Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent

For many years now people have been fascinated with the covert operatives and the various tasks that they have to accomplish. This can be seen in various media outlets such as movies, TV shows, games, books, and much more. One aspect that often gets overlooked, but definitely has people’s attention, is double agents. The first two seasons of Alias were considered its best due to the double agent aspect of the show. Many people like the first XXX movie because of Vin Diesel’s double agent spin on things. People really enjoy all of the hardships that these people have to do, and seeing how they do everything and keep their cover is just intriguing. The developers at Ubisoft have captured the same spirit of this and put it in their latest Splinter Cell game.

Splinter Cell Double Agent starts off like any of the other games in the series where you can get the basics of the game at the start. Pretty soon many tragedies befall him, such as losing a new recruit due to their careless actions and even his daughter being killed. This really affected Sam and made him go into the hardest mission of his life: infiltrating a terrorist cell and getting inducted into it, yes becoming a double agent. There are many choices that Sam will have to make throughout the game and it can change the course of the game (i.e.: multiple endings). The question remains do you have what it takes to become a Double Agent and survive?

Sam becomes a Double Agent working for both the NSA as well as the terrorist agency JBA. What makes this so unique is that you will have to continuously make sure that your trust is kept in both agencies or you will lose that mission. For instance, in the beginning of the game do you shoot an innocent helicopter pilot to gain favor by the JBA or let him live and gain favor by the NSA? As the game progresses there will be many more difficult circumstances that Sam will undergo and some that will even decide which ending you will get.

What I thought was enjoyable was after certain missions you will go to the JBA headquarters and given some task to do and a time limit to do them. So Sam must complete their objective and with the time remaining you must go complete these side missions such as putting a bug on the server or going to target practice, and the farther you get in the game the harder the objectives will become. This was a really great idea and helps set the pace of the game and gives it some fresh life as well as a sense of urgency to get these things done.

The multiplayer for this game has changed a lot, mostly for the better. The new Spies verses Mercenaries have been redone and it really works out and still remains fun. Now you can play with up to six people online (or via system link) to get your action on with three people per team. This time the teams have been really shuffled up to make things more challenging.

Spies are now more nimble, agile, and faster then ever before, but the only thing they have is their wits. You must infiltrate buildings and hack servers and bring the data to your base. The only real weapon you have is yourself, but in order to help you accomplish your objectives you do have a very sophisticated gadget that allows you to hack into various computers as well as break lightblubs to help conceal you in the shadows.  The only way to take out the enemies is to sneak up behind them and do what you need to do. The Mercenaries on the other hand have the job to protect the data and are armed to the teeth with weapons that can take out the spies in no time.

Next up is the Co-op Challenges mode which is completely new and different from the Co-op in Chaos Theory. This time you must team up with one or two other spies and go at various missions against AI Mercenaries. This mode can be really hard and interesting but it is really fun playing with them with a buddy. The challenges include downloading as many files within the time limit, playing against the bots and spies, and many more variations of the above. While there is not a true co-op mode like the last game, this will keep you busy for many hours.

The developers really got a lot out of the graphics engine for Double Agent and players will be able to tell this the minute that they load up the game for the first time. Everything in this game is highly detailed and you will really be able to tell once Sam is in prison because you will see the detail on his face, the sweat dripping, as well as a variety of other little nuisances. Even though it is not that new what I really liked is on the missions in the artic you will see their breath just like you would in real life.

Speaking of the levels, you will transverse to various places and they each have their own unique look and feel to them. What I really liked is the missions that take place in the artic where it is snowing and you can even swim under the water, which really produces some good effects, such as grabbing guards and taking them down to the depths below. Another thing that I really enjoyed is the animations of the characters, from the way Sam (and the Spies in multiplayer) sleek around to avoid being detected to the way the various enemies react to the circumstances around them. It is all very realistic and a joy to watch on the screen.

The voice acting in this game is top notch. Michael Ironside does a great job as Sam Fisher and players can tell that he is taking the job very seriously. All of the other voices in this game really fit the characters and really bring them to life. What really helps matters is the quips that all of the characters say which really fit well. Another really outstanding point for this game is the soundtrack. The music for this game fits every situation that Sam is forced upon, if he is in Iceland, prison, and other locals that he will visit.

The sound effects are also very well done and everything in this game sounds really realistic. This includes the rain as it is hitting the rooftops, the wind that seems like it is on your back, and let’s not forget all of the sound effects from all the gadgets and weaponry. Also hearing the enemies gasp for breath as you have them in a stranglehold just before you knock them unconscious. All of this combined helps make this game feel more authentic as you are playing though, which translates into a really fun game.

If you want to get everything that this game has to offer, then you will definitely want to pick up the Official Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent strategy guide by Prima. This guide will give you plenty of help on those really difficult missions as well as show you every secret that this game has to offer. What I found was really helpful is that it contains tactics that will help you out in multiplayer games.

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent is rated mature. It contains blood, language, and violence.

Gameplay: 9.2
If you have ever played a Splinter Cell game then you will feel right at home with the controls. The movement and animation are as smooth as ever with only a few hiccups on the framerate. Swimming, running, and sneaking around never felt so natural as you are going through all of the various missions. The computer AI on in this game is much sharper and makes it more challenging for all players.

Graphics: 9.3
The graphics for Double Agent are really outstanding. The level of detail on Sam Fisher is just something that you have to see for yourself to believe. For instance in the prison level you will see how dirty and sweaty Sam looks, especially if you go into the light.

Sound: 9.2
The sound for this game is great. The sound effects are all very subtle from the rain falling on the ground to the gunfire. It all sounds very realistic and helps set the mood. Just like all other Splinter Cell games, the music really helps set the pace of the game and it is just as welcomed as the other games. Last but not least is the voice acting which, as always, goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Difficulty: Medium
Even if you are a veteran of this series this game will throw you some wild curveballs that you will have to use your wits to overcome. With that being said, the game does have three different difficulty levels that really helps cater to your skill level. Also you can save at anytime (you have infinite saves), which sounds cheap, but I am a compulsive saver, especially after I finish something hard, but it is something that I really liked that the developers put in.

Concept: 9.2
I really enjoyed the Double Agent aspect of this game. Having to make sure to keep the trust up in both the JBA and the NSA, by doing or not doing various tasks, was really hard but also very enjoyable.

Multiplayer 9.1
Just like all of the other games in the series, the multiplayer has a huge draw and you will spend tons of time in here. This time you can play with up to six people in multiplayer with a lot of tweaks to the very popular Spies vs. Mercenaries mode. There are also some nice co-op game modes to play in as well.

Overall: 9.2
If you are a fan of the series or just enjoy games of this nature, you owe it to yourself to pick up Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent when you see it in stores. This is one of the best games available for the Xbox 360 and you will enjoy every moment of playing it.