Splinter Cell: Conviction

Even though Sam had dropped off the grid, Grim finds him and he discovers that he doesn't know the truth about his daughter's death. He is soon thrust into the middle of a conspiracy, making things considerably less "personal". And yeah, you're still following someone else's orders, using gadgets(if less than usual) and communicating with back-up over an earpiece. This isn't very like the others. The gradual expansion of features in the first three left little, if any, room to change(Chaos Theory almost got to be too easy), the fourth then made you, like the title of it implies, a double agent to keep things interesting. And I don't think they really had any ideas after that point. I don't blame them, I couldn't think of where to go from there. And yet they kept moving, changing the direction they took a bit. I'm not really against something like this, I merely don't think Splinter Cell is a fitting franchise for it. The things left over from the others seem out of place here(you barely look under doors or use the sticky cam in this), there isn't a satisfying explanation why you sneak so little, and while it sets up a revenge kind of thing, it doesn't particularly go through with it. Story has been a key aspect to this series from the get-go, and this one is paperthin, the twist is obvious right off the bat and the political intrigue that we've grown addicted to is essentially gone, replaced with cliché. The game-play is action-driven, with you taking out the enemy without them getting you(one thing that they do keep to is the challenge, you'll die from just a few shots). Don't worry about being seen, in fact, it can be an advantage, as long as you hide right away. I like that you can use this to trick the NPC's into focusing on one spot even after you leave, but they push it too far, with the AI leading others to point blank attacks on *nothing*. You move from one cover to another constantly, and this does have an excellent system for that, one of the best I've seen. Use the cursor to indicate where you want to go next, press Space, and you'll hurry there, making yourself as small a target in the process, and *everything* can be used(in the few instances where it can't, it won't let you move to like that). Get close to someone and press C(hold it to use that person as a human shield) and you'll dispatch them instantly(unless they block you, if they spot you first… then just do it again… yeah). Yup, just like that, no skill to it(that's a theme in this one). Doing so will get you the right to use Execute(once, until the next time you do so), letting you instantly knock off anyone you've Marked(there's a very limited number of these, and yes, each time you can only do in this small amount… if they remain within range, and it'll let you know if they aren't). If you can see someone, even if it's through a wall using the new Sonar Goggles, you can do this, so you can, indeed, bust into a room and clear it. Not only does the single player portion of this not produce any truly memorable situations(other than perhaps when you have to move directional microphones into position to keep up with a conversation… and then beat up a black guy right in front of the statue of Lincoln at the memorial… I have a feeling he's turning in his grave), it's exceedingly short. You can complete this in a single day, if you really apply yourself. One and a half, at the most. The end credits last longer than that! The three difficulty settings certainly don't provide replayability(note that this, like the others, has no freedom of movement, and it doesn't have choices that shape it like DA did), so afterwards, there's only MP. It is fun, I'll give them that, if the co-op thing limits it. Yup, you can only ever play with one other person. Some of the earlier entries allowed for teams to go up against one another, y'know. There's a prequel to the main campaign, Hunter(about the same as SP), Last Stand(defend an object), Face-Off(vs., with opposition) and Infiltration. This finds its own server(you can determine the rules, unlike BioShock 2), and I think you can find people you know to play with. And yes, you do need a permanent internet connection to even play this. It stores your savegames online, not sure for what purpose(backup copy?), and if you force shutdown it, those won't be up to date. This is quite streamlined, taking away much of the potential risk(the guns, bullets(as in "running out of", and "dodging") and aiming ensure that it isn't all gone, same as BS2 and Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, and unlike the Assassin's Creed games), and, well, taking away your choices. You interrogate, for example, only it's nothing other than "activating" it, you don't control the flow of it(remember The Punisher, from '04? That one, you have four options for it at any time, and then there are specific ones, locked to locations!). Well, you can upgrade your arsenal(three times per piece, it seems), with PEC points, gotten for doing exact tasks over the course of playing. You can still only carry two, a pistol and something heavier(that you can replace with any that you find on bodies and the like), and you can exchange them at boxes you find throughout. This shows memories and such on walls sometimes, I guess for the psychological touch and to dispense with menus of text. You'll either like it or you won't. Why does this put EMP in so much? There is bloody violence, disturbing content and strong language in this. I recommend this to fans of the Bourne trilogy(this is about the closest thing to a proper one we've gotten so far). 7/10

10 out of 10 - A Ruthless, Fast-Paced Evolution for Sam Fisher

The Fugitive Has Arrived

Splinter Cell: Conviction is the raw nerve of the franchise. It's not about cold missions or surgical strikes anymore-this is personal. After the death of his daughter and betrayal from within, Sam Fisher goes rogue. He's not sneaking around to follow orders. He's hunting for the truth. And when Sam's off the leash, the game becomes something entirely different: faster, meaner, more emotionally charged-and absolutely unforgettable.

Gameplay: Brutal Efficiency with Style

Conviction trades in the slow, methodical pacing of earlier entries for a more aggressive, fluid stealth system that still demands intelligence but rewards decisiveness. You're no longer a shadow in the dark-you are the darkness, moving fast, hitting harder, and leaving no trace.

Key innovations: Mark & Execute: Tag multiple enemies and drop them in one cinematic motion. It's smooth, satisfying, and deadly.

Last Known Position: A genius mechanic that shows where enemies think you are, giving you room to flank and outsmart them.

Interrogations: Brutal, immersive, and unflinching. Sam uses the environment as his weapon, slamming heads into mirrors, car doors, or pipes to extract intel-and these aren't cutscenes; you're in full control.

Every moment feels like a Jason Bourne fever dream filtered through Sam Fisher's calculated fury.

Tone & Story: Personal, Ruthless, and Raw

This is Sam at his most dangerous and most human. He's not saving the world-he's chasing down lies, ghosts, and betrayal. He's mourning, he's angry, and he's out of patience.

The story blurs the line between spy thriller and revenge tale. There's conspiracy, corruption, and high-stakes deception-but what drives it all is Sam's grief and rage. You're not just playing a super-spy; you're playing a man who's lost everything and is now hellbent on making the truth bleed.

Visuals & Presentation: Sharp, Cinematic, and Clean

The UI bleeds into the environment: objectives are projected onto walls, flashbacks spill across scenery, and interrogations are messy, real-time explosions of violence. The presentation style is bold and unique-you're not just playing a game, you're watching it unfold like a high-stakes thriller without ever losing control.

Multiplayer: Deniable Ops & Co-op Mode

Conviction also introduced a strong side package with Deniable Ops-focused stealth scenarios-and a Co-op campaign with Archer and Kestrel, two agents from opposing agencies. It's not filler-it's some of the best co-op stealth gameplay ever designed.

Verdict: A Bold Reinvention That Pays Off

Some longtime fans missed the old, ultra-stealthy feel. But make no mistake: Splinter Cell: Conviction wasn't a betrayal of the formula-it was an evolution. A raw, emotional, high-speed version of Sam Fisher that still demanded brains but added fire and fury.

10 out of 10 - A cinematic, aggressive, and unforgettable experience that put the world on notice: Sam Fisher is still the king of stealth, even when he's on the warpath.

Having made the decision to get off the conveyor belt (for a while!) and not buy Call of Duty: Black Ops, I used my gaming habit to catch up on some really great games that I had missed thanks to borrowing from friends and buying used. Unlike many here this game represented my first Splinter Cell game so, in a way, I am free from the trap of criticising it of not being what I expected in regards the previous games (a common complaint here). Starting the game as a COD player was difficult. In COD multiplayer I learnt that you just keep rushing and shooting and respawning as a tactic whereas early on I realised that a fire-fight is really the last thing I wanted since the NPC characters were not awful and could kill me if there was 3 of them versus me. So the first challenge for me was to get into the swing of trying to stealth everyone first – which I'm told is generally the point of the SC games.

I got into this OK and quickly moved through the game on the normal setting. I quite enjoyed it as a game and liked the way it played even if it is rather irritating in some ways and not as good as it could have been in others. The story is maybe secondary to most gamers but matters to me. Here it is no more than "ok". It builds too quickly into something too big and personally I find the "flashback telling" device to be a bit lazy. As a basic structure though, it does the job and perhaps if I had played previous games it would have hooked me more. Anyway, to the gameplay.

The playing of the game is a bit clumsy. The stealth aspect is rewarding and challenging but the action/FPS style aspects don't really work. They feel tacked on and unnatural while at the same also being useful. In too many levels I alerted the enemy (because of not being that good!) but way was able to blast my way out using a silenced SMG with a scope; it didn't feel skillful to me and it felt a little bit like I had cheaply completed a level – but yet the game more than allows me to do it. I came to understand those who had an issue with the gun-fighting aspect of the game because it did feel too easy to just blast and grenade my way out of a room or to mark everyone having gotten one decent hand-to-hand kill. I liked it, but I would have liked it better if the kills had not come as easy as it did.

This also made the game way too easy. Normal didn't take me too long but once I finished it I started it again on "realistic" and found that I ripped through it – the only difference seeming to be that it took fewer shots to kill me. Changing the subject, I liked the controls despite not liking the lack of control over character speed (no sprint button?). The cut scenes were lazy in their structure but mostly they were good aside from the surprisingly poor lip-synching in some of them. The voice acting helps it as well, Ironside particularly being a welcome and impacting presence in the lead. The music is also great – not only what it is but how it is used (like a movie, it increases in intensity during action sequences or when you have alerted guards and they hunt for you).

The game itself is expanded by the Deniable Ops, multiplayer and co-op. Of these I only did the Deniable Ops. I found the Hunter missions to be great fun as the focus was on stealth, but the ones where you defend the bomb seemed to just be a matter of hiding near the EMP and shooting repeatedly from cover with a silenced weapon (speaking of which, why are their guns without silencers? What is the point of them – surely nobody uses them unless they want constant action?).

Anyway, SP:C is a solid game. It has a solid story, good missions and provided more of a challenge that just the usual run and gun action that I have become used to with other franchises. However it is also a bit lazy in the telling and the mix of stealth and action doesn't really work as well as it should. I enjoyed when it worked but I felt that it cheapened itself by often letting me just blunder my way though when I didn't deserve it – even on the hardest setting. Good game – but not a great game.

Yes, there is a lot of bland cover based shooting and not enough sneaking, but it did not bother me too much. The single-player story is like a typical action movie - sweeping soundtrack, big scripted set pieces, fancy cinematics, implausible but gripping plot, and a bit too short. It was a bit confusing and difficult to follow, but that's no big deal.

Gameplay is solid but a bit formulaic, with tight linear levels lacking multiple approaches, and dumb AI that would do well to eat more carrots (they can't see in the dark). The stealth mechanics based around shadows and "last known position" work fairly well, but are a bit too arcade for my tastes. Multiplayer matchmaking is dead, which is sad as co-op missions seem like fun.

As for those who keep saying this is much worse than the old games like Chaos theory, I slightly disagree, its not significantly better or worse. I am OK with the slightly more streamlined and faster paced direction they have taken, the difference is not as big as many make it out to be.

As a console port, this is fairly good. There is sadly a checkpoint save system, but it is not as bad as in many other games. Otherwise, there are enough settings, no mouse acceleration and skippable cutscenes. On a geeky side note: the unreal engine used here is excellent as usual (allowing me to sleep my pc while fullscreen and later resume right back into the game in 1 sec).

Worth getting in a sale.

The voice acting in this game especially sam's is trash