If any game can eclipse the genre-defining megahit Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell®, it’s the sequel.Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell® Pandora Tomorrow™ has all the stealth gameplay and graphical dominance of the first game—only better. Plus, the sequel is packing a robust multiplayer mode that lets you and up to three others gamers take your secret missions and silent kills online for a true test of your secret government training.
Multiplayer games take place via System Link or on XboxLive and are limited to four players per game. Up to two can play as Mercenaries (who defend) and up to two can play as Spies (who invade). There are dramatic differences in the way these two sides experience the game, so we thought we’d take an in-depth look at the Spy side of things. Here are some strategies for winning with stealth instead of strength.
Spotted!
Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Need The Spy third-person point of view creates serious disadvantages, in terms of head-to-head combat, but it also provides superior stealth. And, if you’ve already mastered the single-player campaign, you know just how effective superior stealth can be. In multiplayer matches, you can win the round without ever seeing your opponent—in fact, it’s better that way. Scout for light sources. Watch out for sensors and traps before you make any moves. Hug the walls, stick to the shadows, and master the fine art of sneaking up behind someone. The Mercs are heavily armed and eager to kill you, so it’s a simple question of spotting them before they kill you.
As the Spy, you also have several inherent advantages that make your single-player experience even more valuable. You can jump, crouch, and crawl … but Mercs can’t. This means you can lose a pursuer or avoid being seen at all if you retreat to a place where the Merc can’t get to you. Spies also have Sam’s night vision and thermal vision, which give you more terrain details than the Mercs' EM and motion-tracker goggles.
Tools of the spy trade.
High-Tech Toys The Spy’s default rifle fires a taser-like burst of electricity that can stun—but not kill—a Merc. This weapon’s primary use is to disrupt lights and passive defenses like motion sensors and surveillance cameras. A quick blast with the rifle puts them out of commission and lets you move on without alerting the sentries. Sweeping a room and shutting down all the electronics should be a Spy’s first priority upon entering a new area.
The rest of the Spy gear is likewise designed for infiltration. Chaff grenades cover your movements. Smoke and flashbang grenades confuse and disorient the Mercs, and even the false-alarm generating Alarm Snare can divert attention. Since you are largely trying to avoid a fight, practice using these gadgets to keep the Mercs occupied while you’re elsewhere achieving your objectives.
If push comes to shove, and you have to do battle, remember you’re not completely helpless. You can stun a Merc with your rifle at range, you can melee attack from up close, and if you come up behind a Merc, you can even choke them to death. One of the best ways to combine stealth with aggression is to plant the Sticky Camera near a canister that the Mercs are supposed to protect. Then, when they come by to check on their precious cargo, release the Sticky Cam’s toxic gas cloud to cripple them. Rush in to finish the job yourself.
Stealth spy snipes sensor.
Playing as the Spy is a lot more like playing as Sam Fisher, which is the essence of the Splinter Cell franchise. The Mercs may have more firepower and a license to kill, but the Spies have the tools and the skills to win matches Fisher-style: coolly, quietly, and efficiently.
