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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Much better than the 360 counterpart. Not the best SC, but still good., December 20, 2006
Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars
After making the mistake of trading this version in for the 360 version, I finally decided to trade the 360 version in to get my old XBOX Double Agent back after being dissapointed with the 360 version.
I won't even go into graphics and sound, because as always they are great. No big improvments from Chaos Theory, but that is not a bad thing since the visuals and audio in CT were near perfect.
The actual storyline is kind of a twist from past Splinter Cell titles, instead of working solely for the NSA, you actually become a double agent to bring down the terrorist organization, the JBA from the inside. The things that happen in this game have already happened as you will be able to tell from the cutscreens between the missions. As a Double Agent, you will be forced to make tough decisions. Before you choose, you must decide what is most important, the lives of innocent people, or keeping your cover and gaining the trust of the JBA. But be carefull tip the trust meter too much to one side and your mission will be in jeopardy one way or the other. Do too many things that help the JBA, and the NSA will threaten call off the mission, Do too many things to help the NSA and the JBA becomes suspicious and your cover may be blown.
The game mechanics are pretty much the same from past, and you have what seems all of the gadgets and tools you have from past Splinter Cell titles, you can still remote hack, split jump, optic cable, disable cameras, lights and other electronics with your pistol, etc. Also reappearing in this game is the visibility and sound meter tied to your OPSAT. For reasons that are beyond me, many of these things Splinter Cell vets have come used to are MIA in the 360 version, one reason why I got the XBOX version of the game back. While all of these thigs are in the XBOX version what makes this game different is the fact you are forced to make decisions and they can be nerve racking, (in a good way). One example is that you are forced to make a decision on whether you want to allow the JBA to set off a bomb on a cruise ship or bug the phone bomb so it won't go off. You are screwed either way, and the decision is up to you. The double agent aspect of a game is a interesting twist, and makes the game pretty fun and helps the replay value because there is potentially many different outcomes of the game.
As I said in my title this game is not the best of the splinter cell titles. This is not because of the double agent aspect, it because the missions do not seem as fun as missions in previous Splinter Cells. Things can sometimes seem to drag along making an already stealthy game, more tedious and time consuming. The first couple of levels were really like this, but now that I am getting further into the game, it seems to be getting better. I also have a much greater appreciation of this title after playing the obviously rushed, unpolished 360 version.
Saves in this game is very forgiving. You still have save points, but you can also save AT any point in the game and you have an unlimited number of them. This translates to not being forced to do things over and over again, which is one of my pet peeves with video games. I am not sure if using "too many" saves will affect your stats or mission performance, but from what I have seen it doesn't.
There is also a multiplayer mode, which I haven't played and more than likely will not be playing online, and if you check my past reviews on multiplayer games, you will know why.
While this game is not the best Splinter Cell title, an award I will still give to the very first game in the series, I still think it is a very good game. If you have an XBOX and an XBOX360 and are debating on which Double Agent you should get, take it from someone who has owned both, get the REGULAR XBOX version! It is more polished and overall a much better game. For more info, see my review for the 360 version.
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent game, with some shortcomings, October 30, 2006
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
Before I start, I'd like to first say that this is an actual review of the game by someone who owns and plays the game, not like the above 'review' of someone copying out of the Chaos Theory instruction manual, and saying how good Double Agent WILL be.
This game has three major parts to it- Solo, Coop, and Versus, just like Chaos Theory. I wont really be talking much about the Co-op, as it is basically just a continutation of the Chaos Theory coop. However, this time, it feels like there are actually enough missions. There are some new moves, but basically, it feels the same as the CT Coop. So, now, onto single player,
Single Player-
I haven't quite beaten the game yet, so I can't really comment on the heavily hyped multiple endings gameplay (Check back in a week or two for details on the endings). So, to start off, you are in iceland with a dumbass computer partner. You do a bit of preliminary activities with him, then are boosted into a secret underground base. I personally despise this level, as it is repetitive, not very graphically suprising with its settings (with the exception of the ice caves at the very beginning), and you are not faced with any hard choices, or special challenges. I begrudginly finished the level, crossing my fingers that the game would improve.
My wish was granted. As soon as I hit the jail level, the game took a suprising turn for the better. There was a trust meter, and although at times it didn't make sense (the JBA wouldn't nessicarily trust you less for something they didn't know about), it added another level to the game. In one sequence ("Scripted Moments"), I was confronted with the choice to kill a jailyard bully, or to merely knock him out. I chose to kill him to please my new freind, and the consequences were with me almost three levels later (I'll explain this below). For one, I was given a higher amount of JBA trust, and thus, a lower level of NSA trust. I was given a gun to fight with in the jail level, but in the level after it, my boss's boss cut me off from some equipment, making that level harder to complete. Getting back to the jail level, the lighting was beautifully designed, and what happened was plausible (there was a riot, creating a diversion, etc). There were many ways of going about things, making that level seem more open ended than most Chaos Theory levels. Also, the optional objectives now have meaning. In Chaos Theory it was the percent completed of the level (your score) that you got at the end, but in Double Agent, your mission ends if a trust level goes too low on either end- so you need to carefully weigh out your optional objectives, and usually complete all of them. Some of the levels you will undoubtably tip your trust level to one side, which angered me a bit, considering you dont have a choice about your primary objectives. There is an odd "HQ" mission where you are not allowed to kill anyone, and are pretending to be someone else, so the JBA doesn't suspect you are a double agent. I liked it when a guard would yell at you to surrender, then come to arrest you, and you would rip the gun out of his hand, and preform a pretty cool knockout move on him. Mostly the equipment is the same as CT, with a few added things, like the C-13 somthing launcher (in the HQ missions), and the EMP grenade rounds that disable electronic devices permanatly, but mainly, your kit is the same as in CT. And that is the biggest flaw of this game, and the reason I gave it a 4 out of five stars- there isn't enough new about this game. There was the first splinter cell, which had amazing graphics, a pretty new idea, and was amazingly executed- then there was chaos theory, which had ridicuosly good graphics, better than any other Xbox game I've seen, as well as an added touch of realism that perfected the package, in addition to the amazingly beautiful lighting, and original settings. Unfortunatly, this game wasn't a leap forward- it was just a few steps. The graphics are very similar to Chaos Theory, with precious few changes, and the other game elements react in very similar ways to before. However, the trust meter system, the amazingly well done Oshtosk level, and the amount of plot (it actually matters, unlike previous splinter cell games) make for a gigantic amount of replay value, and overall, an enjoyable single player experience.
Versus Mode-
Now this is where Double Agent really makes a breakthrough. I think they sensed at the right time that the old Spy V Merc gameplay was getting a little old, and spiced it up with this new, action packed game. You can play the Multiplayer in many differnt ways, unlike before. The basic game is Spy v. Spy- two teams, or many individuals- all armed with a reasonably powerful sub-machine gun, and amazing physical abilities are pitted against each other. The gun has a small ammo capacity, and slow firing speed, but it gets the job done at shortish ranges. This game is way more fast paced, and the characters are much more agile than before. There are also a ton of lethal close combat moves, which are very fun. For example, you run up to an enemy, you both grab each others throats, then whoever wins a really short minigame first, gets the kill. This ranges from kicking the opponent in the face, to elbowing him in the neck, to snapping his neck. Then, there's my favorite, if someone comes up and grabs you from behind, if you're fast enough, you toss them over your shoulders, their head hitting the ground hard, killing them. It definintly makes for a more fast paced, and less stealy game, with the usage of weapons, and the lethal close combat moves. It is definintly fun, and the sheer number of maps and game possibilities, makes it fun to play over and over again.
So, all in all, despite the lack of a huge amount of new substance, single player and multiplayer together make for a great gaming package, definintly worth the $40 if you are a fan of the Splinter Cell series, and want to see where it is heading.
-he who has no name.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great sequel for Chaos Theory, and surpasses 360 version, October 22, 2009
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
Can you say Chaos Theory part 2! I played the 360 version of this game about 5 times now, and I do enjoy playing it, but after I finally got my hands on this version I doubt I will go back and play the other. I was under the impression that both games were the exact same, with one just being in high definition. I was quick to realize they are nothing alike, with the exception of a few same cut scenes.
If you enjoyed playing Chaos Theory; then you will feel very comfortable with the controls and be impressed by the presentation.
I have to take my hat off to the creators in Montreal for creating this version, as opposed to the creators that made the 360 version in Shanghai. Even the way the story is depicted in this version is superior to its counterpart.
Also a very important aspect of the game is the training that is designed to help new comers to the series learn the controls; this is a feature that isn't introduced in 360 version, and I feel was a missing ingredient in the 360's success. I just love how the game picked up where Chaos Theory left off though, in anticipation for the release of Conviction, I've been playing through all the splinter cells to satisfy my urge, and I'm very excited I now have a game so similar to its predecessor.
Every level is designed differently that the 360 version, giving you all the tools and gadgets you need. You get to do all the bad ass moves that Sam Fisher has always done: Hanging upside down snapping necks, doing splits in narrow hallways, and the exposure HUD that displays your noise and exposure in the light is very similar to Chaos Theory. The Dolby Digit sound is very good for an original Xbox game, but the presentation is just about the same as CT was.
Very fun and entertaining game, definitely recommended for fans of the series, you will not be disappointed. If you are a new comers to the series, then this a must buy as well, with the well thought out training course, you'll figure out the controls very quickly.
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