"Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist" is the biggest, most ambitious game in the series. Featuring a new voice actor in the role of Sam Fisher, it's an extremely satisfying action game that includes the acclaimed Spy Vs. Merc mode from "Pandora Tomorrow". Released in Aug. 2013, "Blacklist" (the last SC entry made) was an effort by Ubi Soft to reinvigorate the series after "Splinter Cell: Conviction" was considered a misstep by fans. Made in the mold of the highly-acclaimed "Chaos Theory", but retaining the faster pace of "Conviction", it stayed true to the original game while modernizing and expanding on it.
For the first time in the series' history, players can choose what missions to embark on at a hub similar to "Mass Effect". The two-player cooperative missions (which can also be played solo) are a mix of stealth and action levels. And you can purchase numerous firearms, gadgets, uniforms and upgrades in-between chapters. The story itself is a good one, but the subtlety of the Michael Ironside entries have been replaced with the cinematic bombast straight out of a "Call of Duty" game. It's as if the makers wanted to emulate the feeling of a big-budget Hollywood action movie. This modern approach works well with the new, more energetic Sam Fisher.
As far as the Spy Vs. Merc modes go , they can be played in either classic form or in an updated version featuring different classes. As in the campaign, you can use earned currency to purchase different weapons and abilities as you progress. The game also includes single player mini-challenges and online challenges that are updated weekly. Overall, "Blacklist" is a very good "Splinter Cell" title that gives players a little bit of everything. It's not as precise or great as "Chaos Theory", but it surpasses its scope and that's saying a lot. I'd rank this one with an 8.5 out of 10.