LogFAQs > #934396211

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction

Played On: Xbox 360
Release Date: April 13, 2010
Genre: Stealth

CONTROVERSIAL EXCELLENCE

Splinter Cell is one of my absolute favorite series; this game, along with the terrific Chaos Theory, is what made me a a fan in the first-place. Yet, ask any other SC fan about this game, and you'll get mixed results, and I totally get it. Conviction is the RE4 of the franchise, changing the core mechanics that had been in the series for 4 main entries up until this point, heading in a more accessible action direction while retaining only fragments of its former identity. It's always a risky choice, but usually one born out of necessity. Simply put, the hardcore stealth of prior entries would always put off more people than it brought in, and sales were reflecting that. In my view, Conviction was absolutely the breath of fresh air the series needed.

Faster-paced with a focus on action-based stealth, Conviction's biggest changes were its cover system, mark & execute feature, and new black/white stealth dynamic. I find slamming from cover-to-cover is a whole new game of stealth, and an addicting one at that. Whereas previous games would demand keen attention to your environment, Conviction emphasizes smart positioning and on-the-fly strategy that quickens the pace without diminishing the difficulty. Stealth in this game is a literally black-and-white affair; like previous games, light plays a huge role, but now you're either hidden or you're not. Some people will say this diminishes the game overall, but it only serves the pace the game is going for and looks seriously stylish as a bonus. This positioning than leads into the new mark-and-execute feature, allowing you to mark a whole load of enemies at once and take them all out at once in one seriously badass move. Nailing this perfectly isn't as easy as it sounds, requiring the correct line-of-sight and also requiring a melee take down to get started. Pulling it off is never anything short of satisfying and will make you feel like a stealth god when pulled off correctly.

Besides the always fun stealth gameplay, Sam Fisher is a huge reason why I love the series too. Typically a somewhat laid-back deadpan character, Conviction however shows an angrier side of Sam, depicting him getting revenge on the people responsible for the death of his daughter. Once again portrayed flawlessly by Michael Ironside, Sam's anger from storyline feeds well into the game, with some highlights being brutal interrogation scenes and a revelation towards the end of the game that highlights Sam's emotions through gameplay by granting him unlimited mark/kills without the need for melee. I'm always a sucker for story/gameplay elements melding so well, and SC: Conviction has it in spades. The only drawback to this is an otherwise typical terrorist plot you've seen dozens of times, but I don't think it hurts the game much at all.

Much like other SC games, I love playing this over and over and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. It's the type of game that's easy to pick up but tough to master, and luckily you can practice your skills in the highly replayable Deniable Ops modes with a friend if you're so inclined, which condenses the gameplay of Conviction into small but dense arenas ripe for endless stealth possibilities. This is almost my GOTY 2010, and just thinking about this game makes me want to jump back into the boots of Sam Fisher and experience it all over again!

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Too much horror business, drivin' late at night
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