A Last Gen Game with A Fresh Coat of Paint
Gameplay: Sorry, Kojima-san, but Splinter Cell is still king when it comes to stealth gameplay. Double Agent (like all its predecessors) encourages you to sneak around the maps, snatching unsuspecting fools from behind and knocking them out. If you try to "Run-n-Gun" your way through this game, you'll have a very difficult time.
Save System: You can save anywhere at anytime. And Double Agent is the kind of game that needs this feature.
Moral Choices / Alt. Endings: The game throws some sorta tough moral choices at you throughout the game. There are 2 different endings depending on your decisions, which gives you the perfect excuse to re-play the game.
Audio Design: Eh....I'll be honest and admit this is probably only listed here because DA is the first Splinter Cell game I've played on a surround sound system. But anyway, it's much easier to sneak around a map when you can hear everything around you.
HATED
Last Gen Engine: One of my biggest gripes early into the Xbox360's life was all the last gen ports developers released on the console. It's easy to tell that Ubi Soft did just that for DA. Basically, the game is an Xbox1 game with a fresh coat of paint.
Weak Guns: The assualt rifle Sam Fisher is equiped with is supposedly a top secret prototype weapon, yet it is incredibly weak. If you don't get a headshot, then you'll be pumping at least 5 shots into an enemy. Same goes for the pistal.
Useless Unlockables: Maybe it's just how I play Splinter Cell, but I never used any of the unlockable equipment (grenades, wall mines, etc)
CONCLUSION
Sam Fisher, my old bud, you have not aged well. Nearly 3yrsafter your last mission, you're practically indistinguishable from your Xbox1 days, which is a bad thing. In 2009, you are an OK rental for Splinter Cell fans (and gamers looks for a quick 500+ GamerPoints), but not anyone else.
Bring the thunder next time, Fisher