Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Essentials

 PSP
  • Publisher: Ubisoft
  • Release Date: Mar 21, 2006
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 49 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 49
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 49
  3. Negative: 8 out of 49
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  1. DjFIL
    May 21, 2006
    7
    Reviwers were pretty harsh on this game. It's only got 2 main issues in my opinion... there is lots of graphic clipping issues... but more importantly (and maybe reviwers took this as the big reason for low marks) is the static camera, you must move the camera manualy by holding the circle... it kinda sucks (especially in tense gun down kinda situations)... but if you plan out your Reviwers were pretty harsh on this game. It's only got 2 main issues in my opinion... there is lots of graphic clipping issues... but more importantly (and maybe reviwers took this as the big reason for low marks) is the static camera, you must move the camera manualy by holding the circle... it kinda sucks (especially in tense gun down kinda situations)... but if you plan out your moves (as you should in a stealth game like Splinter Cell) you'll be able to deal with the camera issue just fine. Beyond those 2 issues, this game is everything you'd expect or want from a handheld version of Splinter Cell. It may not be a purchase, but I'm glad I rented it to play through while on my night shift.… Expand
  2. DGDrocks7
    Jun 20, 2018
    5
    Adapting PS2 experiences on the PSP wasn't an uneasy task. Just look at games like SOCOM and Metal Gear Solid. While they controlled different and some sacrifices had to be made, they were fun experiences. So what happened here?

    They just dumped a PS2 game here, that's what happened. Ubisoft thought you can just develop a PS2 game then dump it on the PSP without making changes. First,    Adapting PS2 experiences on the PSP wasn't an uneasy task. Just look at games like SOCOM and Metal Gear Solid. While they controlled different and some sacrifices had to be made, they were fun experiences. So what happened here?

    They just dumped a PS2 game here, that's what happened. Ubisoft thought you can just develop a PS2 game then dump it on the PSP without making changes. First, the controls, oh my, the controls. Because of no second analog stick (seriously who the hell thought just one analog stick was a good idea?), camera control is a nightmare. The default means you cannot move Sam and the camera at the same time. Alternative allows you to do so but it puts camera control on the face buttons. Guess where the action buttons are. Either way, you need to push a button to activate or deactivate camera mode. Granted you can get used to the controls quite easily, but if only the levels were designed with that in mind. But they aren't. As if the PC and console SC games weren't difficult enough (in a good way), the control scheme made it frustrating. Remember those times where you had to reload saves when you screwed up? You'll have to do it many, many, many more times here.

    Speaking of reloading saves, get used to the Title: you'll be seeing it many times and for quite a while. Aside from constant reloading, you'll have to wait a long time when reloading saves. And I was playing the DIGITAL version. On a PSP-3000. So imagine playing on a UMD with the PSP-1000 (which has less RAM). That said, the loading times can be resolved if you play on a PPSSPP Emulator. The control issues, however, are still there.

    And I had no idea what's going on in the story. This is after Double Agent (which was released months later). Sam get falsely arrested and needs to clear his name. So all except the final level are flashbacks as Sam is telling what really happened. You also see a twist in the SC timeline which I think was not supposed to be seen until you play DA (gg Ubisoft). And remember when I said they just dumped a PS2 game here? Well, two of the levels are exactly from the console versions (one from the original and the other from Chaos Theory). And like I said, these levels were hard enough on the bigger platforms.

    And the bonus missions...are all from Pandora Tommorrow. No, if I want to play those levels, I'll play Pandora Tommorrow. You can only unlock them by entering a code on the website but since it's dead and you're curious: just go to the Bonus Missions screen, hold Select and tap L+R at the same time repeatedly till you unlock all of them. But trust me, go play PT instead as you'll just torture yourself. You've been warned.

    SC:E looks fun. I just wished it was playable on a platform other than the PSP. If it got some more development time, it would have been excellent. Wasted potential is what I'm seeing.    … Expand
  3. SickRobbery
    Nov 1, 2021
    6
    Pretty enjoyable game. Has some fun story beats. I love the (funny) banter between NPC's. Clunky controls are helped by a remastered controls mod.

Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Most Discussed PSP Game of 2006
25
#25 Most Shared PSP Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 37 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 37
  3. Negative: 10 out of 37
  1. RewiredMind
    30
    The AI is so basic that it is possible to rush through many areas without fear of getting hurt or even getting noticed. Even if you do decide you’re going to take it slow, it is a lottery as to whether some enemies will detect you or not.
    Read full review
  2. GameCritics
    30
    To make an embarrassing story short, Splinter Cell: Essentials is a mess. For a series that leads the stealth genre and has worked hard to make itself more accessible and more polished with each successive sequel, an entry like this—even on a portable— can only be seen as a miserable failure.
    Read full review
  3. Play UK
    71
    Fans of the series should be prepared for a fight if they want to get the most out of the game. [Issue#139, p.75]
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