There's no way a state-of-the-art PS2 or Xbox shoot-'em-up should work as a teeny mobile game - but that hasn't stopped Gameloft producing a series of excellent Tom Clancy conversions for Java phones. The likes of Splinter Cell: Extended Ops and Raven Shield were mere appetisers, however, to the stealth blowout that is Pandora Tomorrow. Once again you take on the role of Third Echelon operative Sam Fisher, infiltrating terrorist strongholds around the world and taking out the enemy as quietly as possible so as not to upset anyone. Like Gameloft's previous SC titles, Pandora is a 2D flip-screen platformer that mixes traditional jump-and-shoot gameplay with stealth elements. You can hide in shadows, creep about on all fours and even knock out enemy soldiers, using them as human shields, lobbing them on proximity mines or pointing their lifeless faces at retinal scanner locks to open doors. When you do have to shoot, there's a cool new aiming function: hitting 0 brings up a red laser ray which you then direct at baddies, mines etc on different levels, so finally you can shoot diagonally. A major bonus. As for other controls, everything's been simplified (and, you get the feeling, rigorously quality tested) for the mobile keypad, so you climb, jump and shimmy along poles just by hitting Up in the right places. It's clever design and puts Fisher's impressively large selection of moves within easy reach. Of course, none of this would count for much if the game itself was dull as hell but it's an inventive ride demanding both quick reactions and considerable pre-planning. Every screen is a puzzle, constructed from patrolling guards, security cameras, motion detectors and mines - and uncovering the sequence of actions you'll need to get through is truly challenging stuff. And, predictably for a Gameloft title, the visuals truly push the medium to its limits. Grungy submarine interiors, dense city skylines... everything is given depth and character with the deftest of touches and only the most basic graphical raw materials. There are some excellent little peripheral touches, too: the moths buzzing around exterior light sources, the guard who stops patrolling for a few seconds to urinate behind a truck - it all helps to bring a resolutely two dimensional game to life. Along with Rayman 3 and Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, this compelling and deceptively deep title confirms Gameloft as one of the finest mobile developers in Europe. Owning a high-end Java phone and not downloading this game would be like purchasing a Porsche 911 GT3 RS and never going above 50 mph.
Other Helpful Reviews for Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow for mobile phones is a very impressive achievement, to say the least. First, it packs technically and aesthetically impressive visuals onto a low-resolution cell phone scre... Read Full Review
First time i played the game i thougt:this sure is crappy as most other "shooting games" to mobile.I played it for a while,accomplished all missions. Then i just could not resist to not play it again and again... This ... Read Full Review
