Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow Preview

“The NSA just called me. We have a problem in East Timor.”

“What kind of problem?”

“A big one.”

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow for the PlayStation 2 console system, from Ubi soft, is a stealth-filled game that continues the adventures of Sam Fisher, an agent with the NSA sent into East Timor to investigate the bombing of an embassy.

The words that triggered the actual bombing where Pandora Tomorrow. In the opening cutscene, gamers are treated to a scenario that could have come from any Hollywood action film, or even been torn from world headlines. A man downloading some data from the computer in the embassy office when and suicide bomber drives a truck through the front gates and explodes it into the building. A stern looking leader, in a beret and chomping on a cigar, walks through the rubble to the office.

And then there was that familiar face, one that has put a touch of fire into Sam’s eyes. What was Duncan doing there? Well, Mr. Fisher, that is what you are supposed to find out.

The initial task that Sam will have to undertake is to infiltrate the embassy. The beginning of the game plays out like a tutorial, as Lambert guides Sam through his optical-enhanced suit, which detects light and lets Sam know when he can be spotted and when he is almost invisible.

But because this is a stealth game, you will have to maneuver slowly, and hide all traces of your passage. You can whistle to get a guard’s attention, then use the time they go to investigate to sneak past them. Should you have to take out a guard, you can pick up and carry their bodies off to places they will not be discovered to a while.

As you move through the game, you will work through the labyrinth, which includes mines, hostile enemies you need to avoid or take out. But in general, this is a game that deals mostly with the stealthy aspects of Sam’s skills. You cannot just walk through, blasting everything that moves. The enemy forces are larger, well-armed and are not stupid.

The game features some new features in an Indonesian jungle mission, and a booby-trap system, as well as replayability in alternate endings available each time you play through the game.

The control elements will take a little getting used-to, especially because this is not just a point-and-shoot title, but rather you have to really learn to sneak about. However, that is just as enjoyable, mostly because these environments are so rich and well-detailed, with incredible lighting and shadow dynamics. Yes, your suit will tell you when you are in the open, but you will see that for yourself courtesy of the light rendering sported by this title. You can see the shadows, and crouch in the reeds along the water’s edge. Skulking was never so much fun.

Sam’s arsenal sports nothing totally new. He has an arsenal of cool gadgets, like the sticky camera, and an array of scopes for detecting the enemies, but rather than spend time in creating new weapons that he may not need in this eight-mission title, the game has asked players to work through each scenario as though it was a real mission and not just a fabricated one for players. After all, no one would just go through an enemy-held compound blasting away like Rambo. Caution must be taken, or the mission fails.

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow offers an immersive experience that carries a thrilling theme through with flying colors. You will feel the tension, and feel the challenge of this game. This title is a terrific addition the Splinter Cell franchise of games.