BBC Radio 4, December 2, 2022 and on BBC Sounds

Fourth Echelon’s finest operative assesses new candidates for the programme, with surprising results. But an urgent message from a contact in a tech company spells out a new challenge for the shadowy group.

Though I’ve never really played the videogames or read the novel upon which this drama is based, as a gamer I’m familiar enough with Splinter Cell, a more serious and way more grounded version of Metal Gear Solid, more about actual stealth and less about hiding in boxes and giant mechs.

So what does this audio drama bring to the table? Well, this first episode is relatively light on action, bar an opening sequence in which a group of operatives try to track down a very elusive target, but it quickly gets on with setting up all the major players so that even a franchise newbie like me can keep up with the pace.

Sam is played with a nice amount of understatement – it’s the sort of character that could easily be a parody with a gravelly voice but instead we get a believably world-weary performance. His boss, Anna Grimsdottir, is calm and efficient with a no-nonsense attitude that says she is very confident of how in charge she is of any room. On the other side of the fence, Will Poulter has fun as Brody Teague, a tech-bro with big money, eccentric manner and dark secrets.

As the characters are introduced and the basic setup laid out, it feels organic while still managing to convey the information we need. Were I being very picky I’d say that the occasional accent slips but overall it’s a detailed, immersive setup which draws you into Fourth Echelon’s shadowy world and the sorts of enemies they find themselves up against. Bar one quite awkward Russian character, it’s a refreshingly unexpected take on this kind of material, and I look forward to seeing where it goes next.

Verdict: A decent opening which sets the scene well. 8/10

Greg D. Smith