Gameplay: 7.5
Graphics: 8
Sound: 6
Replay: 4
Multiplayer: No

Atari is one of those companies that you never know what to expect. They surprise everyone with some awesome games like Neverwinter Nights and Unreal Tournament and then they disappoint everyone with games like Dragon Ball Z: Budokai and Dungeons and Dragons: Heroes. Maybe it's a PC-Console thing. They make good games for the PC but then recently have been only mediocre with console releases. Can Atari break this chain of mediocre games with Mission Impossible: Operation Surma?

Nope. This game is really a disappointment. I mean really, all this game does is copy Splinter Cell in every way. It's almost as if Atari stole the code for Splinter Cell, took out the dynamic lighting, slapped on some new character models and levels, put in a new storyline and WAM! Put out their game. There is really nothing here that gamers will want that haven't already been covered by Splinter Cell.
Why even talk about the gameplay? Oh, because I have to. Oh well. Too bad for you. This game is just like Splinter Cell in every way and don't expect it to be any different. So I guess if you are looking for a game to kill some time on before Pandora Tomorrow is released, then this might be your game. Really, I only rated it so low because this game is an imitation. It actually isn't a bad game, it is just nothing new.

Basically, you can sneak around. Try to walk around while crouching so you won't be heard. You can get guys in chokeholds, "sneak attack" them (i.e. come up from behind and bash them in the neck or pop out from behind a wall and punch them in the face while they are walking by), etc. In order to reach certain areas of the game you need to pass hand scanners. Luckily, if you already knocked the guy out you can still pick him up, take him over to a machine, and scan his hand. Oh yeah, did I mention the animation for picking up guys is exactly the same as in Splinter Cell? Yup, you sling them over your back, walk to a dark corner, and then drop them. Looks exactly the same. Of course, the different in this game is that alarms won't sound unless another guard actually sees them. In Splinter Cell, the alarm would sound no matter what if you went on to the next part of the mission and left someone in the light.

Ok, there are some different gadgets in this game. Like a grappling hook thing you fire at a pole and it pulls you up. Big deal. This type of item is in just about every game and isn't anything new. There is a decoder as well to get into locked doors, bypass security, etc. Be sure to use your ECV to knock out cameras. It emits an electric pulse that disables the camera. Wow, sounds familiar. Basically, this is Splinter Cell in a new package and with a different name.

Nothing special about the graphics. This game looks decent. The character models are fairly good. However, it is obvious the objects on Ethan (the main character, go watch the Mission Impossible movies) are simply "colored" on. They are objects that actually show up off the body like in Splinter Cell, where the gun was actually separate from the body and was pulled off. All of the devices on Ethan are just plastered there. The dynamic lighting of Splinter Cell was also taken out. That really takes away from the graphics. The thing that made Splinter Cell so good was the lighting and the graphics. This game's lighting is terrible and the graphics are only decent so that really takes away from the stealth action experience.

The sound isn't bad, but it isn't good either. The voiceovers are done well enough. The characters don't sound like the guys from the movie (Tom Cruise, etc), but they sound pretty close. I guess you can't expect Atari to go out and get the actors to do the voices like how EA does with their newest Bond games. The guns don't sound very good. They don't sound realistic at all. Really, nothing about the sound adds to the stealth. The guards are really stupid. You can make a lot of noise and they barely notice anything.

There is little replay. If you like the game then you may play a few of the missions over again. If not, then it's a quick one time through (if you can last that long). Give this game a rental if you are starving for some extra Splinter Cell type gameplay. But don't waste your money on buying this game. It isn't worth it.