Splinter Cell Download Levels [2021]
Libby Ellwein
Defense Ministry, T'bilisi, Georgia: Arriving at the Georgian Ministry of Defense, Fisher begins the search for Grinko, to find out why Blaustein and Madison were killed. Fisher first encounters and interrogates Grinko's personal driver, Hamlet. The latter reveals that Grinko is former-Spetznaz, now a mercenary and is shortly meeting a computer geek called Philip Masse in the elevator overlooking the Ministry courtyard. With this info, Fisher delves deeper into the interior, and locates Grinko and Masse meeting in the elevator. Using his Laser Mic, Fisher is able to secretly eavesdrop on their conversation and hears the two discussing Blaustein and Madison briefly. They then hint that Nikoladze is conducting some kind of top-secret operation in Azerbaijan, and that Nikoladze has evidence stored on his office computer. To uncover what they're hiding, Fisher infiltrates Nikoladze's personal office and has Anna Grímsdóttir, Third Echelon's technical expert, hack into the computer via satellite. The Ministry's security detects the hack and cuts Grímsdóttir's access, sending the building into alert. She hacks in again however, and retrieves the rest of the data, which reveals that Nikoladze has secretly been waging an ethnic-cleansing campaign in Azerbaijan, which is still ongoing by cells of the Georgian military. Fisher fights his way out of the building and escapes via helicopter, piloted by Third Echelon field runner Vernon Wilkes, Jr. The data that Grímsdóttir gained is further analyzed in full detail by the National Security Agency. The detected intrusion at the Ministry forces Nikoladze to go into underground hiding. He then kick-starts his campaign into full action: the Georgian military cells now start murder rampages throughout Azerbaijan. NATO sends troops into the affected areas in an effort to stop the attempted genocide, and to locate Nikoladze. During this chaos, the NSA notice, in the data retrieved from the Ministry, that a Georgian military cell stationed on an oil rig on the Caspian Sea has been exchanging data with the Georgian Presidential Palace, speculating it is of considerable significance; and thus Fisher is sent there to retrieve the data.
Kalinatek, Langley, Virginia: Because Grímsdóttir's hack was detected by those at Kalinatek, the troops in the building are attempting to destroy any evidence that could lead to Nikoladze, including their computer technicians. Grímsdóttir intercepts a 911 call made from a technician called Ivan inside the building, who states that his life is in danger, and he will help the American government in exchange for rescue. He tells her that he is safe for now as he has closed the fire doors surrounding him but they won't hold forever. This new information necessitates an emergency mission to the Kalinatek building and Fisher has to move fast to find Ivan before he is found and killed. However, he is forced to make several detours when the troops plant mines throughout the building on vital parts of the structure, and a bomb is armed on the gas pipes in the main utility room. After deactivating all of these explosives, Fisher stumbles across a dying technician, who tells him that Ivan must be on the fifth floor. Lambert then tells Fisher that the FBI will collect Ivan and all he needs is Ivan's encryption key. Fisher locates Ivan hiding in the bathroom, and saves his life by killing his attacker. Ivan is anxious to leave with Fisher but Fisher just demands the encryption key from him. Reluctantly, Ivan hands over his encryption key. Fisher shoots his way out of the Kalinatek and escapes via The Osprey as FBI agents come to take over the scene and take Ivan into custody. Using the encryption key, the NSA discovers that Nikoladze has been using a network of unconventional relays to communicate with the Georgian military cells. Grímsdóttir manages to trace one of these data streams back to the Nadezhda Nuclear Power Plant in northern Russia, but due to the electronic noise surrounding the plant, is unable to trace the data any further; thus Fisher is sent to shut the power plant down.
There are differences in the story and details between the main version of Splinter Cell (Ubisoft Montreal, Xbox and PC) and the version on PlayStation 2/GameCube (Ubisoft Shanghai). Some of the levels are exclusive redesigns based on the levels in version 1. Most are shorter and punctuated by full-motion cutscenes. The PlayStation 2 version includes four additional levels set in a nuclear power plant in Russia (Sam is wearing a winter Splinter Cell uniform).[1]
While Ubisoft Montreal's initial Xbox and Windows versions were released to critical and commercial success, Ubisoft Shanghai was developing versions for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube consoles. Development on these ports started in April 2002, while Montreal's version was still in development and used Montreal's base code and graphic assets as a starting point. In order to complete the port in such a short time frame, extra developers were brought in from France and Italy to assist the Chinese team. Incomplete data packages being sent from Montreal and cultural and language differences between the team members caused hardship during the production, but the port shipped on time and was also a critical and commercial success. Changes from Montreal's version includes story differences, an extra level (set at a nuclear power plant on the Kola Peninsula), redesigned HUD, lower difficulty, decreased graphic quality, and sections of levels removed and replaced with full-motion video cutscenes.
The Xbox versions' visuals include better lighting and less jagged polygon models, and utilize its graphical capabilities almost to the fullest. This version includes real-time cutscenes, rather than the full-motion videos from the other two versions. The game runs at a higher resolution than the PlayStation 2 version, and has a slightly more consistent frame rate than both the PlayStation 2 and GCN versions. None of the extras from the PlayStation 2 and GCN versions are present, though shortly after the other versions were released three exclusive levels were downloadable via Xbox Live and a disk release was bundled later on. The Xbox version is also backwards compatible with the Xbox 360 and the Xbox One.
The Windows version was a port of the Xbox version and duplicated that version's user interface and gameplay. However, the Windows version can be run at higher graphic resolutions than the console versions and some of the real-time cutscenes have been replaced with full-motion videos. The "checkpoint" save system from the Xbox version was replaced with the ability to save a game at any time and the controls were reworked to allow simultaneous use of a keyboard and mouse, with movement speed being controlled by the mouse wheel, a feature that received praise from several reviewers. None of the bonus content from the other versions are present on this version. The Xbox Live bonus levels (Kola Cell, Vselka Infiltration, Vselka Submarine) for the PC version were available as a patch included in the limited collector's edition of Chaos Theory and came pre-installed in the version of the game in the Ubisoft Action-Adventure Collection. It was also available in the Splinter Cell: Mission Pack, which is sold only in Europe. There is an unfortunate graphics problem in this version, though. Projected shadows would not appear with video cards Nvidia 6 series and up. This problem was caused because the game was a direct port from the Xbox, which renders shadows similarly to Nvidia 3, 4 and FX cards. It is possible to force the shadows, but this can cause system instabilities. This problem persists to Pandora Tomorrow.
The PlayStation 2 and GameCube versions were developed by Ubisoft Shanghai, and feature a redesigned HUD. The PlayStation 2 version runs at a lower resolution than the Xbox and GCN versions, and sacrifices had to be made to the graphics including more jagged edges, duller colors and fewer lighting effects, due to the more limited hardware. For example, the Oil Rig level is supposed to take place during the day but the sky is dark throughout the level. Also, despite these sacrifices, the frame rate tends to stutter slightly more than the Xbox version. Reflections can been seen on some floor surfaces, not seen in previous versions. Loading times, as with most PlayStation 2 versions of games, are also longer. The layout of the levels have been changed, mostly to accommodate for the PS2 hardware, including levels being segmented into smaller that require loading screens. It's also possible that levels were changed for improved gameplay reasons as well, notably many tricks used by wall jumping to bypass areas are no longer available. The storyline was also modified (see Differences section above).
Double Agent: Kinshasha. It's a warzone, mid-day, you don't have your goggles, and it's split into three parts. This is the level that people think about when they think of Double Agent's biggest failing. The JBA levels are also rather boring, but I liked the threat of being discovered, Hitman style.
But I was wondering whether any of the other titles had any special bonuses or levels or additional sections released as an exclusive of sorts. Of course, I'm not really talking about how the level design varies from console to console, but rather how some version might have some extra level altogether or a variation to the story or extra sections to a level with extra objectives.
I kinda want to do a daily level talk with the community here covering most of the levels of the series. Basically, talk about what you liked and disliked about the level, what your experience was playing it, etc.
A few years ago I made a summary of all bonus levels and missions existing for the Splinter Cell games on another forum so I thought it would be nice to repost it here to help newcomers. I don't know if that kind of thread has already been done but I hope it will be helpful :)
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