Really disappointed with Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow

[DiamondDecision]

Strike 1 - I kept seeing interview after interview from the developers indicating that the game wasn't as linear.  False.  The first mission, there is only one path to take and you are FORBIDDEN FROM USING YOUR PISTOL!

Strike 2 - The first mission of PT is very difficult.  It's easily as difficult as the later missions of the original game.  I like *winning* games and not being frustrated by them.  It's ridiculous how the bionic ears of your opponents work.  They can hear the slightest noise.

Strike 3 - Lots of cursing.  Is the game rated "T"?  Yep.  Doesn't mean I have to like it.  I enjoyed playing the first game with my sons and creeping past the guards.  In PT, I've heard "Damn" and "Hell" at least a dozen times already.

I've stopped playing it.  It's going on eBay.  Of all the disappointments, the first is far and away the worst.  No alternate paths and was ***forced*** by the developers to play the mission a certain way.

[happydog]

I agree, excpet number 3. That one doesn't bother me much. I'll add my complaint that several times now I have failed the mission with no idea why. Eveything will be going along fine then, bam, done. I pretty much gave up on single player, but am hanging on to it because someday I WILL play multiplayer.

[DiamondDecision]

I used to play a TON of multiplayer when Unreal Tournament was in its peak. I was really good too, I was in the upper 92% of all online players.

I don't even have Xbox Live setup.  Why?  Just don't care for the online crowd.  They don't communite worth 10 cents and it's *all* about being "in your face". I would play for hours and come away aggravated and mad at the world (that can easily happen even when you're in the upper 92% of all players! :-) ).  I came to my senses one afternoon and stopped.

Pass.

I agree, excpet number 3. That one doesn't bother me much. I'll add my complaint that several times now I have failed the mission with no idea why. Eveything will be going along fine then, bam, done. I pretty much gave up on single player, but am hanging on to it because someday I WILL play multiplayer.

[kathode]

If #3 bothers you, don't play Riddick!!  I've never been called a cocksucker in a game before.  It was an unusual experience

It's pretty clear to me that PT was something of a rush job.  The missions aren't that great and there are obvious polish issues like misspellings in the mission notes.  The ending was about as lame as they come.  I had a decent time with it.  I don't mind linear games too much and IIRC there was always a reasonable excuse behind why you can't use your pistol.  Whenever possible I enjoyed trying to kill as few people as possible.

[DiamondDecision]

If #3 bothers you, don't play Riddick!!  I've never been called a cocksucker in a game before.  It was an unusual experience

Any game that said that would be immediately yanked from the Xbox DVD drive and frisbeed in the direction of the street.  Immediately.

It's pretty clear to me that PT was something of a rush job.  The missions aren't that great and there are obvious polish issues like misspellings in the mission notes.  The ending was about as lame as they come.  

A "rush job" is really a subjective call, but I agree with you.  It felt that way to me as well.  It didn't do much for getting me "in the mood" for the mission.  

I had a decent time with it.  I don't mind linear games too much and IIRC there was always a reasonable excuse behind why you can't use your pistol.  Whenever possible I enjoyed trying to kill as few people as possible.

...but I want that to be MY decision and NOT the developers.

[Driver]

I love Splinter Cell: PT as much as the first one.  I've been playing both this past week.

[Calvin]

Wow.Just wow.

[Bullwinkle]

Huh.

Yeah, avoid the other prison game The Suffering, too.  Wouldn't want you to put your eye out in case the disc riccocheted or something.

[DiamondDecision]

:lol:

Huh.

Yeah, avoid the other prison game The Suffering, too.  Wouldn't want you to put your eye out in case the disc riccocheted or something.

[The Rocketman]

I really liked the first splinter cell, and although the second one improves the controls and items a bit, its levels are lackluster and uninspired.

I can't believe all the great reviews this one got, it's a true sequel, but the original is so much better!

And I find it a lot easier too, although it's artificially made harder in some parts. For instance, in the first game I almost never knocked a guy out by running to him and punching him (because he would shoot me), whereas in the sequel it's my main method of taking out bad guys!

Yes, the train level is cool, yes jungle levels are cool, but they lack substance.

And there's hardly any shooting-action too, no big firefights. I agree that this is not wat a sneaker is about, but it adds variety, and excitement to have a big finale at the end of a mission.


Still, I haven't got Live, so I suppose the sequel is all about the multiplayer part now.

[Driver]

I like a lot of the new controls, like the whistle to bait people, but I don't see a huge difference between the games (I switch back and forth when I get too frustrated with a level).  The level quality seems equal, with better graphics in PT.

I think a lot of sequels are made easier: PGR2 and Amped 2 are good examples.  They're much easier than the original games, which has made them more enjoyable for me.

[Tebunker]

PT multiplayer is where it's at, because for the most part you don't get the retards yelling and acting stupid. You can't even hear the other team while playing.

[DiamondDecision]

PT multiplayer is where it's at, because for the most part you don't get the retards yelling and acting stupid. You can't even hear the other team while playing.

Really?  A multiplayer crowd for a game that doesn't act like a bunch of testosterone filled idiots?

(Hell has officially frozen over)

The other thing that really sux about Xbox Live play is the person running the server will either be losing or just want to stop playing and the entire server is killed off and there goes the game.

I was THRILLED to read that they're building technology into Halo 2 so that if the person running the server kills the game, the whole thing is transferred to someone else still playing.  NOW THAT'S KOOL!!!!!!!  I might have to fire up Live for that.

[Driver]

The two downloadable Pandora Tomorrow levels that were once for sale are now free on Xbox Live.

[Destructor]

The two downloadable Pandora Tomorrow levels that were once for sale are now free on Xbox Live.

Now that's gotta piss off the people who bought them in the first place.

[Grue]

Perhaps I am smoking crack... but I believe some clarification is needed.

Can one really get upset about the use of words in a game like "damn" and "hell," and then in the same post, complain about the fact that a mission doesn't give them a gun?

I will now invent a word to describe this phenomenon:  "hypocrironic."

Of course, everyone is entitled to an opinion, even if it doesn't make any sense.   :wink:

I happened to really like Pandora Tomorrow.  If it's the "adult" stuff that you don't like, you probably won't like Chaos Theory either.  It's supposedly more violent, but maybe no one curses.   :?:

[Knightshade Dragon]

I really liked the first splinter cell, and although the second one improves the controls and items a bit, its levels are lackluster and uninspired.

Well, the first game was Ubi Montreal, the second was the new Ubi Shanghai studio.  Chaos Theory is back in the hands of Ubi Montreal, maybe we'll get a bit more inspiration and a bit more freedom out of the third title?  I think everyone lambasted Pandora for its linearity.

[aledromo]

I encourage people who aren't satisfied with this game to check out my review of the Gamecube version, available here on the site (I'm a better writer of reviews than hypertext, so no link - sorry).

Hell, I encourage fans of the game to check it out and maybe explain where I missed the point.

[Graham]

I encourage people who aren't satisfied with this game to check out my review of the Gamecube version, available here on the site (I'm a better writer of reviews than hypertext, so no link - sorry).

Hell, I encourage fans of the game to check it out and maybe explain where I missed the point.

Here is the link for aledromo's review.

[-Lord Ebonstone-]

Yeah, I don't get it either.  Why's it OK to snap necks, knock unconscious, shoot to death, or otherwise maim or destroy a virtual representation of a human life, but if you hear any tier-1 curses it's game over?

I mean, I understand pet peeves, but come on...

[Dimmona]

I loved the multiplayer portion of Splinter Cell - one of the freshest, most unique online game available... shame it didn't catch on as much as it could.

That said, I could see why people wouldn't like the single player portion.  My biggest beef is that towards the end it pretty much felt like a puzzle game.  Not only were the levels extremely linear, but often times there was only one solution for getting by a particular part - which meant a ton of trial-and-error.

[Jancelot]

Rise from the grave topic!

Once I accepted the fact that this game is linear I ended up enjoying it alot.  Some levels were frustrating at times because it was difficult to determine what the devs wanted me to do.  But for the most part I found my way through it with no probs.

[Knightshade Dragon]

The only problem I had was the very last level.  Took me about a billion tries for that one....maybe its just me.

[Goonch]

Huh.

Yeah, avoid the other prison game The Suffering, too.  Wouldn't want you to put your eye out in case the disc riccocheted or something.

Hey it's a prison game, what do you expect?  

[semiconscious]

Can one really get upset about the use of words in a game like "damn" and "hell," and then in the same post, complain about the fact that a mission doesn't give them a gun?

I will now invent a word to describe this phenomenon: "hypocrironic."

you know, i just watched frank zappa's 'baby snakes' last nite, & i'm pretty sure he'd've been the first person to second your point...