Travel to exotic locations, in numerous disguises, armed with the latest weapons, gadgets and top-secret counterintelligence as you follow a series of hi-tech thefts that lead to Surma Corporation.

While I find it odd that Ethan Hunt has a huskier voice than Ving Rhames (who voices cohort Luther Stickell), there's little else to poke fun at in Operation Surma. Developer Paradigm Entertainment did a bang-up job of creating thrilling espionage with varied mission objects and silky smooth controls. As much as the game leans on the genre's "duck into shadows" crutch, Paradigm knew precisely when to speed and change things up with exciting timed sequences and frenzied run-and-gun action. The scarcity of checkpoints and hawk-like vision of enemies can lead to frustration, but the overall gameplay package is solid and very much in line with Splinter Cell.
The plot makes about as much sense to me as the backwards-talking midget from Twin Peaks, but the CG cutscenes are surprisingly detailed and lengthy. It's not the next big thing, but it's next to impossible to put down once it gets rolling.

Concept:
A respectable stealth game based on the license that Tom Cruise ruined

Graphics:
There are some nice lighting effects at work here

Sound:
Either Ethan Hunt finally went through puberty or this voice actor is a bad casting decision

Playability:
Unique gadgets are used frequently, and both stealth and running and gunning are tapped

Entertainment:
Finely polished and worth playing all the way through

Replay:
Moderately Low

Rated: 7.75 out of 10
Editor: Andrew Reiner
Issue: February 2004

2nd Opinion:
Operation Surma will be compared to Splinter Cell, but it could have had the freedom of Deus Ex: Invisible War. The trial-and-error gameplay is surprisingly addictive, but your gadgets only offer one solution for problems. Stiff combat also hampers this well done, but ultimately by-the-numbers title.

Rated: 7.5 out of 10
Editor: Matthew Kato

-- Game Informer Review