Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Trilogy (PS3)

This is based on a playthrough of the first two titles in this compilation, and it must be said that this HD collection is, based on the oldest title, a remarkable piece of work that has NOT been a shoddy, speedily developed bit of software. Especially when comparisons are made to the Prince of Persia Trilogy (very good games, but ports were just not up there in visuals and sound), this collection can be said to be a good one that is somewhat between the Tomb Raider Trilogy (fantastic conversion process there) and The Sly Trilogy (near perfection, even with Move games which you won't play again after you get x amount of trophies. Within five minutes). All in all, a good HD trilogy collection.

Let me break this down into Visuals, Sound and Gameplay

Visuals:

Splinter Cell - As can be expected from a game that is almost ten years old, the visuals are not comparable to the almighty Uncharted. However, the visuals are crystal clear and you can tell whether you are looking at a drunk or an automated machine gun of death. Character models are good for the most part, though the lip movements are laughable by today's standards. However, as said, this is an old title, and with that in mind the visuals are quite good.

Pandora Tomorrow - A big improvement on the first game, and clearly the mo-cap is far more better implemented for this new release. Shadows, lighting and animations are all on top-form.

Audio:

Splinter Cell - Much better than POP. No overly SHOUTY guards or artificially loud sound effects. How I remember them on PS2, which can't be said for POP before you adjust the sound settings!

Pandora Tomorrow - Excellent: speech, crunching and shooting sounds are as they should be.

Gameplay:

Splinter Cell - Classic stealth action, from sneaking past heavily armed guards to knocking them out with surveillance cameras. Probably the most tension to be found in any game outside of a Metal Gear Solid title.

Pandora Tomorrow - A good evolution of what came in the first game. Little things such as being able to open a door without automatically standing up and blowing your cover is one brilliant update to the formula.

So based on the first two games, go get!

In relation to original review below, patch 1.01 has been released that resolves the control issue. Hopefully it will also resolve the corrupted save issue. But I have changed the score to 4/5.

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If you like me and many others are accustomed to playing games using an inverted Y axis, then stay clear - for now at least. In the PS2 version and others you could select this control method. Ubisoft in their infinite wisdom have seen fit to remove this, which is a real shame as the games look good from what I've managed to play, but having to re-program my brain to change the way I look up or down in a game is like learning to write with your opposite hand. So until this very simple issue is fixed I can only offer 1 solitary star as the game is for me ruined by this simple oversight.

Excellent ports for the PS3, three classic games looking and sounding better than ever. I don't know what other reviews are complaining about, I had a lot of fun playing these games and it's great to have them back in one brilliant package. A few small issues like the cut-scenes aren't in HD and are not as clear and crisp and the rest of the game and the aiming in the first game is a little off but still hours of great stealth gameplay! In my opinion they're better than Metal Gear Solid series. But that's just my opinion.