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The Return of Sam Fisher

When Game Informer broke the Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent™ exclusive several months ago, I was delighted to see Sam Fisher behind bars. The thought of going undercover and interacting with criminals (as well as dealing with the harsh realities of prison) thrilled me because it represented a dramatic shift from what I had been used to.

I was looking forward to something like the show Oz, minus the copious amounts of prison sex, of course. Unfortunately, I'm not going to enjoy such drama.

Sam faces new ethical dilemmas.

Fisher's in prison for just one mission, though my disappointment vanished after checking out some of the later levels. I'm really looking forward to the next Splinter Cell—obviously, Ubisoft's done something right.

A New Direction
The primary reason why I had become disenchanted with the franchise is because the developers never strayed from the norm. Through several games (for both consoles and handhelds) the objectives and missions remained the same. I continuously wandered through shadows, waited for ages, tossed a bottle in the opposite direction, and went for the kill.

This guy isn't necessarily working for either side.
He just wants to release his aggression through killing.

This never changed … that is, until now! Double Agent, while containing its fair share of shadows, is significantly more wide-open than the previous games. You still do a fair amount of lurking—Ubisoft hasn't been developing an action-packed first-person shooter (FPS) here—but the environments you get to explore, and the action that's occurring within them, are a (no pun intended) far cry from anything I've experienced.

Pure Chaos
Take, for instance, one of the missions in Africa, the famous one that has Sam hanging on to the underside of a truck. The city is in civil war. Soldiers are running all over the place, there's gunfire, buildings and cars explode randomly—it's pure unadulterated chaos, and it all takes place during the day.

Time for an unexpected drop-in.

Basically, as with all missions, there are a series of objectives to complete, and it's a good idea to sneak around buildings a hide from the conflict. Don't just walk up to a guy with an AK-47 and say, "What's up home slice?" That wouldn't exactly be a good move for a professional assassin.

No, you still need to creep about. I'm just really impressed by the complete anarchy. It's vastly different than what I'm used to, at least with Splinter Cell titles. What's really cool, aside from the destruction, is how the "freedom fighters" interact with Sam. Keep your nose clean and stay out of their way, and they won't bother you. If you fire upon them or wander too close, however, they're going to take you out, or at least make a really good attempt.

Branching Mission Structure
I'm also impressed with the branching missions. The whole point of being in prison is to break out a terrorist that works for the John Brown Army, so Sam is actually pulling double duty. He's assisting the terrorist group, but he's also got his ties to the NSA to worry about. That's another feature that I'm real excited about, the freedom of choice.

Most of the missions in this game have branching paths, and Sam keeps in touch with the JBA and the NSA at all times. Both parties ask him to carry out specific tasks (some of which will be in conflict with each other) and the decisions that you make affect Sam's standing in both groups. So, for example, there's a mission on a tanker where one group is ordering Sam to kill everyone aboard, while the other is urging him to take them out by non-lethal means.

Playing Both Sides
It's akin to having an angel on one shoulder and a demon on the other, and whatever side you lean to may have grave or positive consequences. The game has a Trust Meter for each faction that rises and falls depending on your current standing. One second you might be the JBA's best buddy, and the other you might be its worst enemy.

There's still plenty of luriking in the shadows.

As for enemy interaction, you still have the opportunity to grab them from behind and decide if they live or die (which is always cool), but what's more interesting is the lack of a heads-up display (HUD). Instead, there's a visibility meter that informs you of how much trouble Sam's in. If the meter is green he's in the clear, if it's yellow, that means the enemy is alerted to his presence and is investigating, and finally, red is bananas. The enemy knows he's around and they're moving to kill him ASAP.

Speaking of death, Sam doesn't have a health bar per se. Instead, he's got a setup similar to Master Chief's. Fisher is wearing a state-of-the-art suit that's capable of absorbing a specific amount of damage. He can take a few shots to the body without dying, but when he's near death, you hear a heart beat and feel the vibrations from the controller.

That signal lets you know that Sam is knocking on death's door and that you should back away. Once you do (and chill for a few moments), the heart beating disappears, and Sam's "health" gets restored. That's definitely cool.

A Darker Sam
I'm also a huge fan of the variety in this game. Wander about worn-torn cities, skydive, brave harsh snowstorms, and swim. You're not just relegated to walking around, so if anything, this will be the most diverse Splinter Cell yet as far as missions are concerned.

It's also the darkest. This time around, Sam is an ex-Navy Seal that's just experienced a great tragedy, hence his dual loyalties. This guy isn't necessarily working for either side. He just wants to release his aggression through killing.

Ubisoft has always overachieved when it comes to graphics in Splinter Cell titles, and Double Agent is no exception. This is without question the most gorgeous Splinter Cell yet. The texture work on Sam's clothing is exquisite, and the environments are painstakingly detailed. Explosions rock the screen and the weather effects shake the house. Seeing this game running through HDTV is heavenly.

Double Agent was released on October 17, and I'd recommend it. Ubisoft's made plenty of attractive changes and I enjoyed playing a near final version of the game. I'm also very much looking forward to the multiplayer mode, which promises to be a great time. Do yourself a huge favor and check this one out ASAP.

All screenshots are from the Xbox 360 version of the game.

Article by Chris Buffa, GameDAILY Senior Editor