Re:Play #4: Splinter Cell, the “Xbox Metal Gear” (by Ubisoft)

© Presse-citron.net

A little over 25 years ago, Konami revolutionized video games with the release of Metal Gear Solid on PlayStation. A spy game then extraordinary, which would see a monumental sequel a few years later, exclusive to the second generation of PlayStation. Enough to give rise to some ideas among developers, notably at Ubisoft, which will then decide to develop its own spy game, exclusive to the Microsoft ecosystem (Xbox and PC): Splinter Cell.

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In the small world of video games, the years pass… but the passion and memories remain! Re:Play looks back at the great classics of video game history. A little return to the future past, in search of your child or adolescent soul, the very one that has undoubtedly already made you (or will make you) utter the magic formula “it was better before”. And if it were true…? So we blow into the cartridge, let's go for Re:Play!

Splinter Cell, Ubisoft's magical license from the 2000s

Indeed, just a few months after Metal Gear Solid 2 on PS2, Ubisoft is releasing a whole new franchise. In collaboration with the novelist Tom Clancy (also involved in Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon and The Division), the French company wishes to create “its Metal Gear “, with Sam Fisher, former US Navy SEALS commando, who became an elite agent of a secret NSA entity.

© Ubisoft

The game Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell was launched in November 2002 on Xbox, to the delight of owners of the Microsoft machine. At the time, the game was critically acclaimed, which highlighted the “adult” of the game (the story takes place in a fictional geopolitical context in Georgia), its atmosphere, its gadgets, but also (and above all ?) its very accomplished graphics. The game quickly became one of Xbox's spearheads. PS2 has Metal Gear, Xbox has Splinter Cell.

And we have to admit that Splinter Cell took off the retina when it was released, with previously unheard of light and shadow effects, reaching an extraordinary degree of realism. To this were added certain effects, again very realistic with regard to fabrics and other light surfaces, during the passage of Sam Fisher.

© Ubisoft

Obviously, Solid Snake's great rival also enjoyed a particular aura, with astonishing flexibility and an array of gadgets that would make James Bond sober.

Unlike Konami's game, there is no fixed camera here, but a free point of view, controlled by the player via the right stick. Sam can hang on a rope, pick a lock, hide in the shadows, do the splits between two partitions before falling silently on his enemy

© Ubisoft

A little Jean-Claude Van Damme side therefore, even if Sam Fisher evoked Arnold Schwarzenegger more to our ears, the Ubisoft character then having the same French voice actor as the actor . Enough to add a huge dose of charisma to this already very mysterious and Hollywood character.

© Ubisoft

At the end of 2002, it's simple, everyone wants to see/play Splinter Cell. A big success for Ubisoft, which sees Splinter Cell at the top of sales.

A few months later, the French studio decided to port its license to competing machines, namely the Sony PS2 and the Nintendo GameCube. The port, then described as impossible by some, did indeed see the light of day (in April 2003 on PS2 and in June on GameCube), but revealed numerous technical sacrifices. The “real version” of Splinter Cell undoubtedly remains the Xbox version.

Advent of online gaming and remake in sight!

In the first quarter of 2004, Ubisoft launched a second episode of Spinter Cell, Pandora Tomorrow. A sequel which obviously takes up the winning formula of the first opus, however adding a then revolutionary component: online gaming. So, in addition to an excellent single-player campaign, this Spinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow will revolutionize online gaming, nothing less.

© Ubisoft

The latter placed the player in the shoes of an armed mercenary, whose mission was to defend a given location, or on the contrary of a mercenary equipped with ’ non-lethal weapon, but with numerous gadgets, and whose mission was to infiltrate this same place. An innovative mode, allowing 4 players (2 vs 2) to compete online. In fact, this Versus mode was considered a game in its own right, and then developed by the Ubisoft Annecy studio.

For around ten years, Splinter Cell will enjoy a very particular aura among players, even though the latest opuses have proven to be more questionable. Still, the saga has not seen a new episode since 2013, and a certain Blacklist.

Don't panic, however, a remake of the very first opus, based on the Snowdrop game engine, is being developed by Ubisoft Toronto. It remains to be seen when Sam Fisher will deign to show the tip of his night vision goggles on our consoles.

And you, at the time, you were more like team Metal Gear or team Splinter Cell ?

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