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For the GBA/N-Gage versions, see Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Team Stealth Action.
For the mobile version, see Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (Mobile).

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (sometimes referred to simply as Splinter Cell, Splinter Cell 1, Splinter Cell: Stealth Action Redefined or Splinter Cell: SAR) is the first video game in the Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell series of video games developed and published by Ubisoft, and endorsed by American author Tom Clancy. Set in 2004, the story focuses on Sam Fisher, a covert ops veteran recruited to spearhead the newly-activated Splinter Cell Program, which is part of Third Echelon, a top-secret initiative within the National Security Agency (NSA). Third Echelon uses "Splinter Cells", lone operatives working in the field with high-tech support, to conduct covert intelligence-gathering missions in hostile territory.

An HD remaster of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (as well as Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow and Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory) was included in the Splinter Cell Classic Trilogy HD released for the PlayStation 3 in 2011.

Development[]

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is the first video game in the Splinter Cell franchise, and was also the second Tom Clancy's brand video game franchise that was not originally based on a Tom Clancy book (with the first being Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, which was released in 2001 for the PC). Ubisoft initially started development on a title called "The Drift", where the game was originally a third-person shooter in a futuristic-retro setting where Earth had been destroyed and major cities of remnant humans built cities on the debris of the earth. The player could use their multi-purpose gun to grapple walls, fire cameras and even change vision models.

The Drift was a prototype of things to come, but was described as having 'no soul', despite incorporating ideas and concepts that were ahead of its time. Eventually, The Drift was dropped, while elements retained in what would be known as "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell", a game based on Ubisoft's directive to Ubisoft Montreal to make a "Metal Gear Solid 2 killer".

Ubisoft Montreal was tasked into creating a revolutionary stealth game that took elements from Thief and Metal Gear Solid. Tom Clancy endorsed it while also being a support writer for scenarios. Tom Clancy at first did not approve of the tri-focal goggles, which were said to contain both night vision and thermal vision, as it was unrealistic to have such a device. This is due to the issues such a device would have with size and cost in real life. Though Tom Clancy later approved of it as Ubisoft made use of it as Sam Fisher's signature style and explained that having two separate devices, which the player would need to interchange, would be highly detrimental to gameplay.

Ubisoft Montreal focused on making a more realistic approach to the stealth genre, and in doing so had to do research on developing technology, such as the suit that Sam wears, the type of tech for surveillance and the gadgets, and so on. While the game ran on Unreal Engine 2 engine, Ubisoft utilized the engine for dynamic lighting effects as well as well as creating realistic physics (such as the soft physics).

Ubisoft also brought in veteran actor Michael Ironside to provide the voice for Sam Fisher.

Plot Overview[]

"It is the year 2003.

In response to the growing use of sophisticated digital encryption to conceal potential threats to the national security of the United States, the NSA (National Security Agency) has ushered forth a new dawn of intelligence-gathering techniques. The top-secret initiative, dubbed Third Echelon, marks a return to classical methods of espionage, enhanced with leading-edge surveillance and combat technology for the aggressive collection of stored data in hostile territories. When intelligence deemed critical to national security cannot be obtained by traditional means, Third Echelon is granted clearance to conduct physical operations.

Denied to exist by the U.S. government, Third Echelon deploys units known as Splinter Cells: elite intelligence-gathering forces consisting of a lone field operative supported by a remote team. Like a sliver of glass, a Splinter Cell is small, sharp, and nearly invisible.

March 10, 2004: The CIA contacted NSA officials regarding the loss of contact with Agent Alison Madison, a CIA operative monitoring widespread communication shortages plaguing the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. A second operative, Agent Blaustein, was inserted into the Georgian capital T'bilisi to locate Agent Madison, only to drop from contact seven days later. Fearing for the lives of American agents compromised at the hands of a suspected terrorist effort, Third Echelon has activated Splinter Cell operative Sam Fisher to locate the missing agents and evaluate the situation.

You are Sam Fisher. You must leave no trace on the physical or political map. Remember: Although killing may compromise secrecy, the choice between leaving a witness or a corpse is no choice at all. You do not exist. You are a Splinter Cell." - in-game manual description

Plot[]

Set in the year 2004. You play as Sam Fisher, an agent working for the NSA. Sam has been chosen to spearhead the newly formed Third Echelon, a secret black-ops branch of the NSA, as a Splinter Cell.

T'bilisi Old Town, T'bilisi, Georgia: For his first assignment as a Splinter Cell (the second assignment according to Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Checkmate, which is a prequel), Sam was dispatched to Tbilisi in Georgia to investigate the disappearance of two CIA agents, Robert Blaustein and Alice Madison. Madison had been working undercover in Georgian President Kombayn Nikoladze's political cabinet, but suddenly went missing. Agent Blaustein was sent to investigate shortly after, resulting in his disappearance a week later. Upon arrival in Tbilisi, Fisher is to rendezvous with NSA informant Thomas Gurgenidze inside a local warehouse. Fisher finds the warehouse in flames, and finds Gurgenidze trapped beneath debris inside. Gurgenidze states that, according to Madison's last transmission, the duo had discovered "something big," and she had said that gaining proof could lead to war. Fisher then makes it to Blaustein's apartment, but finds Russian mercenaries searching the apartment as well. Fisher finds Blaustein's hidden Black Box. However, the Black Box reports that Blaustein has been dead for more than a day, and his body is in the morgue of a local police station. Hoping to find either Madison or information on who killed Blaustein, Fisher slips into the police station's morgue. In the morgue, Fisher finds the dead bodies of both Blaustein and Madison; with their subdermal implants removed. Accessing the surveillance records from the morgue, Fisher discovers that a Russian by the name of Vyacheslav Grinko removed the implants and departed in his car. Tracing his license plate number, Third Echelon tracks him to the Georgian Ministry of Defense.

Defense Ministry, T'bilisi, Georgia: Arriving at the Georgian Ministry of Defense, Fisher begins the search for Grinko, to find out why Blaustein and Madison were killed. Fisher first encounters and interrogates Grinko's personal driver, Hamlet. The latter reveals that Grinko is former-Spetznaz, now a mercenary and is shortly meeting a computer geek called Philip Masse in the elevator overlooking the Ministry courtyard. With this info, Fisher delves deeper into the interior, and locates Grinko and Masse meeting in the elevator. Using his Laser Mic, Fisher is able to secretly eavesdrop on their conversation and hears the two discussing Blaustein and Madison briefly. They then hint that Nikoladze is conducting some kind of top-secret operation in Azerbaijan, and that Nikoladze has evidence stored on his office computer. To uncover what they're hiding, Fisher infiltrates Nikoladze's personal office and has Anna Grímsdóttir, Third Echelon's technical expert, hack into the computer via satellite. The Ministry's security detects the hack and cuts Grímsdóttir's access, sending the building into alert. She hacks in again however, and retrieves the rest of the data, which reveals that Nikoladze has secretly been waging an ethnic-cleansing campaign in Azerbaijan, which is still ongoing by cells of the Georgian military. Fisher fights his way out of the building and escapes via helicopter, piloted by Third Echelon field runner Vernon Wilkes, Jr. The data that Grímsdóttir gained is further analyzed in full detail by the National Security Agency. The detected intrusion at the Ministry forces Nikoladze to go into underground hiding. He then kick-starts his campaign into full action: the Georgian military cells now start murder rampages throughout Azerbaijan. NATO sends troops into the affected areas in an effort to stop the attempted genocide, and to locate Nikoladze. During this chaos, the NSA notice, in the data retrieved from the Ministry, that a Georgian military cell stationed on an oil rig on the Caspian Sea has been exchanging data with the Georgian Presidential Palace, speculating it is of considerable significance; and thus Fisher is sent there to retrieve the data.

Oil Rig, Caspian Sea: While Fisher is infiltrating the oil rig, the information gathered by the NSA is also gathered by NATO, who send in planes to bomb the oil rig, erroneously believing it to be the location of Nikoladze. This sends the entire oil rig into panic. An intercepted radio transmission reveals that a computer technician, Piotr Lejava, is arriving by boat shortly to download the data to his laptop to prevent it falling into NATO hands. This laptop can only be accessed via the technician's encryption key, and so Fisher trails Lejava around the oil rig until he finally catches him, and obtains his laptop along with his encryption key. A brief interrogation of Piotr reveals that the data concerns something called 'The Ark', but he doesn't know what it is. Once extracted by boat, Fisher lets Grímsdóttir examine the laptop. The data is filled with vague references about an impending retaliation against the USA. Additionally, Grímsdóttir is shocked to discover that the level of information stored on the laptop could have only been gained by a mole in the CIA. At that moment, the transport plane they're in suddenly malfunctions. The pilots manage to regain control before it hits the water, but an incoming call from Third Echelon commanding officer, Irving Lambert, reveals that North America has just been hit by a wave of digital warfare, attacking mostly military targets. Nikoladze takes credit for the attack, declaring war against America, and experts warn that other information attacks could be made just as easily on civilian targets, potentially causing significant devastation.

CIA Headquarters, Langley, Virginia: As America struggles to cope with the aftermath of the attack on their military installations, Fisher investigates the potential CIA mole working with the Georgians as it is their only lead to Nikoladze. After infiltrating CIA headquarters and accessing the CIA computer mainframe, Fisher uplinks it to Grímsdóttir, who is able to trace the location of the data leak to the personal computer of Mitchell Dougherty. Fisher sneaks into Dougherty's office when he leaves and accesses his computer.

Grímsdóttir examines the computer via laptop and confirms the data leak and locates where the data is being received - a nearby building called "Kalinatek, Inc." Her intrusion is detected by those at Kalinatek and they shut it down. Lambert orders Fisher to bring Dougherty in for interrogation, and Fisher finds Dougherty taking a smoke break outside, which allows him to knock him unconscious. Fisher takes the unconscious Dougherty to Wilkes and interrogation expert John Baxter, waiting by a van in the CIA parking lot. They leave the compound and Dougherty is subsequently interrogated. Dougherty claims to have no knowledge of a data leak: in reality, his Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder forced him to haul all his data onto an insecure laptop, a vulnerability that the Kalinatek hackers exploited.

Kalinatek, Langley, Virginia: Because Grímsdóttir's hack was detected by those at Kalinatek, the troops in the building are attempting to destroy any evidence that could lead to Nikoladze, including their computer technicians. Grímsdóttir intercepts a 911 call made from a technician called Ivan inside the building, who states that his life is in danger, and he will help the American government in exchange for rescue. He tells her that he is safe for now as he has closed the fire doors surrounding him but they won't hold forever. This new information necessitates an emergency mission to the Kalinatek building and Fisher has to move fast to find Ivan before he is found and killed. However, he is forced to make several detours when the troops plant mines throughout the building on vital parts of the structure, and a bomb is armed on the gas pipes in the main utility room. After deactivating all of these explosives, Fisher stumbles across a dying technician, who tells him that Ivan must be on the fifth floor. Lambert then tells Fisher that the FBI will collect Ivan and all he needs is Ivan's encryption key. Fisher locates Ivan hiding in the bathroom, and saves his life by killing his attacker. Ivan is anxious to leave with Fisher but Fisher just demands the encryption key from him. Reluctantly, Ivan hands over his encryption key. Fisher shoots his way out of the Kalinatek and escapes via The Osprey as FBI agents come to take over the scene and take Ivan into custody. Using the encryption key, the NSA discovers that Nikoladze has been using a network of unconventional relays to communicate with the Georgian military cells. Grímsdóttir manages to trace one of these data streams back to the Nadezhda Nuclear Power Plant in northern Russia, but due to the electronic noise surrounding the plant, is unable to trace the data any further; thus Fisher is sent to shut the power plant down.

Nuclear Power Plant, Kola Peninsula, Russia (PlayStation 2 exclusive): Fisher infiltrates the Russian power plant, only to find it under the control of Grinko's mercenaries protecting the microwave relay. Despite this, Fisher makes his way through the building, and initiates a false meltdown alarm, which forces most personnel to evacuate, allowing Fisher to move around easier. However, the troops remain and even gun turrets have been set-up. Nonetheless, Fisher gains control of the microwave relay, allowing the NSA to finally locate Nikoladze. Fisher leaves the building via the plant's private train - but to their surprise, the mercenaries are also using the train to transport nuclear material, possibly to create nuclear weapons.

Chinese Embassy Outskirts, Yangon, Myanmar: The NSA trace the full communicate network and find out that Nikoladze is currently taking refuge in the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar, raising questions of Chinese support for the Georgians, which could potentially lead to a war with China. Fisher is sent to sneak into the embassy in order to investigate if the Chinese are really assisting Nikoladze. Fisher sneaks onto the Embassy grounds, and uses his Laser Microphone to listen in on a conversation between Nikoladze and General Kong Feirong (a prominent member of the People's Liberation Army of China). The conversation reveals that the two are working together, and have brought U.S. military hostages to a local slaughterhouse for execution, planned to be broadcast to the U.S. via webcast. Fisher delays his objective of interrogating Feirong so that he can save the hostages.

Abattoir, Yangon, Myanmar: Hoping to gain some more time to work with, Fisher disables the broadcast antenna of the slaughterhouse, which does indeed delay the execution. The entire facility is guarded with Grinko's mercenaries, and Grinko himself is here leading them. Upon finding the hostages and Chinese dignitaries being held against their will, Fisher converses with them. Grinko and his lieutenants arrive to kill Fisher. However, the antagonists are terminated. Returning to the hostages, Fisher finds that Feirong is acting renegade and does not represent China in his actions. With this news, United States and Chinese relations stabilize and war is avoided for now.

Chinese Embassy Interior, Yangon, Myanmar: Feirong and Nikoladze must be eliminated if this peace is to last, thus Fisher returns to the Chinese Embassy. However, Feirong is in the process of fleeing the building with a near-complete nuclear device. Luckily, as Fisher gets closer to Feirong's office, the general seemingly gives up in his escape plan, but instead plans to commit suicide. This presents a problem as Fisher requires evidence Feirong is acting alone if the peace is to be secured. Fisher enters the office just as the drunken Feirong is about to shoot himself; unable to convince him to stop, Fisher manages to grab Feirong and forces him to access his computer, thus presenting the needed proof. Eventually Feirong succumbs to the poisoned liquor he had been drinking. The information on the computer also reveals that Nikoladze has retreated back to Georgia, where he is trying to recover a mysterious weapon called "The Ark" - something so important that Nikoladze is willing to risk his life for.

Presidential Palace, T'bilisi, Georgia: Intelligence gathered speculates the Ark is held somewhere in the Georgian Presidential Palace, and that Nikoladze may be already within. Third Echelon sends Fisher to sneak in and to prevent both Nikoladze and the new President, Varlam Cristavi, from accessing the Ark key. It seems Cristavi is already aware of the Ark's existence, and has previously interrogated one of Nikoladze's thugs in a recording labelled as the "Ark Interrogation Files." Fisher locates these which reveals that the Ark is a Special Atomic Demolition Munition; an extremely powerful nuclear suitcase bomb, and moves on to find Nikoladze, who is about to take the Ark from a vault in the building basement, but is then forced to open the safe believed to hold The Ark. However, Cristavi's thugs then arrive, and hold both Nikoladze and Fisher at gunpoint. There, Nikoladze reveals that the Ark is already in position and that the safe contains the key to activate it. He bargains to give the Ark key to Cristavi in exchange for safe passage out of Georgia. They take Nikoladze and the Ark key elsewhere, while Fisher is left to be executed - luckily, Lambert organizes for a blackout, allowing Fisher to escape from his captors and continue his pursuit of Nikoladze. During this, it is learned that the Ark is actually a nuclear bomb hidden somewhere in America. Fisher eventually locates Nikoladze, who at this moment is trying to negotiate the Ark for his freedom: in order to prevent this from happening, Fisher assassinates Nikoladze, the only person capable of activating the Ark, thus ending the crisis.

Abandoned Factory, Kola Peninsula, Russia: As Nikoladze has been neutralized, Philip Masse was still on the loose. Seeing as how he could still be a threat to the free world through digital means, Sam is sent to Kola Peninsula to eliminate him. He first accesses Masse's server in the basement after infiltrating the complex. Sam then grabs a colonel named Alekseevich and uses him to access a retinal scanner to the ducts leading to Masse's office where Sam has him access his computer. After killing Masse, Sam was ordered to go to a nearby submarine port to prevent a threat of a loose nuclear weapon from being retrieved from a Typhoon-Class nuclear submarine.

Russian Naval Shipyard, Kola Peninsula, Russia: Sam Fisher is sent somewhere on the coasts of the Kola Peninsula, Russia. The mission was to stop the remaining Alekseevich's troops from taking control of a Typhoon-Class nuclear submarine Vselka. In his efforts, Sam was able to raise the sub to the surface in order to board the vessel and prevent Alekseevich's soldiers from using it. To stop a threat from loosing a nuclear weapon, Sam discovers that they were unable to retrieve the nuclear weapon. Sam then escapes the submarine via a torpedo launch tube.

Missions[]

Mission Pack (Xbox and PC)[]

Differences[]

There are differences in the story and details between the main version of Splinter Cell (Ubisoft Montreal, Xbox and PC) and the version on PlayStation 2/GameCube (Ubisoft Shanghai). Some of the levels are exclusive redesigns based on the levels in version 1. Most are shorter and punctuated by full-motion cutscenes. The PlayStation 2 version includes four additional levels set in a nuclear power plant in Russia (Sam is wearing a winter Splinter Cell uniform).[1]

Version 1 (Xbox/PC/PS3)[]

  • Sam meets Grímsdóttir for the first time while at the CIA Training Farm, August 7, 2004.
  • Sam is introduced to Vernon Wilkes, Jr., for the first time at the CIA Training Farm, August 7, 2004.
  • Sam's subdermal implants are modified by Grímsdóttir on board the Osprey on the way to Georgia.
  • Sam tells Wilkes not to light a cigarette on board the Osprey, to which Wilkes replies that he is saving the cigarette for when they land.
  • Blaustein was sent to Georgia after Alice Madison went missing (in version 2, both were on a mission together when they went missing).
  • Vernon Wilkes, Jr. is shot over Kalinatek Building in Langley, Virginia and dies in route to Myanmar.
  • Sam Fisher traces data leading to Nikoladze from Kalinatek directly to the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar.

Version 2 (PS2/Gamecube)[]

  • Version 2 has a different timeline from Version 1, Sam's audition begins October 7, rather than in August. Most of the level dates remain the same (although the missions and story have been altered).
  • Prologue (October 2004): Alice Madison and Robert Blaustein, CIA agents infiltrate the Caucasus, to investigate potential violations of UN regulations by the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. They discover a mass army, and are captured. OPSAT files and data sticks in the game contradict this by stating that they were captured separately at different times.
  • Somewhere in the Pacific, Sam Fisher goes diving with his daughter, Sarah Fisher before being contacted by Wilkes to be brought in to work on finding Madison and Blaustein.
  • Sam Fisher is apparently already a member of Third Echelon, and has his gear, and implants.
  • Vernon Wilkes, Jr. finds Sam to take him to speak to Irving Lambert about the missing CIA agents (he is forced to find them). He is recalled by Third Echelon to help.
  • Sam has already met Vernon Wilkes, Jr. in Version 2 in the Pacific before the Third Echelon audition (In version 1 he met Sam for the first time at Camp Peary).
  • A cinematic shows Sam getting aboard the Osprey at Andrews Airforce Base, Maryland, USA on October 15, 18:27 Hours. Sam is shown taking the cigarette from Wilkes's mouth and throwing it on the ground and says "Don't light that". 
  • Anna Grímsdóttir introduces herself to Sam face to face for the first time during the cinematic (rather than on August 7, 2004 at the CIA Training Farm as in Version 1). 
  • Sam traces data from Kalintek, but it gets stuck near the Kola Peninsula, Russia, forcing Sam to make a detour to a power plant on the Peninsula in order to continue tracing communications back to Nikoladze. Vernon Wilkes, Jr. is shot at nuclear power plant, and dies over the Russian airspace. The data trace at the power plant leads back to the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar (PlayStation 2 Only). Wilkes is killed at the Kalinatek Building on the Xbox and GameCube.
  • Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Version 2 begins and ends with Sarah and Sam staying on a boat in the South Pacific rather than in a house.
  • Sarah appears much younger than she does in Version 1.

Versions[]

While Ubisoft Montreal's initial Xbox and Windows versions were released to critical and commercial success, Ubisoft Shanghai was developing versions for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube consoles. Development on these ports started in April 2002, while Montreal's version was still in development and used Montreal's base code and graphic assets as a starting point. In order to complete the port in such a short time frame, extra developers were brought in from France and Italy to assist the Chinese team. Incomplete data packages being sent from Montreal and cultural and language differences between the team members caused hardship during the production, but the port shipped on time and was also a critical and commercial success. Changes from Montreal's version includes story differences, an extra level (set at a nuclear power plant on the Kola Peninsula), redesigned HUD, lower difficulty, decreased graphic quality, and sections of levels removed and replaced with full-motion video cutscenes.

Xbox (2002)[]

The Xbox versions' visuals include better lighting and less jagged polygon models, and utilize its graphical capabilities almost to the fullest. This version includes real-time cutscenes, rather than the full-motion videos from the other two versions. The game runs at a higher resolution than the PlayStation 2 version, and has a slightly more consistent frame rate than both the PlayStation 2 and GCN versions. None of the extras from the PlayStation 2 and GCN versions are present, though shortly after the other versions were released three exclusive levels were downloadable via Xbox Live and a disk release was bundled later on. The Xbox version is also backwards compatible with the Xbox 360 and the Xbox One.

Game-boy Advance[]

Splinter Cell for the GBA essentially is a retelling of the original game. Like other versions of the game, players take control of Sam Fisher.[2]

Windows (2003)[]

The Windows version was a port of the Xbox version and duplicated that version's user interface and gameplay. However, the Windows version can be run at higher graphic resolutions than the console versions and some of the real-time cutscenes have been replaced with full-motion videos. The "checkpoint" save system from the Xbox version was replaced with the ability to save a game at any time and the controls were reworked to allow simultaneous use of a keyboard and mouse, with movement speed being controlled by the mouse wheel, a feature that received praise from several reviewers. None of the bonus content from the other versions are present on this version. The Xbox Live bonus levels (Kola Cell, Vselka Infiltration, Vselka Submarine) for the PC version were available as a patch included in the limited collector's edition of Chaos Theory and came pre-installed in the version of the game in the Ubisoft Action-Adventure Collection. It was also available in the Splinter Cell: Mission Pack, which is sold only in Europe. There is an unfortunate graphics problem in this version, though. Projected shadows would not appear with video cards Nvidia 6 series and up. This problem was caused because the game was a direct port from the Xbox, which renders shadows similarly to Nvidia 3, 4 and FX cards. It is possible to force the shadows, but this can cause system instabilities. This problem persists to Pandora Tomorrow.

PlayStation 2 (2003)[]

The PlayStation 2 and GameCube versions were developed by Ubisoft Shanghai, and feature a redesigned HUD. The PlayStation 2 version runs at a lower resolution than the Xbox and GCN versions, and sacrifices had to be made to the graphics including more jagged edges, duller colors and fewer lighting effects, due to the more limited hardware. For example, the Oil Rig level is supposed to take place during the day but the sky is dark throughout the level. Also, despite these sacrifices, the frame rate tends to stutter slightly more than the Xbox version. Reflections can been seen on some floor surfaces, not seen in previous versions. Loading times, as with most PlayStation 2 versions of games, are also longer. The layout of the levels have been changed, mostly to accommodate for the PS2 hardware, including levels being segmented into smaller that require loading screens. It's also possible that levels were changed for improved gameplay reasons as well, notably many tricks used by wall jumping to bypass areas are no longer available. The storyline was also modified (see Differences section above).

The PlayStation 2 version boasts extra content, however, including a new Nuclear Power Plant mission, which appears exclusively in the PlayStation 2 version. The real-time cutscenes from the Xbox version were replaced with full-motion videos.

Several quality of life improvements and addition features were made, including:

  • The ability to use a scope for first-person viewing (by pressing R3).
  • Using lockpicks now appears in the interaction menu, rather than the play having to equip them.
  • Keypad codes will appear on screen when using the keypad, as long as you have the code.
  • The number of alerts appears in the hud.

GameCube (2003)[]

The GameCube version didn't receive quite as many graphical sacrifices as the PlayStation 2 version, as it is running on more powerful hardware. This version runs at the same resolution as the Xbox version, is less jagged than the PlayStation 2 version and the colors appear to be more natural than the PlayStation 2 version as well. However, the GCN version doesn't quite look as realistic as the Xbox version and like the PlayStation 2 version, had to make sacrifices here and there with the lighting effects. This version includes the full-motion video cinematics that appear in the PlayStation 2 version, replacing the Xbox versions' real-time cutscenes. Missions are also structured in a different/shorter fashion than that of its Xbox counterpart.

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Mobile version

The Power Plant mission from the PlayStation 2 version is not included, though Game Boy Advance connectivity is supported. Using the GameCube-Game Boy Advance cable to connect the GBA to the GCN, a map of the level the player is currently in is displayed on the GBA and includes locations of enemies and items. The GCN version also includes a new Sticky Bomb weapon, which doesn't appear in any other version. In addition to those, the GCN version supports 480p resolution, which is exclusive to this version of the game.

Mobile (2003)[]

The Splinter Cell version for mobile phones was opposite in differences than its console and computer counterparts. It was a side scrolling game with pixel bit graphics.

N-Gage (2003)[]

The N-Gage version is near-identical to GBA version with few differences:

  • Sam wear blue vest instead of green.
  • This version is the first game in the series to introduce co-op mode, predating Chaos Theory.

Mac (2004)[]

The Mac version was a port of the Windows version and runs mostly at a 800x600 graphic resolution, real-time cutscenes have been replaced with full-motion videos. The save system has the ability to save a game at any time, controls were reworked to allow simultaneous use of a keyboard and mouse, with movement speed being controlled by the mouse wheel. No bonus content is present on this version.

PlayStation 3 (2011)[]

An HD version of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is included in the Splinter Cell Trilogy and was released in 2011. The PlayStation 3 version is ported from the PC version. It's only new features include: HD textures, a new menu interface and HUD, a manual quick-save system (carried on from the PC), and trophies. This version sometimes suffers from crashing when quick-loading.

Xbox 360 (Backwards Compatibility) (2018)[]

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell can be played on the Xbox 360, provided that the user has an official Microsoft HDD and they have the necessary updates for their system. DLC is supported for the system, but can no longer be downloaded from Xbox Live. While the game does run smooth, there are some notes: keypad lock colors will not display properly and there is a noticeable drop of FPS in some areas.[3]

Splinter Cell Remake[]

In December 2021, Ubisoft revealed that they are working on a remake of the first game.[4] A remake of Splinter Cell is currently in development by Ubisoft Toronto.

Reception[]

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell received positive reviews upon release. GameSpot's Greg Kasavin said that Splinter Cell has "hands down the best lighting effects seen in any game to date." IGN likewise praised the game for its graphics and lighting.[5] Both praised the game's audio, noting that Michael Ironside as Sam Fisher's voice suited the role perfectly. Criticism of the game was also present. Greg Kasavin said that Splinter Cell is "sometimes reduced to frustrating bouts of trial and error." In addition, Kasavin criticized the game's cutscenes, saying that they are not up to par with the rest of the game's graphics.

Awards[]

  • E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo 2002 Game Critics Awards: Best Action/Adventure Game[6]
  • 3rd Annual Game Developers Choice Awards: Excellence in Writing[7]
  • 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards: Console Game of the Year, Outstanding Achievement in Game Play Engineering[8]
  • IGN Best of 2002: Xbox Game of the Year,[9] Xbox Best Graphics[10]

Nominations[]

  • 3rd Annual Game Developers Choice Awards: Game of the Year, Original Game Character of the Year, Excellence in Game Design, Excellence in Level Design, and Excellence in Programming[7]
  • 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards: Innovation in Console Gaming, Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design, Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering, and Console Action/Adventure Game of the Year[8]
  • IGN Best of 2002: Overall Game of the Year[11]

Trivia[]

  • A "behind the scenes" shows Sam Fisher discussing his experiences in making the game in real time with a CGI version of Sam being voiced by Michael Ironside.
  • In the game guards will often hum, If I Were a Rich Man from Fiddler on the Roof.
  • Since the game takes place in late 2004, then the events of the game happen during a U.S. presidential election. However, no mention of the election is made on any of the news stories nor during any of President Bowers' speeches. It can be assumed that since Bowers was serving as U.S. President both prior to the election date and in subsequent games, he was reelected during the game.
  • The Kola Cell levels takes place in January 2005 but data sticks found during the main game state that the Kola Cell levels and Philip Masse's death took place in November 2004.[1]
  • You can still download the three bonus missions if you have the bonus disc.
    • For unknown reasons, the Japanese version of Xbox removes Kola Cell.
  • Certain content including missions were cut from the final release. See Cut Content for more info.
  • Enemies have animations for when they are shot in the hands or feet.
  • If players leave Sam idle in game he will turn around and look at the player and do hand gestures of playing a controller.
  • The text font used in-game is very close to what's called Hooge or Fixedsys fonts. This text is used for the Main Menu, OPSAT information and the Briefing/Debriefing screens.
  • Mission Pack comes with the final patch for the digital version. For reasons unknown, however, Mission Pack does not appear in the digital version of Steam, although it can be supplemented with a separate Mission Pack.
  • Look here for Splinter Cell cheats and console commands.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Gamespot Review
  2. Gamespot.com
  3. List of Xbox games compatible with Xbox 360, Wikipedia, Retrieved 3/21/15
  4. Splinter Cell Remake Begins Development at Ubisoft Toronto (en-us).
  5. Boulding, Aaron (2002-11-18). Splinter Cell Review. IGN Xbox. IGN Entertainment.
  6. 2002 Winners. Game Critics Awards. Retrieved on 2007-08-24.
  7. 7.0 7.1 3rd Annual Game Developers Choice Awards. Game Developers Choice Awards. CMP Media LLC (2003-03-07). Retrieved on 2008-10-26.
  8. 8.0 8.1 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (2003-02-23). Retrieved on 2008-10-26.
  9. Best of 2002: Xbox Game of the Year. IGN Xbox. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved on 2008-10-27.
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  11. 2002 Overall Game of the Year. IGN Games. IGN Entertainment (2003-01-24). Retrieved on 2008-10-27.

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