Splinter Cell's Essential PSP Outing

Details are turning up about the PSP edition of the Clancy's series: Splinter Cell Essentials.

Fans of the hugely acclaimed Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell series have a lot to look forward to right now, with not only the recently announced fourth instalment, Splinter Cell: Double Agent coming to current generation consoles and Xbox 360, but also some new handheld outings as well.

Splinter Cell Essentials is the anticipated PSP instalment to the series, and according to a new report on French website Jeux France, it's a fully new and original episode of the game, and not just a remake or a tacky handheld spin-off.

The game, expected in a few months' time, is expected to explore some of the background and history of hero Sam Fisher, and maybe even shed some light on the console sequel, Double Agent, expected later this year.

According to the fresh report, the PSP edition will include familiar emphasis on visibility and noise relative to the player, and also an all-new feature that offers an on-screen visual representation of nearby enemy sound and suchlike, so that even if you're playing on the move in noisy surroundings, you can still act quickly when you hear those subtle enemy footsteps.

Not only that, but Sam will be upgraded with some new kit that affords him more precise shooting abilities - traded off against a dose of realism that sees him performs less accurately when wounded. Ouch. Ubisoft is also adding several multiplayer modes, says the report.

Adam Doree
Director, Kikizo.com