Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist

 Xbox 360
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 58 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 58
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 58
  3. Negative: 0 out of 58
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  1. Telegraph
    Aug 30, 2013
    70
    It’s a superior game to Conviction, but it won’t be held in the regard as the original Splinter Cell or Chaos Theory. It’s spread too thin and too focussed on trying to cater to everybody than exploiting what it’s best at.
  2. Shacknews
    Aug 23, 2013
    70
    Ubisoft Toronto's flexible approach succeeds in catering to both fans new and old. A strong co-op mode and the addition of both classic and a fully modernized Spies vs. Mercs makes Blacklist worthy of holding the Splinter Cell name.
  3. Eurogamer Sweden
    Aug 16, 2013
    70
    Blacklist feels like Splinter Cell Conviction 2.0, which is not necessarily a bad remark. A few bugs and a less-than-interesting story chases away the top score. Nice split screen action and a sound that makes for a thick atmosphere keep it above average even though Sam Fisher himself is boring beyond belief for a character with at least six game titles to his name.
  5. Gameblog.fr
    Aug 14, 2013
    70
    Probably the most comprehensive title of the series, yet one that seems to have suffered from its own ambition given the lack of polish on some of its more technical aspects. Story-wise, it's nothing of note, and the gameplay mechanics should be more seamless, but fans will enjoy a true and complete Splinter Cell experience nonetheless.
  6. games(TM)
    Sep 23, 2013
    60
    Most will likely find it a fairly inoffensive time-consumer. But it is a new low for the series. [Issue#139, p.90]
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  7. Guardian
    Aug 19, 2013
    60
    It's clear that, like Sam, Ubisoft has a plan. They want a Splinter Cell that builds on Conviction but is truer to the series' heritage – and with Blacklist they've achieved that, albeit imperfectly. If the next game can refine the formula and give it a proper plot, then just maybe Ubisoft can deliver a classic the next time Sam is the man with the plan.
  8. Edge Magazine
    Aug 14, 2013
    60
    By the time you reach the end of Blacklist everything has grown so big and so explosive that you’re left exhausted but not entirely satisfied, and maybe after all that incoherent action you’ll recall the time when a single flashlight in Chaos Theory’s Panamanian bank made you hold your breath.

Awards & Rankings

24
#24 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2013
20
#20 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2013
5
#5 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2013

User Reviews

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User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 435 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 306 out of 435
  2. Mixed: 66 out of 435
  3. Negative: 63 out of 435
  1. Mazmorrero47
    Aug 22, 2013
    4
    Being described as the most ambitious Splinter Cell yet by Ubisoft, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, despite being overall an Ok game, falls short asBeing described as the most ambitious Splinter Cell yet by Ubisoft, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, despite being overall an Ok game, falls short as a true Splinter Cell experience.

    The saga was known for having stories with memorable and charismatic characters, high political tension and some dark humor. The plot in Splinter Cell: Blacklist instead, is uninspired and cliched (Conviction would have been a perfect conclusion for the series) and the characters, including Sam Fisher (if you can call him Fisher) himself, are as interesting as a cardboard, which is a letdown keeping in mind Double Agent and Conviction were big steps forward in narrative terms.

    Sam Fisher is totally messed up. In Blacklist, he is no longer the ultimate badass who uses a twisted sense of humor to intimidate terrorists and has a sense of companionship and loyalty. He's now an unlikeable jerk with no humanity. His voice acting is dreadful (Michael Ironside is deeply missed). The new actor phones in his performance and gives the impression he's thinking "just give me my paycheck already."

    The gameplay is a continuation of Conviction, and in some times, it's a straightforward shooter, which is the complete opposite of what Splinter Cell should be. It's like suddenly Sam Fisher stopped caring for being a spy. The animation is quite smooth, but unrealistic (Sam Fisher doesn't move his legs when moving through pipes, and you can't believe a man in his fifties moves like Spider-Man).

    Splinter Cell: Blacklist is another case of dead horse beating since it doesn't add anything special to the otherwise excellent stealth action franchise.    … Full Review »
  2. netcoder
    Aug 23, 2013
    5
    It seems the 5 years between Chaos Theory and Conviction had everyone forget what made the series so different than everything else.It seems the 5 years between Chaos Theory and Conviction had everyone forget what made the series so different than everything else.

    "Stealth Action Redefined" was the original subtitle of Splinter Cell. I always thought that the point of a secret agent was that his existence remained as much a secret as possible. In SC:B, it's quite the contrary.

    The SC fans will likely opt for the Ghost approach. In SC:B, being a Ghost means you can be seen by the enemy as long as you knock him out within a second. You can knock out as many people as you want, shoot out light bulbs, destroy cameras, you name it. The next morning, nobody will remember a thing and will probably blame the destroyed light bulbs and cameras on a power surge or something.

    You'll go on this mission where you must hack some computers, and where, if you're "detected", the enemy will wipe out the data and the mission will be a failure. But apparently, if you knock out the entire base before hacking the servers, it's not suspicious at all and they won't wipe out the data, because, bleh.

    And if you remain completely invisible without leaving as much as a drop of sweat, the game rewards you with a lame 11000 points and a few thousand dollars. If you opt for wiping out the whole base, you'll get 20000+ points and even more money. Even shooting light bulbs rewards you with money.

    Everything that was challenging in the previous games is now gone.

    It's a somewhat fun game, but it's pretty far from what made Splinter Cell "redefine the stealth action" genre. Sadly, I don't think it's ever coming back.    … Full Review »
  3. salaciouscrum
    Aug 21, 2013
    10
    I hadn't been into the series in a while but, man, this game. It's like they cared. Like they made it for people like me. Forget COD run andI hadn't been into the series in a while but, man, this game. It's like they cared. Like they made it for people like me. Forget COD run and gun jocks barking into your ear, Blacklist requires thought if you want to be elite. Favorite game of this year easily.… Full Review »
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