Splinter Cell Double Agent Review Retrospective - Yep, both versions.

[@jamesc8968]

I still remember in the PC version sneaking into Emile's office and flicking on a light. When I heard Emile coming back I hid but didn't turn the light off. He entered and was immediately alerted but not because he had found me but because when he had left the room he had turned off all the lights when he had left. He says "I didn't leave any lights on!" magical!

[@cjware316]

Ive done the same thing... What an awesome moment. Not to mention the score. Music from D.A. and was easily the 2nd best soundtrack behind Chaos Theory.

[@mr.sinjin-smyth]

Played and finished Double Agent myself recently and it was a slog to get through with constant crashes anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour of playing, along with corrupted save files, that I had to back up constantly externally. Double Agent is easily one of the worst PC ports ever, even much worse than say... Silent Hill Homecoming.

[@lionocyborg6030]

@@mr.sinjin-smyth Are there fixes for it? I got it on Steam to go with my 360 version from back in the day but I don’t want to suffer through it.

[@v-trigger6137]

Don't know what these people talking about, I have completed Double Agent in pc, like 3 times now. and never faced any problem.

[@Chonkems]

@@lionocyborg6030 It runs perfectly fine with a widescreen fix on my PC, which is from 2019.

[@CarsonMossJBA]

It’s Moss. Listen PAL. If you call me moose one more time, you’ll end up in the furnace. You got that?

[@theblobconsumes4859]

moorse

[@KIRKCOLLECTS]

Show me the furnace moose

[@CarsonMossJBA]

🔥🪵🧨🧨🧨

[@TheWaynos73]

Its always satisfying to put the knife in Moose. Fk that guy.

[@CarsonMossJBA]

It’s Moss. This game is fake. The cannon ending is me winning and defeating FISHER.

[@KIRKCOLLECTS]

Okay Moose.

[@CarsonMossJBA]

It’s Moss. Get it right or pay the price.

[@bosyogurtlight]

​​@@KIRKCOLLECTS don't mess with Splinter Cell Double Agent fans. We're like ten and two thought it was a Hitman game because Sam is bald

[@franzpattison]

You mean canon I'm sure

[@SimplexPL]

@@franzpattison I wonder if he made that mistake on purpose to make Moose look stupid.

[@sndchamp9949]

“Fisher Your daughter just died” Throws him in prison*

[@Admjral]

"How exactly does that take precedent over national security?" really got me shook

[@lonelycrow5359]

It just shows how used he was by the government

[@RecluseBootsy]

Next game: "just kidding. But I'm dead though."

[@SimplexPL]

It's baffling that the arguably better version made by original creators (Ubisoft Montreal) was released for the previous generation and disappeared into obscurity. At the time these games were released I was unaware of the 6th gen version, I wrongly assumed the 7th gen version must be better.

[@jayceneal5273]

I think it was more a manner of release schedule. They had just finished Chaos Theory the year before, and finishing a game in a year for next gen systems would have been a disaster. Shanghai was developing their version during Chaos Theory's development.

[@Draliseth]

Ubisoft Montreal, for a time, could do no wrong in my eyes.

[@gilbertgonzalez9668]

Yes and no. While 'version B' was indeed made by Ubi Montreal, the core members that originally made SC had pretty much already left to form EA Montreal.

[@aversiac-2]

@@gilbertgonzalez9668 Even the devs who hadnt left Ubi Montreal were working on Far Cry 2 and Conviction at this time. The team that developed version B was not the same as Chaos Theory.

[@mr.sinjin-smyth]

Played and finished Double Agent myself recently and it was a slog to get through with constant crashes anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour of playing, along with corrupted save files, that I had to back up constantly externally. Double Agent is easily one of the worst PC ports ever, even much worse than say... Silent Hill Homecoming.

[@CsubAzUrmedve]

I really don't understand the concept of this game. Or undercover stories in general. Sam goes undercover to find out what they are up to, so you commint acts of terror to... find out what they are planning... What?

[@stuffedmannequin]

Double Agent for the OG Xbox was legit my favorite Splinter Cell of all time. I was young when it came out, so I was really confused as to why everybody hated it--or at least, I *thought* they hated it. It turned out that everyone hated the 360 version, and nobody had ever played the OG Xbox version. It is absolutely criminal that the OG Xbox version of Double Agent is so virtually unknown. I will defend it until the day I die.

[@antoniojones3090]

Man, I love your Splinter Cell retrospectives! I can't wait for Conviction and Blacklist. Keep up the phenomenal work!

[@floydframpton]

On the final mission of version B with the boss fight, you can find a frag earlier on in the mission and you can simply toss it at Emile for a quick kill.

[@KIRKCOLLECTS]

Ah, good to know!

[@BeautyIsJustAMask]

If you throw a flashbang you can go and grab him and do the interrogate option before melee killing him.

[@TheOnlyDarkKnight]

@Никита Голливуд Nope, you are wrong. Its confirmed that the canon version is the Xbox 360 version. The why of it, is SC Essentials is based around the PS2 storyline (which is different to the Xbox storyline) and thus is not canon because of it. The real canon events are the ones seen on the Xbox from SAR to CT and the DA version of the Xbox 360. Everything else is not canon. Conviction follows the ending of DA Xbox 360.

[@TheOnlyDarkKnight]

@Никита Голливуд You can think whatever you want, you are free to do so but reality is different. Conviction uses cutscenes from DA V1 which is the 360 version. Conviction tells you that Fisher shoots Lambert, on the Xbox/PS2 version Moss shoots Lambert not Fisher. Unlike the 360 version where you actually do have to shoot him. The end credits of DA V1 do explain why the agency is looking for Fisher. Conviction novels explain a lot more in depth as well. Essentials and DA V2 are not canon, whatever you like it or not, is just how it is. But like I said, you are free to do whatever you want.

[@TheOnlyDarkKnight]

@Никита Голливуд "No, according to the canon, Fischer kills Lambert in "Splinter Cell Essentials" LMAO you are wrong. Lambert was shot on JBA HQ at NEW YORK, DA V2 and Essentials take place on New Orleands, not New York, and it is mentioned on Conviction. Coste, says it himself "his agency killed him, set him up and turn him lose, and told him to pull the trigger on his best friend on a dirty NEW YORK city basement" Thats my proof, you cant deny it now. Plus on DAV2 Moss shots Lambert and on Essentials Fisher does it, they both contradict each other, so your idea of "Essentials and DAV2 are canon" doesnt make sense because each game goes against each other on how events happened. Thats your proof but again, if you can do or think whatever you want, reality is different. Have a nice day.

[@METALsyndr0me]

Had no idea version B was so similar to chaos theory. Gonna have to give it go! Great retrospective as always!

[@kneeckle8312]

Sarah was really explored in the books, especially the first one. Really underrated books.

[@lionocyborg6030]

Those were great. It’s a shame we didn’t get novelisations of the actual games too like Halo & Assassins Creed but the Splinter Cell books we got are still really good. The first person narrative in the initial two is damn well done, capturing Sam’s personality well, like the author had Michael Ironside as a consultant.

[@treefingers6572]

I remember reading Fallout when I was younger and just being gripped by the story. An actual page-turner.

[@Kechioma]

I like how when you interrogate Emile in both versions he has unique dialogue with usually involves getting pissy with Fisher You can grab him in version A by doing a cover grab after baiting him out of his pocket, he won't fight back and has full dialogue. And in version B by just spamming stuns.

[@junioraltamontent.7582]

This should've been the last Sam Fisher game tbh. Lambert being captured was a huge part of the marketing and wouldve made a great reason to have Sam take his place as the 3rd Echelon shot caller. Having Sam be a 30 year old that does Uncharted climbing in Blacklist is ridiculous given he's mid 40's with Lord knows how much cartilage in his knees left when we meet him in Splinter Cell 1.

[@FourthExile]

Yeah Double Agent felt like an appropriate end to Fishers arc, both narratively and in terms of gameplay legacy. SC being so grounded pretty much all the way through the series I think is what made keeping him alive/active In Conviction and Blacklist so jarring and out of step.

[@macree01]

For real! Sam was supposed to be pushing 50 by the time of Chaos Theory. And Blacklist is like at minimum 7-8 years after Chaos Theory, giving account to all the time between Double Agent, Conviction etc… I remember when I first saw the ads for Blacklist I was very confused. For one, narratively Sam wrapped up his stuff in Conviction. Like it or hate it, it was considered to be that characters last hoorah. Then comes Blacklist and the character looks younger than he did fighting in the Gulf War circa 1991 😂.

[@devonaveii2675]

Sam Fisher in Blacklist is so angsty and cringe 🤣 idk why they cast that actor for the role

[@bluekawashima-9012]

​​@@devonaveii2675 I don't think it was on the actor but on the writers and script. If they wanted to they could've kept Sam's witty jokes and stubbornness.

[@have_a_good_day420]

I agree completely, although by Double Agent Sam would have been in his mid 50s. So the idea of his parkouring in Blacklist would mean he'd be in his 60s moving like he's in his 30s.

[@Debatra.]

I still remember GameInformer previewing an early version of the prison level. Jamie originally caught one of the agents 3E sent to orchestrate things, and it was a trust moment for Sam to decide whether or not to let him kill the guy.

[@wte_lifts_417]

I remember playing this as a kid and never even knew there were two different versions, now I’m wondering which one I played! Very happy you popped up on my feed, great retrospective.

[@SynysterRipper]

Version B was what I played on launch because I was a couple years late on getting a 360. I hated it then because I was left out of the next gen experience but in retrospect, Version B was definitely the true Chaos Theory sequel. Now if only we got a version C that combined the he good parts of both games

[@Aladelicous]

It always baffled me the canon ending they went with regarding Lambert. Sam never struck me as the "Jack Bauer" type that would do anything for the sake of the mission (at least leading up to DA. Afterwards, it feels like a whole different Sam to me). He was about to quit to the mission to check on Sarah when US was attacked in the first Splinter Cell. Having Lambert in a situation to be captured in the first place felt contrived enough, but it doesn't seem to even matter keeping up appearances by that point anyway as you said, you're still restricted where you can go despite it being the final hour.

[@michaelotis223]

yeah i feel 24's influence on Double Agent! That show captured the zeitgeist during the Bush era!

[@v-trigger6137]

It's the post 9/11 era influence. every single spy novel, movie, game, tv show was influenced on this. drivin by a hyper nationalist protagonist who will do whatever it takes to complete his mission. and the terriorists being stereotypical aristocrats.

[@totallynotabot6003]

Yeah, fat Lambert sneaking around in the field is just weird.

[@Darkmirror7]

In Chaos theory you can have Sam and Lambert argue over Sam possibly "jeopardizing " the mission if you decide to rescue the two pilots in south korea over just bombing the plane immediately, same goes for Sam having the option to show some dignity to Morgenholt in the first Lighthouse mission to not let his body hang like a piece of meat. I know that DA is supposed to be a low point for Sam but he never struck me as the one that forsake his morals if it could be avoided. Even in DA during the 'capture the cargo ship' mission Sam goes and points out that the Fentanyl Gas in closed rooms is going to kill people over just incapacitating them. And yeah, why a desk jockey like Lambert was picked to converse with Sam while Undercover is a mystery to me.

[@Ghost_Of_SAS]

Is there enough material to give the cancelled version of Conviction its own video, as opposed to a footnote in the video about the final release? I wouldn't think so but I'd like it to be so.

[@jamesc8968]

I would love that. Really wish we had got that version. Really feels like the closest we have got since is the Hitman games.

[@drewskiee9254]

Fun Fact, Emile is voiced by the dude who voices Joshua Graham in New Vegas. You're welcome

[@middleagedmutantninjaturtle18]

its also the la noire sidekick

[@santiagot172]

I only discovered a few years back that there was a PS3/XBOX 360 version of double agent, but after watching gameplays and also this perfectly documented retrospective,I can say that the PS2 version is the best one. It made me want to play it again.

[@theblobconsumes4859]

Before we get to Conviction, I do want to point out that I think its development might've been split as well. Chaos Theory notably had a side of the team that wanted more linear stuff and a team that was more influenced by immersive sims. I think Conviction's original version, given its design, was led by the immersive sim team; After its cancellation, the linear team took over, and we got what we got. I wished we got that original version of Conviction, it looked mechanically very interesting and open-ended. Double Agent definitely suffered from a rushed development that affected both versions. Also, remember when they said Sarah's death shouldn't be done story-wise? Yeah. Done anyway. Kinshasha in Version A could've been more enjoyable if the level design was more open-ended and there were more simulated stuff, but obviously, that'd increase the scale, therefore would not be possible.

[@jayceneal5273]

The original version of conviction looked more like assassins creed than anything. I think it would have been interesting, but would have been an even bigger detour from the formula than conviction was, which was a good game in it's own right despite committing the sin of being more action oriented. and having a cheesy as hell plot.

[@theblobconsumes4859]

@@jayceneal5273 If you look a bit more into the more in-depth gameplay, it seemed like they were going for a more heavily simulated environment, so not quite like Assassin's Creed as much as having various different solutions for going through populated environments and restricted zones. Probably closer to Hitman than AC, as AC was more of a scripted and rigid kind of game and Hitman still incorporates a lot of interacting systems.

[@tylerfreal6472]

@@theblobconsumes4859 combat and sams movement did look just like AC in the gameplay that was out

[@theblobconsumes4859]

@@tylerfreal6472 It really does not. Assassin's Creed is not a physics based beat em up. Its movement is also not that heavily physics based. It really is nothing like that if you analyze it.

[@SPG8989]

Whats funny is that's where a lot of AC mechanics came from was the OG conviction. Still wish we would have gotten that game ​@jayceneal5273

[@romagnolo]

Ooooh nice! I've been waiting for this one for a long time! I played only the Xbox 360 version, and never truly understood the difference between two versions. I just saved it to watch later tonight (currently at work haha)

[@metrowater2819]

1:41:10 the music STILL haunts my soul. Goodbye lambert 😢

[@ori.g4mi]

44:27 The needless interference with the goggles is actually only present in the Xbox release. The PS2 version omitted this entirely. You just have regular nightvision in the JBA HQ missions on PS2 with no annoying effect. I actually played the PS2 version first and was very confused when the OG Xbox version had this visual effect.

[@AxisChurchDevotee]

44:14 this is actually explainable when you consider Cole, the guy Emile sends Fisher to pry for info on his loyalty. Assuming you choose to send the info to Emile, it makes sense for the JBA to assume the person knocking people out is Cole not Fisher so the 1st HQ mission makes sense in this context.

[@clydemarshall8095]

The fact that canonically San shoots Lambert has always pissed me off and is just one of many reasons my head canon ends with Chaos Theory

[@bvco0611BR]

What an amazing video, I didn't even see the time go by and I'm honestly sad it's over. Looking forward for the Conviction and Blacklist reviews!

[@bngbox]

Waiting for the rest of the Splinter Cell videos still! Please please pleaseeeeee ❤

[@visassess8607]

I remember having this for PS2 and I was constantly trying to get my little brother to play the coop story with me. He almost never did and we only were in the first mission. I also remember the Iceland mission, specifically cutting through that plastic sheet and Sam wearing a prison uniform. That's literally all I remember though hahaga

[@mononoke721]

It's so bizarre that these were two very different games, and at the time, I had no idea the OG Xbox version was made by the same studio that made Chaos Theory whilst the 360 version (which I played) was a different developer entirely. I finally remedied this teenage oversight a few years ago and gave the Montreal version a playthrough, and whilst not as sharp as Chaos Theory, it was still a great experience, and the last genuinely more traditional Splinter Cell game. I played it back to back with Shanghai's Double Agent, and there's no doubt Montreal's is the superior game. Still, I like the 360 version too and have some nostalgia for it, particularly its mercs vs spies mode which I played a lot, though again, it wasn't as good as Chaos Theory's. It's biggest problem is that it has too many daylight missions in what is meant to be a game about sneaking around stealthily in the dark; I still really don't understand the design philosophy with that one... This review was great though in breaking each game down side by side and I'll definitely be checking out more of your work! Though, could somebody explain to me how it makes any sense that the NSA wouldn't have raided the JBA the moment they acquired the presumably highly illegal 'red mercury' substance given it can make nukes? I mean, how much more evidence does their double agent need to gather before they shut this terrorist operation down, but no, New York has to be on the precicipe of a nuclear detonation for Sam to finally be given the fifth freedom?! The plot basically makes no sense within the context of what a double agent actually is, but hey, these are just mid-2000s video games after all...

[@privitoggyt4458]

🎯 Key points for quick navigation: 00:05 *Ubisoft flagship franchise.* 00:32 *New gameplay systems.* 01:31 *Two distinct versions.* 02:40 *Last-gen unique effort.* 10:00 *Different opening missions.* 14:04 *Character-focused narrative shift.* 18:05 *Reused gameplay mechanics.* 19:58 *Swimming mechanics implemented.* 23:19 *New gadget introduced.* 23:33 *Ultrasonic emitter advantage* 23:51 *New hacking mini-game* 24:20 *Gadget upgrades rewards* 25:01 *Night vision comparison* 25:17 *Regenerative health system* 25:45 *Simplified visibility meters* 27:40 *Inconsistent shadow mechanics* 28:17 *New map feature* 28:48 *Prison escape scenario* 29:51 *Different escape approaches* 33:48 *Trust system mechanics* 36:43 *Competing Trust meters* 39:26 *Moral choices impact* 40:20 *Consequential choices variance* 41:48 *Undercover action methods* 44:49 *Standard missions criticism* 45:18 *Open-ended missions.* 45:45 *Story sequences introduction.* 46:08 *Collecting Intel benefits.* 46:54 *Missions feel chore-like.* 48:05 *Timer limits exploration.* 49:01 *JBA backstory shallow.* 49:58 *Characters lack depth.* 51:35 *Relationships feel forced.* 52:30 *Emotional moments lacking.* 53:11 *Choices feel inconsequential.* 55:20 *Graphical contrasts noted.* 57:12 *Character models compared.* 59:31 *Inconsistent CG cutscenes.* 01:00:26 *Soundtrack not memorable.* 01:03:02 *Mission design similarities.* 01:05:09 *Gameplay choices varied.* 01:07:10 *Anti-climactic ending* 01:07:48 *Lethal play style* 01:08:41 *Stealth design differences* 01:09:25 *Rigid gameplay mechanics* 01:09:54 *Eggshelled stealth experience* 01:11:03 *Moral choices impact* 01:12:45 *Limited consequences observed* 01:14:45 *Unique mission locations* 01:16:30 *Spectacle versus danger* 01:18:54 *Mission variety highlighted* 01:21:14 *Touchy stealth sections* 01:22:10 *Consequential gameplay choices* 01:23:44 *Daytime vs nighttime* 01:25:40 *Engaging environment design* 01:26:11 *Difficult ethical decisions* 01:27:43 *Underwhelming mission impacts* 01:29:01 *Varied mission quality* 01:29:17 *Stealth gameplay frustrations* 01:29:44 *Bugging the meeting* 01:30:01 *Dynamic mission design* 01:32:06 *Warzone chaos depicted* 01:34:06 *Random enemy detection* 01:36:29 *Choice between characters* 01:38:11 *Impactful mission decisions* 01:40:34 *Emotional storytelling moments* 01:42:24 *Restricted area challenges* 01:45:07 *Tense ending scenario* 01:46:45 *Boss fight mechanics* 01:48:32 *Bittersweet character arc* 01:49:52 *Bonus mission unlocks* 01:51:02 *Franchise changed forever* 01:51:21 *Version B preferred* 01:51:36 *Stronger core gameplay* 01:51:50 *Story disappoints overall* 01:52:02 *Inconsistent mission design* 01:52:17 *Visuals are outstanding* 01:52:31 *Letdown for series* Made with HARPA AI

[@FellowDrive]

Excellent work! Can’t wait to see your video on Conviction.

[@locogamingrocker5014]

I really am enjoying the Retrospective for Splinter Cell so far! Just thought I'd leave a comment to both inform you of something and help you out in the algorithm (this video got recommended to me and I subscribed after watching the first part of the Retrospective). @ around the timestamp 5:30 - the multiplayer for the Xbox 360 version of Double Agent, while technically "shut down", can actually still be played in Private Matches with people on your friends list. I know this because I got ALL the multiplayer Spies Vs. Mercs achievements AND Co-Op Gold Medal achievements years after the official server shutdown. I believe the reason for this is because the game uses peer to peer connection, so the only way to completely shut down Double Agent (360 version) would be to completely shut down Xbox 360 Live. I mostly left this comment to inform you, and other viewers reading the comments on this video. Great Retrospective! I am greatly looking forward to future parts in this Retrospective series! You're a great content creator!

[@PriscentSnow]

This was a really well made video and as someone who only got to play Ver. B in my childhood, it was really interesting to get to see what its 7th gen counterpart was like in its fullest. Thank you for making this and for all your hard work. I really hope we get to see a SC: Conviction retrospective! I think that game wasnt as popular among my friends and the series fans in general, but I really liked it for what it was; a linear action story but I can definitely see why alot of series veterans didnt really like it as much as I did.

[@BlueMarsalis]

I would be way more excited for a remake of this over the first three entries, the concept itself has so much potential for unique stealth, even imagining the best aspects of each being mixed gets me hype.

[@TheShowerofSlime]

This was such a throwback to the past. I remember my first splinter cell game was on the game boy advance- Thank you for this gift of a video, watching the previous one now!

[@PickledPreserves123]

This video felt much shorter than it was, a sign of a good one imo! Absolutely love both versions and always have fun replaying them. The main menu music, fits the tone perfectly. It would be very cool to see version 2 with the graphics of 1.

[@GabrielKnightz]

The whole narrative in this iteration was a misstep. There was no need for either his daughter or Lambert to die. How does it even make sense that the head of a super secret organisation get's caught doing grunt work he literally has trained agents to do. Since they Did go this far, i had hoped going forward we would see Sam taking on the mentor / voice in the ear role to a younger female agent. There would be some i interesting dynamic there with him having lost his daughter. But no, there's literally an FPS episode in the coming titles. Thanks for making these Kirk, your Chaos Theory review is one of this most comprehensive works on youtube. Keep up the good work.

[@KIRKCOLLECTS]

I agree completely, and thank you!!!

[@BlueMarsalis]

An acrobatic female Agent would be a nice change of pace. Just so long as they can infuse the same sense of realism Sam Fisher also has.

[@spankg888]

Put a chick on it. Such innovation

[@JosueOnYT]

Felt nostalgic for Splinter Cell and found this video. Looking forward to doubling back for the others and especially your Conviction video! Can't wai!

[@martinezzthebig]

I played this game as a kid and never realised how shallow the plot was. It didn't bother me back then, but now i would've appreciated the game a lot more if the JBA was developed in such a way that it made you start doubting the government and the NSA.

[@yutro213]

1:20:22 This is actually untrue, if left alive the station chief wakes up shortly after and alerts the guards close to the Train. Also, while riding the train itself, some guards go up to the top looking for Sam.

[@michaelburke7978]

Ohhhh, so that's why in some of my playthroughs there will be guards climbing to the roof of the subway cars, while being absent in other playthroughs. That's a pretty neat detail!

[@TheGr8tPlays]

I grew up and got aware of Splinter Cell DA version A on the 360 and its the version i ll always love. The graphics and feel of the game is what im used to though i have both versions i prefer A

[@mahic98]

Bruh I stumbled across this retrospective and found it super entertaining. I was looking at how often you do retrospective and your last one was a year ago? I can't wait that long 😭

[@MuhammadHammadAshraf]

Subbed! Binged all of your in-depth Splinter Cell videos. Would love your take on Conviction and Blacklist too.

[@jamezsimpson6295]

This was a great video, I've only played version A back when I was a kid and I know a friend who can let me borrow version B so I'll definitely be giving it a try some time soon. Hearing you break down the day missions gave me splinter cell PTSD flashbacks lol! Can't wait to watch your conviction video and hear what you have to say about the abandoned version of the game.

[@tonyleprano3969]

Enjoyed the hell of out of your Splinter Cell videos! Got me back into the series after a long break. Really looking forward to a video on Conviction and Blacklist. Enjoy your life!

[@doomslayer5638]

I like the new light detection system because I feel it requires the player to know what can hide them and what can't

[@BirdsElopeWithTheSun09]

I don't think Sam is romantically interested in Enrica in Version B, he cares for her because she reminds him of his daughter, that's why he gets so upset when she dies.

[@mattmas6628]

Version 2 of this game is the tipping point that convinced me to pick up an Xbox Series X. That and because Red Dead 1 both run at 4k with a locked 30 FPS. If not for back compat, Id have stuck to my PS5

[@KIRKCOLLECTS]

No joke when I got my hands on my series x my first thought was "oh cool, I can play the xbox version of double agent now!"

[@andrewkelemen2854]

Looking forward to your Conviction review! Good work on these reviews!

[@metalmayfantasy]

I actually prefer the original Xbox version, not just because I never bought the 360 version until a few years later, but because it feels like Chaos Theory and the coop.

[@junioraltamontent.7582]

FACTS and that last level when they play the Scarface music when he's goin ham on everyone

[@mr.sinjin-smyth]

Chaos Theory is way more superior and fun compared to that trash version of Double Agent (X360/PS3/PC). Double Agent also has one of the worst PC ports ever, even much worse than say... Silent Hill Homecoming.

[@tiwaz4598]

​@@mr.sinjin-smyth That is what he said... The good version of DA is Chaos Theory 2 basically.

[@adam7365yy]

Great video as always man. I played all of these growing up but I was abit too young to appreciate them at the time. Double agent was the first I finished and as much as it changes things for the franchise,some for the worst,I still love it

[@KORmatrixmod]

You cannot even use the new gadgets on PC version because item unlock system is totally broken.

[@BIGDOOKY]

Looking forward to the Conviction vid!

[@MichaelRoxalot]

Hopefully the Conviction Retrospective is coming out soon!

[@nevousabonnezpas4286]

The title symbolises Ubisoft's vision of the serie: Version 1 (Ubi Shanghai) = JBA (betrays the codes and the spirit of the franchise) Version 2 (Ubi Montréal) = NSA (stays loyal to CT's gameplay and respect its predecessors)

[@kombaynnikoladze4821]

You also forgot to mention two bonus missions for version B that are only available on the PlayStation 2 version, which are very similar to the missions from essential

[@StreetStoriesEnt]

I’m happy to know everybody likes double agent like me double agent was the first splinter cell I could play alone the first ones I was a fan of but really couldn’t play games and understand I couldn’t get past police station on splinter cell 1 And halo all I could beat was the mission when you abort the pillar of autumn

[@sndrs]

This is my first video of yours, and you got yourself a sub! Great video! I love Splinter Cell and have fond memories getting the x360 version on launch day. It wasn't until last year I finally played the "B" version and I wish I had done sooner. Really good game, and I enjoyed it more I think. Version "A" probably has my favourite soundtrack in the entire franchise though. I recently replayed Conviction via backwards compat on Series S, so looking forward to that video!

[@juancruzgoni1]

Nice vid man. Pls talk about SC Conviction and/or Blacklist. In Conviction: the Kestrel and Archer Co-op missions I had with a total random - were amazing and a plot twist. Still wish SC would return to it's roots. Not mentioning Sam's appearence in Ghost Recon...

[@winlover37]

I'm so glad it's not just me that noticed the tone shift between the first game and Pandora Tomorrow. I enjoyed the first game the most because of how grounded the story was and how unsafe you felt, which reflected in the soundtrack. I enjoy the newer games too, but they don't hit the same with the action movie feel they seem to go for.

[@chaosreborn5988]

Good video man. You should bring back this series 😉

[@stangerr0267]

I think A has a better trust system. There's no reason why Sam can't have both organizations trust at the same time.

[@YouTubePremiumDude]

Calling Double Agent the low point of the series is a bit melodramatic. Gun to my head I'm playing DA over Conviction, no question.

[@SynysterRipper]

My body needs more Splinter Cell content

[@AnarchyMitsukai]

While I think Version B is the better game from an overall standpoint, the single meter trust system is flawed from a logical perspective. While it can create a balancing act and make it feel like your choices have more impact, there are just some bits where it doesn't make sense. Like tapping the antenna in the JBA safehouse. The JBA doesn't know you've done that, so why should you lose trust with them over it? That sort of thing.

[@Chromeize]

Chaos Theory, as stated lol, is a masterpiece. Double Agent had it's flaws but I really did enjoy the game when I played it as a kid. Shanghai was my favorite mission in the whole game, I replayed it like 20 times to get the max stealth rating.

[@KIRKCOLLECTS]

Thank you! Yep conviction will come, and it’s gonna be an interesting one to talk about that’s for sure.

[@FozzieOscar]

the ps2/xbox version looks impressively good (and yes i know its not the original resolution, but still)

[@TypicallyUniqueOfficial]

I just remember seeing the GameInformer on Double Agent and how different the end game was.

[@Kmoltisanti97]

What were the differences? If I may know

[@RainCloudVideos]

1:49:00 Are we not gonna talk about how bad that cutscene is? The boss battle was cool but man that cutscene was so embarrassingly bad it kind of ruined it. William randomly has splinter cells sent out to kill enrica, forgive me if I’m wrong but there is no mention of this so it felt completely random and comes out of nowhere. The roof top the cutscene takes place on looks super different and inconsistent. Enrica saying her corny ass line as she’s dying, Sam yelling noooo like darth Vader…. I feel bad for Ironsides having to deliver some of these lines. Then it cuts to Sam in snow, (whole cutscene has terrible pacing, was most definitely rushed) and then he kills a splinter cell agent for just doing his job? For all these agents know, enrica is a wanted terrorist possibly responsible for the deaths of thousands. Sam saved a bunch of unconscious Air Force pilots while putting his mission at risk just because of his morality and now he’s killing his own partners because he was attached to a terrorist? Not to mention him killing lambert being canon is so out of character. The whole romance with enrica is creepy too, they even mention in the beginning how enrica is “not much older than my daughter”, and it feels so forced and early 2000s. Sorry for the rambling rant but the story of V2 is so bad and people don’t mention it enough.

[@JazzyUnderscoreTrumpeter]

What a throwback 😅 This was a great video I liked Blacklist a significant amount more than most of the community, and was curious if you plan on covering it in a similar way, someday?

[@utuberz123456789]

I really want to go back to Blacklist because I remember hating it, though a lot of that was because Michael Ironside was gone, and they were making an aging Sam run faster, climb better, sound younger, and start up a whole new organization. It felt like Conviction was supposed to end Sam's career and the series and then they tried to go back on it. Also the narrative felt watery after DA and Convictions personal stories. AND Sam's hair looks like its just painted onto his head... and upgrading your gloves and boots on a linear path was so stupid, just give me the best ones, don't give me intentionally shitty gear just so I can replace it every mission when a new thing unlocks.

[@marioauditore2859]

Blacklist is most hated because of Voice Actor changes. It surely isn't as good as Chaos Theory and Double Agent PS2 version, but still an amazing and incredibly fun game, Specially for non-americans like me, so i played it in Italian anyway lmao Also i love how the level designs fits perfectly for all three playstyles you can go to

[@Theottselmaster]

Damn good video :) I cant wait to hear your thoughts on Conviction!

[@michaelheckman3474]

The Need for Speed Undercover of the Splinter Cell franchise. Much like Double Agent, Undercover had a ps2 version which was basically recycled nfs carbon assets with an orange filter where as the xbox 360 ps3 pc version was a more cinematic and totally different experience

[@velvet7138]

In version B in Kinshasa you can softlock the mission, after you kill hisham, you have to put his body inside a car and blow it up but if you put a guard inside the car the game won't let you put hisham body inside it anymore and because you have to do it for the mission you can't progress anymore.

[@MariaYuri-qo8jy]

It's not a softlock at all. Blowing his body up in the car is a bonus objective for a small trust gain. Nothing more. You can shoot him and be done with it. Also, for me a softlock is not easily fixed. Not only can you save anytime on multiple save slots but you can just restart the level. In the OG Metal Gear for example, kill too many hostages and you rank down to a point where you can't hold the equipment you need. The game saves over it and your only option is to restart the entire game.

[@Nathaniel6910_]

Been waiting for this!

[@lionocyborg6030]

1:14:49 While I played Double Agent first in late 2006/early 2007 and saw Die Hard for the first time in summer 2007, going by the shape of the building (I think it’s true to the real life Jin Mao hotel as well?) and the changed roof with the big safety windows at the edge and the crane rappelling sequence, I wonder if Ubisoft Shanghai were inspired by Nakatomi Plaza in Die Hard 1 in some way. They wouldn’t be the first nor the last: Tomb Raider Chronicles had textures and the feeling of certain rooms & objects ripped straight from Die Hard and the Matrix films for the Von Croy Industries levels. Tomb Raider Legend had minor returning themes of this in its Japan level, from the office party in the news building at the start to fight in the yakuza building across the street.

[@cherminatorDR]

I beat Double agent multiple times over the years and this is the first time I've ever heard of the glass cutter, lol

[@drkeiscool]

The colorized night vision is actually worse imo, since it pixelates as you move faster to the point of blinding you.

[@Darkmirror7]

I wanted to play DA again on pc, but the infamous Shanghai opening bug killed my desire to seek out a fix for it, so i will just relive it through your video. Also while Shanghai leaned more towards Mission impossible esque sequences and setpieces, Montreal also leaned a bit in that direction with the bank heist for example. The Train mission in PT was pretty neat, and CT's Bank mission is also pretty fantastic in how they make you feel as a player when you climb down the rope into the hall with lasers that you deactivate remotely.

[@michaelburke7978]

Always preferred Version B. The story just flowed a lot better, the choices felt a lot more consequential due to having an alignment bar, and it just felt more like a Splinter Cell. It's such a shame that Conviction didn't continue off Version B as it set up and led into Conviction much better. Sam killing one of his own and going rogue was much better than the mess Version A ended on. Either way, I felt that Splinter Cell died with Lambert. I preferred it when this series was "just another day at the office," and making everything personal kind of ruined this series' identity.

[@ApxuBbI]

Just completed PS2 version on PCSX2, and comparing to footage in video, its quite simplified version. I would suggest to pick XBOX variant, if you have choice for version 2.

[@221B-o4e]

I've never seen those CGI cutscenes with Sarah Fisher before. In which game are they in?

[@mattd5240]

First and maybe the second game.

[@USCena]

PS2 version of Stealth Action Redefined. Sarah is more elementary/middle school level looking compared to looking like a high schooler in the PC version. CGI cutscenes dominate the PS2 version between the mission transition scenes compared to in-game engine used in the PC. PS2 also shows how Blaustein/Madison were caught at the very beginning of the game (together on a recon mission) as well as having the exclusive power plant level.

[@kingofgrunder5494]

I'm very excited for what's next. I don't know what came next for the series.

[@doggydude98]

Loved both versions. It's a shame that the pc port optimization is terrible.

[@doggydude98]

@@tSunrise_ Yeah just avoid it at all costs lol

[@SpecShadow]

at least it's playable, unlike Pandora Tomorrow with new/old feature that bricked the game, which is the reason why you can't even buy PT these days

[@henrik1743]

I literally couldnt finish it on my pc back in the day.. always froze at one of the later missions..

[@aversiac-2]

@@SpecShadow PT is totally playable (and even pretty easy to get for free) on modern PCs, all you need is dgvoodoo and a widescreen patch. No excuse for it not being on Steam, as there are plenty of actual poorly optimized, unplayable ports on Steam (Kane and Lynch, Double Agent). Double Agent on PC is literally missing features. The lighting is completely borked by default, and requires you to edit the .ini files to even see shadows at more than a few meters away. Also the performance on Kinsasha mission compared to the 360 version (which was still bad) is abysmal.

[@quinnmarchese6313]

@@aversiac-2 the lighting in the PC versions of 1 and 2 is also completely borked, i don't remember the exact solution, but i remember getting caught several times, especially in the Abattoir levels as light bulbs would render, but the actual environment never reflected the source so you wouldn't know if you were standing in plain view or hidden in the dark. Dgvoodoo also doesnt fix the day levels in PT, with the lighting being inconsistent at best.

[@KaoticReach1999]

One of the few that was able to get and beat the PC port without many problems, gotta say it was so much better than I remember, emulating the 6th gen, think I prefer the 7th versions tbh

[@rolandhazuki8787]

It's seems Mr. Sykes was right, Our Mr. Fisher is a traitor and a spy, And for that he dies, Kill Fisher on SIGHT Best rhymes from Emile in Version 2 (ps2/OG xbox) port New York mission intro

[@KIRKCOLLECTS]

Haha I could hear him in my head as I read this. Great voice.

[@rolandhazuki8787]

​@@KIRKCOLLECTS Me too 😁

[@c.s.-lebenskunst3171]

Wow, this video is great, love it. In a strange way there is a third version of this game: Essentials 😅 (which I actually liked)❤

[@FirstNameBasis_]

i hope if they remake the first game from the ground up that they follow the books a little more for more storytelling. and hopefully a better story overall.

[@stevenhay7147]

I always thought Enrika should've been more of a surrogate for Sarah since they are of similar age, giving Sam something else to keep him going and losing her at the end would give that emotional reaction more weight.

[@BirdsElopeWithTheSun09]

I think that is what version B is going for. Sam cares for Enrica because she reminds him of his daughter, not because he's romantically interested in her (even though she's definitely is a bit romantically interested in him). That's how I always saw it, anyway.

[@TemporaryRain]

Gotta make that Conviction video next!! Love this series!

[@TheWaynos73]

Version B is by FAR the better version. Just like Chaos Theory and more of the same? Excellent. The A version of the game was clunky, buggy and with some brain dead dev decisions - like the light meter on your back which is green when you’re completely in the dark - which is fine, but if your night vision is on and you’re exposed and slightly in a light source, the light source is still green - nice thinking there guys! Plus the swimming mechanic was terrible and there were plenty of dead spots on maps where your character literally would get stuck on these dead spots and would stop you moving.

[@DracoMeteor91]

version B is the same game as chaos theory. love ships? love darkness everywhere? good. this is what you get. version A is far better. you have missions in daylight which is new and more challenging. you cant rely on darkness too much. by the time i got to chaos theory i was already sickend by the darkness trope. version a at least tried to do something different. the only reason you bash version A is because of the buggy pc version.

[@jaymac7203]

Damn these look good on Series X 😊 I'm currently playing the old generation version for the first time on Series X it's awesome. I only played the next generation version on Xbox 360 back when it came out. I actually loved that version. I just replayed Chaos Theory, best game by far in the series. The Xbox versions are always the best. Especially on the new Series X 😍

[@Pietreszcz]

Two hours of Kirk talking about a Splinter Cell? Oh hell yeahhhhh

[@patrickdoyle8921]

You gotta make a Conviction and Blacklist video too. Love your content dude

[@mattd5240]

I'll never understand why Shanghai was the developer for the 7th Gen version.

[@ostrava4186]

Because they had more time to develop it after "Pandora Tomorrow" while Ubisoft Montreal was developping Chaos Theory released in 2005 (the same year of the 360 release), they only managed developping 'Version 2" for 6th Gen by reusing assets... I think the reason is mainly due of a time schedule...

[@utuberz123456789]

I grew up with version B, and was astounded years later when I played A years later that the entire game was so different. I remember being especially disappointed with the light and sound meters. I do like all of Sam's outfits though. The other thing I absolutely hated in A, and I know this is super pedantic, is that when Sam is in prison he still has his high tech watch and back light, I think he has his knife too... maybe it was just the sheath, Either way he did not look like he belonged, he wasn't even wearing his full prison suit.

[@ImWatchingYou69]

It was my first Splinter Cell game back in 2007, bought it in the bargain bin at Circuit City on a whim lol. I remember watching Version A clips on Xplay back in the day and being jealous. Turns out it's a way worse game lol.

[@vcojder]

Looking forward for the Conviction video. Great job!

[@danmounfield7431]

Really enjoyed this one my guy. Great work.

[@iconoclast_rain]

honestly, that version b boss fight seems pretty awesome to me.

[@cogd1599]

It was. I was always let down by how anticlimactic killing Emile or Moss felt in Version A.

[@yoyopiraka2491]

In my opinion, version one could have topped Chaos Theory if they had added one or two more JBA objectives per headquarters visit (or made saving checkpoints-only, lowered the difficulty, and added a couple of minutes to the timer). I get that the trust stuff is just a gimmick, but having to balance the standard 'wetworks-ninja action' and fitting in with the JBA was the first time any of these 'espionage' games made me feel like I was playing a real spy, except that there's hardly enough to keep that feeling alive. Also, the safecracking minigame is sick and should have been in the series from the start. Also also, the JBA should have been doing lower-level stuff against government targets; the 'which side is he really on' melodrama suffers when the 'maybe he has a point' bad guy wants to atomize New York.