the world and pitting him against terrorist forces in thrilling gun battles and spy games. Anyone that ever enjoyed a Clancy novel or spy movie will surely get a kick out of this game at some point.
As was promised while still in development over a year ago, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell features some of the most detailed character models and environments and as well as the best lighting effects seen in a videogame. While the game is almost an exact replica of it's X-Box brethren, it must be noted that the lighting effects have suffered a little in that the shades are not quite as dynamic, i.e. that which would completely encompass Sam Fisher in darkness on X-Box does not do so quite as effectively on GameCube. The results are the same however, enemies will not notice the presence of Fisher and continue their patrols and so forth, even if you think that they could surely see him... The game also suffers a little from collision detection, particularly for characters that have been laid out or otherwise put on the ground, heads or arms through walls or other objects. These gripes aren't to belittle the visual presentation of the game. Far from it, I just thought I would get them out of the way. Because everything else about the graphics in Splinter Cell are near perfect, steam and water, fogging and lighting, smoke and shading, environments and characters, nothing is bland or unpolished. In fact, the graphics are so gorgeous and believable that it is easy to take them for granted and totally forget to appreciate the aesthetic qualities of the game. Shooting out the lights and stalking opponents in the dark is evil fun. The alternate vision modes, such as night-vision or thermal vision, are also marvelous to behold and add to the feel of being a spook. Put simply; the graphics are intense and an accomplishment for the artists at Ubi Soft.
Accompanying the graphics is the sound, which never fails to give a sense of authenticity in it's wide range of effects from breaking glass, footsteps on different surfaces, bullets pelting objects, and the assorted noises of fire from various different guns. The ambience hangs heavy in the air and guards carry on conversations unbeknownst of your lurking presence. The voice acting is top notch too, Michael Ironside of Total Recall fame does a terrific job of bringing Sam Fisher to life, which isn't to say the other voice actors don't but hey, Michael plays the star of the show!
The controls also function well and give you different styles to choose from, which serve me pretty well considering the standard control does not operate on reverse pitch. (I can't hack it without reverse pitch) Also worth noting is the sheer amount of actions you can have Sam Fisher perform, creeping around, scaling down the faces of buildings, sliding down a pipe, climbing over wire fences, carrying prone bodies and elevating yourself by splits jumping narrow corridors, to name but a few. The latter looks and sounds cool, but your lucky if it will serve you anymore than twice throughout the entire game. Anyway, the point is that Fisher is very physically versatile yet so easy to control, once you know what you're doing. In any event, the game kicks off with a mandatory training session, to acquaint you to the control commands of Sam and to bring to your attention any changes you want to make in controller settings.
The gameplay itself is always a challenge, there is always another way to go about your business in this game and the fun you will have playing the game will make you want to revisit and try as many different means as possible. The stealth action rivals Metal Gear Solid in intensity but wins out in authenticity, from fiber-wires to laser mic's, to knocking out unsuspecting soldiers to sniping them at distance, Splinter Cell has got to be the champion amongst espionage style games. The AI is such that if they see something odd, or hear something from your direction, they will check it out. If they really think something is amiss, they might call for back-up and when you engage them in gun fire, don't be surprised to see one soldier covering another as he ducks for cover. Even (MGS creator) Hideo Kojima was impressed by Splinter Cell when he saw it at E3. While the stealth is endlessly fun, I must say that one of the most heart pounding and stylish shoot outs I ever had in a video game was in Splinter Cell; peaking around corners and letting off shots in an intensely realistic environment. That memory will stick with me and I shall never recreate it; and it is in that moment where I knew I was playing a game that I would remember for years to come. So for fans of Tom Clancy, for fans of spy thriller or for fans of games that let you have dramatic and realistic fire fights, this is a game definitely worth checking out.
- Lee Gilliland
When Splinter Cell came out last year for the X-Box, it was met with critical acclaim and blockbuster sales. It was the best game Microsoft's X-Box had seen since Halo. Controversially, the AIAS awarded it the best game of 2002, beating out even Nintendo and Retro Studios own stellar title, Metroid Prime. However controversial the decision, Splinter Cell could not be ignored; it stood as one of the most thrilling original titles bearing the Clancy name and a testament to the skills of developers Ubi Soft. Splinter Cell was indeed, one of the best games of last year. In 2003, the game made it's way on to Nintendo's GameCube to satisfy Cube enthusiasts desire to engage in the popular stealth tactics and hi-tech espionage that X-Box owners had been bragging about.
Splinter Cell puts you in the role of Third Echelon operative Sam Fisher, who is sent to the Former Soviet Republic of Georgia to locate missing NSA agents Madison and Blaustein, who had been sent to gather intelligence on a possible threat to the U.S. Working with limited information from the U.S. higher powers and a wide range of weaponry and gadgets, Fisher must gather as much information as possible and avert a looming international crisis. I wish not to spoil it, but I will say that the story is ever enthralling and takes its twists, taking Fisher all over the world and pitting him against terrorist forces in thrilling gun battles and spy games. Anyone that ever enjoyed a Clancy novel or spy movie will surely get a kick out of this game at some point.
As was promised while still in development over a year ago, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell features some of the most detailed character models and environments and as well as the best lighting effects seen in a videogame. While the game is almost an exact replica of it's X-Box brethren, it must be noted that the lighting effects have suffered a little in that the shades are not quite as dynamic, i.e. that which would completely encompass Sam Fisher in darkness on X-Box does not do so quite as effectively on GameCube. The results are the same however, enemies will not notice the presence of Fisher and continue their patrols and so forth, even if you think that they could surely see him... The game also suffers a little from collision detection, particularly for characters that have been laid out or otherwise put on the ground, heads or arms through walls or other objects. These gripes aren't to belittle the visual presentation of the game. Far from it, I just thought I would get them out of the way. Because everything else about the graphics in Splinter Cell are near perfect, steam and water, fogging and lighting, smoke and shading, environments and characters, nothing is bland or unpolished. In fact, the graphics are so gorgeous and believable that it is easy to take them for granted and totally forget to appreciate the aesthetic qualities of the game. Shooting out the lights and stalking opponents in the dark is evil fun. The alternate vision modes, such as night-vision or thermal vision, are also marvelous to behold and add to the feel of being a spook. Put simply; the graphics are intense and an accomplishment for the artists at Ubi Soft.
Accompanying the graphics is the sound, which never fails to give a sense of authenticity in it's wide range of effects from breaking glass, footsteps on different surfaces, bullets pelting objects, and the assorted noises of fire from various different guns. The ambience hangs heavy in the air and guards carry on conversations unbeknownst of your lurking presence. The voice acting is top notch too, Michael Ironside of Total Recall fame does a terrific job of bringing Sam Fisher to life, which isn't to say the other voice actors don't but hey, Michael plays the star of the show!
The controls also function well and give you different styles to choose from, which serve me pretty well considering the standard control does not operate on reverse pitch. (I can't hack it without reverse pitch) Also worth noting is the sheer amount of actions you can have Sam Fisher perform, creeping around, scaling down the faces of buildings, sliding down a pipe, climbing over wire fences, carrying prone bodies and elevating yourself by splits jumping narrow corridors, to name but a few. The latter looks and sounds cool, but your lucky if it will serve you anymore than twice throughout the entire game. Anyway, the point is that Fisher is very physically versatile yet so easy to control, once you know what you're doing. In any event, the game kicks off with a mandatory training session, to acquaint you to the control commands of Sam and to bring to your attention any changes you want to make in controller settings.
The gameplay itself is always a challenge, there is always another way to go about your business in this game and the fun you will have playing the game will make you want to revisit and try as many different means as possible. The stealth action rivals Metal Gear Solid in intensity but wins out in authenticity, from fiber-wires to laser mic's, to knocking out unsuspecting soldiers to sniping them at distance, Splinter Cell has got to be the champion amongst espionage style games. The AI is such that if they see something odd, or hear something from your direction, they will check it out. If they really think something is amiss, they might call for back-up and when you engage them in gun fire, don't be surprised to see one soldier covering another as he ducks for cover. Even (MGS creator) Hideo Kojima was impressed by Splinter Cell when he saw it at E3. While the stealth is endlessly fun, I must say that one of the most heart pounding and stylish shoot outs I ever had in a video game was in Splinter Cell; peaking around corners and letting off shots in an intensely realistic environment. That memory will stick with me and I shall never recreate it; and it is in that moment where I knew I was playing a game that I would remember for years to come. So for fans of Tom Clancy, for fans of spy thriller or for fans of games that let you have dramatic and realistic fire fights, this is a game definitely worth checking out.
- Lee Gilliland