On the Ubisoft store, the publisher has put together a handy bundle for anyone looking to jump into the entireSplinter Cellfranchise. Luckily enough, it also happens to be on sale for 80% off, which includes every mainline entry in the franchise available digitally on PC via Ubisoft Connect. However, in truth, this isn’teverymainline entry in the series, as there’s oneSplinter Cellgame in particular that’s seemingly been lost to time, unlike other legacy titles in the franchise.Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, which released in 2004 (one year prior toChaos Theory), is a mainlineSplinter Cellgame that has not seen a modern re-release compared to every other mainline entry.
It’s an unusual fate that’s seemingly never been explained by Ubisoft in any official capacity, despite being lauded by fans who’ve played it. Granted most fans point toSplinter Cell: Chaos Theoryas the best legacy game, many also point toSplinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrowas their favorite as well, but its comparatively obscure next to 2005’s entry.Splinter Cellgames saw a major design and aesthetic overhaul withChaos Theory, but even thoughPandora Tomorrowdidn’t benefit from the same engine overhaul, the second entry brought significant gameplay and narrative improvements. However, playingPandora Tomorrowin 2021 is way more difficult than expected.
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Playing Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow In 2021 Is Difficult
The originalSplinter Cellfrom 2002 was praised at the time as a worthy, simulatory stealth experience that iterates on the foundationMetal Gear Solidset in 1998. WhileChaos Theorywould be the major overhaul that brought the series forward,Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrowequally improved on the first game. Many fans cite the vastly more interesting narrative compared to the first game, as well as the quality of life changes to movement and combat mechanics, as reasons not to skipPandora Tomorrow. There’s clearly an appreciation forSplinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, but for some reason, that hasn’t brought it back to modern platforms.
Trying to find a copy ofSplinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, on any platform, is an exercise in frustration that likely turns a lot of potential players away. Poor accessibility can be a severe hindrance to any players interested in a legacy game, especially with a game likePandora Tomorrow, which is comparatively obscure.
Any attempt at buying a copy on a modern platform is going to be met with failure, with the only option being original Xbox backwards compatibility. Beyond that, buying an original copy means hunting on Ebay, assuming players have an original Xbox/PS2/GameCube, or even a PS3 for theSplinter Cell HD Collection. A PC version ofPandora Tomorrowdoes exist, but given the amount of issues present in the originalSplinter Cell’s PC version,Pandora Tomorrowlikely suffers from similar performance degradation. The only other option beyond that is emulation, which is likely the most viable option, assuming players can source an ISO or burn their own copy.
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Why Pandora Tomorrow Deserves a Re-Release
If the originalSplinter Cellgame, flaws and all, is sold with theSplinter Cellcollection on PC, why can’tPandora Tomorrowbe included as well?Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrowwas not particularly panned on release, and was often praised for the various improvements it made over the first game in the series. Granted it’s not a flawless game; fans and critics did note the gameplay experience is much more linear than the firstSplinter Cell. That being saidPandora Tomorrow’s reception both at release, as well as today, is largely positive among critics and fans. Those new to the series, or hardcore fans who want to play every entry, should be able to buyPandora Tomorrow.
Which is whyUbisoft’s decision not to re-list the game, even putting aside any notion of a remaster/remake, is still perplexing. There’s clearly some factors that consumers aren’t aware of that are preventingPandora Tomorrowfrom being re-sold on any platform, because a negative reception has never been the case. Fans rarely bash on the second entry in the series, at least based on impressions posted in theSplinter Cellsubreddit, and it’s otherwise hard to find multiple examples ofSplinter Cellfans disliking the game. Even if there aren’t many legacySplinter Cellgames to look back on,Pandora Tomorrowis still a well-received entry worthy of new exposure.
That being said, depending on whatever factors are holding the game back from resale by Ubisoft, the true story of whySplinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrowremains a mystery. Unless there’s a litany of problems with the game’s design that prevents it from being simply ported or re-released, it’s clear there’s an audience for it.Splinter Cell: PandoraTomorrowis not nearly ascontroversial as titles likeDouble AgentorConviction, but for some reason it’s still not seen a modern re-release in any way.
