For me, it's Splinter Cell all the way. From a story point, it has very well crafted plots of political intrigue that feels strongly grounded in the real world. Like these could be events happening right outside your door step, or overseas in our world. These games really do immerse you in the espionage world of Tom Clancy.
SC has the more refined stealth mechanics. This was the 1st game where dynamic lighting and shadows wasn't just a pretty visual effect, but incorprated as an integral part of the gameplay. Using the cover of darkness, being able to alter the lighting conditions of your environment, minding your positioning to make sure not to cast a shadow in view of the enemies. Plus analog control of your movement speed that in turn controlled the noise you made, another means to avoid detection.
Then there's the gameplay with its richly diverse character actions;
* sneaking up on enemies which extends to interrogations, using them as human shields, forcing them to access retina scanners
* sneak attacking them through soft cloth materials
* outmaneuvering the enemies by crawling along pipes way above them (or to get the drop on them)
* timing your movements past cameras
* analog control of picking locks
* thermal vision to avoid laser grids and seeing which keys on a security pad were touched
* hacking computers and keypads
* sniping
* intel gathering by eavesdropping with the laser mic
* disarming mines, or setting mines for traps
The challenge in your missions were varied as well, depending on if you had authorization to use lethal force as you see fit, or in cases of high political tension, you couldn't harm anyone, which would result in starting a war, so you HAD to avoid detection at all costs. Or where information from your target was more vital than simply neautralizing him. Plus some scenarios where there were innocent civilians to be cautious around (whereas most games its just dealing with military opposition), to be sure not to kill them and not be spotted where they would blow your stealth when shouting in the panic of a regular citizen who isn't a soldier.
Which is why from story to gameplay, I give the nod to Splinter Cell.
AdobeArtist
Yes, SC was a superior stealth game, but not a superior game, MGS destroyed it...
MGS has presentation, great story, some comedic elements, crazy plot twists, some very emotionally grasping moments, nice array of weaponary, unique bosses, and overall superior story elements...
SC was and still is the stealth game, but, after buying about 4 of the games from the series, I got more and more dis-interested after each one in the trilogy, allot of the enviorments were the same drab office corridors and cubicles that would give any claustrophobe a stroke.Then the jungle missions, were very drab, the enviorments of the game lacked life, there was a distinct difference between interactable objects and background, and the game was way to linear.With the jungle missions, trying to add variety, it still felt like you were walking from point a to b, with just fake foliage to try and distant the player from noticing the straight forward path you always took.Also, the fact that the enemies always looked the same, had the same voices, the extreme linearity that became extremely boring and took away from the fun of the game, the fact that the enviorments were always so un-interactive, sam never really having any personality, nor the characters around him.Drab levels, heartless game, same boring weapons with slight variations, yes the stealth was great, but every other element was pretty much a dud.
MGS always kept you in the action and fun with the evp calls or whatever you call them, where he would get called up, while MGS was basically a treasure hunt type of game, action never strayn to far away, with more progression, the player also saw more expansion of emotion with the characters, the weapons, items, and abilities.The game was also very creative with the plots of each, and while MGS 2's plot was kinda a dissapointment, so was Halo 2's, but that didn't stop both from being a great game.
So, bottom line is, MGS was the superior series...
Log in to comment