Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell®

nostalgia hit like a sharp knife through the heart , 11/10 story and gameplay , would definitely recommend this classic espoinage game

i became a big fan of Tom Clancy games, and since i played assassin's creed from almost every existed game i like this then too

Challenging stealth? tick
Multiple restarts? tick
Fond memories? Heck yeah
True stealth game for anyone, forget modern stealth as this was the thing and needs the remake

More frustrating than fun. The Splinter Cell series would go on to produce some of the best stealth games ever made, but this first adventure has aged quite poorly. I haven't seen stealth this inconsistent in a long time, and don't even try to do a no-kill playthrough (it's really not an option at all). If it wasn't for quick saves, this would be the Dark Souls of stealth games, except here the challenge feels unfair. With quick saves, though, it can be moderately entertaining. 5/10

The Gameplay:

A very basic, but powerful template of stealth that would be further refined into a masterpiece later on. Movement speed, material and ambiance all play a role into if an enemy can spot you. Also shadows which where dynamic based on what's goin on in the enviorment. The game is slow and methodical, with enough power where you can fight, but definitely not an action game. Solid even after 20 years+.

The Story:

This story was a lot more well written than I gave it credit for. It had some solid political intrigue and really layered on a tale of corruption that honestly seems pretty reminiscent of todays events. Although I hate that I just said that and wish all of this was just fantasy.

The Visuals:

Surprisingly solid visuals that while old, don't look terrible. You can tell that this was the pinnacle of visual fidelity at one point, especially with the attention to detail with lighting and shadows.

The Sound:

The sound effects were amazing, it wasn't over the top action or anything, but was a good attention to detail. This was also ahead of it's time as most games did not pay that much attention to footsteps to have like 17 different sounds for it. The music was mostly good, the last level had a banger of a song using the suspicion music as a refined backdrop to amp you up. Also the voice acting, specifically Lambert and Fisher was iconic. In the following game Pandora Tomorrow, just the change of Lambert was noticeable enough for me to not like the experience as a whole comparatively.

The Experience:

This game was not perfect, and as a PC game, did not feel as smooth as its Xbox version. With some tweaks I was able to get it to work with the controller but it wasn't the most ideal. This was a solid trip down memory lane, and an exploration into how well the game was made from a mechanical and story perspective. It is certainly not for everyone as it doesn't have explosions in your face all the time. It is for those who want a solid stealth action game with a heavy emphasis on the stealth aspect. This is a game I will recommend for years to come.

Still playable and enjoyable more than 20 years after release - a true classic.

It takes around 2 minutes to install the patches (simple drag and drops) to get the game running properly,
after installing them (hd textures and shadows fix) this game is really worth it and might become one of your favorites if you like stealth games like hitman, assassin's creed, metal gear solid, it's a great start to the splinter cell trilogy and you should not skip it, the pc controls are also really good and playable, no controller support without a 3rd party software

Trotz seines Alters bleibt Splinter Cell ein Meilenstein im Stealth-Genre. Wer über die etwas sperrige Steuerung und technische Hürden hinwegsehen kann, bekommt ein spannendes, taktisches Schleichspiel mit einer dichten Agenten-Atmosphäre.

Pflicht für Stealth-Fans!

The controls for this game are like converting the intended input into wingdings, running it through a 100-man game of telephone, and having the 100th man send the single input through an enigma machine to a toddler who's going to try and decode it with a box of Cra-Z-Art. Fisher is one part elite special agent and one part inebriated.

the controls can be a little goofy but a very fun game overall.

aged well, playable on modern hardware with no crashes. resolution gets funky during cutscenes and few keybind swaps needed. 10/10 game for under $5

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell – A Stealth Classic That Defined a Genre

When Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell launched in 2002, it was immediately seen as Ubisoft’s answer to Metal Gear Solid, offering a more tactical and methodical approach to stealth. While it never quite escaped MGS’s shadow, it carved out its own identity as one of the most realistic, intense, and rewarding stealth experiences in gaming history.

A Gritty Story of Espionage and Black Ops

Set in the near future of 2004, Splinter Cell follows Sam Fisher, a seasoned operative working for the NSA’s Third Echelon, a covert black-ops unit. The game’s political espionage plot is deeply rooted in Tom Clancy’s signature realism, involving cyberwarfare, international terrorism, and government conspiracies.

Sam is tasked with investigating the disappearance of two CIA agents in Georgia, only to uncover a deadly plot that could destabilize global security. What starts as a simple reconnaissance mission quickly escalates into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, as Sam infiltrates enemy compounds, gathers intelligence, and neutralizes threats with surgical precision.

The story may not have the cinematic flair or philosophical depth of Metal Gear Solid, but it offers a more grounded and immersive espionage experience. The focus on real-world military tactics makes it feel authentic and intense.

Gameplay – Mastering the Shadows

Unlike many action-oriented games of its time, Splinter Cell punishes reckless gunplay and forces players to think like a true spy. It introduced some of the most advanced stealth mechanics ever seen, many of which still hold up today:

Light & Shadow Mechanics – Unlike MGS, which relied on radar, Splinter Cell introduced dynamic lighting and darkness as core gameplay elements. Sam must stay in the shadows, avoiding detection by security cameras, guards, and drones.

Night Vision & Thermal Goggles – A defining feature of Splinter Cell. Sam’s iconic three-lens night vision goggles became an instant symbol of the series, allowing players to navigate dark environments with precision.

Advanced Movement & Interactions – The game offered contextual animations and mechanics never seen before in a stealth game. Wall-hugging, split-jumps, rappelling, peeking around corners, and sneaking through vents all made the experience feel incredibly immersive.

Interrogation System – One of the first games to allow players to grab enemies from behind and interrogate them for intel. This mechanic was both satisfying and revolutionary, giving players an alternative to simply eliminating enemies.

The gunplay was minimal and realistic, reinforcing that Splinter Cell wasn’t about running and gunning—it was about patience and strategy.

Sound Design – The Importance of Silence

For a stealth game, sound is everything, and Splinter Cell nailed it.

Footsteps, doors opening, and alarms all react dynamically to the environment. Running too fast on a metal floor? Enemies will hear you.

Michael Ironside’s voice acting as Sam Fisher remains one of the most iconic performances in gaming history. His deep, gruff delivery adds weight and authenticity to every mission.

The tense, minimalist soundtrack heightens the suspense, ensuring that every encounter feels like a deadly game of chess.

Aged Graphics & Clunky Mechanics – Still Playable Today?

Visually, Splinter Cell was a stunning achievement in 2002, with real-time shadows, detailed environments, and excellent lighting effects. However, by today’s standards, the character models and animations feel stiff and outdated.

Gameplay-wise, it’s not as fluid as modern stealth games, and some mechanics feel clunky and unrefined. But despite this, the core stealth gameplay remains satisfying, proving that great game design transcends time.

Legacy – Living in the Shadow of Metal Gear Solid

Despite its groundbreaking stealth mechanics, Splinter Cell always lived in the shadow of Metal Gear Solid. MGS had a stronger narrative, more memorable characters, and deeper themes, while Splinter Cell prioritized realism, tactical espionage, and methodical gameplay.

However, it’s unfair to call it just an “MGS clone.” Splinter Cell offered a completely different experience—more grounded, more methodical, and more immersive. It became one of Ubisoft’s most beloved franchises, setting the stage for sequels that refined and expanded upon its core ideas.

Final Verdict – A Must-Play for Stealth Fans

Even with its aging visuals and somewhat stiff mechanics, Splinter Cell remains one of the most rewarding stealth games ever made. It introduced mechanics that became industry standards, and its intense, realistic approach to espionage remains unique even today.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (8/10) - Great 🤩🔥
A stealth classic that still holds up.

I recently had the pleasure of playing Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell on Steam, and I must say, it's an absolute masterpiece. As a fan of stealth games, I was blown away by the game's engaging storyline, challenging gameplay, and impressive graphics.

The game's protagonist, Sam Fisher, is a well-developed character with a rich backstory that adds depth to the story. The narrative is full of twists and turns, keeping you on the edge of your seat as you navigate through the game's various missions.

The gameplay is where Splinter Cell truly shines. The stealth mechanics are incredibly well-designed, requiring you to use strategy and patience to sneak past enemies undetected. The game's level design is also top-notch, with multiple paths and hiding spots to discover.

The graphics and sound design are also worthy of praise. The game's visuals hold up surprisingly well even today, with detailed environments and character models. The sound effects and music are equally impressive, creating a tense and immersive atmosphere that draws you into the game world.

Overall, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is a must-play for fans of stealth games and action-adventure games in general. With its engaging storyline, challenging gameplay, and impressive graphics, it's a game that will keep you entertained for hours on end.

Pros:
Engaging storyline with a well-developed protagonist
Challenging stealth gameplay that requires strategy and patience
Impressive graphics and sound design
Well-designed levels with multiple paths and hiding spots

Cons:
Some players may find the gameplay too challenging or frustrating at times
The game's graphics may not be as polished as some modern games

If you're a fan of stealth games or action-adventure games, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell is a must-play. Even if you're new to the genre, the game's engaging storyline and challenging gameplay make it a great introduction. With its impressive graphics and sound design, it's a game that will keep you entertained for hours on end.

OBS.: Para jogar esse jogo instalei um patch de Widescreen e texturas HD da versão de PS3.

OBSERVAÇÕES
- O modelagem dos personagens nas cutscenes pré-renderizadas já está muito datada. (Até para época já não era grande coisa)
- Não há tantos elementos de interação com o cenário além de atirar em lâmpadas. Nesse aspecto eu esperava mais.
- O movimento de se estender no alto entre 2 paredes, apesar de ser legal, só usei durante o jogo uma única vez.
- Muitos momentos do jogo me senti perdido, andando de um lado pra outro procurando por onde deveria ir.
- A movimentação de Fisher é travada e confusa, em várias situações eu acabava falhando a missão porque Fisher não realizava uma ação que eu esperava ser feita automaticamente.
- Em alguns momentos inimigos pareciam enxergar coisas estando de costas.
- Outro problema é que inimigos desconfiam de coisas insignificantes. Por exemplo: se um inimigo ver uma luz se apagando, mesmo que seja em um local distante de onde ele está e não esteja em estado de alerta, ele ainda assim irá investigar.
- Inimigos sabem sua localização instantaneamente quando descoberto. Todos os inimigos próximos irão começar atirar em você, mesmo que você esteja em local escuro.
- Na fase da plataforma petrolífera tive um bug onde o alvo que deveria fugir para que Fisher o interrogasse simplesmente desapareceu, o que me obrigou a reiniciar a missão.
- O jogo faz uso das sombras e escuridão, o que em alguns momentos gera cenários que não fariam sentido na vida real. Exemplo: uma rua onde mesmo tendo postes suficientes para iluminar não conseguem iluminar quase nada.
- Há momentos onde parece possível passar passar por um obstáculo, mas há uma parede invisível obstruindo o caminho.
- É difícil identificar quais lâmpadas podem ser quebradas e quais não podem.
- A necessidade em esconder corpos simplesmente os deixando no escuro não faz sentido.
- A mira é extremamente imprecisa, mesmo alinhando a mira perfeitamente e estando perto do alvo. Fisher ainda errará tiros.
- Jogo não permite acordar inimigos após nocauteá-los, então se um alvo importante que não pode ser morto ficar inconsciente o jogo entenderá como se ele morresse.
- Em um missão específica, onde eu deveria seguir um inimigo e abrir portas no teclado numérico das portas com óculos térmicos, houve uma situação em que consegui me aproximar o suficiente do inimigo e entrar logo após ele abrir a porta sem inserir os números no teclado numérico. Mesmo por conseguir entrar pela porta o jogo falhou a missão por que eu não segui as "regras".

RESUMO
Minha experiência no geral foi muito frustrante, porém, a possibilidade de salvar a qualquer momento amenizou isso. A única razão por eu ter finalizado esse jogo foi para conhecer o início da série Splinter Cell após ter jogado toda a série Metal Gear. E comparando esse jogo com MGS2, que lançou mais ou menos na mesma época, simplesmente não há comparação. MGS2 é superior a esse jogo em todos os aspectos. Ainda assim, Splinter Cell apresenta elementos únicos e interessantes, talvez por questões de orçamento o jogo não poderia competir com MGS2, Mas o que Ubisoft conseguiu conquistar aqui, apesar de ser ainda muito rudimentar, é com certeza algo especial que pretendo conhecer mais.

Let me preface by saying, I played this game for hundreds of hours as a kid. Over and over again on the original Xbox. I picked it up here all these years later ready to experience what I remember to be a master piece. Instead what I found was a frustrating experience, that seems to have the same issues early 3D platformers had in that, while it has ideas, it has no idea how to effectively execute any of them.

The most glaring issue is that this game no longer looks very good, nor does it run well. You'll be downloading third party software (dgVoodoo 2) and editing the .ini just to get original game settings working again. Once you do that though you'll find that issues such as inconsistent lighting, overly shiny textures, and weird clipping still persist. I can't remember if these were in the original, nor do I know if they're specifically PC Port issues or just issues with modern hardware. Regardless it is playable, although regrettably.

The controls are kind of a mess. In my time playing I developed a sort of stockholm syndrome and was able to get used to them through hours of gameplay, but it remains that they are not very nice to use. A scroll wheel to control your movement speed, shift to jump, space to interact, and e to unholster your weapon being some of the main assigned issues but you can technically rebind those (although this will rebind some other things that use those controls as defaults). Fisher's platforming is imprecise, an issue that can be overlooked for much of the game but provides unneeded frustration in some sections. Nobody likes missing a jump that causes you to get spotted or die just because you can't easily maneuver in place. Thank goodness this game has quicksaves, although that in itself doesn't feel that great but I'll get into that later.

To quote Lambert, "Your firearm should be your last resort." Why they would have this line in training and then proceed to require combat for half of the game is beyond me. I can only imagine they were imitating spy thriller moves of the time but it does not work well with the game's clunky controls. While I can appreciate a game not handholding me and telling me what to do constantly (except for all the times the game will freeze your movement so you can listen to someone tell you what to do over comms), it is absurdly frustrating to be dumped into an environment and have to kill one specific guard so they can drop a data stick, that then tells you the code to proceed. In some levels/areas you'll have the freedom to choose your approach; Non-lethal, lethal, or just ghosting by enemies. The latter and former feel the best, as they have the greatest mixture of challenge and just plain old cool factor. Which is why is makes it so frustrating when it expects you to pull out your weapon and start running and gunning. The weapons on not precise. One could say that'st he trade off, a single lethal headshot with either of your weapons, for which you'll carry a combined 120 rounds maximum, is enough to take down 99% of the foes in this game so it stands to reason it should be limited by heavy spread and violent shaking when scoped in. This does not account for you being able to quicksave which led to several moments where I just saved before shooting someone and reloaded several times until the bullet didn't ping off 80 miles from where I was aiming it. Does this feel good? No. Did I want to do this? No. So why did? Because again, you never know if you need to incapacitate a guard to proceed or sneak past them until you've already snuck past them. You only get a limited (although in hindsight equally far too plentiful, more on that later) stock of non-lethal under-barrel attachments. You're often presented with three possible solutions, waste a limited non-lethal you may NEED later on, wait until an enemy happens to wander near a dark area/throw cans to get them into one and knock them out, or just shoot them and drag them into the shadows. So fine, it's a bit janky but part of that is the fault of playing on PC with unlimited quicksaves which really just kills any tension as you're basically cutting down on waiting time. But then, the game will throw you into environments where shooting is required. The inaccurate shooting continues to be a frustration as you reload a section 4 or 5 times until you're lucky and your shots actually land on target. When the game isn't an exercise in frustration it's laughably easy. Enemies will walk past you while you're clearly in plainsight, and later missions will start you off with an excessive stockpile of stuns and instant knock out rounds for your AR. This means you can basically run through levels flat out, pointing and right clicking at anyone who sees you as they instantly fall down. Then the only hastle is having to drag each individual body into a dark closet, drag, open door, drag, open door, repeat. Except, even that doesn't matter unless there's a ban on triggering alarms for the mission. If there isn't I couldn't find any reason why the alarms would even be a bad thing as the mission progress and guards continued milling about talking about how cool it is to kill civilians and beat up prisoners.

I've been really mean in this review, but there are things here I enjoyed. Parts of levels kept their original feel and look and when that happened I was reminded of why this game was so impressive in 2004. There's an attention to detail in many scenes that immerses you in the area. The locations are somewhat varied as you globe from east to west, but mostly just feel like real places in the world. Those guards that blabber on about something or another are my favorite part. No stock dialogue that repeats, but funny jokes or tidbits of lore. The story itself unfolds at a decent pace, although is mostly surface level "Good guy America stops the evil Russians and Chinese" with the added extra twist that one of the Russians is a Georgian guy. The CIA level remains one of the best levels in video gaming for me. It's reliance on not triggering alarms and non-lethal takedowns makes it feel more like a final mission than the actual final mission. It takes you through maintenance tunnels, secret facilities, and even boring office blocks. This is where the game truly shines (quite literally as even in an pitch dark room the floors are shinier than King Neptune's dome).

If you're a fan of the series, you kind of have to make this pilgrimage, but it's going to be a rougher ride than most are used to. I'd say the best/most authentic way to experience this game is on original xbox, but in some areas you'll miss the quick saves that the PC port provides as the checkpoints are few and far between with some bad encounters/level design in between. This may be mitigated by using a controller, the way this game was clearly intended to be played, something that isn't really possible on the PC port, although many have tried.

Finally, RIP EAX. I tried many guides, several third party programs and none were able to get it working. So enjoy the occasional crispy audio that sounds like it was recorded in porta potty with a $10 microphone.

This is a positive recommendation only for those who have some historical interest in the franchise or have some nostalgic attachment to this thing.

For everyone else, I would say that it is not worth wasting your time on this. Go straight to Chaos Theory and be happy (even if some of the problems I will report here are present there as well). This game will not give you an elegant, intuitive and engaging experience, but rather just a perspective on how the stealth genre was formed and how several elements present in this franchise were dissipated and integrated into practically all action games today.

To begin with, the immediately recognizable aspect of some mechanics and animations may lure you into thinking that this game is not as old as it seems. After all, its visuals remain suitably iconic, with an incredible and dramatic use of very deep contrasts of shadows and lighting, in very well-detailed environments, selling an immersive realism to the places you visit, while enveloping everything in a very original atmosphere.

The espionage thriller as a narrative is very charming and well-told. And Michael Ironside's voice as Sam Fisher is as striking as I remembered.

The game perfectly captures the fantasy it wants to convey without you even needing to play it.

But make no mistake, this game is old. And it has aged a lot.

What you have to understand is that almost everything you expect from games today, even those that feature very superficial stealth systems, simply did not exist back then. Splinter Cell is a pioneering game, and like all other games of the genre at the time, it had its own language and way of executing the concepts that are so widespread and homogeneous today.

Each game had its own rules and its own way of communicating to the player what was allowed or not, and what was required or not. Where you had to go and what the limits of your freedom were. This, unlike today, could vary drastically from franchise to franchise and was not always very intuitive.

In the case of this game, I was forced to practically throw away everything I had learned over all these years, in favor of solutions that almost never make the slightest sense.

Contrary to what one might imagine (mainly because of the other games in the franchise), Splinter Cell is a very linear game, consisting essentially of a set of well-tied and varied challenges, without much room for improvisation.

You usually only have one path to follow and a single route optimized for stealth.

And this direction is not always well communicated by the design. What happens in general is a clumsy process of trial and error and wandering aimlessly looking for the place you have to go, because the game didn't show a certain trigger or because the game doesn't clearly communicate to you which objects in the scenario you can interact with, and so on.

Things like walking through fire or walking right in front of enemies, are very common solutions in this game.

Things that are too specific and poorly communicated are very common in this game.

At the beginning of the third mission, for example, I got stuck when I had to slide down a cable as if on a zipline. The character would slide, and when he was reaching the other side, he would fall and die, without any explanation. After several attempts, thinking that the game was bugged, I discovered that I had to press the duck button while sliding, so that the character would raise his legs and reach the platform at the end of the cable. There was no indication that the character would not be able to reach the other side if I didn't do this and why the character, after falling, didn't grab the platform's ledge, which was clearly within reach.

And I had no idea that I could do this, because it was the first time the game was introducing the idea to me.

Coupled with this, the inconsistency of how the rules work, makes the experience an exercise in frustration. You almost never know what is considered too loud or not and what is considered visible or not.

You just want things to work logically and they don't, and when you figure out how they work, you just get annoyed because it doesn't make any sense.

Years and years of playing virtually every relevant stealth game on the market, watching the genre evolve and refine itself and eventually die and dissipate into the ether of the unfocused clutter that is today's games, has conditioned me to read the language of stealth design and behave in certain ways that are completely incompatible with Splinter Cell, even though the aesthetics and feel are immediately recognizable.

Things that should work don't. Things that shouldn't work do.

I've been conditioned to see every piece of the scenery as an interactive objective and a navigation option, I've been conditioned to improvise and avoid certain habits. Splinter Cell wants me to take it slow, memorize enemy placement, figure out not-so-obvious solutions, and play by its own rules.

Throw logic and familiarity out the window and learn the game on its own terms. It's an old game, released before any of the things you imagine were refined.

Once you familiarize yourself with the game, it becomes much more enjoyable. Even though the dynamism that has become so characteristic of the franchise simply wasn't there yet.

Time has obliterated almost all of the original memories i had of this game, so it was like learning it for the first time. In another context, much less favorable to this type of experience.

Splinter Cell is a cool game that has aged rather poorly, but can be enjoyed in many ways once you get used to it. I just don't guarantee that the process until you get there will be worth it.

possibly the shittiest game ever designed (real shocker coming from ubisoft) autosave never occurs so you lose 30 minutes of progress to the dumbest possible bullshit

This is my childhood. The MGS & Splinter Cell games are responsible for my love of the stealth-game genre.

I got it for the Xbox when it came out all the way back in 2002 - those dynamic shadows were simply mind-blowing for the time, and the overall art direction & vibe still hold up 23 years later. Michael Ironside's incredible voice-work is just as good as it was back then.

It does require a bit of elbow grease to get it running on modern machines, with those beautiful buffer shadows & in widescreen - a quick visit to the PC Gaming Wiki is recommended.
Also, it doesn't have proper controller support, although KB/M controls are surprisingly smooth and well thought-out.

Now yes, Chaos Theory is better in every conceivable aspect, but SC1 is still a real, pure stealth challenge. And it's not like there's a too much of those these days.

Oh and also - why oh why is it that every storefront simply refuse to sell Pandora Tomorrow? It's also very good, maybe ever so slightly better than SC1 even, but it's pain to get and to get running too. Just, why?

Very fun game, has lots of personality and a clear cool factor that makes it appealing even to this day.
Some sections are a bit rough here and there (got stuck in place a few times especially at the beginning of oil rig) and difficulty can be somewhat inconsistent, but the overall experience is a blast. The political shenanigans are really detailed (flash cards were great to get more context on the events) and so are the missions, just a shame a chunk of the game got cut between kalinatek and chinese ambassy.

The first stealth game I remember playing. Grafics aren't as groundbreaking as 20 years ago, but the game still holds up.

A classic. Gameplay still holds up 20 years later.

One of the best games of all time IMO. While it does show its age in some spots, it still holds up very well 20+ years later. Give the series a shot! what's the worst that could happen ;)

Fantastic game. Terrible company.

In desperate need of an update to allow controller support.

It's like MGS but without the wack-ass, anime characters and story. 10/10 I've played it countless times before the review, but the CD has too many scratches so I had to grab a digital copy.

The concept and story is cool, but the mechanics are completely awful to play around, especially with the later missions being less interesting and more of a tedious slog

ubisoft is trash

good

Splinter Cell's level design and game play designs speak that the developers weren't sure which direction they want to take splinter cell. Half of the mechanics introduced to you in the tutorial are almost forgotten about in the main game. The level design is also very linear and exploration isn't really a thing when you just follow whatever tight hallway the game uses to direct you from one room to the next. There's little freedom of choice left to the player when it comes to enemy placement and some of them are just pure trial and error, (especially in Abattoir which has my favorite section and then easily the worst in the game), toying with the light meter trying to edge your way through the map because the actually lighting is not related to your light meter and sometimes Sam is outright glowing when your light meter says your hidden. It's not a terrible but it is frustrating and showtime's boring. Another thing game does is force you into combat which SUCKS, it's not fun in this and while it's slow and methodical those forced shootouts are a punch in the gut. However the atmosphere and mood of this game is awesome and there is a definite cool factor.

Even it is a quite old game. The fun and excitement factor is still high and magnetic. Especially when you are one man army ;-)

The starting point of the Splinter Cell series, this is still a very good game. No widescreen support and controls are a bit funky to accommodate the need to control move speed with kb+m, but still pretty solid.

My one major complaint that isn't due to its age is that, despite being a stealth game, they threw in forced combat sections where enemies can just know where you are in pitch black darkness. Playing on hard difficulty, that led to some very annoying deaths.

Minor complaints are the inability to interact with things like doors while carrying a body, the almost total uselessness of the split jump, and the pistol being inaccurate even when you sit still. Also that the game doesn't tell you to use the scroll wheel when the SC20k is out so you can snipe/right click while sniping to hold breath and steady your aim.

Overall, a bit jank, but worth a go, especially if you plan on getting Pandora Tomorrow or Chaos Theory so you have a frame of reference for how the series improves.

Classic stealth game. Has some rough edges but a fun game

its litty , do the 1080p thing in the discussions, if not, ur gonna have a bad time

So, this really was a blast from the past!
I remember playing this game a lot on my Playstation 2 when it came out, but it was so long ago that I only remembered some bits here and there.
With that said and after finishing the game once again in the most stealthy way that the missions would let me, I definitely recommend this game. It didn't age terribly, but it still aged and to me it was great playing it again because I knew what to expect. It's hard to recommend this to newcomers especially with the high gaming standards nowadays... I'll sure recommend it to people that like retro gaming, but if you're looking to play something new to you, have in mind that this is an old game. It's good, but it didn't come out yesterday.

Just a heads up, it is possible to fix the missing shadows by adding "-shadowmode=projector" without the quotes to the Launch Options in the game's Properties.
It is also possible to play at any resolution you want by editing the line "Resolution" inside the file "...\Steam\steamapps\common\Splinter Cell\SplinterCellUser.ini" present on the game's folder.

Runs pretty well on modern systems. This game comes from a time when people took stealth seriously :(

Good game even considering its age.

Stealth mechanics are very simple: stay in shadows, don't walk too fast, don't shoot near enemies - and you can get anywhere you want. The main difficulty comes from NPCs having great hearing and sight, which allows them to hear any step except the lightest and slowest ones and detect player even if they showed themselves only for a fraction of moment. And even though it creates a lot of bullscheize moments, fighting against enemies that actually have eyes and ears is very refreshing in our times of games with dumbest NPCs that barely notice presence of player even when they stand in front of them.

Other thing that deserves mentioning is movement: character's speed can be set with great precision because it is regulated with a slider. It adds a lot to the immersion and allows to move quickly even while crouching, making it much more comfortable than in other stealth games, in which crouching usually means being irritatingly slow.

Possible interactions with surroundings are also impressive: character can roll, hang on edges, pull himself up, press against the walls - or even do the splits in the air between the walls -, and then fall on the enemy from above to knock them down. Such variety makes gameplay much more engaging, and enables player to be able to find a solution to almost any situation.

But being flexible and acrobatic isn't enough to come victorious in the end of every encounter. When hanging and doing splits isn't enough - to help comes arsenal of different spy devices: multi-vision goggles, camera jammer, explosives, smokes, fiber optic camera - and also sticky cameras, shockers and foil rings (for knocking down enemies) that can be launched from the gorgerous rifle that's possessed by main character. Also there is a sidearm with silencer that has zero accuracy if character moves even a bit, but even that abomination is handy for destroying bulbs. And although all these valuables are limited, great feats can be achieved if they are applied thoughtfully!

Level design is also pretty nice: every location has distinctive style, music and enemies to better fit part of the world in which they are set. Moreover, each level is nicely detalized and feels like a real place, most of the time. The only downside is that sometimes levels are done like little mazes, and it can be disorienting.

The worst part of the game is AI. It's smart, but in unfair way. Sometimes it just knows where player is, shoots with great accuracy, can bug out and get stuck in constant "alarmed" mode, and sometimes doesn't react to distractions unless is hit with something in the head. Trying to get to enemy from behind to knock them out can be infuriating because they tend to look around a lot and can hear player if they are not moving with the slowest speed possible. And to reach NPC while moving in the slowest speed possible - it needs to be standing still. And of course, most of the time they don't stand still. So either you get lucky and time everything just right, or you'll need to hope that this time NPC won't turn around with the speed of light because you try to move a bit faster than a snail. Overall, it's not making gameplay more challenging, just tedious because of how much you'll need to wait for the NPC to stand just right, or to load a save because of its super reactions. And that will happen a lot.

Ah, and the last thing: plot. Just forget about it, okay? It's so typical "Save the world, all hope is only on you, super secret super agent!" and lacks so much of logic that there is really nothing to talk about. Characters aren't deep or memorable either, though sometimes funny.

In the end, I would say that the very first Splinter Cell is at least worth a try. It's a good stealth action, and it's a nice reminder of how games in this genre should be done.

This game is not difficult. It's simply terribly done. The npc are retarded, the game play is boring and the game overal is a hot mess.

good

Pretty good, although very linear and restrictive compared to the sort of open level design that good stealth games are known for. 3/5.

absolute cinema

A message to UBISOFT.

Guys, this was the golden era. The two coolest things on this planet in no particular order are; The Matrix
and Splinter Cell. What a fantastic game, its over 22 Year old and destroys anything you have made in the last 15 years... If you want to save your company... you know what to do ... OVER AND OUT

It was ok, and a great intro to Sam Fisher as a character. Wish they gave a better tutorial on your godforsaken
SC-20K because I went through the whole game without knowing how to zoom in on the rifle until the last objective lmao

Level design feels like Half-Life's. An attempt was made to make the levels feel real.

i be playing this game with my BOOBS out.

I get an itch to play this game every few years, sooooo good!

The first realistically serious 3D stealth game that knew what it was talking about.
Fantastically engrossing 23 years later.

Sometimes you're better off dead
There's a gun in your hand it's pointing at your head
You think you're mad, too unstable
Kicking in chairs and knocking down tables
In a restaurant in a West End town
Call the police, there's a mad man around
Running down underground
To a dive bar in a West End town
In a West End town, a dead end world
The East End boys and West End girls
In a West End town, a dead end world
The East End boys and West End girls
West End girls
Too many shadows, whispering voices
Faces on posters, too many choices
If, when, why, what? How much have you got?
Have you got it, do you get it
If so, how often?
Which do you choose
A hard or soft option?
(How much do you need?)
In a West End town, a dead end world
The East End boys and West End girls
In a West End town, a dead end world
The East End boys and West End girls
West End girls
West End girls
In a West End town, a dead end world
The East End boys and West End girls
Ooh, West End town, a dead end world
East End boys, West End girls
West End girls
You got a heart of glass or a heart of stone
Just you wait 'til I get you home
We've got no future
We've got no past
Here today, built to last
In every city, in every nation
From Lake Geneva to the Finland station
(How far have you been?)
In a West End town, a dead end world
The East End boys and West End girls
A West End town, a dead end world
East End boys, West End girls
West End girls
West End girls
West End girls
(How far have you been?)
Girls

48417484184184845140411118794004014440121451110054744554104150100000100154101474110000000000000011111154515141184

very very very hard! my brain is destroyed . i played hard mode for 20 fucking hours

enjoy it

This is by far the most realistic spy game i have ever played hope you enjoy it too

good