Mission Made Impossible!!!!
I should start by saying that I read some reviews of this game but I really wonder who reviewed it. I guess I will start with the fact that they this game could have been perfect in so many ways. I noticed that many reviews mentioned the fact that Ving Rhames voice was used in the game but so what! The audio was not that great and most of the times you really could not hear or understand what he said. As far as Ethan goes, I really wish that my character had some character. Even though his voice was a wierd combination between Michael Ironside(Sam Fisher) and David Hayter(Big Boss/Solid Snake) I thought that it was not bad even though at times I find myself calling him Snake or Fisher. The locals were not bad and I must say that it felt nice to finally have a little bit more variety as far as combat goes. Considering this game was out during the same time of MGS2 and the first Splinter Cell, the combat was enjoyable and if for that alone, for some, that is good enough. The Story was also pretty solid. Superagent vs. evil organization and some cool plot twists made it fun.
Now here are the bad parts that really overshadow any good attempt that the developers had going for them. The AI was really moronic. I never understood why the guards would attempt to ring the alarm before they took a shot. For whatever reason, sometimes it works out that you can stop them. However, one of the most annoying and biggest disappointments in the game is the alarm system in itself. In wanting to not be like the competition, Atari figured it could mask the alarm system by making you have to find the alarm and shut it off yourself. The end result if you don't shut it off before the timer is up, you're disavowed. I never thought that term would really piss me off the way it does in this game. Not to mention the fact that hiding is at times just useless because you have to blow your cover to shut the alarm off. Really, this game would have been so much better if that was taken out.
Other than that, the gadgets are okay. NOthing too flashy but mostly mundane considering the way that MI(both the show and movies) really pushed the limits as far as gadgetry is concerned. Another thing that really made no sense was the fact that you don't really get a gun (that kills not stuns) until the later missions. I know that they are trying to stress stealth but they failed miserably in many areas.
For what it is worth, MI plays like a really flat action game that has some elements of stealth. Considering that this came out around the same time as MGS2 and Splinter Cell, I really wonder as to whom Atari thought would buy this game knowing that there are 2 superior franchises that actually have equal parts of stealth and action. If you are a fan of Ving Rhames and just like the fact that someone will call you Ethan Hunt, then this game is perfect for you.