Essential Information
New details emerge on Sam Fisher's PSP flashback.
Published: February 14, 2006
Spinter Cell Essentials just may be the biggest PSP game on the near horizon. With only a few weeks left to go before the game finally hits (it'll be out March 27th for those counting the days), we've finally managed to squeeze a little more info out of Ubisoft concerning the overall storyline and the levels that will be in the game.
The storyline, as told so eloquently by the boys and girls at Ubisoft, goes a little something like this:
After learning about the death of his daughter, Sam Fisher is nowhere to be found. When Homeland Security agents finally locate Fisher in New Orleans, their worst fears are realized. Surveillance photos show Fisher in the company of Emile Dufraisne, a known domestic terrorist.
Third Echelon wants answers: why did their best agent throw away decades of service to forces with terrorists? As Sam defends himself, he will tell a story no one suspected…
Oooooh, intrigue! Suspense! Neck snapping! It's more than we've had up until now, but when coupled with the information that Essentials will be something of a best-of collection of levels from the past four games (yes, that includes Double Agent, which isn't even out yet), flashing back to the events that led up to Fisher acting fishy.
The PSP version's levels are primarily exclusive to the shiny little handheld, but there are some tweaks and re-imaginings of the levels you saw in games prior. Here's what we know about the ones Ubisoft has revealed (again, in their words because ctrl+v is so much easier than actually having to think):
Columbia: This is one of the first missions in the game, taking place in 1992 when Sam was a Navy Seal, prior to joining Third Echelon. One of Sam’s teammates, Shetland, is captured during a joint operation with the Colombian army against a major narcotics dealer. Sam goes in alone to rescue him, disobeying a direct order…
Oil Rig: You may recognize this mission from the original Splinter Cell, it is one of the two maps based on previous Splinter Cell games. Very important to the storyline, this mission takes place 12 years after Columbia. During interrogation, Sam has some interesting comments about this mission, set in 2004, several years before Splinter Cell Chaos Theory. Sam needs to interrogate a terrorist as ordered by the NSA, and must use a stealth approach throughout the mission to insure a minimal amount of disturbances.
Factory: Just a year before Chaos Theory (2006), Sam goes back to a mission he did inside a steel factory in Warsaw Indiana, USA. He needs to record an illegal arms deal involving specials weapons stolen from Third Echelon. Enduring high temperatures from inside the factory, Sam prepares to engage with unsuspecting terrorists and scientists.
Graveyard: At this moment in 2008, Sarah’s death changes everything for Sam Fisher. This moment is crucial for Splinter Cell Essentials, and is the first map of the game.
All of the screens we have for you are in order, outlining each of these levels one by one. They're not only nicely fitting for the descriptions up above, but quite impressive to boot. They may be the first real third-party game to start cracking into the both the graphical and gameplay horsepower that the PSP offers. We'll have more updates as we get 'em.
The storyline, as told so eloquently by the boys and girls at Ubisoft, goes a little something like this:
After learning about the death of his daughter, Sam Fisher is nowhere to be found. When Homeland Security agents finally locate Fisher in New Orleans, their worst fears are realized. Surveillance photos show Fisher in the company of Emile Dufraisne, a known domestic terrorist.
Third Echelon wants answers: why did their best agent throw away decades of service to forces with terrorists? As Sam defends himself, he will tell a story no one suspected…
Oooooh, intrigue! Suspense! Neck snapping! It's more than we've had up until now, but when coupled with the information that Essentials will be something of a best-of collection of levels from the past four games (yes, that includes Double Agent, which isn't even out yet), flashing back to the events that led up to Fisher acting fishy.
The PSP version's levels are primarily exclusive to the shiny little handheld, but there are some tweaks and re-imaginings of the levels you saw in games prior. Here's what we know about the ones Ubisoft has revealed (again, in their words because ctrl+v is so much easier than actually having to think):
Columbia: This is one of the first missions in the game, taking place in 1992 when Sam was a Navy Seal, prior to joining Third Echelon. One of Sam’s teammates, Shetland, is captured during a joint operation with the Colombian army against a major narcotics dealer. Sam goes in alone to rescue him, disobeying a direct order…
Oil Rig: You may recognize this mission from the original Splinter Cell, it is one of the two maps based on previous Splinter Cell games. Very important to the storyline, this mission takes place 12 years after Columbia. During interrogation, Sam has some interesting comments about this mission, set in 2004, several years before Splinter Cell Chaos Theory. Sam needs to interrogate a terrorist as ordered by the NSA, and must use a stealth approach throughout the mission to insure a minimal amount of disturbances.
Factory: Just a year before Chaos Theory (2006), Sam goes back to a mission he did inside a steel factory in Warsaw Indiana, USA. He needs to record an illegal arms deal involving specials weapons stolen from Third Echelon. Enduring high temperatures from inside the factory, Sam prepares to engage with unsuspecting terrorists and scientists.
Graveyard: At this moment in 2008, Sarah’s death changes everything for Sam Fisher. This moment is crucial for Splinter Cell Essentials, and is the first map of the game.
All of the screens we have for you are in order, outlining each of these levels one by one. They're not only nicely fitting for the descriptions up above, but quite impressive to boot. They may be the first real third-party game to start cracking into the both the graphical and gameplay horsepower that the PSP offers. We'll have more updates as we get 'em.
