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A More Conceivable World


After the somber pondering of real-world events last post it is time to return to the world of imagination that, though detached from harsh reality, is still not that unlike our own. In the realm of thrillers conflict is a necessary part of the equation, making both the real world and fiction set in a "real" world chock full of terrorists, rogue actors, and all-around bad guys. For these evil people and organizations there must be good ones with both the will and the way to stand up to their designs on the world lest freedom fall. As an author Tom Clancy recognized the place of good nations such as America and her allies, not just the countries of the free world in general but their joint military and intelligence apparatus often working together to meet these threats as they crop up. The games bearing Tom Clancy's name, starting with an adaptation of his 1998 novel Rainbow Six, put gamers smack in the middle of the shadowy world of the good guys fighting the bad.


What may not be as well known is the fact that Tom Clancy games go as far back is his earlier books and were at first mostly adaptations of specific events or special foci he wrote on. The Hunt for Red October and Red Storm Rising were first licensed in the mid-1980s as board games portraying a Cold War-gone-hot scenario, respectively, involving naval fighting in the Atlantic and land combat in Europe (owners of both could combine them into an epic match of World War III involving all forces though still only on the Atlantic/European theater). Rainbow Six would be both the last of his novel adaptations and first of the independent Tom Clancy gaming franchise. As new series were added and built upon each other some distinct phases of this development emerged; this post will be a grand overview of these phases and the chronological review of their trends.


Phase I: Before Red Storm Entertainment


Even though Clancy himself was a part-time gamer he had little interest in development though still had appreciation for the way computer gaming was a means of creating worlds like those an author does in the pages of books. His hit premiere novel The Hunt for Red October was adapted in 1987 by a low-key British developer into a mediocre submarine simulation, after the 1990 The Hunt for Red October movie was released it got a companion computer action game (later adapted into 3 separate revisions for the 3 major Nintendo platforms of the time) that was a quick collection of arcade sequences common among movie license games of the time, and neither turned out to be memorable. In between those two there was the licensing of another Clancy novel that hit it out of the park.


Red Storm Rising (1988) for Commodore 64, IBM-DOS PC Compatibles, Atari ST & Amiga


Story cutscene and combat animations aside, the US attack submarine simulator based on Clancy's 1986 novel portraying a full-scale but non-nuclear WWIII eschewed graphics for sophisticated gameplay and it really paid off. This was the fruit of not just Clancy's imagination but the technical prowess of Sid Meier at MicroProse; already a veteran of second-to-none military simulations Meier was a natural choice. The thick manual is required reading as it is not the most accessible game, but for those seeking that kind of simulation experience it delivers on it promises and then some. At the time submarine simulations were vying for supremacy from multiple developers but most of them portrayed combat from the era of using unguided torpedoes to cripple the enemy's merchant marine: WWII. Red Storm Rising made full use of the opportunity to set the standard on how computers could simulate modern attack submarine warfare. While never re-released digitally (no doubt due to licensing issues) its fandom enabled an independent naval wargame developer, Killerfish Games, to update Red Storm Rising with full graphics and additional 1960s scenario content which was released in 2017 as Cold Waters.


Tom Clancy SSN (1996) for Windows 95


While not as popular or sophisticated as Red Storm Rising this simpler arcade-style attack submarine sim is notable for being the first Clancy gaming "original" for 2 reasons: 1) it has a companion novel but one that was written for the game rather than the other way around; 2) it was produced by a Clancy-founded gaming company for the purpose of developing original titles, Clancy Interactive Entertainment (CIE). It was published in the middle of the 32-bit "Multimedia PC" craze in the days before home internet really took off and may be best-remembered for its video interludes featuring war news from a fictional cable channel that included performances from Clancy himself and a cast of professional actors such as Tucker Smallwood and Emily Proctor. While it did not try to compete with the Jane's Combat Simulations from Electronic Arts by including deep details on the war machines portrayed (it included vehicle and weapon data but more at the blurb level of the "Vehicle Preview" function in Dynamix's Aces series), there was a second disc in the box featuring a video interview with Clancy and his business partner Doug Littlejohns.


Phase II: Clancy Interactive to 9/11


Littlejohns, a retired British Navy Captain, and Clancy evolved CIE into Red Storm Entertainment in 1997 yet were anticlimactic in the release of their first game: Politika, a political strategy challenge (based on the first novel in Clancy's then-new Power Plays series) set in Russia that had to have hearkened gamers back who were familiar with Spectrum Holobyte's Crisis in the Kremlin. Politika became the third Clancy property made into a board game (the computer game played much like one anyway), and Red Storm would go on to produce adaptations of the next two Tom Clancy's Power Plays books: ruthless.com and Shadow Watch. While this was taking place, the studio happened to be brainstorming its highly-realistic first-person take on the tactical shooter genre, and when they were revealed the plot summary of a new counterterrorism novel Clancy happened to be writing at the time it was a match made in Heaven.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (24 August 1998) for Windows 95/98


With an array of weapons used by first world military and police (brand names, settings and all), singular focus on planning, the combination of real and fantastical gear one would expect for special operators, and a complete sacrifice of first-person shooter norms for the sake of realism, the Rainbow Six game no doubt put the Tom Clancy name on the map for any who may have missed him as a writer. The USP line by Heckler & Koch was not only shamelessly-portrayed in-game but also the cover art which used a 1994 advertisement for the pistol being aimed by a company VP (shown above). Expansion pack Eagle Watch brought in more real-world military weapons and characters from the novel; the reason the plots of the game and novel do not quite jive is because the former was finished first and based on a draft summary.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six [2]: Rogue Spear (22 September 1999) for Windows 95/98


Just as with Clancy's first novel, his first game to be a big success garnered demand for a proper sequel. The same development team brought in the same successful ideas and built further on them, including independent composer Bill Brown expanding his soundtrack from the first game which really helped set atmosphere (his later credits would include Return to Castle Wolfenstein and the introductory music to Windows XP). The already-sophisticated planning phase got even more options (such as the choice to abstain from controlling operatives in the action phase at all) while with the Urban Operations expansion pack the roster of operatives and weapons matured to the wide selection that would define team-based Clancy games from this point forward. Like The Empire Strikes Back or Sonic the Hedgehog 2 this is one of those rare sequels that delivered exactly what it should and for that it is still remembered as a high water mark for the series...notwithstanding that "Rogue Spear" itself is not even a correct term.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (17 November 1999) for Nintendo 64


By the close of the decade Red Storm would not be reluctant to tackle game consoles but in regard to their greatest hit of the time knew some of its unique features would have to be sacrificed for the sake of playability on a control pad. Deciding Nintendo's cartridge-format powerhouse would be a good start they gave analog stick gamers as good as they could get, including some Eagle Watch content. That it was executed well enough considering the inherent restrictions is a matter of debate, and is notable as the first in what would become a long trend of realism on PC getting bumped into simpler gameplay for the console translation.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (23 November 1999) for Sony Playstation


This unique port (still playable on a Playstation 3) could not hope to match the raw power of the N64 so instead focused on the Sony system's multimedia strengths. The MPEG videos of the PC version are present but between them is almost a whole different game as missions are now limited to 3 operatives with no planning beyond choice of starting point, the result being more of a generic first person shooter with the tough tactical realism at least intact. There is exclusive content making this worth playing even for those who have played the original, and this first established for Tom Clancy games a separate trend of refinement for the weaker consoles of the generation which would not be the last time that approach created a unique product.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (3 April 2000) for Nintendo Game Boy Color


This was in no way a counterpart to its N64 big sibling but rather a simplified handheld version. System limitations led to an obvious result which was to shift to a top-down perspective and cut the multimedia content, but the spirit of the game remains and this was obviously a serious attempt. By no means can this be a substitute for the full 3D game but that does not make it bad in itself and was successful enough to earn a sequel adaptation of its own.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Covert Operations Essentials (September 2000) for Windows PC


At its core this is a PC-exclusive standalone expansion pack for Rogue Spear but its small game content belies its intent which is to present an interactive multimedia look at real-life counterterrorist operations. To complicate matters further it got its own expansion, Additional Intel, which seems to have been made exclusively for inclusion in the series Collector's Edition box set compilation from 2000 and is really just more multimedia content. This can be considered one of the many interesting artifacts from the days before high-speed internet, DVD drives and video streaming became mainstream and products such as these remained among the best means to deliver such interactive material to home computers.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear (27 March 2001) for Sony Playstation


The venerable N64 never got a second Clancy game so the Playstation port acted as a sequel to the first game on both consoles which resulted in an interesting hybrid. This time Playstation had the full voice briefings and animation to match the PC version while overall gameplay was less limited than its prequel acting very much within the boundaries of the N64 version (only so much can be done with a control pad after all). There was no Urban Operations content however Sony's 32-bitter was quite not through yet.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Rogue Spear: Black Thorn (17 October 2001) for Windows PC


As an alternative to Covert Ops Essentials for those who preferred fictional action over real-life intrigue this was the true standalone expansion pack to Rogue Spear, and found itself among the many forms of entertainment doctored in some manner as a result of release date proximity to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001. The roster of weapons was the biggest yet though for some reason now lacked the official brandings. At least all the gameplay and options were still here, and that would remain the case so long as primary focus of development for the series stayed on PC.


Phase III: The Sixth Console Generation


While Rainbow Six and its sequels were earning their rep Red Storm continued to create original games on both PC and console, with a special focus on Sega Dreamcast which got 3D shooter Bang! Gunship Elite in 2000 (also available for Windows) as well as the most feature-complete console ports of Rainbow Six and Rogue Spear including expansion packs. During this time they both self-published and released through other publishers until 2001 when Red Storm Entertainment started their relationship with French future gaming powerhouse Ubisoft, one that would prove to be among the most mutually-beneficial in game business history. While Ubisoft's growth over the years can be attributed in no small part to the success of their Tom Clancy's brand, the influx of working capital also gave Red Storm freedom to press even further into the genre-redefining frontier.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (13 November 2001) for Windows PC


A shift in focus away from near-present secret international counterterrorism in Rainbow Six to a special unit of the US Army conducting covert peacekeeping operations in the near-future, Ghost Recon for PC was meant from the beginning to blaze it own trail rather than follow in the footsteps of Rainbow Six. In addition it was clearly meant to not drift far from the realistic combat and thinking gameplay of Rainbow Six, though this may not be as well-known because the simpler console versions proved more popular. This original computer release is still available for digital download so there is no reason to not try it out today.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear (12 March 2002) for Nintendo Game Boy Advance


The franchise first entered the "true" 6th console generation in handheld form with this, the follow-up to the original Game Boy Color title. The top-down perspective remains but with an audiovisual upgrade owing to the much more powerful hardware. While this is the end of the line for handheld Rainbow Six (at least in major console form) there would yet be a spiritual sequel.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Desert Siege (27 March 2002) for Windows PC


While an expansion pack for PC Ghost Recon it is listed separately to distinguish its release date relative to the console ports, the pertinence of which will be elaborated in those entries.


The Sum of All Fears (28 May 2002) for Windows PC


A true sequel to Rogue Spear was still in development, meanwhile the success of Paramount's latest film adaptation of a Tom Clancy novel had taken hold and a companion game using the pioneering tactical gameplay of Rainbow Six seemed like a great fit. Despite a great deal of simplification this formula apparently worked at least in regard to the better-received PC version, while a later port to Nintendo's Gamecube (a Playstation 2 version was also released exclusively in Europe) proved closer to mediocre. For what it is worth the Gamecube version got unique cover art, the Tom Clancy's branding missing in the PC release, and is the one to play if for whatever reason a control pad is preferred, but unlike other console releases of Clancy games back then it boasted no exclusive content nor redeeming features to make it worthwhile to anyone save those who had a Gamecube and not a powerful-enough PC.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lone Wolf (5 July 2002) for Sony Playstation


That is correct: this is a 21st century game for the original Playstation, and this was not the only franchise that kept trucking along on that console even after its successor got established in the market (come to think of it that has been the trend for transitioning to every new numbered Playstation, though at least it has become more common to see the same game with different technical presentation released as both a "current-gen" and "next-gen" version). This is a very short game, apparently made as a budget title to throw the Rainbow Six name out one final time in competition to similar games from the Spec Ops series by Zombie Studios. It plays much like the first Rainbow Six for Playstation but with no teamwork due to controlling just a single operative in all. This is really only worthwhile if it can be acquired cheaply and played on an available console (compatible with up to Playstation 3).


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Island Thunder (25 September 2002) for Windows PC


The second and final Ghost Recon expansion for the original PC game, again listed here to distinguish the release date and bring attention to how, even though both Desert Siege and this require the original game to run, they are distinct campaigns that get treated as separate entities further down the line.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (11 November 2002) for Microsoft Xbox


As the initial version of Xbox Live readied for launch Microsoft knew it needed a strong games library to showcase the unprecedented capability it would bring console multiplayer; a port of Ghost Recon was conceived as one of those games and it got embraced as one of the best. It was so loved, in fact, that not only would it help propel Xbox to gaming stardom but inadvertently become the rock that split the focus of the whole Tom Clancy's franchise between the simpler console stream and the sophisticated PC stream. This new trend would not be obvious at first since Xbox was equivalent in power to a supreme gaming PC from the late 90s (the kind Ghost Recon ran very well on) so remarkably little was lost in this translation at least so far as the missing-for-now expansion packs did not get taken into account.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (17 November 2002) for Microsoft Xbox


However there was a new genre-defining game set in the Tom Clancy universe built from the ground up for Xbox, one that would usher in the third and last of the major successful properties under the Tom Clancy's brand. Because the Splinter Cell game are made for and best-played with analog controls only, their PC ports will not be considered (with one key exception) due to lack of PC refinements and being identical content-wise to the original Xbox versions. The premiere title is single-player only including its downloadable content.


The Sum of All Fears (19 November 2002) for Nintendo Game Boy Advance


Only in handheld form did this movie/novel adaptation become what amounted to a third Rainbow Six title. It is very similar to Rogue Spear on that platform and plays accordingly, so perspectives on one will probably shape perspectives on the other. This is not the time for the most successful Game Boy variant to back out though because it still has some unique tricks in store.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (1 December 2002) for Sony Playstation 2


After Rainbow Six decided to stay on previous generation a little longer Tom Clancy's made its debut on Sony's second console with a watered-down port of the hit Ghost Recon instead. After knocking Sega's Dreamcast out of the running Playstation 2 earned its distinct spot as weakest console of the generation (not that its success was hurt badly by this, just a pertinent note in regard to multiplatform comparisons). While Playstation 2 versions of Tom Clancy's games would be defined by their technical cutbacks (most often relative to Xbox as that was where most console development was definitively-focused) they would also be known to make up for such by having exclusive content. For Ghost Recon this was just being the only console port to include the Desert Siege campaign, so nothing really unique yet, but the new trend was just starting and would not remain limited to Ghost Recon games either.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (9 February 2003) for Nintendo Gamecube


Nintendo's 6th generation console was not to be left out and got its own version of the hit game. While it had no exclusive features per se it is an interesting presentation of its own playing like a hybrid of the Playstation 2 and PC versions. Ghost Recon was already an older game at this point so it makes sense that the trend of Gamecube ports being slightly-enhanced renditions of the Playstation 2 versions of Tom Clancy's games would not quite start with this debut but that would come soon enough.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield (18 March 2003) for Windows PC


After deferring a while to the introduction of the new Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell franchises Rainbow Six finally returned in full 21st century form. While the spirit of previous games remained intact (at least in this home computer rendition) this saw the series start moving towards adoption of mechanics found in other popular first person shooters of the time. Its expansion packs Athena Sword and Iron Wrath remain exclusive to this version and, unlike Rogue Spear, this is still available for digital purchase today and may be a superior choice if easier than its predecessors to get running on modern computers.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (28 March 2003) for Playstation 2


Like Ghost Recon this was such a major hit on Xbox that passing up ports would have been foolish, but of course limitations on weaker systems necessitate some adjustments. Rather than take the easy route and provide a watered-down rendition of the game Ubisoft went the extra mile and tailored its features for the system, resulting in a game that had the same general storyline and gameplay yet still ended up unique enough to be worth playing on its own at least once. This is where Playstation 2 versions of Tom Clancy's games standing out for their exclusive features (in this case an extra mission) reached maturity and the Splinter Cell series would see this occur more often than in the others.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (10 April 2003) for Nintendo Gamecube


Another trend reaching maturity with the premiere game of this series was producing a Gamecube port based on the Playstation 2 (rather than Xbox) version but with the stronger hardware to Sony's could at least render some audiovisual enhancement. Gamecube getting the exclusive content of the Playstation 2 version would be a hit-and-miss affair but for Splinter Cell a special Nintendo hardware feature allowed for exclusive content of its own. By linking the Gamecube (or backwards compatible Wii for some) with the Game Boy Advance version of Splinter Cell the handheld console not only unlocked an exclusive gadget in the full game but provided a unique perspective to enhance gameplay. This likewise makes the Gamecube version worth trying at least once if viable with all the necessary components, but absent this that leaves Gamecube with the watered-down port lacking unique features or enhancements.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (27 April 2003) for Nintendo Game Boy Advance


Being a stealth rather than tactical game a Shinobi-like side-scrolling perspective was selected for the handheld portrayal. Not too shabby on its own, the unique appeal of having this is that it is a necessary part of making the Gamecube version be at its best. Granted this may beg the question of why bother with a handheld version if the much better tabletop version is already in possession, but making all that work is part of the fun, right?


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Island Thunder (6 August 2003) for Microsoft Xbox


Ghost Recon was successful all-around but had really hit biggest on Xbox, so in a nice consideration (no doubt spurred by demand for additional Xbox Live gameplay) one of the two expansion campaigns with extra exclusive content thrown in was made into a standalone Xbox port. Not a few new missions, maps and other features were offered as Xbox Live downloadable content (still usable if uploaded via softmod into an original Xbox, at least some also ported back to PC through the included mod capability) which never officially found their way elsewhere, leaving this still version still worth checking out.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 (7 November 2003) for Microsoft Xbox


Dropping the subtitle and just keeping the number belies the fact that the console versions of Rainbow Six games were from this point forward meant to be different from their computer counterparts. While the basic storyline is the same the gameplay goes deeper into simplification mode than anytime before, leaving an accessible (thus fun) tactical shooter that nevertheless goes off on a tangent from what made the Rainbow Six series unique back in the 90s. Similar to Ghost Recon, the initial Xbox version is geared towards Live functionality and boasts exclusive downloadable content.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Jungle Storm (16 March 2004) for Sony Playstation 2


Speaking of exclusive: this one takes the cake. Now on top of having Desert Siege to itself Playstation 2 gets its own campaign never produced for the PC version (at least officially; there are always mods). Oh, and as an additional bonus the Island Thunder campaign is on the disc also, making Sony's platform the conundrum of being technically the weakest yet the only means to play through all 4 campaigns. It gets even weirder from here.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (23 March 2004) for Microsoft Xbox


The sequel introduced multiplayer (though only competitive at this point) and the Xbox version again is the original, the definitive, and possesses access to exclusive downloadable content. Developed by a different division of Ubisoft this one seems to have fallen by the wayside (indicated by lack of digital availability of the PC version, the only game in the series with this issue), probably because developers of the first game were making Chaos Theory as the true sequel and Pandora Tomorrow was a "filler" to provide gamers more while they waited. If this is the case it is a great one as far as filler games go since it plays at least as good the first and definitely enriches the Splinter Cell universe.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 (24 March 2004) for Sony Playstation 2


If the Xbox version was simplified than the Playstation 2 port is even more so. A different mission order with its own take on multiplayer, it once again had exclusive features of its own and is a unique version that can be enjoyed on its own merits outside the shadow of the Xbox. The same relative trends remain as will be seen again soon.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (24 March 2004) for Nintendo Game Boy Advance


In a twist that would not repeat the handheld game released before its tabletop companion, more likely a result of development pace than an attempt to get gamers to try to enjoy it on its own more. Months later when the Gamecube version came out this could link with that in the same manner as the prequel. As for the game itself it is also much like the first and can be considered with similar criteria.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (11 June 2004) for Sony Playstation 2


Another port with adjustments made for the hardware and having exclusive features of its own. As with Jungle Storm and Rainbow Six 3 it has its own multiplayer using Sony's online service of the time which was no Xbox Live but still offered an experience that took good advantage of what it was. However, that (as with Xbox Live) is a moot point now because the servers have long shut down only leaving that part of the experience able to be emulated through "bootstrap" servers that trick the console into believing it is using system link (LAN) instead of internet.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3 (16 June 2004) for Nintendo Gamecube


The trend is established at this point that, while superior hardware of the Gamecube still offers better 3D visuals to Playstation 2 that no longer makes up for the relative lack of features, especially as developers get more proficient with Playstation 2 while Gamecube grows less popular. Offline multiplayer naturally gets emphasized due to the lack of online (a capability Gamecube did have but was very under-utilized) and the greater stability offered by a stronger system leaves this port still barely still worth experiencing if the need involves splitscreen play. While Playstation 2 had these features also it simply runs better on Gamecube and that is a strength worth noting even if for just one more time.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (20 July 2004) for Nintendo Gamecube


This could once again connect with its Game Boy Advance counterpart however past that the exclusive features start to cut down at this point, reducing this port to little more than an enhanced Playstation 2 version. This trend would continue to the point of Gamecube no longer standing out at all (eventually bowing out) but it is not there yet. A complete lack of multiplayer renders this a "mission pack sequel" to the original but at least that is in regard to the original's Gamecube version and its somewhat-unique take.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow (5 August 2004) for Microsoft Xbox


All the proof needed to confirm that the Xbox version was made to be unique is that it gets an exclusive sequel. The usual trimmings are present here: optimized for Xbox Live including downloadable content. If Xbox gamers wanted more this was the way to get it, but being different from the PC version (and with it the original Rainbow Six play style) is fully-established now and this would show more in the next entry. Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2 (16 November 2004) for Microsoft Xbox


Although plans were different at first, the sequel to Ghost Recon became exclusive to the console track while computers had to wait a couple years longer for the third entry instead. Thus it cannot be certain how a PC version would have looked or played differently, but in any case this game took the simplified console-style gameplay to a new level being even less complex than the original. For certain this is the definitive version, but this time that is by virtue of the fact that it is the only one.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2 (16 November 2004) for Sony Playstation 2


Despite sharing a name and release date with its Xbox counterpart this is not the same game nor is it an adaptation thereof, but if the difference in subtitles can be noticed this is a distinct prequel to the Xbox entry (chronologically it occurs before the first Ghost Recon). The engine and gameplay are similar, and while reviews comparing it to the Xbox version found it wanting if this is viewed as its own different title things look more redeeming. The Playstation 2 version has online gameplay but no local multiplayer.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2 (15 March 2005) for Nintendo Gamecube


Like Gamecube ports before this is based on the content and gameplay of the Playstation 2 version, but unlike previous Gamecube ports this completely lacks anything to distinguish it. By this year Playstation 2 development had fully-matured and that system's shortcomings were being mitigated more than ever, rendering Gamecube far less relevant on the multiplatform front. In terms of content this is identical to the Playstation 2 version minus multiplayer (there is none whatsoever for Gamecube) so it is a personal judgment whether it would be worth looking into this one at all.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (28 March 2005) for Microsoft Xbox


The sequel developed by the same team who made the first was well-received as best yet in the series. It introduced cooperative multiplayer which became a new series staple and the downloadable content could be accommodated for all game modes. This must also be acknowledged as a favorite by Ubisoft since they remade and/or republished this entry more than any other Splinter Cell game.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (28 March 2005) for Playstation 2


Like Ghost Recon 2 this was two distinct games named the same and published same day, though this time the differences are like those that came before in Xbox and Playstation 2 Splinter Cell games. With Playstation 2 development matured those differences are less pronounced though rather than gaining equivalence to Xbox this instead would put Playstation 2 on parity with Gamecube, and soon after the former would displace the latter. The usual exclusive content (shared with Gamecube as was the case for Pandora Tomorrow, unlike the first Splinter Cell which had one mission remain Sony-exclusive) and system-specific online gameplay trends apply here as before.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (31 March 2005) for Nintendo Gamecube


This was both a beginning and an ending: the first Tom Clancy's console game to be distributed on two discs (the Gamecube mini-DVD format was becoming a space liability rather than quick-load asset) and the last to have any exclusive Gamecube features. Since Chaos Theory never had a Game Boy Advance port no cartridge was required to use Gamecube connectivity but this was just the basic second screen with no unlocked features. At least it was still a visually-superior presentation of the Playstation 2 version if only for the final time.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (28 June 2005) for Nintendo DS


Instead of another side-scroller for Game Boy Advance the third handheld Splinter Cell title was full third dimension on the successor system. Even though it is a reduced experience it is still a unique portrayal that can supplement the tabletop console version. It also may have been an experiment since no further Tom Clancy's games would appear on the DS.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon 2: Summit Strike (3 August 2005) for Microsoft Xbox


This time the Microsoft console got its own true exclusive in the second Tom Clancy's series including a downloadable content package. Its Live orientation is expected with a rich array of multiplayer modes but there is plenty to be experienced splitscreen as well. It also drops hints regarding what was to come further in the series as some hyper-modern and experimental equipment (as of 2005) was portrayed.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown (6 September 2005) for Microsoft Xbox


For a time it looked as if Rainbow Six was slated to get its own equivalent to Ghost Recon 2: something made for console only following-on from the distinct console versions of its predecessor. That would not quite be the case in the end but it came close enough since this was the first Rainbow Six independent entry (as opposed to the adaptation Rainbow Six 3 was) designed for consoles and it shows in all ports. While there was no downloadable content this time Xbox once again boasted the supreme audiovisual experience and best range of multiplayer options.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown (6 September 2005) for Sony Playstation 2


It was the turn of Rainbow Six to join Ghost Recon and Splinter Cell in having a simultaneous Xbox and Playstation 2 release tailored to each system, the former being stronger but the latter still more popular. Which version is definitive is a matter of debate because Red Storm themselves made the Playstation 2 version while Ubisoft handled Xbox. Once again exclusive campaign content is shared with Gamecube and multiplayer is adjusted specific to the Sony system with different options than Xbox Live.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown (27 September 2005) for Nintendo Gamecube


The last in the series for Nintendo consoles altogether (as of this writing) it once again falls behind the technically-weaker Playstation 2 due to not bothering to adapt multiplayer, leaving only the Playstation 2 version's campaign which is distinct from that of Xbox. Unlike Ghost Recon 2, that this game was built with splitscreen coop in mind at least means it can be enjoyed with a friend on Gamecube in the offline mode but that is not as redeeming at this point. As with Ghost Recon 2 whether this is worth getting to enjoy on its own over Playstation 2 is debatable at best due to lack of exclusive content and because the Playstation 2 is no longer so technically-deficient relative to Gamecube now.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown (16 February 2006) for Windows PC


Respecting the series roots a distinct PC version of the fourth Rainbow Six game played more like one of its own predecessors with the tactical planning, though the console orientation of the design had been so ingrained it could not easily be shaken. Unfortunately whether this is what gamers preferred anymore was another matter since its success fell even further behind its console counterparts. This set a change in direction for the entire series: while future entries would continue to be ported to PC they would look and play just as they do on consoles.


Phase IV: Looking Towards the Future


March 2006 was the transition point for the Tom Clancy's brand into both the next console generation and consolidating of designs from the many different directions of before. The new systems were more powerful yet the two strongest never outdid the other to such a degree as to necessitate much tailoring; new innovations were also being tried and attempts to exploit them could become examples of how not to. It would be more interesting times, but also somewhat simpler, and the following entries reflect that.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter (9 March 2006) for Microsoft Xbox & Xbox 360


The original Xbox was the flagship console that carried Ghost Recon (all of Tom Clancy's for that matter) through the previous half decade and its players were not going to be left behind even with emphasis shifting to the next generation. Both these games are similar to each other overall, and Xbox can stand as granting this experience to the previous generation even as its more powerful successor shows with authority what the new direction will be like. Limitations are obvious when contrasting both versions but that is unfair to the intent which was to be kind enough to support gamers who had not transitioned yet. Only Xbox 360 players got the benefit of downloadable content to further their game.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Critical Hour (14 March 2006) for Microsoft Xbox


A video game equivalent of a TV "clip show" episode with digital remastering, its exclusive content and story still have it worth checking out (for the right price). While the other two series got multigeneration treatment in their new titles this year Rainbow Six instead got this, a handful of "greatest hits" from prior games, as their previous generation entry. It is for this transition point the equivalent of what Lone Wolf was in the last one.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Essentials (21 March 2006) for Playstation Portable


Splinter Cell happened to get the clip show treatment as well, but in a more-understandable handheld presentation and not as an exclusive focus at that. While it rehashes previous missions it also has unique new ones and ties them together in a story that makes no mistake this is a companion game to the still-upcoming Double Agent. Since that main series entry was still in development certain details may not have been finalized leading to some story confusion related to the fact that there would be two different versions of the Double Agent story and Essentials was created by the same studio that would make the non-canon version.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter (28 March 2006) for Playstation 2


The past five years Playstation 2 variants within the Tom Clancy's brand enjoyed special mitigation of the system's weaknesses to create unique entries that stood on their own; the intent was never to match the original Xbox versions because it was too obvious that would never be possible. Unfortunately the bar got set too high with Advanced Warfighter and this nailed the coffin for the series on Playstation 2 just as had occurred not much longer before with Gamecube. Still, this was the only version of the game on any Sony console and is among the releases that also had a Limited Special Edition with an extra disc of behind-the-scenes content.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter (3 May 2006) for Windows PC


After a hiatus on the second game in the series Ghost Recon once again picked up its distinct computer version track for the third, and this one is also well-tailored. Differences in gameplay and options make the relationship between this port and its seminal Xbox 360 version similar to that of the first game with computer/console roles reversed this time. Since it and its sequel are cheap and easy to acquire this is recommended even if a console version is already owned because a different play approach is enabled plus it has unique multiplayer content.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent (17 October 2006) for Microsoft Xbox 360


This marks the end of Tom Clancy's support for the previous console generation but as a final hurrah it is the one game available for the widest variety of platforms. Actually that is not exactly the case because to ensure that range of support two different games with the same name were developed; that occurred a couple times before but in this case both versions were more different than ever and are treated even officially as two separate games rather than just ports. The Xbox 360 variant is representative of versions also available on Playstation 3 and Windows PC but both of those ports are less refined than this one.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent (24 October 2006) for Microsoft Xbox & Sony Playstation 2


This is the previous generation version of the game and was also available on Gamecube but that port has no redeeming features to make it worth considering over these others (like Chaos Theory it requires use of 2 discs). The older consoles being matured this also happens to be the more feature-rich version and Playstation 2, despite its expected failure to match portrayals on Xbox, gets the exclusive content treatment on its Tom Clancy's swan song with extra campaign missions. Multiplayer succeeds the high mark set by Chaos Theory on both systems and leaves both consoles' legacies on a positive note.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas (22 November 2006) for Microsoft Xbox 360


Rainbow Six again was the last of the three major series to debut on a new generation, though not to an extreme extent this time and this was a nice new package built from the ground up for new technology. This was also, as mentioned before, the point the series became console-centric for good so there is no reason to choose the PC version over Xbox (and no reason to choose the Playstation 3 version at all save for owning that console and not a strong enough PC). Coincidently or not, Vegas emulated what Ghost Recon was doing at the same time in having a subseries duology.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent (28 November 2006) for Nintendo Wii


Content-wise this is identical to the Gamecube port, and some reviews even suggest the Gamecube has marginally-better presentation to this (makes sense in that Gamecube was a mature system in 2006 while Wii was brand new and still being learned). What makes this port notable is that 1) it is the first instance Ubisoft besets the Clancy name on Nintendo's new console and 2) an honest attempt to take advantage of the Wii's unique controls proved it was not the best idea for this kind of game. That is a notation, not a recommendation, that this one may be worth checking out at least once for its peculiarities.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 (6 March 2007) for Microsoft Xbox 360


Again Microsoft lands both the premiere overall and definitive console version of the sequel. This also represents a later Playstation 3 port which has the same content but difficulties by developers grasping the new Sony system meant Xbox 360 enjoyed near-exclusive multiplatform superiority for the first five years or so of the generation. Like with its prequel the next-gen tabletop consoles get exclusive domain over downloadable content.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas (12 June 2007) for Sony Playstation Portable


The second Clancy game for Sony's handheld was not a port per se but an alternate perspective on the story making for a unique game with the same title (similar to handheld versions of the Modern Warfare series from the Call of Duty franchise).


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 (28 June 2007) for Windows PC


Computer players welcomed a distinct version of this sequel that kept faithful to that track of the series in calling for a higher level of thinking and planning than jumping into the simplistic action that defines console gaming. Like with the previous game PC players do not get the downloadable content released for consoles but what they do get are PC refinements including support for the PhysX layer (available on Nvidia GPUs after they acquired Ageia) making graphics hands-down the best if CPU can also keep up. For better or worse this would not keep Ghost Recon from joining its sister series Rainbow Six in turning more console-focused.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter 2 (23 August 2007) for Sony Playstation Portable


In the same class as handheld Vegas: not a port but a unique game for its differences in gameplay and story perspective which makes it worth having on its own.


Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 (18 March 2008) for Microsoft Xbox 360


With no unique ports or platform-specific features pretty much anything said about the first Vegas would apply here too.


Tom Clancy's EndWar (4 November 2008) for Microsoft Xbox 360 & Sony Playstation 3


Both ports of this new strategy game that was supposed to (but never really did) premiere the first new series under the Tom Clancy's brand in most of a decade are technically in parity, and the consoles get exclusive access to added downloadable content which places them above the PC version. That having been said, today the Xbox 360 is the only one recommended because its downloadable content remains available while Sony keeps trying to discontinue support for legacy systems. If that is not a concern, any of the three ports are personal preference and may defer to PC since this genre tends to find itself more at home on computers than consoles.


Tom Clancy's EndWar (7 November 2008) for Sony Playstation Portable & Nintendo DS


A cut-down but portable rendition of the overhead tactical game translates well by virtue of the genre and with similar enough gameplay which one to get is a matter or preference between raw horsepower from Sony or handy use of the second screen from Nintendo.


Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. (3 March 2009) for Microsoft Xbox 360 & Windows PC


One would think a flight game from Tom Clancy's would bring a long-lacking jolt of realism to the genre, but it was too much to wish for anything beyond a competitor to Namco's Ace Combat franchise that is at least set in the near-futuristic real Earth. Mercenary combat pilots was not a new idea either (going as far back as Origin's Strike Commander), and that this was going to be multiplatform instead of exclusive to PC should have been the huge clue that realism would be left flying solo. The Xbox 360 (along with Playstation 3) version has its place as a modern warfare match to Ubisoft's WWII flight duology Blazing Angels, but today the downloadable content is no longer available which leaves hacking the PC version the only option for the full experience.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction (13 April 2010) for Microsoft Xbox 360


This time Xbox 360 does not represent Playstation 3 content because developers opted to forego the Sony platform for this entry in the series, leaving it fully-definitive in the Microsoft camp alone.


Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2 (3 September 2010) for Microsoft Xbox 360 & Windows PC


It can be noticed new Clancy games are getting fewer and farther between at this point, but at least for H.A.W.X. it managed to extend to 2 games which surpasses EndWar having just one. The same as said in the prequel's entry above applies here: Xbox 360 likewise represents content for a slightly-deficient Playstation 3 port, and downloadable content for either is no longer available so consoles offer only the base experience. Good news and bad news for the PC version: this time the downloadable content was made available in a single compiled expansion pack that can still be installed, but thanks to this being part of the wave of games subject to Ubisoft's new digital rights management system (which has since discontinued its support for several legacy titles including this one) getting the game to work at all can be a real headache.


Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2 (9 November 2010) for Nintendo Wii


Think of this as equivalent to Playstation Portable releases of previous Tom Clancy's games: it shares the name, is a companion to the high-definition version and plays similarly but is a different game.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Predator (1 October 2010) for Sony Playstation Portable


This last of Tom Clancy's games for Sony's first handheld is not tied to any in the main series, offering an original campaign that plays like a cross between the console ports of the Advanced Warfighter duology and the Playstation version of the very first Rainbow Six.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (10 November 2010) for Nintendo Wii


While a name recycling this is an original game that is the last and best of Tom Clancy's for Wii: utilizing the key attributes of the system by integrating rail shooting and same-screen cooperative multiplayer to the established tactical formula.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars (22 March 2011) for Nintendo 3DS


A launch title for the first build of what would be Nintendo's final handheld system to date it is also the sole original Clancy game for it, the other being a port/remake of Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Trilogy (27 September 2011) for Sony Playstation 3


A more worthwhile Splinter Cell remake would be this high-definition upgrade of the first three games. Not tampering with any of the content it really is a well-executed graphical boost that brings these hits to join their companions in the next generation. These entries are based on the PC (née Xbox) versions rather than the Playstation 2 ports, and the price for this resolution upgrade is to completely lack any of the multiplayer, downloadable and port-exclusive content.


Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier (22 May 2012) for Microsoft Xbox 360 & Windows PC


The penultimate Clancy game of the generation was the point Ghost Recon followed Rainbow Six into a console-exclusive focus leaving the PC core game content-identical. The choice between the two is not that simple because the consoles feature cooperative gameplay on splitscreen while PC has a marginal amount of exclusive content in its Digital Deluxe Edition. In a first for Tom Clancy's (though not the real Tom Clancy of course) there was also Ghost Recon: ALPHA, a short professionally-made film serving as a prologue to this game.


Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist (20 August 2013) for Microsoft Xbox 360 & Windows PC


Unlike both Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon the Splinter Cell series had seen every one of its major entries supported on PC, albeit as less-refined adaptations of the first three Xbox versions and fair ports of the next two that were still so unoptimized as to be inferior to the console originals. Blacklist stands as the one exception, its PC version tuned to exploit graphics capabilities the aging Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 could only dream of. If the dogged Ubisoft copy protection can be tolerated the PC port may for once be the desired choice, but punctuating with a full Xbox family trend is by no means a bad option either.


Phase V: Going MMO


Here the retro phases are ended and the current one begins, one this author does not anticipate getting involved in because games that are only playable online are outside his preferences. For now massively-multiplayer combat is what Tom Clancy's has become all about, but the legacy of what came before is still cherished by many and a new single-player game true to the spirit of the old titles would likely see a warm welcome. Meanwhile, the vast majority of games mentioned above remain easily-acquired today and ready to be enjoyed in retro system or digital form.

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