During Christmas season last year, I was wandering through the video game area of Best Buy. I was supposed to be buying gifts for my family and friends, but something just drew me to the area. Kinda of an unexplained phenomena.

Best Buy always has a top seller on a sick sale, like a 50 dollar game for 29.99. So I went to see what it was.  Well they had TWO games on sale. Dead or Alive Xtreme beach volleyball and Splinter Cell. Since it was the Christmas season and I was in the spirit of buying, I bought both games.

I truly enjoyed the original Splinter cell. So I looked forward to playing the new one.  I did regret a bit buying the first Splinter Cell because of its limitations. I buy games like Morrowinds and Grand Theft Auto because there wide range of possibilities. You can do all different things all the time, while games like Splinter Cell are confined to accomplishing one task, and that is it.

Anyways, enough with my mumbo-jumbo.

The game starts off with some great graphics, and the beginning of the story.  I watched it twice because it’s not really that informative. But much to my hastiness, they inform you of what is really going on a few minutes later while you get dropped off in some water.

The game picks up where it really left off, having your character have to watch where he walks, how he walks and things he does. There is some official in your ear at all times telling you what you have to do and if you screwed up.

The graphics are killer. They best the last game with sharper and tighter scenarios.  The attention to detail in everything really makes you want to play this game more.  The sunset is very realistic and casts a orange glow on most of the buildings, while water looks and sounds like water. If you have ever played some older video games, water usually looks like glass in most video games.

The game play is still very fun and exciting.  He has some new moves now, like a spin move to move from doorway to doorway.  I found that the original game made me nervous to play. I get to a point in the game where you can't screw up and you move like 2 inches in a minute. I have no nails left.

The plot is similar in most ways to the original, and of course a few different things. but over-all it is definitely in line with what Splinter Cell is all about.

Over all the game is an improvement over the original, and should keep fans very happy. 

I rate this game 40.00 out of 50.00. For the fans of the game, it has good replay value. If you are going to rent it, make sure you have enough time to play it, this is not a 30 minute game. One part of a mission took me 45 minutes to sneak around. This is a solid game that you will have fun with.