Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell®

It has given me so much joy through the years. Back in the day, it was pretty damn woah. I am comparing it a bit to its younger siblings, where certain aspects are vastly improved. The audio in the cutscenes does not seem affected by the ingame audio settings. Computers has changed a bit since its release, but there are fixes that fixes some of the annoyances. You can fix the resolution by modifying config files in vanilla, but I'd say the widescreen fix is preferable. Here's the widescreen fix, which seems to work very well for the keypads and such. https://thirteenag.github.io/wfp#sc If you want a minor graphical improvement, you can also use the PS3 textures. https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Tom_Clancy's_Splinter_Cell#HD_Textures_from_the_PS3_version

Splinter Cell wasn't a game I grew up with so I can fully say that I don't have my nostalgia goggles on for this one. One important bit is that if you're buying this to relive that PS2 or GameCube game you only played when your brother wasn't home, this will be different. The Xbox and PC versions came first and are missing changes from the PS2/GC versions. Some say for the better, others disagree. There are plenty of comparisons online you may want to peruse before buying. + Solid story, classic Clancy + Enemy AI surprisingly good for it's time. Better than some later gen games I've played. + Like many old games, it tries a non-standard control layout but you get used to it really quickly. All actions are with the left hand on the left side of the keyboard, plus your mouse. - Noticeably linear level design with little option for how to tackle a problem. This is likely to prevent players from getting lost and confused and to keep the level going as they can be quite long. For example, there's one way to enter a room or building or window. If there is a rappelling point or zip line, you will need to use it. At no point will you need to weigh the options of interrogating someone for a code or using some cool gadget or Ramboing the front door. There is one solution to every hurdle, and I feel that this was the beginning of a trend for Clancy games going from tactical shooters to just following the level in a straight line, ticking objectives off as you go. The few times you can go off the beaten path, it's a very short hall to an extra medkit or lockpick and that's it. - Oil rig level has game breaking bug as soon as you climb the first ladder and step on to the green pipes. I got past it by running over the pipes onto the boards, then proceeding without stepping on the pipes at all. - Like Clancy's novels, anyone who isn't American is a bad caricature of how Americans think that demographic speaks.

The golden age of stealth games back in the late 90's & early oughts. Splinter Cell is a slow paced methodical game where hiding in the shadows is encouraged. Unfortunately the game does throw some scripted action scenes at you but for the most part you can ghost many parts of the levels. Works great with modern hardware & on widescreen. The visuals look great if dated but you can appreciate the lighting & ambience that went into the level design. Very scripted linear level design but it is so well done. The overarching story is classic Tom Clancy inspired. Some great ambient music as well. If you are on a budget or nostalgic or just want to experience peak stealth gaming from the early 2000's then get this game. No Ubisoft nonsense just DRM free goodness from GOG.

Still great stealth game, doing many things better than many newer games. Of course graphics doesn't look awesome anymore (though it looks quite nice for a game which could drink legally in the US), but at its release it was something entirely else. Light and shadows never seen before at the time. The graphics, however, isn't the only interesting thing in the game. Visibility and noise systems in the game go beyond simple bright - you're visible; dark - you're invisible and crouched - you're quiet; running - you make noise. No, the game has more levels of visibility and noise (and quite ingenious movement speed control with the mouse roll, letting you precisely control your movement speed and noise). Something you don't find in modern action games with optional stealth or even some stealth games. AI is quite nice with occasional glitch, like when some guard spots broken lamp and gets so engrossed that never gets from his curious state back to normal state and is just looking at the lamp all the time. The plot is fairly straightforward (in a good way). More Tom Clancy's techno thriller than Kojima's convoluted and full of idiosyncrasies plots of Metal Gears. And I liked that this version includes some bonus missions absent on release (Kola Cell, Vselka Infiltration, Vselka Submarine) The one thing that I feel hasn't got old very well is the linearity of some levels. Do you need to get through door secured with a retinal scanner? Oh, look, some colonel with the clearance is already coming your way. The only way you can get around keypad lock is to wait until someone who knows the code uses the keypad so you could use your thermal googles to discover the right code? No worries, someone will use the door as soon as you'll need them to. All in all, a good start of a great series. And darn, Ubisoft, just give us Pandora Tomorrow and Chaos Theory on GOG already!

I love stealth games, though I admit - I am really poor stealth player. My favorite titles are usually Deus Ex, Thief and a few others. I had my luck to play few of Splinter Cell games before, and recently I've bought this gem. Long story short: Good graphics (aged nicely); Interesting to play and learn; Fun story; Fairly challenging. I'd recommend this game to both seasoned stealth-players and to newbies to this. You gonna have fun. This game is neatly balanced, has a fun story and not-so-easy situations to solve. Definitely give it a try!