With the recent QL of Ubi's latest 3DS abomination I thought it would be a good time to look back on some of the levels in the series that I consider to be the best. And since I can't simply say all of the Chaos Theory levels are the best and move on I made sure to give every game it's fair share.
5. Ellsworth Penn.- Splinter Cell Double Agent
Double Agent is noteworthy for having been released on 2 generations of consoles simultaneously and unlike Hitman Blood Money, providing 2 completely different experiences. Either way you still had this mission in both games and it was one of the most unique at the time. You were stripped of your fancy gear and were dressed in your county blues and had to not only escape, but also ensure the survival of another prisoner. The original xbox version began the level with a moral choice that affected the difficulty and Sam had to improvise by using a kitchen knife as a weapon. The 360 one had you jacking a news helicopter to help with your escape.
By the end you either felt thrilled to have made it out or frustrated by the lack of gadgets and weird level design. This level gets my praise praise for being original, even if at times awful to play through, and therefore deserves a spot on my list.
4. Paris-Nice Train- Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow
Another level that is completely unique and either hated or loved by fans. For some reason this reminded me so much of the Mission Impossible game for the N64. This level seems completely impossible to ghost with it's one alarm limit and narrow corridors but that's where the fun lies. You can take the safe route by clibing the outside of the speeding train or attempt the impossible and go through the inside of the cabins.
One of my best gaming moments was when I finally discovered how to get through the inside without knocking out anyone, it's an extremely specific route with very specific timing but I felt so rewarded when I finally found it.
3. Third Echelon HQ- Splinter Cell Conviction
The more I look back on Conviction the more glad I am Ubisoft decided to go in this direction. Yes there were some major omissions to the gameplay but they realized that sometimes change is for the better. As much as I like the series, a 5th title with the same basic gameplay would have been too much. I could no longer spend hours looking for the quietest route but I also doubt I still have the patience to do so anymore. Returning to the NSA HQ, the place that made Sam, was quite exhilarating. Throughout the series you infiltrated the most high-tech agencies but this time the table were flipped, the infiltrator became the infiltrated...uhh or something along those lines. This was also the level where Sam gets his goggles and the infamous Giantbomb bet played out.
The part where Sam enters the reception area and claims to have "worked" there before was so cool, at least the first time, until you had to repeat that cutscene over and over again....Still I believe this is one of the best Conviction levels and a standout in the series.
2. Bank- Splinter Cell Chaos Theory
This one's a hard choice as all of the Chaos Theory levels are my favorite. But if I had to choose one that stands out the most, it would be infiltrating the bank.
Throughout his career Sam has infiltrated countless military complexes with futuristic security measures, but this time he had to break into a simple bank in Panama with outdated tech, something that should be child's play. You quickly find out that shit can go completely wrong and can just barely make it to the vault. Luckily in Chaos Theory it was no longer simple trial and error, if you wanted to face off against armed militia that blocked every door with tables it was your decision. This was the first mission I got a perfect rating on and it felt so good to be judged based on my stealthiness for once (I'm not very stealthy in real life...)
1. CIA HQ- Splinter Cell
Yo dawg you're going to break into the effin CIA!!
What more do you need to know? You're stripped of all your gadgets and are tasked with infiltrating one of the world's largest intelligence agencies. Everything in this mission is done to perfection, from the alternate routes to the locked keypads to the eerie atmosphere in and around the building.
It is the quintessential Splinter Cell mission, just go play it!
Log in to comment