Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow

It's oozing with every bit the quality of the original but is more refined, with even more attention to detail, more streamlined gameplay and more missions.

A new online mode allows four players to stalk one another. Take an opponent hostage and use your headset to describe all the pain you plan to inflict on him. [May 2004]

Vast new levels, a pleasantly murky story line and an even greater emphasis on stealth will string you along for days.

The single-player campaign, while outstanding, is simply eclipsed by what is the most innovative and well-balanced online experience out there.

More than just a solid sequel. Large levels with well-placed save points (a feature lacking in the first Splinter Cell) make the flow of the game seem much smoother.

The single-player mode is robust and challenging, and the multiplayer mode is nigh groundbreaking. Once the multiplayer servers are populated, a whole lot of social lives are going to be ruined.

A gritty, top-notch, five-star effort that redefines stealth action gaming- again. If the single player missions don't keep your questionable video game skills in check, then the online multiplayer most definitely will.

On a technical level, I believe the game may be entirely without flaw. On top of that Ubi Soft has introduced us to a whole new breed of online gaming that did not exist before Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow hit the shelves. Their ability to pull that off has solidified them as the developer of the year and has made Splinter Cell an instant, must own classic.

Pandora Tomorrow is a miniature masterpiece. This goodlooking, great-sounding and convincingly voiced espionage thriller delivers two satisfying game outings.

Graphically brilliant, expertly designed and capped off with multiplayer, it takes its genre to all new heights of realism.

Seems less like a sequel and more like an extension of the first game, with a few nice enhancements and some more dark and dangerous environments (like the underbelly of a speeding train.) [19 Mar 2004, p.L2T 14]

Strikingly beautiful technologically as well as aesthetically... From its fantastic delivery to its tense gameplay to its innovative multiplayer, Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow is an absolute femme-fatale of a game.

The best way to enjoy this game online is to forgo rank matches, find a few real life friends that have the game and a few online people that share your interests and play with them.

The reason to keep coming back for more is the game's online multiplayer component. [July 2004, p.7]

The execution of the voice communication, including eavesdropping and talking into the ear of captured mercenaries, makes the game all the more thrilling.

I can not get through to some people how addicting this game is on Live. 2 vs. 2 on Live might not sound like the normal run-and-gun FPS' everyone is accustomed to, but that's what makes it what it is – a true stealth multiplayer, something no game has been able to pull off in this manner.

There are wow factors on top of wow factors here. Everything from the gorgeous visuals to the way the game plays scream one hundred per cent cool...The multiplayer mode is nothing short of bloody amazing.

Every single aspect of the original game has been improved upon: the story, the interface, the gameplay, visuals, so on and so on. When you tie in the multiplayer game modes (which are like nothing you've played before), Pandora Tomorrow is an early candidate for game of the year.

Even more wow is the multiplayer game. Folks, this is the reason to get on Xbox Live. I don't care about the money for the subscription, for broadband, and for the cable dude to come out to your pad-you gotta play four-player Pandora.

The "real world" scenarios and plot in PT gives the game an edge that is frighteningly real and believable. The graphics and levels are better than the original, the audio is simply perfect and if it wasn't for the difficulty level would be almost flawless.

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow takes things to the next level, improving on virtually every aspect of the original, and adding great and innovative new on-line multiplayer capabilities as well.

Pandora Tomorrow flirts tantalizingly close to gaming perfection. All of the components are here, so with a little tuning for the inevitable follow up, perfection and pure gaming nirvana should be well within their grasp.

The most impressive feature this time around isn't Pandora Tomorrow's lighting and shading effects or it's near perfect gameplay. It's the playability over Xbox Live

For the first time ever, I don't think I have any complaints whatsoever.

It's the all-new online multiplayer mode that steals the show for Pandora Tomorrow and makes this a must own videogame experience.

Ubisoft has forged a sequel that has the uncanny ability to knock your socks off through every second of play. [May 2004, p.102]

Superior to the original Splinter Cell in every aspect: gameplay, graphics, sound, presentation, and to a degree, innovation. [May 2004, p.70]

An absolutely astounding online multiplayer component. This could be a game in itself.

The A.I. is stellar, being random and properly intuitive; the level design is impeccable; the HUD display is laid out with precision, optimizing gameplay to the max. On and on, I could go. To think, Ubisoft Shanghai finished the game in little over a year's development time. A miracle, by modern gameplay standards. [*5stars=95 on GameSpy's scale]

With an improved single player mode, a brand new and impressive multiplayer mode, state of the art graphics, a sound score that should be nominated for an Oscar, and a gaming engine that sets standards for all videogames to reach, you couldn't go wrong with purchasing TCSC: Pandora Tomorrow.

Sam's new moves and gadgets are excellent and tightly integrated into the missions so they aren't there just for the sake of having something new.

You can't be a serious game player and not have this game. It's simply a must buy. It is the perfect sequel to a near perfect game.

The camera and movement control are still the best in any stealth game, the scenes you come across are just as exciting, and the overall experience is superb.

While it lacks innovation in the single player portion, I don't think anyone else could have crafted such a unique way to play the game in multiplayer. If you're planning on playing online, it's a must have game.

The improved controls, interface, and graphics combine to provide a much more engaging experience, while Sam's new abilities free up the gameplay in ways the original could not.

This is how you make a near-perfect game even better.

It is the first time that any game allows players to play from a third-person perspective against others playing in the first person view. With eight maps to play on, all very different from each other and three types of game-play, this game will last you for a very long time.

Almost frustratingly, you'll come across interactive objects that lead nowhere and have been included simply for realism's sake, which really demonstrates the kind of attention to detail that's evident in every facet of this production.

You could say it's all just a fancy game of hide and seek, but the tactical element off and online adds so much depth and tension that the concept becomes genius.

What the single-player mode of Pandora Tomorrow is missing in difficulty, the multiplayer modes make up for in spades, but while it may be overwhelming at first, once you learn a level the multiplayer aspects are incredibly strategic and fun.

The true beauty of this experience is on two fronts. First off, the sessions are much longer than what you see in normal online games. Trust me when I tell you that the 30 second "Counter Strike" rounds that some of you are used to will play no part in this game.

The game is challenging, but the challenge of the game seems incredibly balanced.

Equally as impressive as the game's visual flair, is Pandora Tomorrow's audio. Michael Ironside reprises his role as Sam Fisher, and we couldn't have it any other way.

It's not without its flaws--I think multiplayer could do with one more person on each team, given the size of the levels, and singleplayer has that issue with superhuman guards I was talking about--but it's still a pretty good purchase for stealth action gamers.

Easily and by far one of the most addictive and fun online multiplayer games to come along in awhile.

But then there's the fascinatingly complex multiplayer mode, which truly is one of a kind and potentially gives Pandora Tomorrow much more lasting value than its predecessor.

Honestly, in some ways Pandora Tomorrow feels more like a very good expansion than a sequel. It does improve upon a lot of things, but I do wish they'd include more game mechanics that we hadn't seen before. Even so, the game has an extremely cool feel to it.

Digging into the online experience can take hours, simply becoming accustomed to the deep strategy of play, which sizzles in the three modes pitting spies against mercenaries. [Apr 2004, p.53]

You'll be slack-jawed over "Shadow Strike's" online drama. Yes, it's that good. With single and multiplayer in one fat Xbox package, Tomorrow is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best pure-stealth action game today. [Apr 2004, p.74]

It's unique in today's environment, where it seems that every online game is either a FPS or a racer, and the tactical possibilities on display mean that many repeat plays later and it's still feeling as fresh as the first time you played.

This is Pandora's downfall: For a game that requires stealth and discreet action, the mechanics aren't very forgiving-or for that matter, consistent.

Patience is still a virtue, and fans of mindless action titles should still give Splinter Cell a wide berth. Unless you're partial to a little online gaming, that is. Put simply, Pandora Tommorrow's multiplayer takes your breath away. [Apr 2004, p.108]

The levels are fantastically designed and when you get the chance to learn the levels and play with similarly skilled players the gameplay goes into overdrive. It's the kind of revolutionary online game that was promised at the beginning of Live, it makes such a change to the diet of FPS' and racing games.

It's the multiplayer which has completely engulfed us; we've yet to play an Xbox Live! game which felt so refreshing, as we said towards the beginning, there's no reason why this shouldn't do for Xbox Live! what "Counter-Strike" did to PC gaming.

In single player this is more an expansion than a whole new game, although fans will be happy. Online is what really steals the show. [GamesMaster]

In sharp contrast to many other games' hackneyed, hastily tossed-together multiplayer, Pandora Tomorrow offers one of the most creative and compelling online games ever made.

Pandora Tomorrow is the reward for having successfully completed the original Splinter Cell. You identify more with Fisher this time around since you already have the required skills from the get go. The new features are just icing on the cake. Eat it up.

The single player is good, but the multiplayer is awe-inspiring.

UbiSoft has really knocked one out of the park with this release-I can't wait for the third installment.

The tightly scripted nature of Pandora Tomorrow means that it's a game that many players will finish and would normally never return to, no matter how much of a blast they've had. This is where multiplayer steps in, takes over and ensures the long-term value of the title.

If you have XBL you will enjoy yourselves for months if not YEARS to come.

Luckily for us, SCPT is a hell of a sequel and manages to achieve what Splinter Cell 1 did back in 2003 and even inject a real sense of excitement back into Xbox Live.

The voice acting as a whole can be remembered as some of the most redundant, monotone and dull voicing you can find in a game.

Those who found the original SC frustrating, finicky and tedious will still find as much to annoy in this latest addition to the series, but for sheer quality of craftsmanship and for being the most evolved example of the genre, it's hard to fault Ubisoft's latest opus.

The real attraction, however, is the Xbox Live component, which is so original and compelling that even staunch critics of the first title may want to give Splinter Cell another opportunity.

The end result is exquisitely original multiplayer gaming that's a vastly different experience based on which team is chosen. It's only marred by a bizarrely overlooked bug that crashes the Xbox when browsing available servers through OptiMatch.

The game play will be familiar to veterans of the series and is easy enough for newcomers to pick up in a hurry.

9 / 8 / 7 / 8  - gold [Vol 852]

It's disappointing that basic irritants are still evident in the singleplayer game. But it's the online version - which takes the hunter/hunted metaphor to chilling extremes - which ends up being one of the most nerve-racking gaming experiences of all time. [Apr 2004, p.98]

What's immediately apparent is that it's been balanced incredibly carefully.

Pandora Tomorrow doesn't mark a substantial evolution of the stealth genre but it does progress from the first game.

A refreshing change from the usual multiplayer frag-fests.