It's hard to believe it's been nearly 20 years since the Tom Clancy brand as we know it entered the gaming scene. For a long time, realism in gaming seemed impossible: the games were either too far-fetched to be remotely believable, or the technology just wasn't powerful enough to emulate real-world mechanics. Long story short, making a realistic game just didn't seem possible for quite some time.
Ubisoft's Tom Clancy games helped change all that. While there were games based on the author's novels before Ubisoft took over development duties, nothing really compared to the studio's work. Suddenly, video games weren't just about hopping on enemies or making barrels explode: with the right mechanics, games could finally feel real.
With The Division set for launch next week, now's a perfect time to look back at the three Tom Clancy franchises that helped change the industry as we know it - Rainbow Six and its close-quarters action, Ghost Recon's wide-open battlefields, and Splinter Cell's dark, deadly take on stealth-action gaming.
The Original
Metal Gear Solid redefined the stealth genre in 1998 - and, for the next several years, it was the only stealth franchise worth playing. Then, in 2002, Ubisoft tried their hand at stealth espionage action, and the world was introduced to Splinter Cell.
As with all Tom Clancy games, Splinter Cell was focused more on realism, high-tech gadgets and solid tactics than storytelling or set-piece moments. These changes to Metal Gear Solid's formula resulted in a much slower pace: each mission of Splinter Cell played out more like a self-contained puzzle than a level in an action game. Ubisoft's gambit paid off: Splinter Cell would go on to be one of the publisher's most successful franchises, and proved that there was room for more than one blockbuster stealth series.
Splinter Cell is also the subject of one of the best reboots in gaming history: Splinter Cell Conviction completely turned the series' formula on its head, with a bigger focus on speed and lethality than ever before. It was a jarring change, especially for longtime fans - but even so, Conviction is still regarded as one of the series' high points.
Sadly, Splinter Cell has gone MIA. Splinter Cell: Blacklist, released back in 2013, garnered plenty of praise from critics - and yet, Ubisoft hasn't mentioned the franchise since then. Of course, there's always a chance that the publisher has something up its sleeve for this year's E3 press conference....
With Tom Clancy's The Division just a few short weeks from release, it doesn't look like Ubisoft is about to abandon the brand anytime soon. The game's got quite a bit of potential - with any luck, The Division can live up to the lofty reputation of its predecessors.
The Division is set to launch on March 8.
