Kentzz reviews | Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell on PS2 | [ENG]

There is also the subtle tinge of jealousy if another console is out with that genius game that you definitely won't be able to enjoy – unless, of course, your mate owns the console in question – and the owners of Playstation 2 felt this more than any other console. One of the games that caught our attention after the buzz built it to the status of Must-Have is Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell.

If you've never played the Xbox version, you'll find that the plot of Splinter Cell is still intact considering the four additional exclusive stages and the inclusion of the cut scenes. It was 2004 and the CIA lost contact with two of its operatives investigating suspicious events in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. Fearing that agents have been casualties of rising extremist movements, the CIA and the National Security Agency call in Third ECHELON, a covert agency that deploys agents known as Splinter Cells. You're playing Sam Fisher who's triggered and assigned to locate the two lost officers. So Fisher sets out on a quest that gets much more interesting the further you go.

Since the action involves a more stealthy strategy rather than a brutal display of power, Fisher operates under the cloak of darkness and shadow, killing only if it is absolutely necessary. He's fitted with all the new hardware gizmos from his night and heat-seeking goggles (which are used beautifully in the game) as well as adhesive cameras and tactical recording kits to listen to conversations. Though his collection of devices is very amazing, it's Sam Fisher's practical movements that give this game an authentic feel. He can crouch, roll, leap, or go down a zip line. He can also capture enemies to use them as human shields – much like Metal Gear Solid – to compel enemies to speak or use their retinal scan to unlock safe doors.

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Controlling Fisher is a simple feat, enabling gamers to focus on the job at hand. Each mission is split into multiple objectives – easy to call using the Palm OPSAT if you forget what you were going to do – while your team alerts you with valuable details. When you're left to decide how to handle a certain situation, the game appears to lead you by hand in the game (this is the only fault in the game, if you might call it that). Yet, completing each task is not a walk in the park, provided that the enemy is responding logically. Patrols are keeping a watchful eye and responding to sounds, and firing a camera will encourage the guard to go out and check. It's just awesome how this game helps you solve problems in a number of ways. As for the extras, the four bonus levels are both long and bring much more depth to the plot with the new cut-out scenes (including an all-new introduction) that Xbox fans had never seen before. You can even find interviews with Michael Ironside, and also, oddly enough, Sam Fisher himself. Both of this stuff together just bring more bang to your buck, making this a pretty neat package in the end.

For those of you who are upset that the visuals have to be lost and that they're not quite similar to the Xbox's accelerated graphics, this update can show that the PS2 will equal the visual output to the very last degree. It also has to be one of the most visually beautiful games ever seen on the PS2 and the players would be happy to see that every single detail and result is replicated here. Splinter Cell is all about specifics, and you're going to love how lighting and shadows are handled to perfection. Fisher himself is going so effortlessly that he won't hesitate to please. There are also some fantastic special effects in this video, most of which come from your own trick pack.

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The sound suits the quality of the graphics, too, and you'll hear it as soon as Sam Fisher sets out on his first mission. Sound accompanies our hero as he does his work, and you'll hear everything from the gentle tap of the guard's footsteps to the buzz of the flowering lamps. The music begins quietly as you stealthily walk through the corridors of a building and ramp up abruptly as a terrorist unexpectedly arrives. Even the voice acting is performed well and Michael Ironside (of the "Starship Troopers" fame) as Sam Fisher is a joy. Splinter Cell is going to make you thank the Gaming Gods for delivering a game that not only looks gorgeous but is also an exciting experience with a brilliant plot and realistic stealth action. If you think I'm hyping this game a bit too far, then all you have to do is pop it into your PS2 and let the game persuade you on its own.