There's no doubt that the name Tom Clancy brings the sound of action and intrigue to not only a reader's ears, but to the ears of gamers as well. While Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger dazzled us in the theater, titles such as Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon have become permanent classics on our gaming platforms. With that said, the novelist's name has etched itself into the mainstream market of books, movies, and video games, becoming a household name even children may be familiar with. Knowing this, there is no doubt that Ubi Soft Entertainment will milk everything they can out of this lucrative franchise Tom Clancy has cleverly established.
Recently Ubi Soft Entertainment announced the existence of Splinter Cell, a new game based on the universe Tom Clancy has articulately derived over the last few decades. Thrusting Xbox gamers into the role of Sam Fisher, a field operative of a secretive "black-ops" NSA sub-agency called Third Echelon, players of Splinter Cell will be exposed to the traditional Tom Clancy espionage and terrorism as they infiltrate high-security strongholds, seize critical intelligence, destroy threatening data and neutralize aggressive enemies. Players will have access to the highest echelons of national security, where shadowy operatives have the freedom to do whatever it takes to safeguard America. Clearly Splinter Cell will be jam-packed full of cyber-terrorism, shadow agencies and covert operations… everything stamped with the Tom Clancy seal of approval.
Reminds me a bit of Aliens vs. Predator - spiffy!
Of course, you must accomplish your goals alone without leaving a trace. Are you up to the challenge?
Unlike the infamous Rainbow Six title, players will be working solo in Splinter Cell, operating without the usual squad backup found in the previous well-known Tom Clancy game title. Players will not be unarmed in Splinter Cell, however. Although this 3rd-person stealth game may remind you of James Bond in some ways, Sam Fisher -like the famous British secret agent- will definitely be armed with some of the best hi-tech weapons on the market… thirteen to be exact. Gamers will become a one-man army as they garnish the multi purpose F2000 or the various other weapons when Sam Fisher must neutralize the enemy. Stealth will be a priority, as gamers must discover what became of the two fellow CIA agents who mysteriously disappeared in Azerbaijan. Not to worry… Sam Fisher will come with all the stealth moves a gamer could possibly need in order to carry out the mission successfully.
Notice the real time shadow effects
In addition to the massive arsenal available, numerous hi-tech gadgets will also be at the player's disposal including thermo vision/night vision goggles, laser mikes and gas grenades. These will be necessary when progressing through the 14 varied and tension-filled levels. In addition, the seamless blend of scripted and reactionary AI should keep the player on their toes throughout the mission. The game will have a full interactive environment, enveloping players in a rich world generated by Epic's brilliant Unreal Engine technology (which will power the upcoming Unreal 2 coincidently).
Update:
Ubi Soft sent us out a copy of the new Splinter Cell demo to put through its paces. To give you a closer insight into the gameplay mechanics and the technology behind the game, we've captured five video clips of the game in action. Enjoy!
Clip One
Sam peeks in the door then quickly moves into the dark room. Switching to his thermal goggles and drawing his pistol, Sam moves in assertively, catching the attention of a lone guard. Using the dark corner as cover and his thermal goggles to see his victim through the curtain, Sam diligently disposes of the enemy and retrieves the data from the computer. As he turns off his goggles, you’ll notice the dramatic difference between the thermal goggles and regular eyesight.
Clip Two
Heading down the flight of stairs leading to the jail cells, Sam makes use of his light amplification goggles in the low light conditions. Spotting a guard up ahead, he crouches down and quickly moves past the bright lights. Stopping short of the guard, Sam springs up a wall before stretching his legs out between the narrow corridor walls, suspending himself. His quick movements caught the attention of the guard and Sam switches to his thermal goggles to better analyse the situation. Sam shoots the guard down with his silenced pistol and climbs down to move the body out of the bright hallway. Hauling him over his shoulder, Sam heads toward the guard’s station and dumps him inside. Sam uses his light amplification goggles to find the light switch and plunges the room in darkness, concealing the body.
Clip Three
Mr. Fisher creeps along the underside of a windowsill, keeping an eye on the lab assistant inside. Keeping out of sight, Sam enters the room, surveys the situation and sneaks up on the assistant, grabbing him by the throat, using his body as a sheild. Sam interrogates the assistant, and after getting the information he needed, he knocks him out with the butt of his gun.
Clip Four
The fourth clip begins with Sam skulking along a wall, similarly to the opening of clip 3. Catching the attention of the security guard, Sam peers around the corner and switches to his thermal vision mode. Spotting both the offending security guard and a civilian, Sam concentrates of taking care of the guard. Watching his movements through the window, Sam sees the security guard coming for him and moves in for his surprise attack. Leaning around the corner, Sam patiently waits for the guard then takes him down with his pistol. Turning off his thermal goggles, Sam moves in to pick up the body and move it out of sight.
Clip Five
This is a quick demonstration of Splinter Cell’s stunning physics engine. Sam, carrying limp body, moves toward a plastic curtain and lays the body down, brushing against the curtain as he does. You’ll see the curtain move with Sam’s body and react as he quickly moves away.
Be sure to keep your eye out for a full review later in November!
All content copyright 2000, 2001, 2002 by Ryan "TheMystic" Lord - Unauthorized use of any internal content is prohibited. Please see our Legal Page for information on our Privacy Policy.
