Xbox 360 just got their first Sam Fisher as a Double Agent

Do not get thrown off by the title suggesting this is for Xbox. This is for the Xbox 360 version. The Splinter Cell series has always been defining the stealth genre since it first landed. The first Splinter Cell brought us an original, but creative and fresh game that built a very good fan base. It was a game that could be played over and over, each time doing each mission in a different way. The sequel, Pandora Tomorrow brought the fresh series into new ground. No longer did you sneak inside buildings, in this sequel, you was put to the test outside whether it was the jungle or some type of camp in a foreign region. It did have a new features than the original Splinter Cell, but the third game in the series, Chaos Theory shattered everyone's minds in that game. It was a revolution for the series. It was a highly talked about game and thus forth, it has been claimed the best Splinter Cell game!

Being a Double Agent
Doubts have surfaced in gamers minds about if the company can make the fourth installment in the series so revolutionary as Chaos Theory. Although, Double Agent isn't much of a revolution as Chaos Theory nor is it any more exciting, Double Agent is still a bada$$ game to play. If you haven't been following the series, Double Agent has Sam Fisher caught up in drama. His daughter has been killed and this makes Sam go into a Double Agent phase where he is on both sides(good and bad) determined for revenge. So basically, it's up to you if you want to be good or bad. Double Agent gives you that chance and the choices you make(for example, let the ship blow up or stop it from blowing up) all makes you who you are at the end. Thus, this makes me talk about the trust meter in the game. You work for two companies: JBA and NSA. Each time you complete an objective or an objective you don't complete, the meter for both companies will deplete or fill up depending on the objective. By being on both teams, replay value is high since you can go back and follow a different way. One major disappointment for me towards the whole Double Agent thing is that you go back to the JBA headquarters(which is the bad guys) to do such and such for the NSA after each mission. I mean, why couldn't going back to the JBA aspect of the game to be not in here because if you think about it, it's not necessary at all since you've being good and bad at the same time in the missions.

Sam sneaks in with new stuff!
Yes, Splinter Cell is all about sneaking around and Double Agent brings back the basic stuff that includes crouching, climbing, zip lining, wall hanging, snapping one's neck grabbing someone for a human shield, etc. Double Agent is all about the new stuff and you can do three new moves. You have grab someone from the corner and have the choice of doing a lethal or non-lethal move. Sam can swim in this game and where he swims is cold! Sam can be under water and pull someone underwater that is close to a shoreline thus Sam will force them to drown. Now, at times, Sam will be swimming where ice will be surrounding him. Sam can punch through the ice and pull the enemy down and stab them in their heart. ALL of the basic stuff is still here and although I didn't mention all of them, everything you've done in Chaos Theory is still here in Double Agent!

Staying alive in the dark
Now, your visibility is extremely important in this game. You do not like being seen and the indicator which tells you whether you are invisible(green) or is slightly visible(yellow) or caught(red). You must watch this meter if you want to survive and get the hell out alive! With all this sneaking around, you do have weapons and although they are only a few, they aren't really important unless you get in a sticky situation. The silencer can be used to disable electronic devices(lights, cameras) for a short period of time for you to get by unseen. The SC-20K Rifle is loud sure, but with a few gadgets, it's dead quiet. You have a sticky shocker which can be used to shock the target, you have an airfoil ring which is used to knock out the target and you finally have the sticky camera which you can stick anywhere and lure your target near for a finishing blow of poisonous gas. Now, your goggles is a neat gadget as well, but in Double Agent, I found it not much useful throughout much of the game. These goggles can help you see in the dark, see electronic devices and heat vision.

Hack! Smack! Sam Hacks!
Now, the biggest upgrade you'll see in Double Agent is the hacking. In the past, you hacked locks and computers. In Double Agent, you have four new hacking jobs. You can hack a safe by turning the dials until the tumblers release, hack into a mine by putting in a mine, but wait, keep it steady or it won't go in! This aspect is also goes for the bomb defuse hacking where you must take out a bomb, but you have to keep your fingers steady or it won't work. Finally, you can hack into email where you have to decipher a code by setting tiles on a 24 titled cube. You'll be doing a lot of hacking on your journey and I'll say one or two of these hacking abilities aren't my favorite. Which ones? Well, I'll let you find out! Almost everyone will figure that out when you play. If you don't like playing alone, Double Agent features a multiplayer mode where you can play 6 types of modes for you and your friend to play. I'm not too familiar with this mode so I won't go into detail with it.

Sam's looks and how he controls things
This is the first official Sam Fisher in Next-Gen technology so there will be lots of buzz on the graphics. However, I actually find them not too next-gen. Okay, some may literally gasp when they read this, but I think the Xbox 360 is much more powerful than this. Okay, the good news is that the character models are extremely detailed. How? Seeing a simple touch of sweat from Sam Fisher's neck to seeing the character's eyes move is so realistic. The environments are also quite impressive, but some are just not. I notice the ice missions(not many) aren't as pretty as the others, maybe it's because everything is covered in snow. Point is that although, it's not quite the next-gen technology, Double Agent is still a very gorgeous game especially when it comes down to the lightning textures in the game. If it had a few more polished ends, Double Agent would soar through the graphics department without trouble! The game is quite easy to play as well. I know some people have said you have to be a skilled player to play this series, but really it's not. The actions are laid out in a simplistic manner on the controller where a newbie could just begin playing without having trouble. However, if you haven't played a Splinter Cell game, I understand if it would be a little hard to get used to the controls.

The Finale
While I found Double Agent a really awesome game that has quite a few awesome upgrades, I can't let go of Double Agent disappointing me. It has some really cool missions and the Double Agent aspect is a big player in the replay value department, but I think this is not the best Sam Fisher has to offer. Double Agent is a really fun game no doubt about it, but it's not revolutionary enough(as Chaos Theory) to be hailed as the best Splinter Cell, but with it's really awesome upgrades, Double Agent is a big leap for the series for a more revolutionary sequel in the future.

Splinter Cell: Double Agent Information:
Genre: Action/Stealth
Number of players: 1-3
Rated: M for Blood, Violence, Language