Almost four years after it's initial release, still an extremely satisfying stealth experience.
Graphics hold up extremely well, even after four years. Some of the characters are recycled a bit much, but even so, visually, the game looks great, and there is a wide diversity of environments to explore. Actually, "explore" might be an overly generous description, as the missions usually give Sam little opportunity to deviate from his pre-determined path. Occasionally, Sam will be able to choose from a couple of different routes to his objective (ie. over the roof or thru the alleys), but the missions are, for the most part, pretty linear. Sound is over-all fairly decent; musical score is awesome, but finding the right levels for ambiance, voices and music can require several exits to the Options screen for adjustments. In addition, voice acting (with the obvious exception of the main characters) is a little weak. Everybody in the game world speaks perfect English, and although I realize this is done because Sam is assumed to be fluent in any language he encounters, throwing in some believable accents would help to make the game more immersive.
My only other complaint might be that some of the mission objectives are a little hazy, requiring a trial and error approach in order to accomplish them. Still, this is a minor gripe, given that part of the fun in the world of Splinter Cell is the quiet and careful exploration of an environment to determine Sam's next step. Only a couple of missions involve a clock, so Sam usually has ample time to observe from the shadows and plan his next move. After all, when you've had your fill of blasting hundreds of Combine, Strogg, and Nazi soldiers, a little quiet time in the dark is just what the doctor ordered.