STACK March 2016 Issue 71

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Espionage, the Cold War, international terrorism, covert operations: these are all themes found
throughout Tom Clancy games, and I’ve probably played just about every title released in the
franchise. Not all entries in the video game series bearing the author’s name have delivered
the goods, but there have been some absolute belters along the way. Opinions may differ, but
here are five that have lodged, like mortar shrapnel, in my memory bank.
Tom Clancy's
Splinter Cell (2002)
Enter NSA Agent Sam Fisher. Most
gamers who have followed the Tom
Clancy titles will remember the first
time they played Splinter Cell. Ushering
in a new dimension in stealth gaming
and using the Unreal Engine, the lighting
and shadow effects in the game were
revolutionary; the game would enable
Ubisoft to go head-to-head with Kojima’s
Metal Gear monster. Although not
created by Tom Clancy, the author gave
the thumbs up to the concept and the
game put Ubisoft Montreal on the map,
establishing an ongoing franchise in the
process.
A delivery van in the
game had the name
St-Hubert emblazoned
across the side. This
is the name of a
popular restaurant
in Montreal that the
developers would
frequent during
production.
Tom Clancy's
Rainbow Six:
Rogue Spear
(1999)
A follow- up to the excellent original
Rainbow Six, Rogue Spear didn’t so
much revolutionise the series as improve
upon a successful formula. Visually,
the first-person tactical shooter was a
significant improvement and weather
effects were included for the first
time, adding a new challenge to player
strategy. A compelling story, improved AI
(a little too tightened at times), excellent
mission depth and at times gruelling
gameplay meant that if you didn’t play
the first Rainbow Six, you probably
wouldn’t have a clue what was going on.
Tom Clancy coined the term ‘Rogue
Spear’, as a reference to a non-state
entity in possession of nuclear weapons.
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By Paul Jones