The Best Tom Clancy Games

Summary

• The Tom Clancy games are inspired by books, with iconic series like Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell.
• Ubisoft has had some hits and misses under the Tom Clancy umbrella, but most games are remarkable and diverse.
• Exciting upcoming games include a Splinter Cell remake, new Division entries, and the anticipation of Assassin’s Creed and Prince of Persia.

Ubisoft has been making games under the Tom Clancy moniker since the 1990s, which has led to a multitude of iconic series including Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell. The initial inspiration for most of the Tom Clancy games is taken from books, including some written under the pseudonym David Michaels.

There are a ton of different incredible games under the Tom Clancy umbrella, but also a few mediocre titles in the mid to late 2010s. Despite this, it is pretty apparent that most of the Tom Clancy games are remarkable. Be it the Ghost Recon games, or the famous Splinter Cell games that players always want more of, there’s a lot of variety in these titles in terms of artistic expression, combat mechanics, and story.

Updated March 7, 2025, by Vlad Mazanko: Under Ubisoft’s umbrella, the Tom Clancy brand has grown into one of the most recognizable names in video gaming. Despite occasional missteps, the Tom Clancy titles remain some of the most popular and successful in Ubisoft’s portfolio, boasting dedicated fan bases.

While exciting updates about upcoming Tom Clancy video games, like the long-awaited Splinter Cell Remake or the next Ghost Recon project, have been scarce, there’s good news for fans: a sequel to the Division series is on the horizon, and The Division Resurgence is nearing release. In the meantime, players can explore some of the best Tom Clancy games, many of which are available on modern platforms like the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. This list has been updated to spotlight previously overlooked titles, some of which rank among the best in their genres for devoted fans.

16

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Double Agent

Not The Best In The Acclaimed Series, But Still Worth A Look

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Double Agent is often regarded as one of the weaker entries in the Splinter Cell series. But given the franchise’s rich blend of tactical depth and action, that doesn’t make it a bad game by any stretch. In Double Agent, Ubisoft shakes up the established formula by placing Sam Fisher in prison as an undercover agent. While this twist adds a cinematic flair and livens up the story, it sacrifices some of the elements that define the series’ unique appeal.

Gone are the standalone, stealth-focused missions with expansive environments and diverse layouts. Instead, players are guided through story-driven objectives, punctuated by frequent cutscenes and plot-altering decisions. Straddling the line between the streamlined Conviction and the classic earlier entries, Splinter Cell: Double Agent can feel like a mixed bag at times. Still, it remains a worthwhile experience for stealth-action fans willing to overlook its age.

15

Tom Clancy’s EndWar

A Rare But Successful Foray Into The Strategy Genre

EndWar is one of the most unique Tom Clancy games out there. It’s a real-time strategy game with integrated voice decisions. Players can use their voices to command their forces and take certain actions. While it’s pretty hit or miss, it stands out as a cool and innovative mechanic.

The gameplay in Tom Clancy’s EndWar is solid and features a basic rock/paper/scissor format. The story is set around World War 3 and the fallout of a nuclear attack on Saudi Arabia. It’s a fun game, albeit a little simple. It remains to be seen if it ever gets a sequel.

14

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier

An Exciting Espionage Game

This 2012 release carried on the legacy of this fantastic tactical shooter franchise. This thrilling spy espionage game takes everything over the top, featuring a foiled nuclear attack on London, Russian espionage, and internal conflict, as well as missions in Zambia and Peshawar, Pakistan. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier has a solid, adrenaline-fuelled narrative that doesn’t dwell on anything for too long.

In terms of gameplay, the co-op system is fantastic, as is the renewed focus on stealth and planning out strategies to dissect missions. The use of drones is a fun addition, as is the solid customization players have for most of their guns. The squad-focused combat is intuitive and engaging and this game builds on its predecessors in nearly every way.

13

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint

Exemplary Post-Launch Support Redeems A Troubled Launch

Despite a rocky launch, Ubisoft’s unwavering commitment to Ghost Recon Breakpoint eventually turned things around. Through a series of major technical and quality-of-life updates, coupled with the infusion of new activities and missions, the game evolved into one of the most expansive open-world military action titles available. Its vast world teems with content, offering a diverse arsenal of firearms and delivering excitement whether played solo or in co-op with friends. Today, it stands as one of the best Tom Clancy video games available on modern platforms like the PS5.

A pivotal shift for Ghost Recon Breakpoint was the return to a gear system reminiscent of Wildlands, moving away from the rarity-based loot mechanics common in modern looter-shooters. Players can now freely select their preferred mode and even switch it on the fly, broadening the game’s appeal. With its sharp modern graphics and frequent steep discounts, Breakpoint has drawn more players in recent years — and few walk away disappointed.

12

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands

Basic Elements That Blend Together Well

Ghost Recon Wildlands is a tactical third-person shooter where players take control of a squad of four members of a Ghost Recon team. The game is set in Bolivia and features the player’s squad slowly defeating different members of a huge drug cartel, liberating their territory through quests and battles, and eventually dismantling the entire operation. The game features a rich and diverse environment, tons of different weapons and attachments, and a traversal system. Using vehicles is quite fun as well.

Players have a variety of ways to approach any given mission, be it stealth, using their teammates effectively, or just blowing everything up. Additionally, the graphics are pretty great, and the progression isn’t linear. Players can choose which cartel boss to deal with. While the story is fairly cookie-cutter, overall, Wildlands is a fun game with tons of different co-op shenanigans available.

11

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist

Sam Fisher’s Bewildering Journey

The Splinter Cell series is the pinnacle of stealth games, and nearly every entry in the series was released to glowing reviews and fanfare. Blacklist was no different. While the game wasn’t as great as some of its predecessors, the gameplay evolved to a new level, especially with the focus on giving players a variety of different options to tackle enemies. The focus shifted towards a more “open” and free stealth iteration that can arguably be seen in games such as Metal Gear Solid 5. Sam Fisher can be utilized more tactically and sneakily, while still leaving tons of room for gung-ho gunplay if needed.

Players follow Fisher on a thrilling journey featuring campaigns in Philadelphia and Guantánamo Bay, while also navigating a frame-job in Iran. All the while, Fisher’s relationship with the CIA and Paladin 9 Security make for an interesting dynamic as well. Like with every other Splinter Cell game, this is an incredible stealth game that players can sink tons of hours into.

10

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas

An Iconic Tactical Shooter

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas is nearly twenty years old now, but it still holds up as a genre-defining first-person shooter. It introduced some of the franchise staples, such as the different field of view for corner fire, the player health bar regeneration out of combat, and the pivot in gameplay style. Rainbow Six Vegas made enemies a lot more difficult to kill, not only was this unique in fps games, it sets the franchise apart to this date. The gunplay felt challenging and rewarding, and the customization was great for its time.

This game follows the story of Logan Keller, as his team hunts down a terrorist leader whilst freeing hostages. The campaign wasn’t too long and didn’t feel like an afterthought order. Coupled with this is how well Rainbow Six Vegas worked on Xbox Live. Overall, this was a great game, and while not the best in the series in a vacuum. Its importance lies in the foundations it laid for future games in the Rainbow Six series to expand upon. The current unique multiplayer and combat can be traced back to Rainbow Six Vegas and, nearly twenty years on, it is still one of the best Tom Clancy games out there.

9

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell

Laid The Foundation For One Of Gaming’s Most Iconic Franchises

The original Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell not only established the groundwork for one of Ubisoft’s greatest series, but also redefined the stealth-action genre. With its deep tactical options, a strong focus on stealth-driven objectives, and cutting-edge technical execution for its time, Splinter Cell made a splash upon release, swiftly cementing itself as a standout in its field.

Though the series lay dormant for years, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell is poised for a comeback with a long-awaited remake of the original, currently in development at Ubisoft. While no firm release date has been confirmed (rumors suggest a possible 2026 launch), there’s hope that a warm reception from fans could pave the way for more Splinter Cell titles. Fingers crossed this remake proves worth the wait, especially given the current scarcity of modern stealth-action games.

8

Tom Clancy’s The Division

Ambition That Nearly Paid Off

The Division was an extremely ambitious title. It met most expectations, but it did have a few disappointing aspects. The gunplay was a little basic, and there was a stark lack of big in-game events like most other games of the sort.

Despite these shortcomings, The Division was a solid part RPG, part shooting game with bits of MMO and multiplayer co-op sprinkled in. It was a unique game with an interesting setting. The Division had different zones for PvP and PvE, tons of looting, and a dynamic weather system. All of these aspects made it a fun and immersive game. What stood out, however, was the team or party-centric themes it had, which made playing together with friends or in a voice party very engaging. The sequel built on the game’s strengths, with a third game seemingly on the way.

7

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction

One Of The Most Underrated Stealth Games Ever

Splinter Cell: Conviction is one of the more underrated Tom Clancy games. Conviction isn’t as pure a stealth game as some others in the series, but it balances stealth with combat and other gameplay features really well. The gunplay feels very slick and the new interrogation feature was very well received. On top of the polished and cohesive gameplay, this game lets players play with each other in different multiplayer modes involving competitions around stealth and combat.

Conviction also follows Sam Fisher’s missions around Washington DC, as he tackles espionage and fights to protect the President of the United States from an assassination attempt. Conviction pushed the limits of a stealth game, it made the combat more intuitive and the game more accessible whilst retaining the Splinter Cell identity, pushing forward the narrative and keeping fans engaged. Overall, it is an impressive game and worth a playthrough.

6

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2

A Worthy Sequel

The Division 2 hasn’t made any earth-shattering changes from its ambitious predecessor. However, it did not need to. The core gameplay loop and the concept behind The Division was great, and the sequel improves upon it in nearly every aspect. The gunplay is still amazing, and gets complimented by some better customization options, more gear systems as well as tons of cool and unique new gadgets. Division 2 is still a cover-based multiplayer shooter at heart, but the improvements are tangible. The combat feels grounded and doesn’t suffer from too many enemies with inflated health bars.

The Division 2 is also a stellar looking game, with a solid atmosphere and a great recreation of Washington D.C. Players can slowly play through a ravaged open world with tons of enemies, loot and post-game content to keep them busy. The incredible gunplay, in conjunction with the spectacular visuals and decent amount of content to get through makes this a great game for anyone to try, even though the story can be a bit lacking.

5

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2

An Upgrade Over Its Predecessor With More Weapons And Depth

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 closely mirrors its influential predecessor while introducing meaningful improvements in key areas. For one, Vegas 2 boasts a broader arsenal of weapons, tools, and firearms, giving players greater tactical flexibility and enriching gameplay diversity. It also offers more varied missions, though some of the original’s environmental charm feels diminished.

Beyond that, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 enhances co-op play with a sharper focus on teamwork. Squad AI has seen notable upgrades, delivering more cinematic and responsive teammate behavior. The progression system has been polished too, offering a deeper and more engaging unlock experience with hidden challenges and achievements aplenty. While it may feel like a “standard” sequel at times, Vegas 2 won’t disappoint fans of the first game.

4

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter

The Best Ghost Recon Has To Offer

Advanced Warfighter is considered the epitome of tactical shooters. Players take their team through a variety of missions, be it rescues, hostage situations, or tactical attacks on military strongholds. The game features a ton of different guns, and they all feel fun to use. Advanced Warfighter isn’t an easy game either; players can’t heal during missions and bullets actually do deal damage.

Whilst the story isn’t anything special, the quality of gameplay is incredible. The enemy AI is impressive, and missions are well-designed and thought out. Moreover, there is tons of variety in terms of combat and how to approach an objective. All in all, this is a very solid game with barely any flaws.

3

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow

An Oft Forgotten Masterpiece

Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow is one of the most forgotten games in the franchise, largely due to its limited availability. However, anyone with the ability to play this game definitely should. It stands out as one of the best stealth games ever made and was a trailblazer for its time.

Pandora Tomorrow, while largely the same as its predecessor in terms of gameplay and graphics, had some of the best 3D visuals out there for the time, and they have aged well too. Moreover, the atmosphere and tension building was incredible. In terms of story, the narrative was tight and focused. It found room to develop Sam Fisher as a fleshed-out character, rather than making him a narrative progression device, and was better off for it. The gunplay was much improved as well, and the multiplayer portion was easily the best ever at the time. This game was critically lauded for good reason, and it’s very nearly the best Tom Clancy game ever made.

2

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege

One Of The Best Multiplayer Games Of The Past Decade

Rainbow Six Siege started with a lot of criticism and a lack of popular support. It didn’t have a ton of content or any engaging progression, despite the solid gunplay. However, the game was supported by the developers for years, and it eventually became one of the biggest online shooting games of the decade. It is still popular to this date and stands proudly in a storied game series.

Siege is a competitive tactical shooter game based entirely on PvP combat. The game features multiple rounds, with each being only a couple of minutes long. The game focuses heavily on strategy, communication, and taking advantage of surroundings. It has very good core mechanics, the central gameplay loop is really fun, and the game feels rewarding, leading to its massive success. While the initial reviews aren’t as flattering as they could be, most agree that the dozens of updates and patches have made this into an incredible game.

1

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

A Genre Defining Videogame

The Splinter Cell series is the crown jewel of the Tom Clancy moniker to this date. Despite the lack of new releases, it still stands out as one of Ubisoft’s most successful and critically acclaimed franchises ever. Almost every game in the franchise is great, but Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is easily the best game in the franchise and one of the best in the genre.

Chaos Theory is a stealth game, featuring some degree of close-quarters combat as well. In this title, players take control of Sam Fisher as he navigates through drama, espionage, and a looming global conflict. The narrative is exciting and well-written; it doesn’t feel like a formality at all. Overall, this game has some of the best stealth gameplay out there, with slick mechanics, solid enemy AI, and unique missions with a lot of creativity on display.