Review: Splinter Cell Conviction
Game: Splinter Cell Conviction
Format: Xbox 360
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
It is probably safe to say that by now we all know Splinter Cell Conviction has been in development for a long time. The Xbox 360 exclusive title (so long as you do not count the PC release that is due out in a few weeks) originally started out very differently, resembling Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed games more than anything else. However, rumour has it that the release of the first Assassin’s Creed, and how technically superior it was, led to Splinter Cell Conviction returning to the drawing board, and disappearing from the public eye for years.
Gaming’s history with titles that have been completely overhauled mid-production is spotty to say the best. It is not necessarily a bad thing (for instance Resident Evil 4 was reportedly restarted several times) but in general, the reason a game is started from scratch is because there are fundamental issues that can only be fixed by starting over. It probably wouldn’t be unfair to say that in terms of quality, for every Resident Evil 4 there are about ten Too Humans. So where does Splinter Cell Conviction lie? Is it a Resident Evil 4 or is it a bit Too Human?
Taking place a few years after the events of Splinter Cell Double Agent, Senior Citizen Super Spy Sam Fisher is not a happy man. After his daughter was killed by a drunk driver, and his best friend was killed during his last mission, Sam has quit working for the Government Agency Third Echelon. Instead, spending some time away from it all brooding in a Café in Malta. While sipping on his umpteenth Espresso, a waiter hands Sam a mobile phone telling him he has an urgent call. His former handler, Anna “Grim” Grimsdóttír, is on the line and informs Sam that a group of armed men are heading his way. With this information, we begin the obligatory basic tutorial mission.
When being stealthy the controls are, for the most part, very slick and intuitive. Holding the left trigger will make Sam pop behind any available cover, and pressing A will allow Sam to slide gracefully between and over objects. The game handles much like any third person shooter with the right trigger firing weapons, the B button performing mêlée attacks, clicking the right stick zooms in, and left bumper reloads.
Sam has a number of stealth kills in his arsenal
Much like the other big Tom Clancy series, Rainbow Six, you can mark enemies by pressing the right bumper. Marking enemies allows you to keep track of where your enemies are, and is also a necessary part of one of the game’s new features. After performing a stealthy mêlée kill, Sam earns the ability to perform the mark and execute maneuver. Once your targets are marked you simply press the Y button and Sam will fire off head shots in order to quickly and quietly take his targets down. Sam can also mark environmental hazards, such as chandeliers, causing them to fall onto unsuspecting foes below. To begin with, you can only mark and execute two enemies at a time, but this ability can be upgraded further on in the game.
In-game mission updates are made in a strikingly visual way. Relevant information appears on the walls around you, as if it were being fed through a projector. It works in such a way that you are always aware of what you need to be doing, without cluttering the screen, which is a very welcome feature.
Mission updates are projected on to your surroundings
At the end of the first mission you take part in the first of numerous interrogation scenes. After grabbing the target you can press B to hit them in order to procure more information. The environments are interactive, so for instance in this first section, which takes place in a public toilet, if you press B next to a sink Sam will smash his enemy’s head through the sink. Once you have interrogated your target, the relevant information that they give you will flash up on the walls. This serves as a decent visual aid for your next mission.
In terms of gameplay, much like Batman Arkham Asylum, sticking to the shadows as much as possible is the best tactic; when in the shadows Sam becomes essentially invisible. If no-one can see you then the screen turns black and white; the only colours on screen being your enemies. It looks very stylish and works as a good way of cutting down unnecessary clutter on the screen, such as the visibility meters and radars that so many other stealth games have had in the past. If you are unfortunate enough to wander into the sight of an enemy, a small arrow appears on screen to indicate where the enemy is. The longer you stay in that enemy’s line of sight, the smaller the arrow becomes. If the arrow completely disappears then your opponent can see you and you will either have to fight or flee.
Mark and Execute kills are pretty stylish
The second new feature in the game is the last known position feature. This comes into effect when you have been spotted, but manage to break free from your enemy’s line of sight. Doing this will cause a ghostly outline of you to appear in the last place your enemies saw you, and where they will subsequently be focusing their attention. With this knowledge you can reposition yourself to regain the advantage.
Being discovered brings the game’s limitations to light. While the controls work really well in methodical stealth-based scenarios, when you are forced to fight off a dozen enemies that have managed to surround you, the controls feel clumsy. You could argue that the game is punishing you for not being stealthy, or that you are playing the game incorrectly by going hell-for-leather, but that does not change the fact that, at times, the controls are awkward. With this revelation, it becomes clear that Splinter Cell Conviction is less of a third person shooter, and more of a third person puzzle game with shooting elements. More often than not if you find yourself in a situation where you feel that the only option available is to go in guns blazing, then you have not looked around enough for other alternatives.
While the single player is fairly short; I completed it in about 6 hours, the game offers up a lot of additional game modes and additional features to keep completionists playing for a long time to come. The in-game currency used for purchasing upgrades for your equipment is earned through completing challenges, called P.E.C Challenges. There are a number of different challenge types to complete, ranging from simple things like performing X number of head shots, to more challenging tasks such as completing a level without being spotted, without dying, and without restarting at any point. These challenges are applied to not only the single player, but all of the multiplayer modes as well. So you are constantly rewarded for playing, no matter what game mode you choose.
Split Screen Co-op is a VERY welcome feature
In a welcome move, there is a split screen co-op mode that acts as a prequel to the main game’s storyline. This mode pits one player as a USA operative and the other as a Russian agent. You must work together over four levels, with all the same abilities and equipment made available to Sam Fisher throughout the single player. The co-op story mode can also be played online with friends or strangers if you’re into online-only snobbery.
Outside the co-op story there are a number of single level based challenges, similar to the challenge maps in Batman Arkham Asylum. Objectives range from defeating every enemy on the map, to protecting an EMP generator from wave after wave of attacking foes. Arguably, the best multiplayer mode is the 2-on-2 mode, in which one team attempts to take out another live human team of two. As well as your living opponents, the maps are populated with computer controlled enemies that are hostile towards both you and your enemy team, which can create wonderfully tense matches.
Like Assassin’s Creed 2, Splinter Cell Conviction is supported by Ubisoft’s UPLAY system, which allows you to download additional content for free after meeting certain in game objectives. Completing these objectives, such as beating the first level, earns you UPLAY points which can then be redeemed for either a Splinter Cell Conviction theme for your Xbox dashboard, a new machine gun, a new costume for multiplayer, and the Infiltration multiplayer mode. As good of an idea as it sounds, these items appear to already be on the disk, and really could have just been traditional unlocks rewarded for meeting certain objectives. In order to access the UPLAY content you must create an account with Ubisoft, giving them your email address. Perhaps I am being cynical when I suggest this, but I suspect that it is a crafty way of Ubisoft compiling data about the people that play their games.
Review Round-Up
Graphics: 4/5 While the character animations and lip synching in particular can be a little patchy, the game has a wonderful visual style, ranging from the black and white stealth sections to the projection of mission information on walls around you. While not being the best looking game ever, it oozes with style.
Sound: 3/5 Michael Ironside returns as Sam Fisher, although he often sounds as if he has had a few too many drinks before beginning his recording session. Additional voice work is competent at best. The sound effects and music are strong.
Story: 3/5 This is your typical Tom Clancy affair full of military jargon – EMP bombs, conspiracies, private military corporations, and plots to kill the President; thrilling for some, tedious for others no doubt. Enemy dialogue is, in general, pretty bad, with lines such as “you’re not the only bad ass here Fisher!” or “You little girl! Show your ass!” sticking out as some of the worst.
Gameplay: 4/5 Overall the stealth mechanic works really well and creates a genuine sense of empowerment when picking off your enemies. Even when you are spotted you are not brutally punished (apart from in one level) so long as you can escape their line of sight. The Multiplayer modes, particularly the co-op story mode and 2 on 2 team battles are brilliant. The only real downside is that the shooting controls can become rather clumsy when you are discovered and forced to fight.
Longevity: 4/5 While the single player is quite short, the inclusion of the P.E.C challenges offers a decent incentive to play through the game again on higher difficulties in order to upgrade your weapons and equipment. The multiplayer modes are compelling, well designed, and well worth your attention. In a very wise move, Splinter Cell Conviction features Split Screen co-op, so even if the game does not maintain a lengthy online life, you can still keep playing long after the servers are shut down.
Overall 4.5 Marked Targets out of 5: Splinter Cell Conviction is a game that, overall, is better than the sum of its parts. Despite having a few short comings, Splinter Cell Conviction comes close to being a truly great game thanks to the strong stealth gameplay that empowers the player, and numerous multiplayer modes. Splinter Cell Conviction deserves to be in your disk tray for a long time to come.
[starreview tpl=16]
I do want to have a go at this but I’ve got to save my money a bit right now for one of my must haves like Alan Wake and Mario Galaxy 2.
BigDog will be getting it hopefully and I’ll have a go on his.