Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow [PS2]

When the original Splinter Cell hit the Xbox in late 2002, the game's pristine graphics were seen as a testament to the console's supremacy over the competition. But a few months later, Ubisoft released the almost identical looking PlayStation 2 port, so Sony fans got the last laugh. Now the sequel, Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow is heading to PS2s everywhere, and while Sony's console has lost a bit of ground to the Xbox in the graphics race, it's still looking sharp.

In Pandora Tomorrow, Sam is called upon to neutralize a new terrorist threat. Nations around the world are being "encouraged" to break off certain relations with the U.S., and one particular bad seed has a biochemical surprise for American citizens if he fails to call his cronies every day. For this reason, he can't simply be assassinated, and so Fischer must find out the extent of his plans.

Sam's a little older and grayer this time around, and a tad smarter. While the original Splinter Cell had very focused paths through each level, Pandora Tomorrow attempts to open things up, giving players the chance at choosing different ways around a problem. Although Ubi had good intentions, these multi-path sections stand out like a sore thumb in what's a mostly scripted and linear game. The PS2 version does add new diverse opportunities, but it's a far cry from open-ended games like Hitman.

The other big enhancement, and the game's best asset, is the new multiplayer mode. You and up to three others can play in online games of spies vs. mercenaries. Players who choose the spy side control their characters from a third-person perspective, like in the single-player game. Meanwhile, mercenaries compete from a first-person view, severely limiting their peripheral vision and making it tough to keep out of a super secret agent headlock.

But that's the whole idea. The spies have greater mobility and can see around corners but are stuck with wimpy non-lethal weapons. The mercenaries can't see as well, but have fully automatic rifles and a slew of gee-whiz electrical devices for detecting and neutralizing spies.

While this creates the potential for fascinating online play, you will often find people running around clueless, blathering about how trippy the motion detector visor is. However, find a match with smart, strategic players and it's one of the best online console games in existence. A headset is essential, though -- without easy, communicative teamwork, the fun level drops drastically.

Visually, Pandora Tomorrow is as good as it gets for PlayStation 2 owners, with very detailed environments, flawless animations, and great lighting and visual effects. But when played next to the Xbox version, we noticed lower resolution textures, blockier character models, and some missing effects like the reflecting surfaces. Audio keeps pace with the Xbox version, presenting largely the same musical highlights, sound effects, and dialog, but the graphics can't quite keep up.

To make up for the weaker aesthetics, PS2 gamers do get an extra single-player level (along with some tweaks to the existing levels), and a post-mission stats readout that might give players something to brag about online.

Like its Xbox cousin, the PlayStation 2 version of Pandora Tomorrow continues the original's fantastic stealth gameplay and expands with some truly innovative online play. Xbox owners need not worry about getting this new version, but Fischer fans that only own the PS2 should consider this one a must-buy.