So. You heard me talk up this games on the forums for 2 years. That wasn't just talk. This game is great.
At any rate, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction is one hell of a ride.
You play Sam Fisher. An agent who works for the government organization called Third Echelon. In the previous game splinter cell double agent sam discovered that his daughter Sarah had been killed by a drunk driver. Sam isnt going to just take that, so he sets out to find the killer. The story isn't nearly as simple as that, but just know that Sam gets involved in a plot against the government and Third Echelon is completely corrupt.
The story is definitely the strongest of the splinter cell games. It is the most engaging, and really gets you in to whats going on. Yes the story is mostly standard Tom Clancy conspiracy crap, but the powerful story of a washed up agent wraps it up to be something truly awesome. The characters are very strong, and you will develop a general hatred for some, and a love for others. The story is short though. I took my time with it and clocked in at just under 8 hours on realistic. This is not a bad thing. The story was so good, and the level design was some of the best I have seen in a very long time. The game feels like it was just the perfect length and it didn't out stay its welcome by adding in pointless missions that side track from the main story. This story is a personal one and a very well done one at that.
The gameplay is much different from any other splinter cell game. It is no longer based off of watching your enemies walk patterns and then striking. It has now combined stealth with a great shooting mechanic. In past games shooting was pretty bad. But now they have implemented the greatest cover system i have ever seen in a game, and shooting that feels right. You now use stealth to assist the action, do disappear and gun them down from behind. And while it isnt like old splinter cell, its not a bad thing. The action is alot of fun and this game is very unique to play, and i have yet to play anyting quite like it. The Last Known Position and Mark and Execute are 2 features we have heard so much about.Mark and Execute is something you earn by killing someone with your hands. You can then mark targets, and when you press Y you automatically shoot them all. M&E is not as bad as people thought it would be. I used it very few times in the story because i just never had it. On realistic you really have to get a good spot to pick off one guy in hand to hand. I really enjoy M&E and it just makes you feel like a total badass. LKP is something i really love. LKP is a shadowy image left behind for the player to see. Once you have escaped your enemy it leaves a marking of where they believe you are. This leads up to a sweet game of cat and mouse, and its really cool to throw a remote mine on your LKP and watch some guards explode.
The graphics in this game really aren't too stand out. The game overall looks average for this gen, but there is some nice details. Textures and environments and gun models look great with alot of detail. The animations are smooth and look great (apart from the jumping to a pipe above your head) and a number of visual design choices make this game stand out. The projected text and movies are beautiful and really keep you sucked in, and the black and white is a hate or love thing. One thing i really like is the way enemies re-act to being shot at. You will be able to visibly see them react to leg shots, chest shots, and head shots. On the downside, most character models look weak with little detail on faces or things like hands. But all of the main characters look great.
This game has one of the best sound tracks ever. I found that each time music came on in the background it fit exactly what I was doing. When approaching the white house the music was so fitting that it just felt epic. Although i will point out that in one of the levels there is a loud techno song during combat. This was totally out of place. The voice actors were fantastic, and Micheal Ironside really knocked this one out of the park. Every grunt, yell , and funny little quip just sounded too perfect. The guards do sound a little annoying, but at least they arn't too repetitive and do have a good amount of lines that they say. Ambient sounds are also well done, and really set the mood as you creep through the sewers.
The multiplayer is where this game shines. Yes. This is the game that you and your good friend will hop on when your hanging out. The co-op story alone is worth your time just as much as the main story. You play as Archer and Kestrel, and american and Russian that are working together. The story is a prequel to Sam's story and is best if played after you beat the single player. Besides this, there is deniable ops. Deniable ops offers 4 game modes that can be played online,split screen, or system link. These modes are:
Hunter: Eliminate all targets on the map, if you are detected a set of re-enforcements arrive. You must clear out all areas to beat the level.
Last Stand:Defend an EMP bomb from waves of incoming enemies. The waves increase in difficulty.
Face Off: 1 v 1 spy fight with enemy AI on the map. AI is worth 1 point, player is worth 5.
(this mode is unlocked through Uplay)- Infiltration: Classic splinter cell. Avoid detection and eliminate all targets. If you are caught , its game over. Cameras and lasers are added.
These modes are so much fun and will last for hours and hours of gameplay. The second you get bored with one mode, picking a new one feels completely refreshing. This allows you to play Deniable Ops for hours and hours!
The P.E.C system
You unlock guns as you play the game, but you will have to complete specific in game challenges to unlock the upgrades. You can also unlock different armor colors, and add upgrades to your armor. For each suit you can pimp it out with a bullet proof vest, different colors, more ammo and more.
The issues
This game is a little too easy. For me Casual and Normal are jokes. And realistic feels just right. What bothers me is that when I master realistic there will be no more challenge, which really bothers me as most splinter cell games always remained challenging. I hope that this doesn't happen, as i enjoy realistic, but there should be something harder.
Not being able to take mods OFF of weapons. I accidentally put a scope on my shotgun and now i am screwed. This should be fixed.
THE VERDICT
Pro's-
-Great Action
-Fun to play
-Great Co-op
-Great story
-Top voice acting
Con's
-Too easy
-Mods cant be taken off of weapons
-short single player
-some character models look awful
Story-8.5
Gameplay-8.5
Presentation/Sound-9.5
Multiplayer/replay value-9.5
Graphics-7.5
THE SCORE
8.7 out of 10