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Gaming, In My Opinion
Fact; you can never have enough stealth.
Fact; Tom Clancy games generally suck more than the latest Dyson. Fact; Splinter Cell is incredible. Like so many Clancy games, it’s set in the very near future, featuring real weapons and a plot revolving around the Americans policing the world. Unfortunately, the game is let down by the plot. Though presented fairly well, in cutscenes and imitation news programmes, it isn’t explained very well. The plot isn’t anything special either; former Russian republic takes on America and only an agent that nobody knows exists can save the day. Despite the variation of missions and objectives, the game is very much an A-B affair. Sam is dropped off at a location and has to sneak his way into and out of various buildings and installations, meanwhile collecting information, rescuing hostages and so on. The route through each level is disappointingly linear. If you think yourself incredibly clever for finding a zipwire across a street, chances are that that’s the route you’re meant to take. And of course, locked rooms and non-existent doors bar you from going anywhere you’re not supposed to. Also, each mission gets much harder. Initially, you may be mistaken into thinking that ten levels isn’t enough, but by level eight, you’ll be begging for the end. Having said that, the missions are huge. Split into four or five segments, each segment is often as long as a full level in most shooters. Each level will probably take you at least an hour – though this is usually be returning to checkpoints again and again, having been shot in the head by a seemingly invincible guard. Since it prides itself on realism, the game feels no reluctance to let you die and send you back to where you started. This is because, despite being a shooter, the trick to completing each level is not killing many people. Stealth is the backbone of this game, and one of the major selling points. Players are able to climb and shimmy over various guards, hide in the shadows (created by an incredible lighting system), use soldiers as human shields, before knocking them out and hiding the body. Like the overall route of the level, most of the skills are only needed in certain areas, and there’s a shabby amount of places for hiding bodies. Still, the stealth makes for an engrossing experience, rivalled only by the incredible Thief series, and injects that essential sense of satisfaction that makes players grin from ear to ear. There’s the occasional mindless shootout, but for the majority of the game, you’ll stick to the shadows. VISUALS: Breathtaking. The lighting effects are unlike anything on the Cube. 10/10 SOUNDS: Superb. Headphones needed. 9/10 PLAYABILITY: Easy to pick up, but the trickier jumping moves will take a while to master. 8/ 10 LIFESPAN: It’ll take a while to beat, especially on hard, but questionable replay value. 8/10 VERDICT: The best Tom Clancy game available and a must-have for all stealth fans. 88% |