Splinter Cell: Double Agent gets a close shave

Eternally five-o'clock-shadowed Sam Fisher is getting some in-game advertising in Splinter Cell: Double Agent, courtesy of Nivea and Philips Norelco, but we're unsure if this means he'll be shaving in the game. Apparently Sam comes across some Nivea and Norelco products as he sneaks through an in-game hotel bathroom. At least this explains why Ubisoft was giving out packets of shaving cream at this year's PAX.

They missed the boat with this one. We know that he's in prison with a bald head in this game, so why didn't they feature Nivea shaving cream giving Sam a buzz? After all, part of the advertising tie-in for the game has bottles of aftershave shaped like hand grenades with the message "Balms Away" printed on them. You just can't make this stuff up, folks.

While it seems odd to feature shaving ads in a game where the main character shaves probably every other Tuesday, it could have been worse. At least Sam won't be pushing Quaker Oats or Depends. But if Ubisoft keeps churning these sequels out, he may need 'em.

All of the ads in the game point to a microsite created for this promotional tie-in. Register and win some Splinter Cell: Double Agent schwag, maybe even your own hand grenade aftershave.

[Image credit: Planet of the Geeks]