Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow Review
I own the first Splinter Cell. While I do believe it is a satisfactory stealth action game, most of your time was spent hiding dead bodies in hope that you will not receive an alarm that will sound immediately after a checkpoint, forcing you to restart the whole level. While this problem may arise in Splinter Cell: PT if you are reckless, it fixes many of the gameplay mechanics that severely hindered the first game.
First things first, the gameplay. While it feels similar to Splinter Cell, PT has refined and even added moves. Sam can now do things he was unable to do in the first game such as SWAT turn over doorways, open doors while carrying bodies, shift weight and jump up with the half-split jump, and much more. However, one thing that desperately needs refinement is the CQC/Non-lethal force system. Sam is limited to one move in CQC, which is elbowing his opponent. However, this only stuns/knocks out the opponent if they are not in Caution or Alert mode. This is a problem as the boring and abysmal "No killing anyone" missions are still in this game. While you can use the Sticky Shocker and Ring Airfoil rounds on enemies, you can't use them while in Sniper mode meaning you have to rely on aiming over the shoulder, which causes many wasted rounds.
Numerous mission types are still in this game that don't need to be. There are the aforementioned "no casualty" missions in which you are forced to hide in the shadows or die immediately. Then there are the even more frustrating "no alarms" missions, which are incredibly boring when you consider the body sweep system.
Let me explain. After you kill someone, you have to hide the body in a low-light area. This is a long and boring process and in a jungle mission, I once dropped a corpse down a gigantic pit into a pool of water. Even though nobody was ever going to look down there, the body was found because the place was too well-lit. How? The game runs a sweep after you leave an area for bodies that are unhidden. Which is retarded, and ruins my experience as I spent more time dragging around corpses than actually sneaking around.
The graphics are stunning. I mean, it's comparable to many modern games and makes me wonder why Wii games look so crappy when it has better graphics technology than the PS2. Shadows realistically show on characters although character models are blocky and disgusting, except Sam I guess. The framerate also takes a dip as I estimate that it runs around 10-20 fps on average. But you gotta make some sacrifices when porting a beautiful game like this to PS2.
The sound is alright, except Sam and his team who are pretty good. The enemies sound generic and sometimes quasi-gay. The music is something I don't hear often so I won't comment on it.
You can sort of replay it, I guess. There are some memorable moments, specifically the train level which makes you feel on the brink of danger, but no real completion bonuses.
Overall PT is a fun game but you gotta deal with some stuff here and there and a barely tolerable framerate. If you can get it on another console, then do, but otherwise it's still a fun PS2 game.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow Feature
- Incredible real movement and control - you can even shift Sam's Weight when preparing him for a split jump between two walls
- Exciting new moves maximize Sam's lethal fighting skills -- spin out of the shadows and kill silently
- Advanced AI makes it harder than ever to get past enemies - if you reveal yourself they'll get reinforcements and put on armor
- Weapons now have secondary functions that can be equipped on the fly - be amazed at the advantage you get from the red dot of the Laser sight
Deployed by a top secret wing of the NSA (National Security Agency) known as Third Echelon, Sam Fisher is a lone field operative supported by a remote team. Fisher must defend and assist the U.S. military, both locally and from remote locations, until Suhadi's terror-driven policies can be subverted and the guerrilla faction eradicated. Charged with saving the world, it’s a high stakes game. If he fails, the U.S. will deny any knowledge of his existence.
An experience so compelling you feel it.
- Believe the story. Inspired by the world of Tom Clancy, and endorsed by the famous author, and written by JT Petty, who penned the original Splinter Cell, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow features a storyline so real you can feel it. Tension filled stealth-action springs from a compelling original storyline so realistic it could have been ripped from the headlines.
- Understand the characters. In this sequel to the original game, favorite characters like Sam Fisher and Irving Lambert return and unveil even more about their personal histories in the more character-driven storyline. New antagonists appear, including Suhadi Sodano an Indonesian guerilla leader whose beliefs are sound, but whose methods are barbaric. And then there is Norman Soth: CIA-trained mercenary deep under cover or traitor working for the enemy? Whose side is he really on?
- Immerse yourself.Revolutionary lighting, shadowing, animation, physics, and sound effects pushed to the limit to create a universe so tightly woven that the line between reality and gaming starts to blur. "High res" cinematics, amazing sound design and music as well as top quality voice over give SCPT as unique movie production quality. Voice actors, music composers and cinematic directors to be announced in the coming months.
- You’ve got the moves. Now more than ever, Sam relies on his moves. In this sequel to the original Splinter Cell, circumstances demand that Sam use his agility and athleticism to avoid detection and death. In fact the level design demands them. Use a half split jump to reach a ledge, zip line across an open courtyard, rappel along the side of a building, SWAT-turn to bypass an open door unseen.
- You’ve got the gear. Based on prototypes currently in development, or gadgets out on the field, Sam Fisher has a menu of high tech gadgets and tools from which to choose.
- Take Splinter Cell online. Taking place in a graphically-rich environment we expect from Splinter Cell, the multiplayer gameplay is a natural extension of the Splinter Cell world. Just as in Splinter Cell, players will call on a wide variety of gadgets, weapons and athletic moves to best their opponents. The light and shadow-filled environment offers dark retreats for stealth gamers and wide open spaces that spell danger for spies. The multiplayer game is integrated into the compelling offline story, though both offline and online gameplay can be enjoyed independently of one another.
- Choose a side. Taunt your enemies from the shadows as you meet stealth objectives playing through wide multiplayer maps in third-person view as a Shadow Net Spy. Or track spies using a first-person perspective as a heavy armed Argus Mercenary protecting your compound. The abilities and resources on each side are evenly matched. Winning will come down to skill and strategy.
- Feel the tension. Just as in the original game, online players will feel the tension that comes from never knowing what might happen next. Shadow Net spies hold their breath as mercenaries pass by close enough to touch them. They hide in the dark and wait for the right moment to spring into action. They work in concert—one can distract the mercenaries, while the other(s) meets the objective. Mercenaries never know when a Shadow Net spy might silently drop down from the shadows to attack, or slip by detection efforts to complete a mission. By relying heavily on their detection devices they feel like they can stop the threat—at least for now. Are spies stealing your secrets while they toy with you?
It’s important to note that the maximum number of players on a multiplayer map is four. Too many people in a map would create chaos and result in shooter gameplay. But this is Splinter Cell. It’s a stealth action game not a shooter. This game tests your stealth and your strategy, your readiness and your resourcefulness. Are you ready? - Feel the game. The multiplayer maps feature the revolutionary lighting, shadowing, animation, physics, and sound effects that have become the Splinter Cell trademark. Graphical effects push that even further. Electronic interference can disrupt the vision and tools of the mercenaries. Spies must avoid the searching flash lights and laser pointers. Flash bang, shaft and gas grenades are also powerful visual effects that players will have to deal with. Thanks to their advanced goggles, Shadow Nets can see in the dark and read thermo signatures in their environment while mercenaries detect movements and electro-magnetic disturbance in their surroundings…and much more to discover.
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Customer Reviews
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow - E. Walthour -
i'm enjoying the game but the graphics are not what i thought that they would be but still i love the game....
Fun game - Ken Carter - Arizona
I played this game through to the end a couple of times. I challenged myself to get through without being seen or killing anybody if possible. It takes patience but that's what makes it fun.
Jul 12, 2010 07:02:09
