The Writing’s on the Wall: Splinter Cell in Action

Looks like Sam Fisher’s been taking a few lessons at the Batman School of Stealth, if this new video show-casing the upcoming Splinter Cell: Conviction is any indication. This new Splinter Cell seems a lot more focused on “blitzkrieg” style attacks, relying on brute force exercised with precision and speed rather than a considered approach.

It’s different from the Splinter Cell we know and love, certainly, but that’s not always a bad thing. I’m still looking forward to executing some punks Punisher-style when the game drops in February of next year, but I’m concerned that games like this may be sliding more towards an extended Quick Time Event than any semblance of actual freedom. Maybe I’m just paranoid.

But, as always, we want to know what you think! Does this new Splinter Cell seem like something that you’d want to pick up, or do the differences from past versions make you turn up your nose?

Written by

mitch@gamersushi.com Twitter: @mi7ch Gamertag: Lubeius PSN ID: Lubeius SteamID: Mister_L Origin/EA:Lube182 Currently Playing: PUBG, Rainbow 6: Siege, Assassin's Creed: Origins, Total War: Warhammer 2

9 thoughts on “The Writing’s on the Wall: Splinter Cell in Action”

  1. I can’t wait for this, I have been looking forward to a decent Splinter Cell game since Double Agent let me down. I have played Chaos Theory way too many times.

    One of my favourite parts of any SC game is sneaking up on people to interrogate them and it looks as if they have knocked that up a notch. Nailing a guys hand to something is always fun.

    The select people who you want to auto kill feels kind of cheap, hopefully it’s use can be avoided because I prefer the pick them off when they wander away approach.

    I really hope the AI has been turned up, knowing exactly what the AI is going to do when I do something gets pretty boring, I want them to judge the situation better and figure out that a guy whistling to get your attention after you find 45 dead bodys is not a good thing.

    I only have 3 potential problems with it. 1 – Whilst I understand it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, I love stealth and it looks as if they are leaning more towards a third person shooter. (Although it’s hard to tell until I get my hands on it of course). 2 – I smell quick time events….as long as they work well then whatever. 3 – I would bet good money on them running out of ideas on the last mission and just having you vs. waves of enemies throwing all stealth out the window like every single stealth based games seems to do (Assassins Creed and Velvet Assassin being the most notable(and an excuse to type ass lots))

    But yeah, I will be getting this and probably at least enjoying it.

  2. To be honest, this game seems like just my cup of tea. I like stealth, don’t get me wrong. But I’m not a patient fella, and a little run n’ gun never hurt.

    Having said that, stealth has always been important for the series, so it all depends on how the action sequences are segued into the more stealthy areas. As for quick time events, not a fan. If anything, I’d rather push a button to start a movie, then watch it, not have to push buttons in the middle of it. All in all though, I may have to give it a try.

  3. I hear your fear Mitch, about everything just become one long activated quicktime event… Hopefully we’ll never come to that.

    This game looks like it could really be a nice change for the franchise.. However I’m not too keen on the whole “tag” them and then just pop up and it auto-aims for you. I mean on console sure that could really help, but having a MOUSE I really like to AIM for myself.

  4. @Julez,
    then don’t use it. I see what you mean but if you like to aim yourself, or if it makes it too easy, then don’t use it (I thought that v.a.t.s would ruin fallout 3 until I played it, now I love it).

    also about the whole quicktime thing, heavy rain anyone. you never know it might work, probably not for a splinter cell game but you never know. It might even become a new Genre.

  5. @ Mitch
    You say it doesn’t require a ‘considered approach.’ Didn’t you see how precise he was? Near perfect timing and a deep understanding of the tactics available for the situation kinda seems considerate to me 😉 Also, I loved your ‘blitzkreig’ style attacks’ line. Perfect description. 😀

  6. It’s not as considerate as slowly picking off enemies one by one, carefully managing the situation so your targets don’t know that there’s a predator in their midst.

    I wouldn’t say that the maneuvers in the video aren’t “considered”, but since the method of taking out your selected targets seems procedurally generated, which one you pick to go first or last doesn’t really matter. They’re all going to be sacks of meat pretty quickly. Just my opinion, of course.

    @Gadfly Jim
    Really pretty games of Simon Says? 😉

  7. Seems the person performing the demonstration is treating it like a run and gun, I remain confident we will be able to stealth it up.

  8. I agree with Mitch completely. (besides poking fun of heavy rain. different monster)

    @Gadfly Jim

    They put certain features in a game for a reason. I just don’t think having the tag-and-fire system should be neccessary unless they so densly populate an area that it’s impossible to pass WITHOUT using that feature. Which, of course, would mean I’d have to use it anyways.

    I LOVED Indigo Prophecy (fahrenheit for some of you). Heavy Rain is a MUCH different idea than a quicktime-sequenenced Splinter Cell. I don’t really see the comparison.

    I’m not afraid of THIS game becoming too “simon says”… but Mitch does raise a good question. Just how much does a ‘1-button-solution’ solve for people who have little patience for having to re-load a savepoint a few times? Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for fluid gameplay… But I also don’t want my intelligence insulted.

Comments are closed.