Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Essentials
A PSP stealth entry bridging past and present missions.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Essentials, a stealth action-adventure title from Ubisoft Montreal, launched for the PlayStation Portable on March 21, 2006. Published by Ubisoft, it stands as the fourth installment in the Splinter Cell franchise and was built using Unreal Engine 2.
Development of the game was underway by 2005, with an official announcement coming on January 12, 2006. Ubisoft Montreal then shared details on gameplay and story, targeting a spring 2006 release. Journalists received previews that highlighted specific missions and returning features from earlier Splinter Cell titles. The studio adapted Unreal Engine 2 for the PSP, scaling it down to ensure the hardware could run it.
The story begins in January 2009, with former NSA agent Sam Fisher, now a fugitive, visiting his daughter Sarah's grave in a Washington, D.C. cemetery. She had recently been killed by a drunk driver. Fisher is arrested at the site and interrogated at NSA headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland. During questioning, he recalls past events that unfold as playable missions. The first flashback takes place in Colombia in 1992, where Fisher, then a Navy SEAL, disobeys orders to rescue his captured commanding officer, Douglas Shetland, from FARC guerrillas. The second flashback returns to the GFO Oil Rig during the Georgian Information Crisis. Ultimately, Fisher confesses to killing his Third Echelon handler, Colonel Irving Lambert. In the final mission, he steals evidence and escapes from the NSA facility.
Critical reception was mixed. GameRankings scored it at 58.22%, and Metacritic at 58 out of 100. IGN's Juan Castro rated it 6.3 out of 10, noting it felt rushed and broken in parts, with performance issues and a design that seemed ill-suited for the PSP's controls. GameSpot's Greg Mueller gave it a 5.8 out of 10, praising the concept of remixing old missions with new ones but criticizing bad controls, overly dark levels, and a worthless multiplayer mode.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Essentials
- Developer
- Ubisoft Montreal
- Publisher
- Ubisoft
- Producer
- Jean-François Mailloux
- Writer
- Michael Brooks Lee
- Designer
- Fabrice Cuny
- Artist
- Cristelle Khatiri
- Programmer
- Michel Salvado
- Composer
- Guy Dubuc · Marc Lessard
- Series
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 2
- Platforms
- PlayStation Portable
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Development of Splinter Cell: Essentials began at Ubisoft Montreal by at least 2005, with the game officially announced on January 12, 2006. Ubisoft Montreal provided additional details regarding the gameplay and story as it was scheduled for spring of 2006. Previews were shown to journalists, revealing specific missions and returning features from the classic Splinter Cell series. The game utilized the Unreal Engine 2, toned down to run properly on the PlayStation Portable.
The plot is set in January 2009, where former NSA agent-turned-fugitive Sam Fisher sneaks into a Washington, D.C. cemetery where his daughter Sarah, recently killed by a drunk driver, is buried. Fisher is arrested at the grave site and interrogated at the NSA's headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland. During interrogation, Fisher recalls past events played as missions. The first flashback mission is set in Colombia in 1992, where Fisher, then a Navy SEAL, performs a solo rescue of his commanding officer Douglas Shetland from FARC guerrillas. The second flashback sees Sam back at the GFO Oil Rig during the Georgian Information Crisis. In the end, Fisher admits he killed his Third Echelon handler, Colonel Irving Lambert. In the final mission, Fisher steals evidence and escapes from the NSA headquarters.
Reader's Guide
Splinter Cell: Essentials received mixed critical reaction, with GameRankings giving it a score of 58.22% and Metacritic 58 out of 100. Juan Castro of IGN scored it 6.3 out of 10, describing it as feeling rushed and slightly broken during certain parts, and noting that the game plays as though it does not belong on the PSP, yearning for a second analog stick and extra buttons. Castro also observed that the game suffers in performance, rarely running smoothly, and does not look spectacular for a series that pushes technological boundaries. Greg Mueller of GameSpot gave it 5.8 out of 10, stating that while the idea of taking missions from previous games and adding new ones for the PSP sounds fine, bad controls, oppressively dark levels, and a worthless multiplayer mode make the game more frustrating than rewarding.
The game's significance lies in its attempt to bring the Splinter Cell experience to a handheld platform, bridging narrative gaps in the series through flashback missions. However, its legacy is tempered by technical and control limitations that hindered its reception. It remains a notable entry for its story connections and as an early PSP title from a major franchise.
Did You Know?
- The game was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft.
- The plot involves Sam Fisher recalling missions from 1992 and the Georgian Information Crisis.
- Critical reception was mixed, with Metacritic scoring it 58 out of 100.
More in Operatives, Allies & Adversaries
Elsewhere in Splinter Cell
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced