Once again the free will of the world is under attack and America's clandestine organization, the NSA and its elite unit known as the 3rd Echelon, have returned to take care of business. This time around they are after a terrorist splinter cell leader known as Suhadi Sadono located in East Timor. Along with his other followers in terror they have in their possession a biological agent that will release small pox upon the entire USA. In Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, you return once again as agent Sam Fisher, who is still voiced by B-movie villain Michael Ironside, and if you played the excellent first Splinter Cell game, you know that he isn't one to stand for any funny business. This new installment in the series takes a step forward where the last game left off. The game play will be familiar to veterans of the series and is easy enough for newcomers to pick up in a hurry.
Having just played a graphically intense game like Ninja Gaiden, it was hard to imagine that a game would be able to match or even top the impressiveness of its graphics so soon. Splinter cell is easily one of the best looking games on the Xbox to date and I would be willing to bet it will be for some time. There are plenty of things to point out in this game that look so great but one of the major elements is the shadows. The shadows that you use to hide from your enemies look and act incredibly like real shadows. One part in the game that proved this was while waiting for an enemy coming down the hall, his shadow on the wall was huge and ominous like a mouse in front of a light scaring a cat, but as he gets closer to your position and farther from the light, it scales down to normal size and becomes less intimidating. Effects like that or the blurring effect of zooming with either your sniper scope or binoculars are small details that make this game so delicious. Aside from the shadows, which are a huge part of the graphics, the animations of Fishers acrobatic moves are equally as impressive. There was not one time during the game where Sam seemed unnatural or ridiculous in his movements. They were smooth and believable whether he was climbing cables, doing the new SWAT turn or even when he was performing the ever favorite split jump.
Although the gameplay of Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow may not be the longest game on the market, it is definitely not one of the easiest. There are eight missions for the entire game which mostly take place in locations such as France and Indonesia, but there is a good variety of different locations such as a submarine harbor, a TV station and aboard a train. The levels themselves are rather difficult at times with the less than consistent enemy AI and only offers save points at certain points three or four times during the mission. Although a save when you wanted may have been easier, it does add a sense of tension and caution to your movements without it. Thankfully to help you through these tough missions you have a small collection of gadgets. Items such as the Sticky Cams and Diversion Cams are helpful to have to over hear conversations and to take out enemies around corners. Other items in your arsenal such as Sticky Shockers, Smoke Grenades and Ring Airfoils help you take out enemies with non-lethal force when it is called for.
Like most games that make an all around great experience, Pandora Tomorrow also includes a pretty slick multiplayer component that uses Xbox live. The online portion of the game deals with 2 teams consisting of 2 players competing against each other. The two teams are SHADOWNET, which uses stealth and treachery to accomplish its goals where as the Argus Corp., the opposing team and uses brute force to carry out its objectives. Each team has its own techniques for gameplay and fittingly both teams have their own sets of gadgets to use to help them out. The game types that can be found for the multiplayer are neutralization, extraction and sabotage and unlike most any other multiplayer game on the shelves, this is all about stealth and being surreptitious.
Pandora Tomorrow is a definite hit and a must have for any gamers collection. If you haven't checked out the previous Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell game in the past then you owe it to yourself to snatch this game up. After you are done with the arduous and spectacular single player potion of the game, the unique style of the multiplayer side of Pandora Tomorrow will keep you playing this game for a long time to come.
Already own Pandora Tomorrow and need some help getting through some of the tougher missions? Then check out our Pandora Tomorrow Walkthrough now! It's a no nonsense guide to slip you in and out of the toughest situations without even breaking a sweat!
