Video game review by ERIK LEIJON

Super agent Sam Fisher has snuck onto yet another console, this time making his first appearance on the PSP. Splinter Cell Essentials (PSP/Ubisoft, Ubisoft Montreal) brings the usual twists and turns common to the famous series, but presents the story in sitcom flashback style. Anyone remember those episodes where the main characters reminisce, but it’s really a guise to take a bunch of past footage and pass it off as a new one? That’s the best way to describe Essentials, which is anything but, although still a fairly decent mix of new and old missions.

Sam’s first foray on Sony’s portable is similar gameplay-wise to every other Splinter Cell. It’s a third-person stealth action game that has you infiltrating bases and enemy zones covertly. The story takes place after Double Agent, which comes out in September. It’s a melange of new missions, greatest hits levels and three bonus missions. The game is one of the better-looking titles on the PSP, and places the same emphasis on lighting and sound as its predecessors have. There is a lot of clipping, but it’s forgivable given that it does not affect gameplay all that much.

It’s becoming more obvious with each passing game; PS2 ports on the PSP are in trouble if they need two analog sticks. This is very apparent with Essentials, since mastering moving Sam and the camera simultaneously is usually an integral part of the series. Not here, since the “ana-nub” controls both (you hold down the circle to control the camera). As a result, the controls are fairly clunky and a few cheap deaths will occur. Especially aggravating is that because of the one analog stick, you have to move with Sam, stop, and then rotate the camera. Too often I would accidentally walk into an area littered with enemies only because I could not turn the camera in time.

Another reason for scepticism is that the Splinter Cell is not exactly conducive to portable gaming. For one thing, Splinter Cell on the consoles had long missions that cannot be beaten in a few minutes. Even more noticeable is how Splinter Cell requires that Sam Fisher move slowly and stealth-fully. Neither is possible on a portable console (you try diffusing landmines while standing in a packed city bus hitting every pothole in sight), but Ubisoft Montreal makes life easier by allowing you to save anywhere.

I don’t want to get sick of Splinter Cell games, but the series and the numerous clones it has begotten are starting to take their toll. Actions like wall jumping and sneaking were ingenious the first few times, but at this point it’s time for Sam Fisher to take the next step. That would truly make for an essential game.

Head Games

I’ll have a full review in the coming weeks, but Nintendo believes it has created the next “must-own” product. After spending hundreds of dollars in 2000 on Pokémon gear, I don’t doubt them, but instead of ugly yellow rats, Nintendo’s new billion-dollar idea is... math problems?

Brain Age (DS/Nintendo, Nintendo) is designed to be an exercise for the cranium. There are memory games, math flash cards, reading and other things we haven’t done since grade school. Who knows if it actually stimulates brain movement (like the game’s floating head protagonist says), but enjoy a false sense of intellectualism when you’re doing the multiplication table on the subway.

We as in Wii

So the Nintendo Revolution is no more, but is now called the “Wii.” It’s pronounced “we.” We got a name, but no date, price or games. We’ll get more at E3 in Los Angeles on May 10–12.