Gameplay tweaks aside, with Conviction, the emphasis is on a more seamless, cinematic experience. Needless to say, Fisher’s methods of “questioning” are particularly brutal and violent, opening up sadistically enjoyable options to the player, but the actual control over these events is disappointingly limited Fisher’s freedom of movement is restricted to conveniently enclosed spaces, and there are only so many objects you can fling the NPC into before they quickly cave and release the information required to press on. ![]() Other elements, such as an automatic cover system and a goal marker, visible at all times, keep the experience linear and streamlined (almost too streamlined I was able to complete the single-player story in less than a weekend, and the two player co-op mode is even shorter than that).Īnother major component of Conviction are the “Interrogation” scenes punctuating Fisher’s interactions with Non-Playable Characters (NPCs) crucial to the story, which is an interesting and brisk narrative of political conspiracy and shady government security contracts. ![]() ![]() It’s a smart feature, as players of any skill level can pull off next-to-impossible shooting maneuvers and feel rightly invincible, and it actually encourages you to assume the role of silent assassin and plan strategically more often, as stealth kills are the only way to earn the ability to actually execute your marks. One of these is the “Mark and Execute” command, in which the player can tag individual enemies and booby traps, so that when the timing is right, a quick tap of the “execute” button ensures that Fisher will automatically hit his targets perfectly, with a stylistic flourish worthy of any action superhero. Double Agent introduced a darker, grittier tone to Splinter Cell, but Conviction has solidified it, also bringing impressive production values that reinforce higher storytelling over spy-op gameplay catered solely to the hardcore.Ĭonviction does introduce some new play mechanics, but their aim is ultimately to make the game more accessible to those new to the series or who want a simplified interface to deal with (such as myself). What interested me in Conviction and led me to play through the single-player story mode of this chiaroscuro sneak thriller was the marked stylistic shift from the slick black-suited trifocaled Fisher that dominated the earlier Splinter Cell titles to a more haggard and beaten-up character, preoccupied with the death of his daughter (a continuation of the story arc from the previous game, Double Agent) and forced to improvise more on location-in other words, a tad more flawed and human. Which isn’t to say that video games aren’t capable of being heavy or dramatic, but giving the player any semblance of freedom while simultaneously dictating a specific attitude they must possess carries with it some obvious challenges in design. National Security Agency, rests solely on your ability to engage with the games’ earnest shadow play, hiding from direct human contact and utilizing improbable spy tech with the utmost sincerity. The success of main protagonist Sam Fisher, the gruff talking battle-wearied agent of the “Third Echelon,” a fictional black-ops branch of the U.S. ![]() And the Splinter Cell titles are made for the invested, not the curious. There is a level of intimidation that is hard for a “gamey” gamer such as myself to get around that is, the temptation to mess about and not take myself seriously during a game’s mimesis outweighs the gravity that my sometimes foolhardy actions will have on the structure of the mechanics themselves. Admittedly, Ubisoft Montreal’s series of Splinter Cell games has never enticed me enough to be involved with them more than as a casual curiosity.
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