Splinter Cell Blacklist
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release Date: 23/08/2013
Format: PS3/XBOX360/PC/Wii U
Sam Fisher is back! More accurately Splinter Cell is back because this is not the Sam Fisher we have grown accustomed to in the previous Splinter Cell titles. Michael Ironside is gone and with it Sam’s dark humour and sarcastic personality to be replaced with a younger looking, Jason Bourne style Sam. This is completely jarring at first and may even put some people off but hopefully it won’t and I’m here to tell you why.
The story in Splinter Cell Blacklist is your standard SC affair with terrorists threatening the world with only Sam and his team to stop them, however, this is the most in depth SC title so far. It is not only the longest of the series but offers more variety in play styles than ever before. If you were seen by the enemy in previous titles it was game over for you as they would kill you in mere seconds. This is no longer the case because now you can upgrade all your equipment which covers not just the weapons but the gadgets and armour as well. It is really well implemented and means you can change your load outs to how you want to play. Want to go all-out assault then invest in some quality armour and a shotgun or maybe full stealth is your style in which case lighter armour and upgrading gadgets is affective.
Upgrading is made using the new currency system. You get money for take downs (multiple takedowns in a row earn you more), finding collectibles, completing objectives, finding hidden routes in missions and completing in game challenges. The money is primarily used to upgrade and change your load out but it can also be used to upgrade the Paladin (your base of operations between missions) as well for other bonuses. As mentioned between missions you will be spending your time on the Paladin which is a high tech airplane built specifically for Sam’s 4th Echelon team. In here you can upgrade your equipment or talk to members of your team for updates on the story as well as doing side quests for them. It is a nice change of pace and certainly better than just hopping straight from one mission to the next.
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release Date: 23/08/2013
Format: PS3/XBOX360/PC/Wii U
Sam Fisher is back! More accurately Splinter Cell is back because this is not the Sam Fisher we have grown accustomed to in the previous Splinter Cell titles. Michael Ironside is gone and with it Sam’s dark humour and sarcastic personality to be replaced with a younger looking, Jason Bourne style Sam. This is completely jarring at first and may even put some people off but hopefully it won’t and I’m here to tell you why.
The story in Splinter Cell Blacklist is your standard SC affair with terrorists threatening the world with only Sam and his team to stop them, however, this is the most in depth SC title so far. It is not only the longest of the series but offers more variety in play styles than ever before. If you were seen by the enemy in previous titles it was game over for you as they would kill you in mere seconds. This is no longer the case because now you can upgrade all your equipment which covers not just the weapons but the gadgets and armour as well. It is really well implemented and means you can change your load outs to how you want to play. Want to go all-out assault then invest in some quality armour and a shotgun or maybe full stealth is your style in which case lighter armour and upgrading gadgets is affective.
Upgrading is made using the new currency system. You get money for take downs (multiple takedowns in a row earn you more), finding collectibles, completing objectives, finding hidden routes in missions and completing in game challenges. The money is primarily used to upgrade and change your load out but it can also be used to upgrade the Paladin (your base of operations between missions) as well for other bonuses. As mentioned between missions you will be spending your time on the Paladin which is a high tech airplane built specifically for Sam’s 4th Echelon team. In here you can upgrade your equipment or talk to members of your team for updates on the story as well as doing side quests for them. It is a nice change of pace and certainly better than just hopping straight from one mission to the next.
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The 12 main missions and numerous side missions for your team are all well designed so you can approach each one with any of the 3 main play styles of Ghost (silent & none lethal), Panther (silent & lethal) and Assault (loud and deadly). The only problem here is the A.I even on perfectionist difficulty has laid out routes that once learnt can be avoided without too much trouble with the help of some trusty gadgets. Occasionally the timing of their routes will change but the route itself won’t. This does not take away from the fun though and deciding to take down the enemies is always more satisfying than ignoring them. Mark and execute from Splinter Cell Conviction returns which after earning it through taking down other enemies lets you tag up to three people at once and kill them all in a quick sweep of lethal headshots.
Finally I thought I would mention the excellent (when it is working properly) multiplayer mode Spys vs Mercs. While this has the typical modes you expect to see in most online multiplayer like team death match and extraction it has a unique twist in that you play as either a Spy or Merc. Each has their own special abilities and strengths, spys operate in third person view and can make themselves invisible for a short time while climbing around the environment. Mercs on the other hand are in first person view and are armoured so they take much more damage than the vulnerable Spys. There really is nothing that matches the tension of being a Merc in first person looking around trying to spot the subtle movements of the often invisible Spys. The servers still seem to be a bit temperamental at the moment though so often you might find yourself losing connection through no fault of your own and if the host quits midgame it can’t migrate to another host no matter how hard it tries so you get pushed back to the lobby to start again.
Overall I had great fun with Splinter Cell Blacklist and would now rank it my third favourite out of the 6 core games. Final verdict
Matt Dawson 8.5/10
Finally I thought I would mention the excellent (when it is working properly) multiplayer mode Spys vs Mercs. While this has the typical modes you expect to see in most online multiplayer like team death match and extraction it has a unique twist in that you play as either a Spy or Merc. Each has their own special abilities and strengths, spys operate in third person view and can make themselves invisible for a short time while climbing around the environment. Mercs on the other hand are in first person view and are armoured so they take much more damage than the vulnerable Spys. There really is nothing that matches the tension of being a Merc in first person looking around trying to spot the subtle movements of the often invisible Spys. The servers still seem to be a bit temperamental at the moment though so often you might find yourself losing connection through no fault of your own and if the host quits midgame it can’t migrate to another host no matter how hard it tries so you get pushed back to the lobby to start again.
Overall I had great fun with Splinter Cell Blacklist and would now rank it my third favourite out of the 6 core games. Final verdict
Matt Dawson 8.5/10
"You cant see us, we're completely invisible, except these 3 green lights attached to my forehead."