Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Essentials

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Essentials is an action-adventure stealth game developed by Ubisoft Montreal. It is the fifth installment in the Splinter Cell series. It was developed exclusively for the PlayStation Portable in 2006.
Interestingly, despite Ubisoft giving no claims on whether or not Essentials is part of the Splinter Cell canon, many of the events have different dates or take place at a different time then originally.
== Plot ==
Set after the events of the JBA Crisis, Sam Fisher, a covert agent turned fugitive, sneaks into the graveyard where his daughter, Sarah, is buried. Fisher is arrested at the graveyard, taken into custody and interrogated. During this time, Fisher recalls past events and missions.
Many of the events that Fisher remembers are from his past time as a Third Echelon agent. The first mission that he remembers is during his time as a Navy SEAL, in which his commander, Douglas Shetland, was captured by FARC guerrillas. Going against the commanding officer's orders, he performs a solo rescue mission to save his commander.
Fisher eventually admits that Lambert had been killed by him. However, Fisher steals the evidence and escapes in the end.
== Gameplay ==
The gameplay is derived from Splinter Cell games in the past, where a large portion of the game is played in the shadows and killing the enemies stealthily. Many of the past gadgets and weapons, such as the SC-20K and the 5-7 SC pistol, return in this installment.
== Reception ==
Essentials was received with mixed reviews. The game holds a rating of 58% on Game Rankings.
Juan Castro of IGN gave the game a score of 6.3 out of 10, saying: "It feels rushed, even slightly broken during certain parts. Beyond this, the game plays as though it doesn't belong on the PSP. It yearns for a second analog stick and an extra pair of buttons, for instance. Not only that, it suffers quite a bit in the performance department—you'll rarely see the game running smoothly. Making matters worse is that Essentials doesn't look all that spectacular. This from a series that always pushes the boundaries of current technology."
Greg Mueller of GameSpot gave Essentials a score of 5.8 out of 10, saying: "Splinter Cell: Essentials sounds like a fine idea. Take some missions from previous games, mix them up a little, add some entirely new missions, and fit it all onto the PSP. Unfortunately, due to some bad controls, oppressively dark levels, and a worthless multiplayer mode, the result is a game that is more frustrating than it is rewarding."
Category:Games by Ubisoft
Category:Splinter Cell series
Category:Games released on the PlayStation Portable
Category:Games released in 2006
Category:Games that are rated M