Splinter Cell: Double Agent (2006 Video Game) User Reviews (10)

A Grittier, Meaner, far deeper edition to the Splinter Cell series.

[baz_trinity · 9/10 · 15 April 2007]

*NOTE: This is a review of the XBOX 360 version of Double Agent.

Splinter Cell: Double Agent is a welcome change to the normal strictly stealth based game-play of old. This time its far more action-packed, the graphics of course have improved and the story is far more deeper, involved and intriguing. But there is one element of the game that truly sets it apart from the series and video gaming in general; the captivating integration of working for two organizations and the decisions Sam is left with, creating a dynamic and original form of game-play, to which you can choose whether to turn your back on the NSA by adapting to the terrorists way of thinking, or stick with your primary objective of successfully infiltrating and destroying the terrorists organization from within. For every objective in each level, there is a possibility of losing or gaining trust from either the NSA or the JBA. These such elements makes this game slightly in contrast with the previous editions, mainly due to the fact that the first 3 had a mildly involving story, while Double Agent couldn't be any more interesting.

This being said, the game is not without it's flaws. Firstly, the style of graphics may not suit some and frankly, I for one preferred the old. The new style indeed has more details and such, this is a given considering it's on a more powerful console, but this does not necessarily mean it's an improvement. The familiar style of the first 3 had amazing lighting effects and a slight contrast between dark and light, which was visually original and fresh, while Double Agent loses this imagery somewhat. Secondly, the camera angle can be a nuisance, it is very close up and take a bit of getting used to and sometimes gets in the way of things, for instance, seeing nearby enemies while hiding behind a wall etc.

But the quality outweighs the flaws by a mile, this game is a fantastic, intense tour de force and a revolution in gaming storyline. Double Agent is an essential purchase and sits proudly at the top of the not-so-populated Stealth Genre and is a fantastic edition to the ever-so-great Splinter Cell franchise.

What side are you fighting for?

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 9/10 · 2 January 2010]

This review is for the version released for the Wii. After the meaningless death of his daughter, Sam feels that he has nothing left to lose. Thus, he is sent on an insanely dangerous assignment that he would not have agreed to before: Undercover in a terrorist group. You now get objectives(some of them timed) from both them and the NSA, and you can't afford to lose the faith of either(and it will directly affect, for example, the equipment that you get; and in case you're wondering why you get to use the spy stuff, yes, it is explained... sorta). It can be debated if they went far enough with that(because if it does happen, you get a chance to fix it, though you have to be fast), but in Ubisoft's defense, gamers today won't put up with having to start all over(not saying that's bad, only that we are demanding in different ways, today). You get a Trust Meter that will tell you how much confidence they have in you, and you increase the amount(at the expense of how much the other organization believe in you; admittedly, it doesn't seem like they should notice or care, for a couple of them) by solving things for them. There are also several specific, vital decisions that you have to make. For example on a cruise ship, where you prevent 2000 deaths... or ensure them. Do you trade thousands of lives to potentially save millions? The story-telling in-between missions consists of full CGI cinematics that are immensely effective, very engaging and with excellent cinematography and editing, as well as an on-going phone call between the assistant director and Fisher, carried mainly by their voices, supplemented by a documentary-like mix of stills and moving footage. These two can vary based upon what choices you make. The remaining cut-scenes are in-engine. This has a genuinely compelling and interesting plot, with a marvelous ending. The characters are impeccably well-written(and the banter is hilarious; dialog is clever, in general), credible and well-developed. There is magnificent drama in this. This does Tom Clancy proud. The audio is spot-on. Nearly every acting performance is flawless. Sound is crisp. The score now has a gritty, "dirty" tone to it, and it fits beautifully. AI is well-done with few exceptions. The Wii-Mote is not a half bad substitute for a mouse, and prior to me trying this, you could not have convinced me that a 360 degree camera could *ever* work on a console. Controls are intuitive, easy to use, smooth and not overly sensitive. The jump is a tad awkward, since you have to shake the Nun-chuk, and it's the only one where you make that strong a movement. It took getting used to for me to be able sneak without only tapping the stick, then again, this is the first I'm playing on the thing that is this complex. The lock-picking will cause frustration, since you have to figure out exactly what specific positions that you have to hold the 'Mote in. It takes practice(not to mention patience). Hacking in this is *fun!* The game-play is not cannibalized for the port(I have read that it is the same as the one for the PS2; I cannot confirm or deny that). Graphics are probably the greatest loss, revealed particularly by the difference between light and darkness not being as visually obvious(with that said, you can tell with no problems; the indicator in the HUD works perfectly) as on the other platforms. Animation suffers slightly, as does FX. Fire and water look OK. Throwing bottles, etc., to distract is useless(however, the whistling works nicely), and I maintain that one of the regular knocking out moves looks like how a five-year-old would push off someone mean; then again I'm not on any special forces team. The occasional ally feature is a nifty addition, with you and them helping each other past obstacles. This comes with split-screen Co-Op multi-player, that I have yet to try. You can save at any time in this, if there is only one file(thankfully, you can restart from checkpoint too). The levels are well-designed(and you can go back to the beginning of them at any time, and replay any that you have completed); the initial one will introduce you to what you can do in the game(and early on, you get the option of watching training videos, which are short, sweet and to the point), the environments are well-done, the finale is awesome, and there are memorable ones, including one taking place *on top of a subway train*, where you(automatically) duck to avoid getting crushed against the lower parts of the ceiling("I'm taller than you"), and one where you defuse bombs, and it is the most entertaining and tense time I've had playing a Splinter Cell game(meaning, of these four). Meanwhile... they continue to be just about entirely linear. Apart from the consequences that shape the branching story-line, the player has relatively little freedom in this. Does it bother no one else? I am comparing it to the Hit-man and Commandos franchises, and before you say that this is plot-driven, yes, so are they, if the former more than the latter. This is my biggest problem with this series. You don't go in with a detailed plan, so it comes off as if you simply succeed as a result of a bunch of lucky coincidences(as opposed to brilliantly exploiting tiny holes in the security setup). The map could be better, it can confuse you, and you may get lost(possibly with valuable seconds ticking away), and I'm sorry, in my book, that is not where the challenge in a stealth title should come from. That is really all that you can complain of. This has a fantastic interface, it doesn't get repetitive, it's addictive and it, like the three that precede it, brings something new to SC. There is moderate to strong language in this, as well as violence and disturbing content. I recommend this to all fans. 9/10

Enthralling all the way

[h-rabbit · 9/10 · 6 February 2009]

This is fourth in the Splinter Cell series, being evented after Spinter Cell,Pandora Tomorrow and Chaos Theory, plus evented before Essentials and Conviction.

Splinter Cell: Double Agent is one of Tom Clancy's best games, because it simply has an interesting and uniquely brilliant campaign. The story is about Sam Fisher, some NSA agent who has lost his daughter and now, with nothing to lose, takes up one of the most dangerous missions ever staged by the National Security Agency. He is told to be sent to prison (WTF?). Not because of crimes, though, he is willingly forced into the cell next to Jamie Washington, a member of a criminal organization, so Sam can help him escape (WTF!). It may sound confusing for an agent to break out a criminal, but this is to gain criminal trust and join the organization to destroy it from within. The Trust Meter is a very interesting feature now because you have to balance trust between both the NSA and the criminals, called the JBA, or John Brown's Army. Slip too far into the NSA, and the JBA decide you're a Double Agent in their midst. Too far into the JBA, and the NSA decide you've been overwhelmed by the way of evil and don't trust you anymore. You can simply pick whoever to serve. A Full Trust Meter can be achieved at certain moments, but sometimes, you have to choose for yourself. At the end of the third level, you have to shoot helicopter pilot Cole Yeagher. Shoot him, and you gain trust with the JBA. Spare him or miss, and they'll lose trust in you. Things like the bombing off the Cozumel Ship and executing of your own NSA leader, Irving Lambert, are like that. Plus if you kind of spare him, an extra mission is unlocked, and if you spare CIA agent Hisham Hamza, a new part of mission nine can be played through. My point, you are free to choose the objectives you complete in this game, which gives the player more freedom.

9 stars for good game play and plot line, minus 1 for 10 for the multiplayer and challenges' lack of freedom

By HowlingRabbit334

Very intriguing, but not challenging enough. New ELITE difficulty is a blessing!

[JackBauerVsSamFisher · 10/10 · 4 December 2006]

Having played all Splinter Cell games, I find Double Agent the most intriguing, but definitely not the most challenging in terms of difficulty. (I still think Pandora Tomorrow is the most difficult to date.)

There are some very challenging moments, but those shouldn't be a problem, because you can save at any time. This is really handy if you're playing in Elite mode. The 2 most challenging levels are (to me) Kinshasa, in which you start off with no gear at all, not even night vision and you have to deal with very smart guards. Then there's New York, in which you have to deal with guards equipped with night vision. Unlike the guards with thermal vision (Chaos Theory > Bathhouse level > shower room) there's a simple way to take out these, once you've figured it out.

I finished the 9 levels (+ 2 bonus maps) in a day and a half, so I was quite disappointed that it was all over so soon. (That's what happens when you play day and night, lol.) One of those bonus maps is definitely the weirdest level in Splinter Cell history!

The replay value is VERY high, since you can change the story as you choose for either JBA (the terrorist group Sam has infiltrated) or NSA (the government agency that Sam works for). After every completed mission, you'll find out which side is suspicious of you and who is confident of you. It's up to you to keep both sides satisfied. For example: you can choose to disregard opportunity objectives for the JBA in order to keep the NSA satisfied.

The enemies have gotten smarter. Guards patrolling in dark areas almost always have a flashlight. If they don't, then they probably carry a torch. They have also invested a serious amount of money in security cameras, lasers of different kinds and non-lethal ammunition. From the moment your visibility meter lights up even a little, they'll check out what they saw. (And sometimes they notice your presence when you're completely covered in shadows.) Their hearing has gotten a lot better too, so you should always be sneaking, if you didn't do that already. You'd better not take your gun out if an enemy is standing a few yards further, because they'll hear it. These enemies are very sophisticated and smart and that's what makes them so cool. The interrogations are always worth listening at, not always to collect information, but also for fun. The real challenge will be on the day that Ubisoft will create enemies with random patrolling routes.

A new, and I must say a very satisfying difficulty is Elite. You unlock this difficulty by beating the game. You have no weapons, no gadgets. Only the OCP to jam cameras/lights, a knife and the ability to whistle. You have to rely on your map and your sneaking skills. It's so much fun, but might get the unexperienced 'splinter cells' extremely frustrated. Be sure to keep your eyes open for flash bangs and smoke grenades in dark corners, because if they're there, you bet you need them later on. The whole game can easily be played in Elite mode, when you decide to game on a lazy Sunday afternoon. You have to take your time to do this, thinking about the different routes you can take, memorizing patrol routes of guards, etc. You'll start to appreciate it more and more every time you play it. Another improvement is that you can't accidentally whistle by pushing the wrong button.

There are also levels in which you have a teammate. You can tell them to wait or follow, which comes in handy if you want to explore the environment and take out the hostiles before they open fire on one of you. (Sam carries an adrenaline syringe, just in case.)

The controls are the same as in Chaos Theory, so it's easy to catch up on that, if you played it. The voices are again very well done and very realistic, maybe even better than in Chaos Theory. Sound and graphics are as good as always. The music alone is worth listening at. If there should be a soundtrack coming out, I'm definitely gonna buy one.

I wouldn't recommend this game to those that haven't played Splinter Cell games before. You always can, of course. It's not that hard to get to know the controls and the people. It's just more fun to play this game after you know what missions Sam has done in the previous games.

I'm going to rate it 10/10, because of the great time I had while playing. I have to say though that 2 levels take place in the same environment, which narrows the adventure down a bit. And also that it can be finished in no time. It's very different from the other Splinter Cell games, but I like this new approach. (I do miss Sam's haircut though :) Aside from that, it's worth every cent and minute of your time.

i love this game

[asim34522-1 · 10/10 · 25 March 2008]

When I first played it, it was hard but then I got into it. I completed the first mission in about 20 minuets. The second level where you have to escape from prison was my favourite because there is a massive riot and most of the prison is on fire. You have a trust meter at the end of each mission which rates you on what you did. You have primary objectives for both NSA (your agency) and JBA (terrorist agency. YOu need to do objectives for both agencies. You also have opportunity objectives. If you do non your trust meter stays neutral, do more Nsa than Jba it will go to NSA leaving the JBA with less trust for you and the same will happened if you do all of the JBA missions. If the trust meter goes too far to one side (mine went too far to the JBA three times)anyway if if it goes too far you need to get access to a computer before the timer runs out and when you do get to the computer you need to send some crap to the JBA or NSA to gain trust. Sometimes you need to hack computers to complete and objective. 10/10 is my rating. Good game. I loved it.

You go in so Deep, you start thinking like 'em...

[nikocujo · 10/10 · 19 October 2006]

While I am still playing the game, I can honestly say that the format of this game is not only mind blowing, but it is realistic. You have to balance your tasks to please the terrorists and the NSA simultaneously. IF you hack into a terrorist mainframe, the NSA trusts you more, IF you get caught in the insecure area where the mainframe is, the terrorists don't trust you. While this is a thinking game, there is also emotions. Yes, believe it or not, you feel nervousness, sadness, and anxiety. For instance, You're handed a gun with one round in the chamber and en empty magazine with only orders to kill an innocent hostage who is begging to spare him. You can't turn the gun on the terrorists, with only one round while they are armed to the teeth with heavy hitting calibers and Body armor, but if you hesitate, they start to distrust you. You can feel your heart pounding, so you aim center mass and pull the trigger. The poor man crumples as the slug hits him and the NSA goes crazy. While you have to blend in, going to deep means the NSA looses your trust and you are extracted. Double agent never fails to thrill and is always a crazy ride, no matter who you are working for in the game.

Outstanding installment!

[hakobyanhakob81 · 10/10 · 5 January 2012]

I'm a big fan of the series and I truly believe that the original one and Pandora Tomorrow are masterpieces. But I loved this one much better. I've played it 5-6 times, and every time it feels like watching your favorite movie. I think I'd rather play it in 6 months or so again. I very much hope that the filmmakers despite of the rest will look into making an individual Splinter cell movie which will have the spirit of this game and a score similar to the soundtrack of Double agent. To me the best Splinter cell ever! Even after so many years! Also I have to say that after this one Splinter cell Conviction was a huge disappointment, hopefully the next one will bring the story to its' roots.

Being under cover has no limits...

[evan_dow · 7/10 · 14 February 2022]

I played the Xbox 360 version.

Sam is back and at his most dangerous. You will be taken in to a terrorist organisation (of white Americans) to pull off a few terrorist attacks on innocent people. But while you do, when you have already infiltrated the JBA headquarters by helping a member create a prison riot and flee together out of the chaotic prison compound, you will otherwise be there to get your espionage on and go through documents which you will become more familiar with these terrorists and will allow you to eventually unlock achievements.

I have played through this game a few times and it really has grown on me. Basically, when you are not at the JBA headquarters you will out on the field working against NSA interests and seriously, attempting to kill a lot of innocent people.

People will die... those who are even JBA members. Your superior Lambert will even come in to the story and help you out by giving you some accessories he thinks you will need to pull off your objectives more efficiently.

Go and buy this game, add it to your collection, and make sure you have the other Splinter Cell games, there are six.

Happy gaming.

The og DA is better than Chaos Theory

[tdavidson-60822 · 9/10 · 29 July 2023]

Despite the fact CT is recognized as the goat in the splinter cell series, I beg to differ. I had played the 360 version way back in 2006 and thought it was good but nothing special. Im just now playing the original Xbox version of DA in 2023 and all I can say is WOW it's a fantastic game. I tried replaying CT(first time in 15 years) right after I beat DA and it just didn't do it for me. I personally found the story of infiltrating the terrorist group(JBA) to be more engaging and with the critical choices you have to make in the game is outstanding. The hit detection while shooting is also 100% better than CT. For whatever reason, you constantly miss headshots at point blank range repeatedly. Nevertheless, I know I'm in the minority but Double Agent(ver 2) is my personal pick of best Splinter Cell game.

Worst Splinter Cell Yet

[Vincent_B · 3/10 · 24 April 2010]

I don't know anyone who could call this turd great. Polish it up and it is still a turd. It took me a lot longer to play the previous "Chaos Theory" (SCCT). This was purchased at a used game store for $10 and took about a week to beat. I work and attend school so you know I don't have much time to play video games. It was incredible how much dialog was recycled on this game from the SCCT, and they even recycled the old ninja jokes. To make this even more lame the cinematic cuts are nothing more than blurred still shots for the most part. They pan across documents and photos and not one of the cuts can hold a candle to SCCT. The game sinks even lower with a new feature called "Trust Meter" where you don't really get to choose JBA or NSA fully.

Spoilers follow here.

JBA stands for John Brown's Army, yet it is never really explained why their leader Emile Dufraisne desires to destroy 3 major cities in his homeland. Also he is from the deep south (Louisiana) and John Brown from history was an American abolitionist, who advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to end all slavery. There are so many plot holes that it just makes for bad story telling. How bad you ask? Well... we are aware by the end that Sam is in love with one of the terrorists but how that love developed is never explained or shown. One of the worst mission plots is a direct recycle of the Bath House from SCCT, you are on a Russian ship and the captain announces over the PA that he has planted 4 bombs in the engine room. His crew guards these bombs. If you interrogate any the crew, they would like you to kill the captain. Why would someone guard bombs to their death and die for someone they hate? Some of the decisions made in the game alter your cuts but never the outcome of the game. Sam is shown as a patriot in SCCT and Double Agent ruins his character and brands him a traitor.

This game was played out on the PS2 and I have no idea if it plays differently on other consoles. I played SCCT on Xbox and really game play was not an issue. Nonsense was the overall issue. I have no intention to play or purchase the new Conviction release because of this turd.