Sam Fisher is a pretty funky guy for an old man. Scot makes a wish to be that cool when he starts turning grey.
I could waste a lot of time here trying to come up with some elaborate introduction where I poke fun at Sam Fisher's grey hairs and wrinkled skin, or try and tie-in a few jokes about the absolutely absurd name of Splinter Cell's pseudo-sequel. That would just waste your time though, so instead, I'll go ahead and deliver my verdict from the off before going into it in detail - Pandora Tomorrow is everything that made Splinter Cell a firm favourite among espionage fans.
What we have here is more of a continuation of the Splinter Cell story rather than a fully-fledged sequel. Fans of the original will happily fit right back into Sam Fisher's sneaking boots, although they won't necessarily feel like anything's changed. Don't worry, it's not just you - nothing particularly important has changed, and while there are a few additional acrobatic moves that'll likely result in Sam lying on a stiff board in bed for the rest of the week, it's hard to tell apart this game from the last.
That's not to say that the enhancements aren't there though. Pandora Tomorrow features quite a few improvements over the original Splinter Cell, however subtle they may appear. Criticisms were made about the slightly linear approach to the game, so there are now multiple ways to go about completing a mission, whether it be sneaking through a crowd of unsuspecting terrorists or taking the back-route over some cumbersome obstacles.
The emphasis is still strictly on stealth though and it's advisable to approach every situation with careful consideration and planning. As with every game in this genre, running around with your muscles flexed and your trigger-finger itching will likely result in you falling headfirst into an early grave. The shadows are your best friend, and shooting out lights or covering up light sources undoubtedly work in your favour.
"running around with your muscles flexed and your trigger-finger itching will likely result in you falling headfirst into an early grave."
You'll often find that Fisher is seriously outnumbered and under-equipped. To even the odds, you can now whistle to distract guards, luring them into the shadows and taking them out with a non-lethal takedown. Hiding bodies has also been made easier - your visibility meter will start flashing when it's dark enough to drop the body without it being noticed.
The game controls exactly how it did in the original game, which is a blessing for both players familiar with the controls and those looking to learn. A tutorial session at the beginning of the first mission replaces the obstacle course Fisher was forced to take in the previous game, removing unnecessary educational classes for those who just want to get on with things.
Everything is now context-sensitive, so Fisher will automatically be given all of the options at his disposal when near something that can be interacted with. It was a hindrance to have to go through the inventory every time you wanted to sneak a peek under a door with the optic cable, so it's not been incorporated into a convenient action-menu whenever you're positioned within proximity of a door.
Some of the missions completely eclipse anything previously seen in Splinter Cell. The Paris mission (which can be downloaded in the form of a PC demo here) sees you infiltrate a moving train via helicopter and make your way through the carriages in order to interrogate a possible suspect. As simple as it may sound, in practice it sums up everything that Pandora Tomorrow has to offer - espionage, combat, plot twists, gadgetry and intensive action. The game uses the exact same engine as Splinter Cell, so the graphics, and particularly the lighting, are all of a high standard.
Also like the previous game, it remains highly challenging. Those with a severe lack of patience will find themselves constantly reloading from their last save checkpoint, sometimes without a clue as to why they've failed. It sometimes makes the leap from downright challenging to stupendously difficult, but fortunately most of the time it keeps a steady balance without resorting to too much controller chucking.
Then there's that much talked about multiplayer mode. Frankly, it is as big as you've heard about, and while it may not seem like it at first, this has the potential to be huge. Of course, it all boils down to how well everyone is prepared to learn the maps, but I've no doubt that once everyone has acquainted themselves with the layouts, this spies versus mercenaries experience will be one of the most exciting multiplayer experiences online.
Aside from the small documented changes, Pandora Tomorrow remains in essence the same game as its predecessor played when it was released towards the end of 2002. There's obviously a new story, new missions and a host of new characters involved in the detailed plot, but in terms of sheer gameplay, there's a distinct lack of innovation present. It doesn't feel like a proper sequel, but then nor should it be viewed as one. Pandora Tomorrow has been developed to give those who enjoyed the single-player intrigue of the original an extra dose of espionage action, and it's just as satisfying - perhaps even more so - as it was when we first stepped into Sam Fisher's latex.