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Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction has had a long development cycle. Once meant to release in Christmas 2007, that bloated release season passed without any more Fisher. Having gone back to gear once for a redesign, it only really exposed itself at E3, wowing the crowd with its new features. After a number of other delays, it looks like this long-awaited entry in the Splinter Cell series is really going to release this April. Silenced pistol in hand, what will we be facing in Fisher's quest for justice?
Based two years after Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Sam Fisher learns that the death of his only daughter in a car accident may not have been as accidental as he was led to believe. He goes rogue from his agency, Third Echelon, as he searches to find the person that orchestrated Sarah's death. However, Fisher is now a liability to Third Echelon – having such a highly-trained operative out of their control could shine quite poorly on their chances of continued existence. Fisher is now on a personal vendetta, and, this time, he's not sticking to the shadows.
This instalment is attempting to advance the action-stealth genre. Rather than punishing you for being seen, the game simply switches tact – Fisher will be able to defend himself with the weapons and gadgets at his command, while giving you the opportunity to ditch your aggressors and return incognito. Nonetheless, the game promises to reward you for treading lightly. When stealthy, you're given the option to use a system called the Mark & Execute. By moving your crosshairs over an enemy or object and then marking them, you give Fisher pre-determined targets. These are illustrated as a red circle over them when they're within firing range, or a grey arrow when they're not. By launching the Execute command at any time, Fisher will shoot the targets with brutal accuracy and speed. Shooting environmental objects in this way can also have different effects. If, for example, you were to shoot out a light, any enemies in that area will be unable to see your approach. Similarly, shooting down a chandelier onto an unsuspecting grunt should be immensely satisfying. This promises to add a tactical edge to your stealthy incursions, or simply as an effective segue into a cover-based gunfight. There is also a system called the Last Known Location. Whenever Fisher escapes from the enemy's sight, his former position will be illustrated as a white silhouette. They will continue to attack and move closer to this silhouette all the while oblivious to your current location. You can use this to your advantage, by sneaking up behind them and having your way with their tender necks.
The game will also include a co-op campaign for two players. The story is set before the main story of the game, and is aptly called the Prologue. Nuclear warheads have found their way into rogue operatives in Russia and a joint taskforce of American and Russian agents work together to attain them before they make their way to the black market. The lone American is named Archer, and his comrade is named Kestrel, and they must work together through a similarly scripted story as Fisher's to its conclusion, which is meant to be about six hours in length. Despite adding another player to the mix, the gameplay will have most of the same features, with some modifications. Last Known Location remains intact, but Mark & Execute sees some changes. There is now a Dual-Execute command, where both agents can launch their pre-planned devastating attack in one almighty burst. It is also possible for one player to Mark enemies from a distant position for his ally to Execute in a more advantageous one.
There is also another gameplay suite called Deniable Ops. The first mode is called Hunter – here, you simply have to eliminate all the enemies in one of the six maps available. However, you need to be stealthy to do so, as being seen will bring reinforcements to the area, increasing the number of enemies you need to deal with before the game is over. Each session is meant to be 15+ minutes long. There is a multiplayer version of this available, too, called Face Off. You earn points for killing AI enemies, but also for killing each other. The presence of the AI can easily complicate matters, as they will attack either of you if they see you, easily alerting the other player to your location. Last Stand is a Survival/King of the Hill mode, where you must defend an EMP warhead from attack by AI enemies, either by yourself or with a friend. If they are able to knock its integrity down to zero, it's all over. Infiltration is a pure stealth affair. If you or your ally is seen by the patrols or security systems, the mission will abruptly end – punishing, but a worthy challenge for two brothers in arms. An increasing rarity in this current era of games, split-screen will also be available for all two-player modes. The advantages of this include the ease of communication, as well as the ability to physically strike them for being clumsy – a joy that all online play sadly lacks.
Lastly, this is all linked together with the so-called Persistant Elite Creation system. While playing the game in single-player or co-operative, you receive points for completing challenges. This may be defeating a certain number of enemies in a certain way or similar actions leading to the exploration of the various gameplay options available. By doing this, you earn points that you can spend at armouries throughout the game. You can then upgrade your unlocked weapons, adding scopes or damage increases, as well as fortifying your armour and improving your gadgets.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction is showing a lot of potential. With an abundant number of new gameplay systems, it is trying to do new things to the genre while still remaining a stealth espionage experience. We won't have to wait long to find out if it all meshes together – Splinter Cell: Conviction releases on PC and Xbox 360 on the 13th of April in North America and the 16th of April in Europe.
