Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow

To avoid confusion, this is a review of the PC version. You know how follow-ups, almost by definition, suck? And there's the lesser-known thing about sequels to stealth games being easier than the original, perhaps to broaden the appeal(stick with continuing to satisfy the core audience, please, we don't need everything to look alike). Don't you just hate that? I'd wager the good people of Ubisoft do, because they avoid both, and do so looking *fantastic*. If anything, this is slightly tougher, at points. There are still only two difficulty settings, and arguably no replay value, but if you're into this type of thing, then you probably loved the first, and you'll have the same response to this, I guarantee it. Not a single of the enticing cut-scenes are live-action, and when they can be this gorgeously fully rendered, why would they? They've built a brand new engine, and it is stunning. The graphics and animation is extremely smooth, far superior to that of the predecessor to this, and those were already amazing. This takes everything that made the first so marvelous and streamlines it, and it's almost invariably a positive. What little there was that needed aid, as far as controls go, is fixed. Now you can actually *see* how many, if any alarms you can afford/have already "used", and there is a genuine response by your foes, strike one, Kevlar comes on, two, helmet, three... you're outta there. The game-play is immensely entertaining, and a solid challenge. Leaping is improved majorly, and new moves and equipment is introduced. The Half-Split Jump that adds to maneuverability and the SWAT Turn *rock*. As far as additional ways to take out enemies(which, along with the nifty sneaking, is the best thing about this) goes, there's the Chaff Grenade that disables electronics in a small area, and the well-known Flashbang. And yes, this still has the best darn throwing system I've ever seen, and the "taking a deep breath before you fire"-thing, for the sniping, is also again magnificent. Your opponents now use Motion Detectors and Booby Traps, apart from all that they had access to in the first. Shooting is greater, and much more fun, than before. You again take on the role of Sam Fisher(cheer for him, people, he's finally learned how to open a door crouched, instead of standing up like a doofus and being a target, and he can Whistle, to attract attention, very useful), working for Third Echelon, on missions(the opening one serves as training, no tutorial this time) of infiltration, data retrieval, etc. Inbetween each, there are again clips of fake news broadcasts that add to the high realism that this, and anything else that Clancy(and he sure left his finger-print on this, it is a must for any fan of his) has enough creative control over that it be worth mentioning. They found a better balance between it and the enjoyability, this time around. The tone is spot-on, this never talks down to the player, and is rather mature and intelligent. That goes for the story, as well, which has surprising twists that hold up. The characters are credible and consistent. All of the writing is masterful, and there are next to no clichés in this. The dialog remains clever, if it does try a little hard in some places. This has an appropriate length, and doesn't overstay its welcome. The sensitivity to light and sound remain unbelievably incredible, and the strongest aspect to this, an inspiration for similar titles. AI, what can I say, it's stupendous. There are a few bugs and glitches, relating to that, among other things. Stability is beyond reproach. They basically drop the whole map thing entirely, and you do spend time trying to figure out where to go, but this is less frustrating and tedious than the first one(which wasn't all that bad). The objectives are varied and imaginative. I'd say the locations and situations are memorable and interesting(who knew "awesome" was spelled T-R-A-I-N?), with France and Jerusalem being on the list. The design of the levels(as well as everything else in this, frankly) is excellent. That does bring me to the only complaint about this(heck, the series, thus far), the continuing utter lack of freedom of movement. Maybe I've been ruined by the Hit-man games, and to an extent, also the Commandos ones... nevertheless, why is this so completely linear? You could also explore in those, and it was worthwhile to do so. After being told what you are to do, you got to decide how to, and then you proceed to do it, which, let's face it, is a big part of the coolness of these. As soon as you have figured out what the creators intended, here, you do get to that. I suppose it has to do with this being plot-driven to an extent not found in the aforementioned competitors. That doesn't completely excuse it. I'd say to try the first one before this, to have the ground-work laid out(not to mention, it's well worth the time), in all areas, since this doesn't retell everything. There is less of the silly humor. The music is astounding, as is the voice acting and all of the audio. This is very satisfying to play, and the ending is worth the effort. Plus, this has multi-player(!). It's Spies(similar to single-player, with abilities and non-lethal attacks) Vs. Mercenaries(like the terrorists you usually fight, run and gun), the goal is to conquer or to protect the canisters, respectively, and the modes are Neutralization(find and destroy them), Extraction(bring them back with you) and Sabotage(use modems to dispose of them). While I haven't had a chance to try it, it certainly sounds well thought up, inventive and fresh. This is for anyone who liked the first, the overall concept, and the novels(and all media outlets that have to do with them) of Tom, with all the thoroughly researched, precise military facts. I recommend this to anyone who thinks they'd be into it. 9/10

I gotta say, out of all four Splinter Cell games: Pandora Tomorrow is my favorite. Splinter cell had the intro and the opening to introduce Fisher and his life as a covert opp., but lacked the grittiness and charisma of a Tom Clancy idea. Chaos Theory was for the hype, it had cool weapons, cool submission moves and environment interactions though. Double agent was just reaching too far. It's a next gen game, but it just failed to deliver on the character development of it's hype. But Pandora tomorrow: as true to Clancy as one of his novels. Gritty, suspenseful, and challenging. I liked the need for patience and timing in the game, and it had more levels with cinematic flare then the rest. The T.V. station level with the rain? Classic. The player has to change vision modes to avoid flash blindness by the lighting and time it to take out the guards around him. If there is ever a movie of Splinter cell, that level has to be a adapted for it.

9 out of 10 - The Sequel That Elevated the Shadows

Pandora Tomorrow wasn't just a follow-up to the original Splinter Cell - it was a declaration that stealth had evolved. Released in 2004, this second chapter in Sam Fisher's saga didn't radically overhaul the formula but instead refined and polished it, delivering one of the most atmospherically rich, mechanically tight stealth games of its generation.

Gameplay: Evolution Over Revolution

Mechanically, Pandora Tomorrow stayed true to the deliberate, tension-filled stealth of the original. But it tightened the experience in just the right places. Movement was more fluid, the AI was sharper, and the addition of mechanics like "SWAT turns" and the ability to whistle or knock to lure enemies added layers of tactical control. You felt like a true operative - not because of brute force, but because you could out-think everyone in the room.

The environments pushed variety too. From shadowy jungle encampments in East Timor to ultra-secure American embassies, every level demanded a different approach. Light and sound meters returned, reminding you constantly: the environment is a weapon... but it can also betray you.

Story: Global Stakes, Tightly Told

The story introduced Suhadi Sadono - a charismatic and ruthless insurgent leader who executes a chilling biological threat codenamed "Pandora Tomorrow." The concept? Sleeper cells across the U. S. will release a deadly virus if he's killed. It's a brilliant narrative device that gives every mission tension: the line between success and global catastrophe is razor-thin.

Sam's mission takes him from the U. S. to Indonesia, Jerusalem, and Paris - always grounded in real-world political tension. While Chaos Theory might have had more edge, Pandora Tomorrow brought a cinematic seriousness that made each mission feel critical.

Multiplayer: The Game-Changer

Where Pandora Tomorrow really flipped the script was with its Spies vs. Mercs multiplayer mode - one of the most groundbreaking additions to stealth gaming, period. Two stealthy spies vs. Two heavily armed mercenaries. Asymmetrical. Tense. Strategic. This wasn't just a side mode - it was a revolution.

Spies relied on agility and shadows. Mercs relied on vision, firepower, and traps. The cat-and-mouse gameplay created stories of its own - and inspired an entire subgenre of multiplayer.

Voice Work and Atmosphere

Michael Ironside once again anchors the experience as Sam Fisher - his calm, sardonic delivery giving weight to every moment. Lambert, Grim, and the rest of the team ground the story with CIA-style precision, and the environments - whether it's a mosque in Jerusalem or the thick undergrowth of Indonesia - are dripping with atmosphere.

The soundtrack, lighting, and sound design all combine to pull you into the shadows. You don't just play Pandora Tomorrow - you inhabit it.

Why 9, Not 10?

Difficulty Spikes: Some missions leaned into trial-and-error a bit too much.

Linear Design: Compared to Chaos Theory, some paths felt too restrictive.

Multiplayer Support: While revolutionary, early online issues hampered some players from experiencing the full depth of Spies vs. Mercs.

Still, these don't overshadow what the game accomplished.

Originally, I didn't like the original Splinter Cell, but it kinda grew on me, and it's now one of my favourite games. However, this second instalment fails to live up to the standards set by it's predecessor, despite adding some shiny new features.

When Ubisoft made the original, I don't think they thought it would turn out to be the acclaimed hit that it was, so they farmed out programming duties to a third party software house in China. However, once they realised there was money to made, they took this sequel in-house, and the entire programming effort was done at it's French HQ. And what a great job they did of botching up the efforts of the original Chinese team.

Fisher (again excellently voiced by Hollywood uber baddie Michael Ironside, and ably assisted by Mr Velvet Tonsils; Dennis Haysbert from "24") now has new moves and gadgets to his repertoire, such as:-

A red laser dot for his pistol The ability to whistle and attract guards The "Swat turn" (whilst peeking around a corner) The "half split jump" (replaces the multi-jump of the original to reach high places)

The game also features:- Online Multiplayer (apparently it IS excellent, if you have online capability)

And it must be said, the graphics are the best ever seen on the PS2, absolutely beautiful use of light, water effects, and that foliage ! Wow !

However, the main problem with the game is that it was originally designed to run solely on the more powerful Xbox, and so has had to be "dumbed down" for Sony's red-headed stepchild. Whereas the Xbox could cope with 4 or more NPC's in a room, the PS2 has to make do with two. Whereas on the Xbox, ALL light sources were breakable, on the PS2 they are not. So at many points in the game you are in these huge, yet empty environments with minimal opposition. It's not really bad programming, it's just that this game was designed for Xbox, and it shows.

Sounds easy huh ? However, take away the breakable light sources and it becomes stupidly hard sometimes. Coupled with moronic AI – Sam's Whistle feature; you stand one side of an open doorway and whistle at the NPC standing feet away on the other side – he doesn't hear it ! Stand just inside the doorway, whistle, and he does !! Grrrrrr !!

Where Mr Frenchy has messed up, is by tinkering with elements of the game that were not broken. The Meditkits from the original have been replaced by strategically placed wall mounted "Health Dispensers". These have an accompanying and tiresome animation when you use them, which is extremely annoying in an NPC walks around the corner and shoots you whilst the animation is playing.

Also the randomness of the left analogue stick for the lockpick has been modified so that the "sweet spot" is in the same place each time ! And don't mention the savepoints !! They are SO frequent ! And SO annoying !! The original just had checkpoints, but this time you are invited to save the game at a checkpoint, which results in 4 to 5 confirmation boxes coming up, and then the checkpoint notification STILL comes up and freezes gameplay for 5 seconds ! The game save is only a tiny 91k, but it seems to take much longer.

Also some familiar controller keys have been changed, reload is now longer L2, it is X (the manual doesn't state this !), Triangle now does things that circle used to do and vice versa. Sam doesn't slide down ladders on a circle press, and you have to suffer the tedium of climbing down them.

However, on a positive note, Sam CAN now open doors whilst carrying a body. Hooray !

What about the "story". Hmmmm, Pandora Tomorrow abandons the building interiors of the original, firstly for the jungle, as you track down Sadono the Indonesian rebel with a taste for releasing the smallpox virus. And also you get to travel to Jerusalem and Paris – the mission on TOP of a 200mph Eurostar train will make your fingers sweat ! Especially when Sam has to crawl under the train, and along the side of the carriages !

However, not being given enough info in your briefings often poses a problem, resulting in mission failures and restarts as you attack someone you apparently weren't supposed to. Quite often the game seems to abandon the premise of stealth altogether, forcing you into fire fights with the enemy. As your gun's aiming reticule moves at the pace of Iranian foreign policy you are often only an asthmatic's breath away from a body bag.

If you don't own a Splinter Cell game, then buy the original, at least that one was designed for the PS2, or wait for the third instalment which is due out anytime soon – surely it must be better than this one ?

I have all 4 Splinter cell Playstation 2 games and everyone rates a 10. Michael Ironside is one of my favorite actors. He has a very recognizable voice. I hope that they will produce another Splinter cell episode. I also have seen a lot of his movies and Would like to see him play the hero in a movie. Pandora tomorrow is as great as the previous two. Double agent is another fine work of gaming. Keep up the great work. I will be looking forward to a new splinter cell game in the future. Also it would be great to know if there is a fan club in Alberta. If there is I would like to know where it is and how I can join. Yours Truly Recyled Teenager