Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell

Although Splinter Cell's infiltration of the GameCube isn't an overall rousing success, the game is still the best stealth/action thriller out there for Nintendo's system.

Perhaps there's a lack of funding for the National Security Agency this time around. Or perhaps Ubi Soft's top covert agent is just slacking off after all the high-profile publicity on the other consoles. Whatever it is, this version of Splinter Cell disappointingly doesn't measure up to the superior versions on the Xbox, PS2, and PC, although it's still a decent mission for the GameCube.

Do You Have the Intelligence?
Officially, it's called intelligence gathering. Unofficially, it's you, armed with the latest in military weaponry and gadgetry, infiltrating highly secured structures and, once in a while, beating your foe with a strategically planned shot. You're Sam Fisher, an agent for the NSA who serves the U.S. government in risky covert operations aimed at stopping terrorists.

This cloak-and-dagger world of espionage seems real throughout the game. Well-designed levels, convincingly animated characters, and the nice usage of lighting are all impressive, while the raspy voice of actor Michael Ironside perfectly matches the game's setting.

Control Yourself, Man!
But like most real-life missions, things never go as planned. While all of Fisher's fancy acrobatic moves have been safely ported to the 'Cube, executing the moves can be troublesome. The C Stick is unresponsive when you need to access the binoculars or the scope at a moment's notice. Furthermore, the right trigger button, which is used to aim and throw objects, is too sensitive -- you'll often inadvertently throw something before you can aim. There's also a noticeable drop in frame rate when there's a lot going on at once.

Despite these disappointing setbacks, Splinter Cell is still the best game of its kind in the stealth/action genre (and the only one on the GameCube). If you're strictly a GameCube player, see what all the buzz is about.

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