Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (Xbox)

Once the game-play begins the first impressive impression are the graphics and movements of your character. The training level teaches you every move you will need to carry out. The movement of Sam Fisher is incredible, the way he climbs and moves his way along ledges, to the way he slides down poles and zip lines. Watching him rappel looks like a real undercover agent ready to make a stealthy entry into a building.

One great feature of the game is the use of shadow and lighting effects. You must use the darkness to your advantage. Once Sam Fisher is in the dark he can use stealth tactics to sneak up to an enemy, grab him and knock him out, or interrogate him to extract important information needed for your mission objectives, or force him to do certain actions that you are unable to do, for instance force the enemy to scan his eye, or enter a secured system within a computer.

Leaving a dead or unconscious person lying around can increase chances of another enemy patrol spotting the body. So, to prevent this from occurring you are able to lift up the body and deposit the body within a safe perimeter.

The weapons you are supplied with are incredible and very exciting to use. The Laser Microphone allows you to listen to conversation through certain surfaces. Distraction Camera (with zoom thermal and night vision) can be shot out from your M.A.W.S (Modular Assault Weapon System) and can be used to attract enemies with a sound, and then be used to release a cloud of incapacitating gas when the enemies are nearby. That is just a fraction of gadgets available.

With the limitation of ammo and health within a level you are encouraged to think stealthy. Within a few seconds an enemy can exterminate you within shooting distance. You must think strategically before taking on a group of enemies. Shoot out the lights to darken your area, sneak up poles to escape land troops, snipe out certain troops etc.

One problem arises though. Game-play really places you into a game of realism but the AI is not up to scratch. An enemy may here glass smash or notice the light shot out, and then after a few seconds of silence the troop will turn around and say “Maybe it was nothing!” And carry on with their business.

Another major headache is the fact that you cannot pick up the enemy weapon. Once your ammo is down to nothing you are left in a critical usually a life-threatening situation.

Music is very atmospheric and you eventually grow to need the music, since the music changes when you are in stealth mode, when an enemy senses danger, to when an enemy has spotted you.

All in all a very unique exciting game.

GRAPHICS: 8/10
Excellent lighting effect and movement from your character. Realistic night and thermal image effects.

SOUNDS: 8/10
Atmospheric. Paying attention to the change in music is for sure a must for you to succeed in your mission.

GAMEPLAY: 10/10
A top quality game of distinction. Stealth, action and suspense all wrapped up into one game. Hours of play.

The good points:

· Lighting put to excellent use.
· Graphics are top notch.
· Interact with the environment.
· Excellent weapons and gadgets.
· Lovely news cut scenes.
· Excellent character movement and interaction.
· The ability to interrogate and force the enemy to carry out actions.
· Easy learning curve.
· Value for money.

The bad points:

· Unable to pick up enemy weapons.
· Sometimes the enemy AI is not up to scratch.

FINAL RESULT:
9/10

You play as sole NSA field operative, Sam Fisher, undertaking covert operations for the US government. The game is set a couple of years ahead and follows a story that is both believable and entertaining as it unfolds throughout the game.

The basic premise of the game is to execute the missions by the use of stealth tactics using the shadows to hide in whilst moving throughout scenarios, hiding dead bodies or ones that you have merely knocked out by sneaking up and grabbing them.

To describe the game a purely stealth would be misleading as the gameplay changes sufficiently to keep interest high. Certain missions require pure stealth in which killing anyone results in mission failure whilst others require the opposite. It's makes for a superbly paced game.

During the game Sam can utilise various gadgets combined with his versatile acrobatic moves with which to thwart enemies. The gadgets are great (though not all are available from the first mission), the best of which include 'sticky' cameras fired out of a rifle onto a wall allowing you to see what lies round the corner, a fibre optic cable to slip under a door and see what's on the other side before going through, to night and thermal vision goggles. The use of the night/thermal vision goggles is essential and the way the coders have graphically implemented their use is true genius at work.

The graphics in the game are quite simply amazing. Aside from a couple of minor and forgivable flaws (heads of body's disappearing into a wall when hidden in a corner) the graphics demonstrate what Xbox is capable of. Splinter Cell is the kind of game you show to your mates to prove that Xbox was a worthy buy!

A couple of minor negatives (all games seem to have them), is that there are certain frustrating moments when trial and error is needed to progress. Also the game is quite linear. I would personally have preferred to have more freedom to choose my route through the levels. Having said that such linearity does have its advantages as it allows you concentrate on what stealth tactics to adopt to get through each of the levels.

In any event neither of these niggles detract from what is a supremely engrossing and enjoyable game. You can pass two or three hours in a playing session without even realising it and the desire to repeat missions time and time again to try different tactics gives the game longevity. Also there is a downloadable option on the menu in readiness I presume for new content via Xbox Live. No review can give this game justice, this is not one to rent this a one to buy and I thoroughly recommend doing so.

Controls are fine with neither slugishness or delay. This is a really great game and shows the XBox off perfectly. Buy it!