Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell

 PC
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Image
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 20 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 426 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • 10
  • 9
  • 8
  • 7
  • 6
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • Summary: Infiltrate terrorists' positions, acquire critical intelligence by any means necessary, execute with extreme prejudice, and exit without a trace! You are Sam Fisher, a highly trained secret operative of the NSA's secret arm: Third Echelon. The world balance is in your hands, as cyberInfiltrate terrorists' positions, acquire critical intelligence by any means necessary, execute with extreme prejudice, and exit without a trace! You are Sam Fisher, a highly trained secret operative of the NSA's secret arm: Third Echelon. The world balance is in your hands, as cyber terrorism and international tensions are about to explode into WWIII. [Ubi Soft]… Expand
Buy On

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. GamePro
    100
    Visually, the game is just beautiful—the eye-popping lighting in particular is remarkable. The audio also shines.
  2. Gamers' Temple
    96
    The sound in the game is also phenomenal. The sound is so well done that you can sit still and listen, and you'll be able to tell the direction that guards' footsteps are coming from and whether or not they are coming towards you.
  3. IGN
    94
    Splinter Cell is the hardcore's game made excellent by an engaging storyline and a sinfully addictive journey into ordinary places that become extraordinary simply due to the change in how we tackle each of their unique problems.
  4. GameSpy
    91
    One of the most tension-packed, visually stunning games you're likely to play this year.
  5. Computer Games Magazine
    90
    Once it gets started, the tension on each level is practically unbearable, and the final room of the final level provides the perfect ending to a game that sneaks up on you and never lets go. [Apr 2003, p.72]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Armchair Empire
    90
    While I do not feel it takes the accepted throne of stealth action games, Splinter Cell is highly polished, and extremely solid as a game.
  7. CPUGamer
    80
    The other thing that got incredibly annoying is Irving Lambert, your debriefer and operations coordinator and hearing him say “this missions over”….. “this missions over”.

See all 20 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 41
  3. Negative: 0 out of 41
  1. AdamR.
    Mar 27, 2003
    10
    Very good. I have only played the demo, but it is very good. But what is with the AI? I was using this guy as a human shield and the AI shot Very good. I have only played the demo, but it is very good. But what is with the AI? I was using this guy as a human shield and the AI shot at me anyway. And when the shield died, the computer blamed it on me. What's up with that!? But, back to the demo I go. Another note: Graphics are bad on a GeForce2 GTS… Expand
  2. DjE
    Dec 22, 2004
    10
    This game is the best with all the best sound graphics and levels puls how much deatial is put in to the guns this is a sweet game i would This game is the best with all the best sound graphics and levels puls how much deatial is put in to the guns this is a sweet game i would recommend this to anyone.… Expand
  4. JosephPalka
    Jul 13, 2009
    10
    This was a pretty good game on the Playstation 2 when I first experienced it. The stealth element in the game made the game itself come toThis was a pretty good game on the Playstation 2 when I first experienced it. The stealth element in the game made the game itself come to life. Despite the weapons, there were also a variety of objects in the game as well. Another good thing about this game are the graphics. The graphics are polished in every single environment along with the effects of the sky, explosions, fire, and decals. The interrogations and conversations from the NPC's are also entertaining. In the Kalinatek building, you see two guards through a transparent wall talking about how wall mines are dangerous. You have two choices: Wait for one of the guards to walk into the room and be knocked out by you or just open the door in the middle of their conversation, take out your SC20K, zoom in and shoot the mine to turn them into barbecue steaks!

    Overall: I have played all the Splinter Cell games in the franchise so far and even though this game is old, it is well worth anyone's time.    … Expand
  5. BoozerReviews
    Jun 23, 2012
    9
    after playing chaos theory this game looks abit stale but for it's time it's great you can pretty much tweak anything in the ini solid gameafter playing chaos theory this game looks abit stale but for it's time it's great you can pretty much tweak anything in the ini solid game showing its age… Expand
  6. Frankeyowski
    Feb 22, 2021
    8
    Gra ma piękną oprawę graficzną jak na tamte czasy. Historia Sama Fishera w tej grze jest bardzo ciekawa. Gra była bardzo trudna ale po trzechGra ma piękną oprawę graficzną jak na tamte czasy. Historia Sama Fishera w tej grze jest bardzo ciekawa. Gra była bardzo trudna ale po trzech tygodniach prób udało mi się ją przejść. Polecam tą grę każdemu… Expand
  7. jacobwt226
    Mar 6, 2012
    8
    Age beat it up, but it never fell down. I love the game, it comes close to my heart the testament of how good games stay forever whereas someAge beat it up, but it never fell down. I love the game, it comes close to my heart the testament of how good games stay forever whereas some leave, this one will not leave me for one second though!… Expand
  8. mr-NachoMen
    Sep 4, 2019
    5
    Personally i'm not a huge fan of the stealth genre, i'm more of the go straight to the point rather than just sit and wait a few minutes forPersonally i'm not a huge fan of the stealth genre, i'm more of the go straight to the point rather than just sit and wait a few minutes for the perfect moment to take down an enemy, but there are games like Thief and Hitman that manage to be fair in check points, detection and how to deal with enemies in case you've been detected... Splinter Cell is not that game, it is more like the hardcore experience in stealth video games.
    This series is a big one... it has multiple sequels and a huge fan base.
    The game story is pretty interesting and well executed, movie quality stuff i would say.
    This game for it's time (2002/2003) was a tech improvement... it implemented real time shadows and lighting that were essential in the game's mechanics. This game was built using Unreal 2 Engine and still looks good... it looks better than letter games using that engine like... Land of the Dead and A series of unfortunate events. When an engine it's on good hands... amazing stuff can happen.
    For me, personally the general game was a huge downside due to it's controls, mission structure and stealth mechanics.
    Being stealthy is strongly recommended here, engage in combat and kill enemies is risky and can result in a mission failure.
    Making a sound can attract enemy attention and they will go looking for you, so try to not make any sound, stay hidden in the shadows is essential, the player can shoot to security cameras and light bulbs with your silenced pistol to remain hidden but when doing it, like i mention, will result into enemy patrols searching for you. Shooting at enemies is a no go, the aiming is inconstant at long range and it will alarm the enemy, there are multiple missions in which you must not get spotted, if so... mission fail and you must load the previous check point, most of the times you will rather press f5 to quick save and start from there.
    Again... Splinter Cell is not necessary a bad game or nothing like that, but this game is for the hardcore stealth gamer, which is not my case...    … Expand

See all 41 User Reviews

Related Articles

  1. Games

    Ranked: "Splinter Cell Conviction" and Other Tom Clancy Games

    Ranked:
    Published: April 13, 2010
    How does the newest Splinter Cell game compare to previous titles in the series, and to other Tom Clancy games? Check out our rankings.
    More »

Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PC Game of 2003
26
#26 Most Discussed PC Game of 2003
18
#18 Most Shared PC Game of 2003

Current PC Games

Full List »
97 Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
89 Chicory: A Colorful Tale
88 It Takes Two
87 ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights
87 Omori
87 Hitman 3
87 Blind Drive
87 The Yakuza Remastered Collection
86 Mass Effect Legendary Edition
86 Nioh 2: The Complete Edition
85 Metro Exodus: Complete Edition
84 Everhood
84 Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy
82 Kaze and the Wild Masks
72 Mundaun
71 Breathedge
69 Edge Of Eternity
67 Redout: Space Assault
66 Biomutant
63 Red Solstice 2: Survivors
All Current Games »