fter many months of listening to your friends brag about how cool Splinter Cell is on the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and PC, the minority in gaming will finally have the chance to return the favor and trumpet the exclusive content built into the GameCube version. Unfortunately, to access the new material that has been added, you’ll have to rely on connectivity – which means you’ll need a Game Boy Advance. And if you truly want to see everything, you’ll also need the handheld version of Splinter Cell.
Once connected to the GameCube, the Game Boy Advance transforms into an ever-useful extension of the OPSAT – allowing Sam to eye his surroundings on a mini-map and interact remotely with computers and specific weapons like wall mines. I actually found the map to be quite useful. Not only does it give away enemy locations and movements – much like Metal Gear’s tracking system does – it expands upon the strategies that can be applied for sneak attacks.
Connecting the Game Boy Advance version of Splinter Cell to the GameCube yields the exclusive and wildly amusing Sticky Bomb weapon, as well as five new levels on the handheld game. Unlike most titles boasting the connectivity feature, Splinter Cell’s shared gameplay is entirely functional and significantly expands upon the experience.
Sharing many of the traits of the PlayStation 2 version, this incarnation is void of the impressive shadow casting and dynamic lighting found in the Xbox and PC versions. Whether or not the lighting differences had anything to do with it, Ubi Soft decided to rearrange the level maps. For instance, rather than staring at the front lawn in the CIA Headquarters mission, you begin inside the complex – thus skipping a few gameplay segments. Changes along these lines occur quite frequently, but never affect the overall quality of the game. Sometimes a level is a little shorter; sometimes it’s a bit longer. It’s still the same game, yet with subtle differences around the side.
If you’ve been biding your time and have opted to wait for the GameCube release before playing Splinter Cell, some of the best stealth gameplay ever created awaits. You’ll find yourself using human shields; scanning environments with night vision/thermal goggles; and doing the splits between two walls in hopes of dropping on a guard patrolling directly below you. It’s basically a highly realistic version of Metal Gear. However, the control isn’t as fluid, the AI is often inconsistent, and targeting proves to be wildly off at times. These flaws do cause numerous headaches and frustrating moments; yet there’s no denying Splinter Cell’s brilliant level designs, countless gameplay innovations, and seamlessly integrated storytelling. It really is a beautiful title, and since the GameCube hasn’t seen anything even remotely close to it, it’s an absolute must-have.