After interrogating the technician, Fisher learns that the data contains a file on "The Ark" he recovers the laptop and encryption key and exfiltrates.Įxamining Lejava's laptop, Grim reveals that the intel could have come from a CIA mole.
Fisher infiltrates the rig during the middle of a NATO airstrike to apprehend a local technician, Piotr Lejava, and retrieve his laptop containing the rig's computer data. Third Echelon learns that Georgian soldiers stationed on a Caspian oil rig have been exchanging data with the Georgian presidential palace. In retaliation, NATO forces enter Azerbaijan, prompting Nikoladze to go underground. Fisher hacks Nikoladze's computer, and learns Nikoladze has been waging an ethnic cleansing campaign across Azerbaijan, by deploying Georgian commandos.
Tracking Grinko's license plate number using CCTV, Third Echelon tracks him to the Georgian defense ministry headquarters.įisher arrives at the Ministry, and records a meeting between Grinko and Canadian hacker Phillip Masse, through which he learns that Nikoladze is committing atrocities in Azerbaijan. Finding the agents' corpses in a police morgue, Fisher learns that a former Spetsnaz member, Vyacheslav Grinko, removed their subdermal tracking implants. Gurgenidze warns that one agent's transmission mentioned proof that could cause a war. Fisher attempts to meet an informant, Thomas Gurgenidze, only to find him dying in a burning building. In October 2004, Fisher is dispatched to Tbilisi, Georgia to investigate the disappearance of two CIA officers. Working with his old friend Irving Lambert, Fisher is introduced to technical expert Anna "Grim" Grimsdóttír, and field runner Vernon Wilkes Jr. Navy SEAL officer and Gulf War veteran Sam Fisher is recruited by the National Security Agency to work within its newly formed division, "Third Echelon". In April 2004, the president of Georgia is assassinated, allowing Georgian billionaire Kombayn Nikoladze to seize power with a bloodless coup d'état.
Fisher is acrobatic and physically adept, and has a variety of maneuvers including the ability to mantle onto and climb along ledges, hang from pipes, and perform a "split jump" in narrow spaces to mantle up a steep wall. Fisher can sneak up on enemies from behind to grab them allowing interrogation, quiet incapacitation, or use as a human shield.
The player begins most missions with a limited supply of less-than-lethal weapons in addition to Fisher's firearms, a suppressed FN Five-Seven sidearm, as well as a suppressed FN F2000 assault rifle midway through the game, which includes a telescopic sight and a launcher for some of the less-lethal devices such as ring airfoil projectiles, "sticky shockers", and CS gas grenades.įlexibility of movement is a focuspoint of Splinter Cell. Although Sam Fisher is usually equipped with firearms, he carries limited ammunition and is not frequently provided with access to additional ammo. Splinter Cell strongly encourages the use of stealth over brute force. The game displays a "light meter" that reflects how visible the player character is to enemies, and night vision and thermal vision goggles to help the player navigate in darkness or smoke/fog, respectively. The player is encouraged to move through the shadows for concealment whenever possible.