Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist

 Xbox 360
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
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  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 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    Being 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.    … Expand
  2. KillerToad
    Sep 16, 2013
    7
    Boy was I excited when a new Splinter Cell was revealed. I grew up playing the original trilogy these games are what defines the stealth genre for me (along with Metal Gear perhaps); everything from the old stealth meter, the sound of your footsteps according to your speed and of course the many cool gadgets available. Chaos Theory is to this day one of my top 5 favourite games because itBoy was I excited when a new Splinter Cell was revealed. I grew up playing the original trilogy these games are what defines the stealth genre for me (along with Metal Gear perhaps); everything from the old stealth meter, the sound of your footsteps according to your speed and of course the many cool gadgets available. Chaos Theory is to this day one of my top 5 favourite games because it had amazing voice talent, graphics (at the time at least), narrative and overall fun gameplay along with an interesting story. I played that game so many times compared to others.
    So when Double Agent came along I was sort of disappointed in how they had changed the game from being the old-school get-in-get-out mission to something more guerilla style. It was like a point of no return in my eyes, and Conviction only built further on top of that.

    Splinter Cell: Blacklist is... a video game. You have a points system and leaderboards, some challenging gameplay and lots of the elements from the older titles in the series, but... I just can't seem to enjoy myself this time around. When Ubisoft first showed the game at E3 I was worried about the game becoming Conviction 2.0 (like many other fans), basically meaning that it would most likely be some predator-like gameplay where you sort of 'had' to take out enemies instead of "Ghosting" through the map. I was happy then when they revealed the option of playing the Perfectionist difficulty level and that you actually also get points for evading enemies I've spontaneously begun to restart from checkpoints if I'm discovered in order to get that "Hostiles undisturbed" bonus, but why do I even bother?
    As I mentioned above I'm not really having fun with this game. From the get-go I was disappointed with the graphics even when I run it on Ultra (PC of course) and they didn't even bother with some cool CGI cutscenes like in the old games. On top of that came the horrible choice of replacing Michael Ironside... why would they do that and then not even make sure the new voice actor actually fit Sam's character? When Kojima replaced David Hayter with Kiefer Sutherland I was equally disappointed but at least the little I've heard in trailers has actually impressed me somewhat. But whatshisname is not fitting Sam Fisher at all, and besides there is no emotion in his voice it's how I would imagine Kristen Stewart voicing a game character. The other characters in 4th Echelon seem equally transparent and I just don't understand how this could happen it's a new department of Ubisoft's many studios but I mean... don't they have some sort of checklist of how a game in a certain series should feel? To me it feels half-heartedly designed.

    I realize that this is becoming a bit of a rant but I'm just really disappointed with the quality of a game whose name I've always recognized as one of the very top franchises in video games. And while I'm sad it turned out this way I must also try and be somewhat objective in my review:
    If we see Blacklist as a standalone title I would still complain on the transparent voice actors, I wouldn't be sad if Grim or Charlie were killed becuase they just don't matter to me in the way they have been represented. They are shallow and the Engineers are too I don't feel any contempt with the bad guys because it's mostly a mission of going in somewhere and disabling some generic bad guys, not like "Go in and get Douglas Shetland" or maybe tracing a VIP for information. So while I find general story, narrative, characters and actually also level design to be half-hearted, I must say though that the gameplay bears potential to be fun if you're not as critical as I am being (maybe if you haven't played the old games?). You have the choice of going in guns blazing or you can stalk your prey like an animal... or you can go the perfectionist way with ghosting through, which is actually quite a challenge (damn dogs, right?). I've retried a lot of checkpoints in order to get a perfect score with no kills, knockouts and detections and that's probably the most enjoyable part of this game, because it actually proves to be quite a challenge in respects of how old-school games were tough to master.

    With respects to the gameplay potential for fun and challenging missions (the horde mode ones are especially tough) I'll give the game a 7 because I think it's in some very disconnected way an enjoyable experience, at least if you ignore the old games of the series. Ubisoft probably wanted to reboot the franchise by giving same a new agency to work for instead of having him hunted and well ok, I just don't like the Splinter Cell name being connected with this new franchise then, because it doesn't remotely honor fantastic classics like Pandora Tomorrow and Chaos Theory.

    Those are my thoughts thanks for reading     … Expand
  3. bertalach
    Sep 9, 2013
    5
    I approached this game fresh from the Thrill ride that was SR4, which does in one part do a very good job of calling into question the tropes of Stealth games. So I was prepared to slog through a procedural game which required you to learn guard patterns and shoot out lights. In this respect I was not disappointed what I was not prepared for was a lack of checkpoints! So you have spentI approached this game fresh from the Thrill ride that was SR4, which does in one part do a very good job of calling into question the tropes of Stealth games. So I was prepared to slog through a procedural game which required you to learn guard patterns and shoot out lights. In this respect I was not disappointed what I was not prepared for was a lack of checkpoints! So you have spent forty five minutes carefully getting through a level to finally have Fisher wracked by indecision as to if he should open a door thereby hiding himself or leap upto the ledge above revealing himself to every guard in the world you have to restart from the very beginning. It brings a ground hog day quality to the game, retreading the same level over and over again seeking to get it right. Also guard dogs that can smell me from four rooms away. The graphics are fine, acting okay however minus Michael Ironside.

    If you want to play a decent stealth game this may be for you, I did prefer Hitman and Assasins creed, I have a big issue with the "a" button doing everything so you can in a moment of indecision open a door instead of snaking it or climb at the wrong moment. This also works for running in what I call the Creed issue, chasing someone can invariably lead to Mr Fisher parkouring up a building!!!!

    It's not bad once you know the controls shortcomings, but it's not as good as people make out and if you have a low tolerance for frustration I cannot suggest you buy this. I enjoy a hard game as much as the next man but only if that games difficulty does not come from a frankly idiotic control system. Yeah I hate the controls!!!!    … Expand
  4. Nubsauce328
    Oct 26, 2013
    6
    This game makes me furious.
    First off, it is NOT like Chaos Theory like you would hope it'd be. It is an OKAY game and is fun when it allows. The story is your basic good guys vs terrorist bad guys with no interesting twists or turns that make you care. Characters are 2D and as flat as you can imagine and the switch of Eric Johnson allows for some awkward conversations with his daughter    This game makes me furious.
    First off, it is NOT like Chaos Theory like you would hope it'd be. It is an OKAY game and is fun when it allows. The story is your basic good guys vs terrorist bad guys with no interesting twists or turns that make you care. Characters are 2D and as flat as you can imagine and the switch of Eric Johnson allows for some awkward conversations with his daughter and some weird gruff voice imitation and then more natural voice portrayal. It's ridiculous. There is a good amount of content, however replayability is really at a low. You never get to "play your way" in every sense of the word. The controls are abysmal and whoever programmed this game should be hung because they had the release delay to remove at least a good chunk of bugs and I'm seeing a whole LOAD of them. I can't have a play session without at least seeing 5 glitches or bugs. And if it's not the bugs that aren't letting me have fun, it's the controls. You will find yourself saying, "That's not what I wanted to do" too many times and if you don't, you clearly haven't tried out various movements. The multiplayer community is terrible, leaving matches left and right, likely because of the game attracting a larger audience of people who just want some quick fun. then the rage inducing multiplayer seeps into their emotions. The multiplayer takes more decision making skills rather than control skill. However, a good team is essential, as you cannot play without a good team, unless you are a beast. Classic mode is not classic btw and it's gotten to the point where nobody plays the game anymore, so you either find newcomers who come to play and leave or veterans. Rank does not matter, so a level 1 can beat the out of anyone because they can theoretically buy every equipment up front; they don't actually need it though. The music score is mostly terrible in game as you'll hear annoying electronic music. The tracks that are good are either by Kaveh Cohen or a part of the song. Patches haven't solved enough to make me enjoy the game each time I play it. Huge disappointment. Whoever said "Chaos Theory Killer" hasn't played enough or is swept up in the moment upon first playing it.    … Expand
  5. JTheJackal
    Sep 23, 2013
    6
    I'm giving this game a 6/10 so as not to be too harsh despite being massively disappointed as a fan of the Splinter Cell series and as a fan of gaming in general.

    I'll start on a positive note. The Splinter Cell series has a lot of good history behind it, providing challenging gameplay, exciting gameplay mechanics, smooth visuals and animation, interesting stories and characters that    I'm giving this game a 6/10 so as not to be too harsh despite being massively disappointed as a fan of the Splinter Cell series and as a fan of gaming in general.

    I'll start on a positive note. The Splinter Cell series has a lot of good history behind it, providing challenging gameplay, exciting gameplay mechanics, smooth visuals and animation, interesting stories and characters that have managed to become recognisable through clever and witty script writing coupled with a voice actor who managed to deliver the script perfectly. The games managed to deliver a tough yet rewarding experience through stealth based gameplay and always managed to excite by giving you a variety of movements to work with in a challenging environment.

    Splinter Cell: Blacklist looked set to build on this with very interesting ideas that appealed greatly by allowing the player to take a more action oriented role if they so wished by providing solid gunplay, customisation options for Fisher and his weapons, a "hub" to break up the linearity of the missions by choosing what we want to do next and slick presentation all while retaining the solid foundation of the series.

    Sadly though, this is 2013. Instead, we're given a dumbed down, cover based shooter with diluted Splinter Cell elements shoehorned in to cater for a market that favours games with the complexity of that of a Kinder Egg. Without the Splinter Cell name and signature goggles, it would unrecognisable as part of the series we've grown to love.

    Within seconds of playing, it's major flaw is made apparent. The movement of the main character "Fisher" is awful. Gone is the analogue sensitive movement speed which allowed you to decide how fast or slow to move around the environment and instead we're given two speeds: "quick" or "quicker" depending on how far you move the analogue stick. This makes for painful moments as you overshoot corners you wanted to stop at, sneak up behind an enemy as you accidently go "quicker" causing him to hear you and just general movement around the levels. This, coupled with the horrendous animation, makes for Blacklist's biggest downfall.

    It’s baffling why they released Blacklist with character animation that looks like it was created by a bad hobbyist. Fisher dives between context sensitive cover with stuttered animation, he hangs from ledges and shuffles along like some sort of primate on crack cocaine, he hangs from horizontal pipes and pulls/pushes himself along at tremendous speed while his legs don't move an inch and actually glitch into the pipe itself, all a complete contradiction to the smooth animations the series used to provide.

    As mentioned above, context sensitive controls rears it's ugly head once again as it's featured heavily in Blacklist. Creativity and ingenuity of escaping/hiding from enemies by split jumping between two walls, hanging onto random pipes or ledges and dropping down to safety are instead replaced with a one button fits all approach. You walk up to a glaringly obvious pipe, the green button flashes on your screen and the 360 does the rest, you can't even drop down until you reach the other end or an enemy passes below you causing the blue button to flash on your screen (exciting, I know). All this button flashing business means you don't have to worry about deciding when to move, when to strike, when to jump etc. All of that requires you to do a thing called "judge" which is taxing and such effort needs to be reserved for more challenging tasks like Facebook or Twitter.

    At the risk of beating a dead horse, I'm going to describe in detail a scenario which crops up time and time again to reinforce just how tragic an experience the above three flaws in conjuncture with one another can create. Fisher is standing infront of a door, which is next to a light switch and above them is a ledge which is within reach. You try and edge Fisher forward so you can see the big A button appear on screen to open the door but you can't move that precisely, so he runs forward too far, you press A and he turns off the light switch, you run around a little to realign yourself with the aforementioned door which again ends in failure, press A and you climb onto the ledge. You press B twice to get back down the ledge, realign yourself correctly with the door, press A and hurrah, it opens. Now, that's a lot of effort to open a door, especially when three guards are standing 50 yards away from you with assault rifles.

    To wrap it all up, I'm going to say Splinter Cell: Blacklist showed potential to build on an already established and solid series with interesting ideas and concepts that really would have moved things forward but instead decided to create a game that plays like it was created by a rival studio who borrowed elements from Splinter Cell and Rainbows 6, mashed them together and blew the rest of the budget on finishing their 3D animation course; A true testament to the games industry and market of today.    … Expand
  6. Diaord
    Oct 16, 2013
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Splinter Cell: Blacklist is a frustrating game. Both technically and in difficulty. Technically, it suffers from a confused direction that cannot be ignored, but this is almost made up for by the sincere level of difficulty experienced in realistic or perfectionist. By looking at each in turn, it becomes possible to draw conclusions on the effectiveness of this particular Splinter Cell.

    First, the Technical Problems for Splinter Cell. There are Several, the plot, the voice acting and script, as well as the sometimes confusing or downright unreasonable situations the game puts the player in. The plot falls short of a good splinter cell game, with characters having very little life to them and much of the attitude of Sam Fisher's character cut out. This is further cemented by the new voice actor's lack of inspiration for the role. Another annoying turn is the way Fisher has turned into a dickhead, rather than being that sassy "maybe I'm beneath you, maybe I'm behind you; either way you're dead" character we've grown up with. My second pain is the way Blacklist outsteps the bounds of the traditionally third person stealth shooter genre. At random intervals, you're thrust into this stupid first person shooter role as some unmemorable token black guy, who apparently doesn't even understand the concepts of taking cover or selecting a fire mode other than full auto on his Assault Rifle. This is all cemented by the fact that to complete the story line, you must play as this confused and boring character. My third gripe is with the way the game does its side missions. The first three solo/co-op are fine. But then you have that same black guy's missions. If you want to finish the game's missions you must play online with another player. This infuriates a player who doesn't like to play MMO games, let alone 3/FPS online.
    The final problem this game suffers from is the way the story missions sometimes force the player to do things that don't suit the games playstyle or that are just downright impossible to complete without going on the internet. I am, of course, talking about a stupid scene where you have to rush to the end of a train to catch a bad guy, one where you have to shoot and crash through a window to kill a pair of enemies that kill you within two seconds if you don't immediately go to cover.

    So, now that we've looked at the ways the game departs from the third-person shooter role, let's look at the ways it gets it right. Firstly, you have a real difficulty at realistic or perfectionist difficulty. The game has to be played stealthily, or you will die. Using distractions, from gadgets, to mines to just the dead bodies of terrorists you've already killed in creative ways helps to get through missions. finding the right mix between shooting out lights, executing enemies and sniping helmeted targets will garner the player the ability to advance through the missions that don't rely on a shoddy first-person departure from the game. The second good point in this game is the weapon customisation. While the game undoubtedly falls into the pitfall of "there's this one uberweapon in each class", it can be fun racking up kills with different weapon types and trying new things. The final nice thing is that the game never gives the player a place to hide; you must always move and reposition, or else you'll be spotted.

    Otherwise, the graphics are good, the controls are effective and usually responsive, the game is linear but has tactical diversity at each stage and doesn't hand-hold too much. In some ways, it is better than Conviction, in other ways, it is worse. I guess my problem is that they tried to do new things and those things weren't right for the genre.

    Plot: 3/10
    Gameplay: 8/10*
    Control: 8/10
    Graphics: 7/10

    (would be 10/10 if it weren't for the first person shooter departures and the train mission.)    … Expand
  7. bwp
    Sep 18, 2013
    5
    Previous Splinter Cell games have been among my all-time favorites, so of course I was excited for this it is ultimately a decent game but a tad underwhelming for several reasons. I actually thought Conviction was a brilliantly designed game, after getting over the initial shock of realizing it abandoned all the previous core qualities of SC games. The reason it worked was although itPrevious Splinter Cell games have been among my all-time favorites, so of course I was excited for this it is ultimately a decent game but a tad underwhelming for several reasons. I actually thought Conviction was a brilliantly designed game, after getting over the initial shock of realizing it abandoned all the previous core qualities of SC games. The reason it worked was although it lacked much stealth, it is at its core a great strategy game with levels designed to be able to be traversed multiple ways. This game is a direct continuation of Conviction but ultimately is not as successful for the following reasons.

    1. The environments and noirish ambience are a huge part of what makes SC games so enjoyable. (Jerusalem, the Paris train, Seoul, Hokkaido, the Siberian supertanker, the Washington fair, etc) Unfortunately, although the level structures are pretty well designed, the environments are very uninspired, with several taking place in generic sandy Middle Eastern locations that looks like any other 50 games from the last few years, and more levels are simply just unremarkable run-down warehouses.

    2. This seems to be at its core an action game that gives you the occasional option of stealth, not a true stealth game, and the stealth element here is not very successful and seems to have been added just to appease people who were dissatisfied with Conviction. The ability to cross between the two styles is better in theory than in practice, as it just diminishes the experience of both in the long run.

    3. The actor replacing Ironside is flat and dull, and all the quirks and humor and personality from the character has disappeared and he has become another interchangeable cliched gruff hard-boiled action man.

    4. Graphics are adequate but not particularly impressive.    … Expand
  8. takedat
    Dec 31, 2015
    10
    I really enjoyed this game. I missed out on the 1st 3 splinter cells but gained interest in the series starting at Double Agent. I just purchased the 1st three in a trilogy pack and plan to complete them in order. People are complaining about the pace of the game but you can play this game as slow and methodical as you want, or you can run and gun (COD style). The people complainingI really enjoyed this game. I missed out on the 1st 3 splinter cells but gained interest in the series starting at Double Agent. I just purchased the 1st three in a trilogy pack and plan to complete them in order. People are complaining about the pace of the game but you can play this game as slow and methodical as you want, or you can run and gun (COD style). The people complaining about no Michael Irionside take themselves way to serious. The voice acting is fine and doesn't take away from the great game play. The game is tough and at certain points you have to plot out how you want to complete the task at hand. The series keeps getting better. Blacklist > Conviction > Double Agent. Sam is the man.… Expand
  9. Ahille
    Aug 22, 2013
    4
    Great production and it feels and looks slick but it seems I have grown so very tired of the 'Murica fights the terrorist' trope and I just can't go back.
  10. Mingus
    Aug 29, 2013
    4
    Host migration Host migration Host migration. Every second match cannot be finished due to technical issues. Don't buy this game if you want to play the MP. Very annoying
  11. Demon27248
    Dec 12, 2013
    0
    Do not be persuaded by the pro-blacklist "stealth revisionists". Those who are willing to make compromises to prolong the life of the stealth genre, if it can even be called stealth in a few years. Revisionism is dangerous, our precious stealth genre will only detract more & more from stealth & water the genre down, turning into nothing but an action game with gadgets.

    The game's most    Do not be persuaded by the pro-blacklist "stealth revisionists". Those who are willing to make compromises to prolong the life of the stealth genre, if it can even be called stealth in a few years. Revisionism is dangerous, our precious stealth genre will only detract more & more from stealth & water the genre down, turning into nothing but an action game with gadgets.

    The game's most disgusting feature is the "win" button, which lets the player kill every single thing in an area with the press of a button, usually without getting detected as well, the player even does this while running.

    As if that was not enough, the game adds in alternate pathways which lets the player avoid combat, which the game calls "Stealth" or "Ghost". Pure insult.

    Some people may argue that the game can be played like chaos theory or sar but when you look at it, any game can, & blacklist certainly wasn't designed to be played that way. Imagine trying to play a Call Of Duty game like Chaos Theory, sneaking around & knifing people in the back. It would not work at all.

    If you have any love for this series left, then please, do not purchase the game, don't encourage ubisoft to release more nonsense in the franchise. Air strike's, win buttons, & head on cover shooting has no place in Splinter Cell. Give this game a 0 & spread the message.    … Expand
  12. Pherball66
    Aug 24, 2013
    3
    The Splinter Cell series has changed in a negative way and this game just makes it more obvious. Stealth, the ability to jump, nothing around to climb and a linear path. Unfortunately, that is not the Splinter Cell that I grew up with. Glad I just rented it instead of purchased.
  13. Locimento
    Aug 27, 2013
    5
    Massive disappointment for fans of the series like me. For one Ubisoft butchered Sam Fisher, his face looks like an entirely different person, and most of his personality from the previous games has vanished. The biggest problem with the game to me is the voice of Sam Fisher is no longer being done by Micheal Ironside but by Eric Johnson, who fails to sound anything like Micheal or evenMassive disappointment for fans of the series like me. For one Ubisoft butchered Sam Fisher, his face looks like an entirely different person, and most of his personality from the previous games has vanished. The biggest problem with the game to me is the voice of Sam Fisher is no longer being done by Micheal Ironside but by Eric Johnson, who fails to sound anything like Micheal or even portrait the character correctly. Seriously, I was unable to take the first couple missions seriously hearing a different voice, it just felt so out of place! It almost feels like a Batman movie without Batman in it.

    Just like Conviction, the game has too much of a focus on action rather than stealth. Since Im a stealthy player I absolutely hate it when they force you to mark and execute targets, even if it is just showing you how to do it i should have the freedom as the player not to. Story and gameplay wise its great.

    But probably the best part of the game is the multiplayer. Spies VS Mercs was totally awesome, and is absolutely worth playing. Playing as a merc and constantly scanning your surroundings for the lurking spies was very fun and trying to hack terminals as a spy was totally cool as well.

    I would say go ahead and pick up the game if the absence of Micheal Ironside doesn't make you cringe inside like me, or if the multiplayer sounds like your thing i would recommend picking it up just to play it.    … Expand
  14. unbiasedcritic
    Sep 3, 2013
    5
    here goes.

    I could go on how ive played nearly every sc, I wont. from the first couple levels of blacklist I felt already the game was different, controls were snappier, a.i. was more aggressive and deadlier than splinter cell conviction but the overall game didnt feel as polished up. the storyline was a bore, but I wouldnt know too much because I primarily skipped around every    here goes.

    I could go on how ive played nearly every sc, I wont.

    from the first couple levels of blacklist I felt already the game was different, controls were snappier, a.i. was more aggressive and deadlier than splinter cell conviction but the overall game didnt feel as polished up.

    the storyline was a bore, but I wouldnt know too much because I primarily skipped around every cutscene, its great they allow this feature because this is a LONG game with LONG cutscenes...I can say for certain I felt pretty uncomfortable with the interrogation scenes as they are pretty brutal compared to previous splinter cell games...the game itself forces you to make some pretty bad decisions like putting a bullet to someones head while watching the person get shot multiple times or impaling a person with a spike until he stops suffocating and dies...brutal, am not sure why they included this in the game you always have the passive decision of letting them live but then you feel as though they got away. they should have figured out a medium in the cutscenes for dealing with the criminal, instead sam fisher seems like the terrorist, he always seems pissed off and short attention spanned unlike the previous actor michael ironside he approached things with more control and intelligence. which reminds me...the acting was terrible and the rehashed sam fisher sounds so unoriginal and cliche...to bad.

    as for the game itself. the cat and mouse gameplay was great, there were some challenging levels where you had to think twice on how to approach a level. lots of replay ability in this game i could tell.

    could not play multiplayer because i had downloaded the pirate version. but am thinking of buying the game for replaying the levels and multiplayer itself.

    there are a ton of gadgets and gizmos not to mention arsenal of weapons like sc3000 returning, different ways to customize them with acogs to redots. the guns seem pretty balanced and well thought out. as well as customize sam's suit, goggles,    … Expand
  15. RedeemerEric
    Jan 26, 2014
    0
    Wow what a disappointment multiplayer is.
    They threw out the original genius behind Double Agent and made this another crap fast paced game to appeal to the CoD audience. What makes this game bad?
    The Spies no longer feel like spies. Spies now have guns, not only guns but machine guns. Spies now have to stand directly next to a terminal to hack it, instead of being able to hack    Wow what a disappointment multiplayer is.
    They threw out the original genius behind Double Agent and made this another crap fast paced game to appeal to the CoD audience. What makes this game bad?

    The Spies no longer feel like spies.
    Spies now have guns, not only guns but machine guns.
    Spies now have to stand directly next to a terminal to hack it, instead of being able to hack faraway with their spy device.
    Spies can no longer hack out lights and barely any lights can be shot out.
    Level Design is bland and boring, with no more tunnels, lights and barely any zip lines. Just expect to jump on top of crates and hide behind walls.
    Spies can just instantly stab and kill Mercs. Instead of having to take them out stealthly and choke them. In double agent you could even talk to the Merc as you choke the life out of them.
    So basically all you do now is run around, stab Mercs and jump on random platforms.

    It was too bad, because the good part is now you can customize your character. But that doesnt matter because the gameplay is boring. Companies have forgotten what great game design really is and why their older games were great.    … Expand
  16. tyler558906
    Aug 26, 2013
    7
    PROS:
    Ubisoft reverts back to some Splinter Cell basics in which made the series great. The levels are very complex and well designed. You have multiple choices in levels to take different routes and utilize your surroundings such as ceiling pipe take downs, wall/cliff/rail take downs, craw space routes, roof routes, or just sticking to the shadows something that Conviction just didn't    PROS:
    Ubisoft reverts back to some Splinter Cell basics in which made the series great. The levels are very complex and well designed. You have multiple choices in levels to take different routes and utilize your surroundings such as ceiling pipe take downs, wall/cliff/rail take downs, craw space routes, roof routes, or just sticking to the shadows something that Conviction just didn't execute right.
    I also enjoy some of the small things that Ubisoft brought back, like lighting effecting your goggles and Sam having very minimal life, which I tend to enjoy as it penalizes you for getting sloppy if you try to take on more than you can handle again ensuring the player focuses staying discrete.
    Lastly, one of the major improvement/addition is the hand-to-hand take down/combat system, which in my opinion, is the golden gem of the game. It gives you the upper hand in maintaining stealth and opens a multitude of options in which you can chose to complete a mission because of your versatility. Another being Sam's suit, gear, gadgets, and weapons can also now be purchased and upgraded using money earned in missions or side missions.

    CONS:
    THE BAD: The story line and characters, ugh! Boring! The cliche story of terrorist attacking America in addition to the characters in the game having a personality of a politician makes the story very uninteresting. Out of all characters Sam is the worse. With all the fuss of everyone being disappointed that Michael Ironside no longer voicing Sam you'd think Ubisoft would try to reward us with a someone decent. No, instead Sam's new character has no emotion, personality, or dark/dry humor that Fisher had which makes his character extremely bland. He has bland reactions and responses to situations or characters an 8 year old could have come up with. To top it off he no longer even looks like Fisher!

    THE UGLY: Although there are many opportunities in levels and mission to try to maintain stealth, for some reason Ubisoft thought it'd be a good idea for many missions to end in cut-scenes of you being caught and now you must escape, resulting in a not-so-subtle gun fight or attempting to dodge bullets A few missions begin the same too. Why?! I can understand 1 or 2 missions but Ubisoft seems to force the player too much (after the player focused on staying stealthy) to go all out action-packed. There is little to no place for that in stealth games and Splinter Cell has never been an action/shooting game and don't know why Ubisoft felt the need to add so many of these scenarios. The ending result doesn't feel like a tactical espionage game many times in which the Splinter Cell series all the way up to Chaos Theory executed very well.

    OVERALL
    I'd still have to rate BL a 7/10 as the graphics, sounds, level design, AI and overall gameplay still provides a nice solid fun game to play with many side missions for replay-ability. But the bland characters, story line, and some of the forced action is the reason it doesn't get a 10/10.    … Expand
  17. SimpleMethod
    Aug 22, 2013
    5
    Splinter Cell: Blacklist is a huge disappointment. I bought it along with Saints Row IV with my friend yesterday, and we both agreed it suffered from moronic controls that made the stealth sloppy and slippery. The graphics aren't that great either and the story, at it's core, is nonsense.
  18. 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.

    "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    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.    … Expand
  19. godWhisperer
    Aug 21, 2013
    4
    Great production and it feels and looks slick but it seems I have grown so very tired of the 'Murica fights the terrorist' trope and I just can't go back.
  20. SuperNaiv
    Aug 22, 2013
    3
    In the title it stands "Splinter Cell", although it doesn't feel like Splinter Cell. It feel more like
    Splinter Cell: Conviction vol. 2. The characters are flat and boring without any depth. But, in the defense of Splinter Cell series, the characters had never any real depth in the series. Sam Fisher doesn't feel like Sam Fisher any more. The way he talks and moves is different and not    In the title it stands "Splinter Cell", although it doesn't feel like Splinter Cell. It feel more like
    Splinter Cell: Conviction vol. 2. The characters are flat and boring without any depth. But, in the defense of Splinter Cell series, the characters had never any real depth in the series. Sam Fisher doesn't feel like Sam Fisher any more. The way he talks and moves is different and not different in good way. He sounds like a guy without any conviction, without any real threat in his voice. He always moves quickly, even when he "sneaks". He climbs fast too, like a spiderman, and it looks kind of ridiculous and very unrealistic, since he is an old man. I felt right from the beginning that it was different from previous Splinter Cell series. More action oriented, which defies the whole idea of what Splinter Cell series is all about. I see this new trend in more games now. I understand why Ubisoft made this approach. They wish too appeal too wider audience, I get that. But on the other hand, they are in danger of alienating fan boys who like this game for the slow sneaking pace. When I play this new Sam Fisher now, I felt like I was playing an inexperienced boy scout playing sneaking and shooting for fun. Not like the bad ass Sam Fisher with his deep voice that gave him character and with his black sense of humor that suited Sam Fisher character perfectly. There are a lot of new options in the game. There is a lot of new gadgets available for purchase. But is it a good thing. It can be, but it's not because of the new costumes or new fancy that you can buy and upgrade. It's the tension and excitement of sneaking that made this game series great. Some people may like this "freedom to choose", I guess. But too much choice can make it as an unnecessary distraction. I'll be honest. I haven't play the whole game, but I don't think if I have patience to get through the whole game. I got tired of this fast pace action shooting game, with sneaking elements, very fast. I understand that this game have some appeal, but it's not for me. Call me old faction, but I like sneaking and hiding in the shadows, the Sam Fisher way, the old way.    … Expand
  21. MrArtemka
    Nov 12, 2013
    5
    Well, some of my friends say, that I judge the games and don’t even play in them. Well I completed this game on xbox. I completed everything I could complete. EVERYTHING IS COMPLETED. So I can judge the game anyhow I want.
    So let’s begin.
    That was the first game I actually completed from Splinter Cell Multylogy, but even in my first game I can say that it is completely SAME. Every single    Well, some of my friends say, that I judge the games and don’t even play in them. Well I completed this game on xbox. I completed everything I could complete. EVERYTHING IS COMPLETED. So I can judge the game anyhow I want.
    So let’s begin.
    That was the first game I actually completed from Splinter Cell Multylogy, but even in my first game I can say that it is completely SAME. Every single mission looks exactly the same as previous one. Just changed decorations. Like Call of Duty series from Call of Duty 4 MW1. There is also a no-weapons-for some-reasons-because-we-think-all-people-playing-TPS-games-are-masochists cliche. So it also looks same as other TPS. This was a general review. Lets make it more detailed.
    Graphics
    Missing textures somewhere are included so… True TPS I played on XBOX so graphics are like other TPS games, because xbox 360 cant make graphics in game better. Its just 1080p. Nothing special. Not PC. And stuff…
    Logic
    No logic. Lets continue.
    Sounds
    Russian version sounds nice. But also nothing special. Epic moments Epic music. Just walking around just walking around music. Nothing special. Just TPS.
    Gameplay
    BUGS, BUGS, BUGS. Like in pre-last mission with bombs. I fell on the ground and exploded for no reason. Just because And just TPS. Weapons are nice but too expensive. Also lets remember that black market weapons should be bought like: buy a plane upgrade buy 1 nice 6/ ‘bout 15 weapons buy second upgrade buy another weapon that you need after buying a Honey Barger (or something like that). That’s all. Oh by the way that 2 upgrades cost you 200k single. And weapons from black market cost ‘bout 60k each and aren't really upgrading. BTW nice fact. I completed game with sniper rifle… even in low range missions. OMG LOGIC!!!!!!
    Story
    Cliché. Game is cliché. Everything is cliché. People have you got any brains with fresh ideas in them???!!!
    You read till this place. Man your brain is made of iron!!!!
    So… MARKS TIME (like adventure time).
    Graphics 7/10 (just 1080p game nothing special)
    Logic 2/10 (no logic)
    Sounds 6/10 (everything like it should be, but still nothing special)
    Gameplay 4/10 (made me scream with really bad words like a girl)
    Story 5/10 (because of nothing special and cliché)
    7+2+6+4+5=24
    24/5=5
    So……..5

    By MrArtemka    … Expand
  22. dyshpo
    May 29, 2015
    2
    No good can be found in this game. No Michael Ironside no deal. Gameplay is subpar and story is laughable. Why did they take such a leap back into failed game mechanics .
  23. Adriaan1
    Oct 30, 2013
    10
    The latest representation of Splinter Cell is excellent. Compelling game-play with good mechanics. If you can look past the fact that Michael Ironside does not voice Sam Fisher, you will thoroughly enjoy this game.
  24. Ebelon
    Nov 6, 2013
    9
    Its so fun to play Spies versus mercenaries, sure happy they brought it back. The single player is a blast and coop is still just as fun as Conviction's. Definitely a must play.
  25. gvman99
    Dec 27, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is not what I have expected at all. When I finished Conviction and loved it, I was pleased to hear that Blacklist was soon to be made. I got it just two days ago and I learned that wanting this was a mistake.

    Unless you are a hardcore fan of the Clancy series, this game will probably not even touch your interest. I found myself bored with the campaign, I found myself skipping the cut scenes whenever I could. The game play started to be repeated, basically kill or sneak around all the opposition in different settings.

    Splinter cell Conviction is better then Blacklist ever will be. Conviction has moments of shock and awe. Like for example, in the Third Echelon level on Conviction. Sam approached the desk, a little talk went on between him and the receptionist, then Sam detonated the explosives on the lower floors of the building.

    I never saw a moment amazing like that in Blacklist at all.    … Expand
  26. UBISOFT
    Apr 17, 2014
    0
    Dear Ubisoft now as this is unfortunately the only platform people like me, that play the games and love them, can get at least the hope of getting some thoughts out to you ... let me clear my throat :

    Couple of things need to get done in the new Splinter Cell 7 : I. SLOW IT DOWN AND USE A NEW ENGINE, like the Unreal Engine again and implement rolls, lock-picking, and MOST IMPORTANT    Dear Ubisoft now as this is unfortunately the only platform people like me, that play the games and love them, can get at least the hope of getting some thoughts out to you ... let me clear my throat :

    Couple of things need to get done in the new Splinter Cell 7 :

    I. SLOW IT DOWN AND USE A NEW ENGINE, like the Unreal Engine again and implement rolls, lock-picking, and MOST IMPORTANT the ability to move in DIFFERENT SPEEDS, not only in two ...

    II. Remove THE COVER-SYSTEM ... Whoever thought that this is a good idea ... it may is, but not in this cind of game ... it works in a game like Gears of War but not in a third person stealth game, that has more to offer than stupid action shootings ... in fact it DECREASES FREEDOM for the player ... because he is bounded to that stupid covers all the time and not able to move around freely ...

    III. REMOVE ASSAULT GAMEPLAY ... because it is a stealth game and not a Tomb Raider Action Adventure ... seriously noone wants to play a stealth game in assault mode ... so in the name of godfather ... REMOVE MARK AND EXECUTE AND SONAR GOOGLES ... I would love you only for that ... and remove that possibility to buy thousands of weapons or pick em up and to just shoot anyone ... it is senseless here in this particular game ...

    IV. REMOVE EVERY SINGLE SADISTIC TENDENCY OF SAM AND THE GAME ITSELF ... as it just teaches wrong ethics to the youth and feels wrong and senseless ... games dont have to be brutal to be good guys ... and Splinter Cell has the philosophy to dont hurt anyone, to do it the professional and unbloody way ...

    V. REINTRODUCE THE POSSIBILITY TO CATCH AND CONSULT ENEMIES ... as that was a core feature of Splinter Cell in every game that used to be Splinter Cell ... it is an important feature and a nice gameplay element ... besides that think about reintroducing computers, doorcodes, retinascanners, some new cool stuff, too ...

    VI. THINK ABOUT EFFICIENCY ... like if a new gadget or an alternative path is not efficient, nobody will like to use it because it is senseless if there is a more efficient way ... like the Hack System in Chaos Theory was way to dominant ... it was to easy to use it instead of getting a doorcode or something, so that it actually destroyed many great gameplaypossibilities just because it made them not efficient anymore ... same thing for alternative roots ...

    VII. THINK ABOUT REALISM ... so dont make Sam talk loud into the mike while he is hiding behind enemies like in Chaos Theory ... and dont let him come to close to the enemy like in Chaos Theory, too ...

    That are some core basics, that you should think about ... that I as a first hour fan of Splinter Cell, a hardcore fan of the game, would like you to think about ... peace and love !    … Expand
  27. lazarith
    Aug 23, 2014
    0
    after playing through this game (in a day i might add) i was enjoying it, up until i got the last level. not revealing anything but it is the worst last lever of a game ever, who ever came up with it should be taken outside and shot. Not only is this level stupidly difficult to do with a mouse and it would also seem the antagonist has eyes on the back of his head and is able to see youafter playing through this game (in a day i might add) i was enjoying it, up until i got the last level. not revealing anything but it is the worst last lever of a game ever, who ever came up with it should be taken outside and shot. Not only is this level stupidly difficult to do with a mouse and it would also seem the antagonist has eyes on the back of his head and is able to see you through walls. this completely ruined the game for me, i haven't finished that level nor do i ever plan to. i payed 50p for Blacklist, it wasn't worth it.… Expand
  28. 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 and gun jocks barking into your ear, Blacklist requires thought if you want to be elite. Favorite game of this year easily.
  29. Pickle
    Aug 20, 2013
    8
    Splinter cell Blacklist delivers what appears to be a generic story, but surprises us with an unforgettable gameplay that we haven't seen since Chaos Theory, released for the xbox, pc, and ps2.

    We can recognize some familiar faces and some well used gameplay mechanics while the game surprises us with a vivid beginning, that makes fans feel identified and welcomed to another entry in the    Splinter cell Blacklist delivers what appears to be a generic story, but surprises us with an unforgettable gameplay that we haven't seen since Chaos Theory, released for the xbox, pc, and ps2.

    We can recognize some familiar faces and some well used gameplay mechanics while the game surprises us with a vivid beginning, that makes fans feel identified and welcomed to another entry in the series. The gameplay and characters start setting flashbacks of past games like Conviction and the well so acclaimed, Chaos Theory, while presenting to us the new mechanics that lie ahead on this new entry to the series.

    But eventually the false illusion that the game manages to create in my mind, just isn't enough in order to carry on with the awful voice acting. I have to say that i couldn't avoid feeling a little defensive and even regresive, to the fact that the beloved Michael Ironside was replaced by the infamous Eric Johnson, but even then i had a little hope that this would be recreated by the fact that Sam Fisher was just in another completely different state of affairs than the ones he is in this game, but sadly the fact that Eric Johnson had the role as the raging, old, Sam Fisher, only manages to ruin everything that comes out of the mouth of our protagonist, Sam Fisher, by making each sound, sound just forced and out of place.

    Eventually a lot of questions are going to start growing into your head, and you're going to begin question the kind of logic that evolves around, the ages, and the looks, of the different characters that are represented in the game as just, bland, weird, and even just straight weird at times.
    This affects the entirety of the experience that the game is trying to offer to you by just bothering you constantly about the actual time period and characters that are here.
    Sure there are several characters that make you feel welcome once again in the world of Splinter Cell, just to name a couple of them, Andrew Kobin, Grimm, Vic, etc…
    But even with their presence is just not enough, because they never manage to feel the way they did in the past games, even Sam, as i was mentioning before is just not Sam, he doesn't feel like him, he doesn't talk like him, he is just not him.

    The game manages surface back to the top after you actually get to play it, the gameplay is just a mash up between several different Splinter Cell games that i can't really compare to any game that i can think of, it feels like a mash up between Chaos Theory, with some Conviction elements.
    Each location is just memorable at a undescriptible level, they certainly capture the old cinematically approach that a lot of missions used to have in the past splinter cell games.

    Shocking, killing, and marking and executing, are going to be the majority of game mechanics that you're going to be using while playing the game.
    Panther, Ghost and Assault style each dynamically change while you're playing the game, if you don't get detected and you don't kill anyone in an entire level section that will build up your Ghost style, if you do decide to kill in a stealthy manner that would obviously progressively increase your Panther style, and if you get noticed, well i think you know that you're going to be switching to the Assault style.
    This could work if it wasn't for the assault style being a complete waste of time and production in general, the style shouldn't even be present for a wide variety of reasons, you never get to use it because if you get spotted you're dead immediately, in any difficulty, and the entire game is built around being an stealth game, it just doesn't work and it should never have been there in the first place.

    You get a misleading path of revenge that drives Sam into fighting a new terrorist organization known as "The Engineers" which believe it or not, middle eastern people are finally treat with the bare minimum of decency that you can find in any game until know, i love it because is not a game that focuses on the ethnicity of the countries itself that are represented as enemies, no, i love it because it manages to use that as a bridge to get to a much more bigger and intriguing point that can even seem worthy and reasonable to fight fore in some occasions.

    The kind of balance they maintain between the villain that assimilates your classic soft, intelligent, middle aged bearded man, that represents a terrible monster desperate for a reason that can seem just deliverly the own human nature manage to create a tension on one and other, that can easily be build up into something that just came out from a great action, drama flick that can be subjectively seen while we interact with it.    … Expand
  30. Rickin10
    Aug 29, 2013
    6
    SC:B comes close not just to being very good, but greatness. It does a mostly fabulous job of melding together what hardcore fans of the series have being crying out for since it lost it's way post Chaos Theory, and the more casual shooter mechanics that every publisher dictates absolutely. must. be. in. our. game!

    This is a genuine stealth experience if you choose to play it that way,    SC:B comes close not just to being very good, but greatness. It does a mostly fabulous job of melding together what hardcore fans of the series have being crying out for since it lost it's way post Chaos Theory, and the more casual shooter mechanics that every publisher dictates absolutely. must. be. in. our. game!

    This is a genuine stealth experience if you choose to play it that way, and a challenging one too. It's all set out very well with a wealth of customizable options from clothes to weapons, and you get lots of challenging, fun side missions that relate to the 3 different playstyles that you can dip in an out of between the main story missions. The more you upgrade and purchase the more options you have for not just success, but variety and fun. And there are certain sections of the game that are genuinely fantastic.

    Unfortunately the game stumbles badly in 3 major areas.

    The first is the checkpoint system. Whilst the distances between them isn't an issue, because of the nature of stealth games where you may spend between 10- 15 minutes meticulously clearing a relatively small area, it only takes a small error and your perfect run is ended or you are killed and all that time is wasted. This obviously discourages experimentation, which with so many options is a real shame.

    The biggest flaw though is the horrible artificial limitations the developers place in every piece of environment. Let me explain: You may be happily shimmying along a pipe only for Sam to suddenly grind to a halt with no apparent obstacle. But there's a ledge barely a fingers-width above you so you think I'll grab onto that and pull myself up no, the game thinks otherwise. You consider your options. There a window ledge below and a helpful red icon saying 'drop' appears, so you push this and Sam drops down to the ledge. Note there is no option to 'freefall' further because there is no icon telling me I can. So I go from one window to the next to the next, just under the original pipe i was on. Having gone past 3 windows I attempt to grab the identical forth only again hit an invisible wall. I know this because not only am I not moving but the 'green icon' telling me i can is now not showing. But there is a horizontal pipe that I can clamber on and edge over a guard upside down. I try to drop down but realise there is no red icon allowing me to, so I continue onto a a cubic pillar with an edge i can grab onto. I circle around the edge, but even though I'm no more than 7ft above the ground I'm not allowed to drop. Instead I have to find the face with a ladder and climb down right in front of the guard.

    This is just a short demo of how restrictive the maps are. Even though almost every new environment teases you with immense possibilities, you soon realise that even though you can go different routes, they are each heavily restricted along invisible, linear paths. Because there is no dedicated jump -or drop button, to interact with any scenery you have to wait for the game to give you permission via a colour prompt ensuring Sam can only stick to certain objects. You can't freely decide to move from one thing to another like in Assassin's Creed or Dishonored.

    The other major flaw which will infuriate Legacy SC fans is the forced action segments which include babysitting a hostage through waves of guards, chase sequences, some overhead drone-striking, and most inexplicably, a FPS section. Yes you read that correctly: A FIRST PERSON SHOOTER SECTION. IN A SPLINTER CELL GAME. W.T.F??? Thankfully they are reasonably short but regular enough to be annoying.

    The story is forgettably derivative and the new Sam is very harsh and unlikable, although the other characters were pretty decent for a videogame.

    SP:B is unquestionably the best SC since Chaos Theory (okay, possibly not saying much) and it does live up to the pre-release shtick of giving players the option of playing in the style they want. It also gives good value for money in terms of the content it offers.

    If only it was more encouraging of freedom, experimentation and didn't force you into action set-pieces, it could have been amazing, instead of a harsh, restrictive tease.    … Expand
  31. Pious24
    Aug 24, 2013
    8
    I was really looking forward to this game, I loved multiplayer in Pandora and Chaos Theory. So I was disappointed when Conviction didn't have it. This time around the spies are overpowered, especially the duration on their shock crossbow. They've made the SvM mode too easy with the close proximity insta-kills for spies and removing the charge and 180 spins for mercs, but it still can be aI was really looking forward to this game, I loved multiplayer in Pandora and Chaos Theory. So I was disappointed when Conviction didn't have it. This time around the spies are overpowered, especially the duration on their shock crossbow. They've made the SvM mode too easy with the close proximity insta-kills for spies and removing the charge and 180 spins for mercs, but it still can be a lot fun.… Expand
  32. feudalnate
    Sep 14, 2013
    0
    Horrendous load times. Unconceivably horrible controls. Voices drop out of sync. Unsure whether or not to consider this a Splinter Cell title.

    The game feels like it was rushed and the cheap/junky Unreal Engine brings nothing to the table besides bad physics, bad motion, delayed... everything, stitched materials, and a nice cup of regret for spending $70 on such a massive pile who's    Horrendous load times. Unconceivably horrible controls. Voices drop out of sync. Unsure whether or not to consider this a Splinter Cell title.

    The game feels like it was rushed and the cheap/junky Unreal Engine brings nothing to the table besides bad physics, bad motion, delayed... everything, stitched materials, and a nice cup of regret for spending $70 on such a massive pile who's sole purpose of creation was to suck as much money from the series as possible while spending as little as possible and continue doing so until they run it into the ground.

    TL;DR: Ubisoft TORONTO, Unreal Engine, terrible controls, doesn't really feel like a Splinter Cell game despite the characters and atmosphere (11 veteran to the series). Don't buy this game if you liked the earlier games in the series, and if you already have.. sorry (Ubisoft isn't hehe).    … Expand
  33. Furbag
    Sep 5, 2013
    0
    Splinter Cell: Blacklist is a huge, huge disappointment. To start, the most glaring and evident problem is the fact that Sam Fisher is no longer voiced by Michael Ironside. The voice actor they got to replace him has the personality of a carbon blob he doesn't even try to mimic the original actor. The performance is sub-par and incredibly distracting it makes you wonder who the guySplinter Cell: Blacklist is a huge, huge disappointment. To start, the most glaring and evident problem is the fact that Sam Fisher is no longer voiced by Michael Ironside. The voice actor they got to replace him has the personality of a carbon blob he doesn't even try to mimic the original actor. The performance is sub-par and incredibly distracting it makes you wonder who the guy you're playing is supposed to be and when you get to take control of Sam.

    Next, let's talk about optimization. The game starts in windowed mode by default and this setting can be changed but will reset every time you close the program. Why, Ubisoft? Why? Crashes are frequent enough to disrupt saves and annoy you temporarily, but otherwise the client seems to run okay when you're not actually doing anything within the game, such as when you're adjusting settings, which you'll have to do upon each and every launch because they reset.

    Controllers are just barely supported. There's no variable run speed tied to the angle of the joystick. You go from a dead stop to full on sprint no matter how much or how little you tilt the stick. The d-pad opens the radial menu, but I experience a bug where the menu wouldn't stay open long enough to select anything if I can't switch from lethal to non-lethal takedowns, how can I possibly complete the mission?

    The PC keyboard controls are atrocious. The cover system was perfect in Conviction. Sam stuck to walls and objects perfectly until canceled. Now, Sam will move into cover when you tell him to, but will drop out of cover if you try to move in a direction the game doesn't like.

    The player character feels sluggish and unresponsive compared to Conviction. Tactical movement and stealth have been replaced by an Assassin's Creed-esque parkour and climbing gimmick that exists only as an obstacle to level progression.

    The story is cliche and uninspiring America versus The Terrorists yet again. This time, we have a geriatric former spy (I say former in the sense that he no longer does anything espionage related) turned supercommando that almost makes me wonder if the developers drew inspiration from the main character of Metal Gear Solid 4.

    I have no interest in multiplayer, I haven't even gone online yet so I won't comment on that aspect of the game, but from my understanding the popular Spies vs Mercs game mode is back in and many people are enjoying it despite some connectivity issues that have arisen.

    All in all, this game is a huge slip from Conviction. I liked Conviction. The way you were led through the content was consistent with the story you're not a spy anymore so you don't have to play by the rules. The gameplay was hard and fast, but also fluid, stealthy and tactical. Blacklist forces you to continue the same style of gameplay without the same sense of purpose it has gone beyond telling a story and has delved into the mad realm where the only thing that matters anymore is catering to the audience who only cared about the fast-paced action gameplay, the so-called "Call of Duty" demographic.

    If you enjoyed Conviction for the gameplay, you might enjoy this new sequel as well. If you are a fan of the series from the original game on to Double Agent, you will probably be disappointed. If you didn't like Conviction, then even more reason to stay away. I would advise caution when going to purchase this game no matter what you liked. If you have a console, rent it first.    … Expand
  34. CheckGamesList
    Aug 25, 2013
    7
    The latest game in the Splinter Cell series does an acceptable job continuing the series, but doesn't make it better. The graphics were pretty standard, the story was quite intriguing despite repetitive scenes, and the overall gameplay was fair.
    However, a couple of the negatives would be that enemies usually could only detect you when you were in front of them, and in one extreme case    The latest game in the Splinter Cell series does an acceptable job continuing the series, but doesn't make it better. The graphics were pretty standard, the story was quite intriguing despite repetitive scenes, and the overall gameplay was fair.
    However, a couple of the negatives would be that enemies usually could only detect you when you were in front of them, and in one extreme case walking two feet behind an enemy didn't alert him one bit. Also, here and there, an animation was slightly off.
    In the end, Blacklist is a pretty good game, with a nicely designed multiplayer in addition. But in the end, it's not a groundbreaking one.    … Expand
  35. DarkWolf1991
    Aug 31, 2013
    7
    After playing Conviction and feeling disappointed because there was hardly any stealth game play I was rather concerned with how Blacklist would turn out. So I took the risk, Spent the £40 and I am more then happy to say I am enjoying it!

    Luckily, Ubisoft has focused more on improving stealth for those who like to play Splinter Cell the way it was meant to be played rather then going    After playing Conviction and feeling disappointed because there was hardly any stealth game play I was rather concerned with how Blacklist would turn out. So I took the risk, Spent the £40 and I am more then happy to say I am enjoying it!

    Luckily, Ubisoft has focused more on improving stealth for those who like to play Splinter Cell the way it was meant to be played rather then going Call of Duty style. So to me that is major kudos for Ubisoft right there.

    The story itself is rather decent but I won't go too much into details for those who hasn't played it but it does seem rather far-fetched with America saving the day and defeating a British bad guy.

    Spies versus Mercs is back in this series! But as a old school Splinter Cell fan, I am not too much of a fan of this. Mainly because spies are very over-powered, They can now attack from mercs from any angels, have gadgets that could kill etc. I'd go into more detail but I'd be here for ever. Overall multilayer does need some working on

    However, My only flaw with this game is that the controls are bit awkward, There are times where I climb up a ledge when I was meant to drop down so I could make a quick escape but only to be spotted which would mess up my Ghost score and have to restart from a checkpoint.

    Overall, If you're new to the series then you'r going to enjoy it a lot but old school fans of the series, You might want to rent it or buy it when you see it cheaper.    … Expand
  36. maceshatwell
    Sep 8, 2013
    7
    Splinter Cell Blacklist is a great single player game with lots of replay value. The computer enemies will take different paths depending on if they hear your character or see a body you left on the ground in plain sight. Unlock and upgrade different weapons and try three different play styles; Ghost, which is silent with no killing, Panther which is silent but deadly and lastly combat,Splinter Cell Blacklist is a great single player game with lots of replay value. The computer enemies will take different paths depending on if they hear your character or see a body you left on the ground in plain sight. Unlock and upgrade different weapons and try three different play styles; Ghost, which is silent with no killing, Panther which is silent but deadly and lastly combat, loud and deadly.

    Multiplayer leaves a lot to be desired. You play 2 rounds one as a spy and one as a mercenary. The game is slanted towards spy advantage so half the game seems too easy and other half seems too hard. I would have preferred a spy vs. spy scenario but that is not what we got here.

    Co-op via XBL is hit or miss, and by that depending on who you pull as a partner. There is duel executions to take down 6 targets silently at one time but your teammate needs to be able to recognize what you are doing. Further if you get a teammate with a different play style it rarely works out. However, with the right teammate co-op is very fun and rewarding silently meeting your objectives as a team. Also there are strategies only usable via co-op play. There is one mission that is co-op only.

    Overall SCBL gets a 7 from me due to the shortness of the game. I finished all missions in about 6 hours. Replay is very high though and co-op with right person/players enhances gameplay. Skip the multiplayer it is more of an aggravation than a fun feature.    … Expand
  37. MohsenHK
    Sep 17, 2013
    9
    Splinter Cell Blacklist, Ubisoft's next installment in the Splinter Cell franchise takes it further than any of it's predecessors. The game includes a good single player campaign with a nice variety of side missions which can be done in both Solo and Coop, a few separate missions requiring two players to initiate and last but not least the addicting Spies Vs. Mercs multiplayer mode. TheSplinter Cell Blacklist, Ubisoft's next installment in the Splinter Cell franchise takes it further than any of it's predecessors. The game includes a good single player campaign with a nice variety of side missions which can be done in both Solo and Coop, a few separate missions requiring two players to initiate and last but not least the addicting Spies Vs. Mercs multiplayer mode. The Single player and Coop is enjoyable for a larger audience this time around, as players are now able to either play "Assault" and run and gun everyone in the mission or play "Panther", killing all hostiles in a stealthy manner without alerting anyone. The hardcore fans can play by Sam's rules and "Ghost" meaning that they sneak through the entire mission without taking down unnecessary hostiles and leave absolutely no trail behind. Additionally, the single player and Coop now feature a point system which rewards players based on their play style and the players can purchase upgrades for both multiplayer and single player modes.

    Splinter Cell Blacklist also features a new difficulty level called "Perfectionist Difficulty" which basically disables all the various assists you normally have such as the thermal vision see-through ability and the "Mark & Execute" ability making the game much more of a challenge and making stealth the key to success. However those are not the only differences, the A.I also becomes much more realistic spotting you easier than it did on lower difficulties while doing so legitimately. The different NPC Archytypes added to the game in general add a lot more depth to the game, forcing you to change tactics and adapt to the circumstances. For example we now have an engineer NPC which uses recon robots to scan the area for hostiles while disabling your thermal vision with his jammer backpack. Another example of the new NPCs is the armored guard. These guards wear bomb defusing suits and bulletproof vests making them much more difficult to take down compared to the average hostile, forcing you to change your approach on the go.

    The multiplayer mode is very well done, consisting 6 different modes including a separate playlist for the hardcore fans called "SVM Classic". No matter which class you choose you never feel overpowered as each class has benefits and disadvantages making them balanced and interesting at the same time. Each class has different and numerous upgrades and equipment available to them allowing the player to improve their character according to their play style. For example the Mercs have upgrades like jammer, armor and etc. and heavy machine guns while the Spies have upgrades such as gadget belts, proximity jammers, various goggles and etc.

    Like every game we know of, Splinter Cell Blacklist is much more fun when you have a buddy along for the ride. While the game doesn't require you to have a coop partner for 80% of the side missions it still rewards you for playing with a mate by offering quite a few different opportunities only available through cooperative gameplay such as dual executing and dual breach which add another dimension to the levels.

    I've waited for the game for three years and it has been completely worth it as the game has much to offer to both multiplayer and single player fans considering that it is also very polished and bug- free contrary to most of Ubisoft's releases. The only reason I don't give this game a 10/10 is that the plot scenario and ending could have been more interesting and although the new voice actor is good he doesn't do Sam justice like Micheal Ironside did in the previous installments.    … Expand
  38. Deusex
    Mar 3, 2014
    4
    I was excited for this release.. But was disappointed.
    Pros:
    Choices on how to play, ghost, panther, assault- more flexibility much like crysis or far cry.
    Customising Sam was great.
    A fair bit of content.

    Cons:
    Way too hard.
    Bad graphics, this wasn't a 13 game.
    Screen tearing.
    Bad facial animations.
    Bad and pointless story.
  39. JaJu
    Aug 20, 2013
    10
    Takes all of the great aspects of Conviction++ and expands on them in a sequel that (as if it were possible) blows the previous entries out of the water. Long time fans may find the pacing and continued use of "Marks" as sacrificial to the true Splinter Cell stealth aspect, but will be won over nevertheless by this entry's entertainment value and solid replayability.

    Coop? Hellz yeah,    Takes all of the great aspects of Conviction++ and expands on them in a sequel that (as if it were possible) blows the previous entries out of the water. Long time fans may find the pacing and continued use of "Marks" as sacrificial to the true Splinter Cell stealth aspect, but will be won over nevertheless by this entry's entertainment value and solid replayability.

    Coop? Hellz yeah, Blacklist maintains the franchise solid cooperative gameplay, and not just a rip-off "Arena Mode".    … Expand
  40. tattoosteve
    Aug 21, 2013
    10
    i think i liked conviction at first but then it got old very fast. this game on the other hand takes the good parts of it and the best parts of chaos theory, and places them into a more complex plotline and more intricate gameplay. the mercs are more strapped and spies more stealthy. i've some folks are having some glitch problems but my copy is 100% glitch free so i'm not sure what's upi think i liked conviction at first but then it got old very fast. this game on the other hand takes the good parts of it and the best parts of chaos theory, and places them into a more complex plotline and more intricate gameplay. the mercs are more strapped and spies more stealthy. i've some folks are having some glitch problems but my copy is 100% glitch free so i'm not sure what's up with that. outstanding game overall.… Expand
  41. Abstractpurpose
    Aug 24, 2013
    9
    This is the best splintercell since chaos theory. Despite some controll issues like swapping guns instead of picking up a body this game is great. Ok graphics not great but im most excited to see stealth return. Conviction didnt feel like a splintercell game at all bit this game fixed alot of that
  42. BatFat09
    Sep 20, 2013
    6
    While splinter cell has never been about stunning graphics, or innovative stealth gameplay... this game is still mediocre. Not worth te price tag, bu i still kind of enjoyed it. Play hitman, it performs much better than splinter cell, and probably always will.
  43. Brainlicker
    Aug 22, 2013
    9
    In the Splinter Cell universe this game holds its own. I includes all you would want in a Splinter Cell game and then some. RPG elements like upgrading your plane to the amount of customization keep you wanting to rake in the cash. From the vast amounts of weapons and gadgets to the ability to pick the way you want to play; be it stealthy or guns blazing they did a good job on this one.In the Splinter Cell universe this game holds its own. I includes all you would want in a Splinter Cell game and then some. RPG elements like upgrading your plane to the amount of customization keep you wanting to rake in the cash. From the vast amounts of weapons and gadgets to the ability to pick the way you want to play; be it stealthy or guns blazing they did a good job on this one.
    At first not hearing Sam's original voice was a little odd but gradually went away. The graphics with the HD install were ok. The controls are tight and responsive although there are a few hang-ups with movement and physics.
    The co-op missions are a lot of fun and provide plenty of replayability with or without someone playing along side you. The 'Defend your position' levels were the most fun with you being able to use a mix of aggressive or stealth gameplay and not be penalized for it.
    A game worth a lot of your time and effort!    … Expand
  44. Beatlejuice6687
    Aug 21, 2013
    3
    This review is only for the online multiplayer, which is the only reason I bought it. I wouldn't have paid 60 bucks for a rehash action spy game which looks exactly like Conviction.

    I really liked Pandora Tomorrow totally new and innovative spies vs mercs. It was a huge step forward in bringing suspense and fun to consoles in it's day. Chaos Theory made great improvements to that online    This review is only for the online multiplayer, which is the only reason I bought it. I wouldn't have paid 60 bucks for a rehash action spy game which looks exactly like Conviction.

    I really liked Pandora Tomorrow totally new and innovative spies vs mercs. It was a huge step forward in bringing suspense and fun to consoles in it's day. Chaos Theory made great improvements to that online play. Spies had to play cautious and sneaky. Although kills could be done, it was a careful move that had to be made. Double Agent went down the wrong path. Remote hacking, the more techno look. It was bad. This one ups(or downs) that one. Dumbest thing ever in SC??? Spy one button insta-kills. Run near a merc from any direction, press a single button, almost faster then a merc can shoot you down and you get a insta kill.

    Merc's being considered the hunters are a total joke. Spies are so overpowered in their ability to run from any direction and insta-kill its just a horrible idea from whatever person thought this was good. I am done buying Splinter Cell games. They killed the best multi-player concept with silly and dumb gameplay and managed to do worse then the worst spies vs mercs offering they had put out until now.    … Expand
  45. SilentDogwood
    Aug 22, 2013
    10
    Splinter Cell: Blacklist caters to both fans of Conviction and fans of the original formula embedded in Chaos Theory. With adaptive gameplay that allows the player to approach the scenario they see fit, Blacklist includes a solid singleplayer component with a compelling story, and an addictive co-op scenario.

    Negatives out of the way first: - Graphics do the job, but considering most    Splinter Cell: Blacklist caters to both fans of Conviction and fans of the original formula embedded in Chaos Theory. With adaptive gameplay that allows the player to approach the scenario they see fit, Blacklist includes a solid singleplayer component with a compelling story, and an addictive co-op scenario.

    Negatives out of the way first:
    - Graphics do the job, but considering most Splinter Cell's have a reputation for polished visuals that push the console to its limitations, Blacklist comes off as lucklustre.
    - No Michael Ironside. Ubisoft should have taken this opportunity to explore a new Splinter Cell as opposed to continuing Fisher's story (who now looks like he's aging backwards)

    The positives:
    - Gameplay Fans of Chaos Theory can ghost the whole campaign, while fans of Conviction can go in panther like. Fans of COD (who should be playing COD and not this amazing game), can take the option of Assault
    -Campaign It's not mindblowing, but it keeps you hooked
    Multiplayer Addictive and well implemented.

    Buy this game if you were a fan of previous Splinter Cell games. If you're yet to try one yet, this is the perfect one to start.    … Expand
  46. josinsimon
    Aug 21, 2013
    10
    I have just created an account to express my personal review about this game. I don't care about the negative reviews but as far i am played, this is best splinter cell out there.I am not a die hard splinter cell fan, but this game have the ability to attract all type of gamers to it like "ghost" :panther" and "assault". i played this game for almost 5 hours. Game play is amazing, story isI have just created an account to express my personal review about this game. I don't care about the negative reviews but as far i am played, this is best splinter cell out there.I am not a die hard splinter cell fan, but this game have the ability to attract all type of gamers to it like "ghost" :panther" and "assault". i played this game for almost 5 hours. Game play is amazing, story is bit a crap but game play does manage to overcome its consequences. i didn't played co-op or spies vs merc, but if u like the compaign this is definitely for you...… Expand
  47. GildaTheGriffin
    Aug 25, 2013
    9
    Being all of what Conviction was, but combined with Chaos Theory you get the newest addition to the Splinter Cell family, Blacklist. Blacklist is stealth action 3rd person shooter as all Splinter Cell games have been. But despite the lackluster performance of Conviction, some of the mechanics return, but it's intertwined with some mechanics of Chaos Theory. As stealth is quick likeBeing all of what Conviction was, but combined with Chaos Theory you get the newest addition to the Splinter Cell family, Blacklist. Blacklist is stealth action 3rd person shooter as all Splinter Cell games have been. But despite the lackluster performance of Conviction, some of the mechanics return, but it's intertwined with some mechanics of Chaos Theory. As stealth is quick like Conviction, but noise and speed is generated like Chaos Theory and Double Agent.

    America is under attack from a terrorist group called, The Engineers. Who demand America bring all it's troops home or attacks against the government and it's civilians persist, and get even more dangerous. Sam Fisher gets caught in the start of it and after his best friend gets injured and innocent soldiers get murdered makes it his duty to stop The Engineers. Sam is given a giant plane called. The Paladin, that acts like a mobile base that you can roam in between missions to talk to characters and collect secret collectibles. You can access different missions that characters give you that adds more to the story and character backstory. The story is intense and gets you involved in many different environments.

    The game looks good on consoles, and acts very fluently. You get tons of multiplayer options, as Spies vs. Mercs makes a return both in Blacklist and classic Double Agent fashion. Worth to pick up and play for hours.    … Expand
  48. Herpderpattack
    Jan 2, 2014
    4
    There's so much wrong with this game... in terms of multiplayer. Single player is fun, but doesn't feel like a traditional Splinter Cell game, Chaos Theory 2.0 this is not. In addition Michael Ironside isn't Sam Fisher, so he ends up sounding angry a lot of the time, and it again detracts from the overall experience. The characters feel somewhat likable however they are largelyThere's so much wrong with this game... in terms of multiplayer. Single player is fun, but doesn't feel like a traditional Splinter Cell game, Chaos Theory 2.0 this is not. In addition Michael Ironside isn't Sam Fisher, so he ends up sounding angry a lot of the time, and it again detracts from the overall experience. The characters feel somewhat likable however they are largely forgettable, however graphically this isn't 2013 material, but they are passable. Multiplayer however is not. Spies Vs Mercs fails across the board in terms of design and gameplay. There are few modes, and even less that work well. There's an endless amount of cheese that just feels game breaks and the mechanics aren't there. It's like the developers didn't even play the game before release. I don't like this game and can't give it something positive, however the single player is sound, even though it doesn't feel like a Splinter Cell game whatsoever, the multiplayer is so heartbreakingly bad, I can't accept this. This isn't a Splinter Cell game, not by any means. However there is some cheap fun to be had here, even if it is guilty. Just don't expect to find it in the multiplay… Expand
  49. yoyoyo2013
    Aug 21, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Aweeeeeesssssoooooooooomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

    **** GAMEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee    … Expand
  50. Silenteagle7
    Feb 3, 2014
    0
    Me and a friend bought this game together in order to play through the co-op and mercs vs spies together, but Ubisoft's notoriously bad combination of Uplay and poor server connections made it near impossible for us to play together. As we scrambled to find solutions, sure that no company could allow an ongoing issue as big as the inability to connect to any friends on THEIR MANDATORYMe and a friend bought this game together in order to play through the co-op and mercs vs spies together, but Ubisoft's notoriously bad combination of Uplay and poor server connections made it near impossible for us to play together. As we scrambled to find solutions, sure that no company could allow an ongoing issue as big as the inability to connect to any friends on THEIR MANDATORY GAME DISTRIBUTION PLATFORM our hearts sank as we found out that people have been reporting this problem for around 6 or 7 months now. Obviously no headway was being made by the devs, so we set about to find a solution ourselves. About 2 hours of work later we both said screw it, no game is worth this much work when for years we haven't had issues playing any previous games together. There are about a hundred different forum posts about this, so I know that the problem is widespread, but Ubisoft forum managers always just claim that customers should contact customer support, which simply tells you to mess around with your firewall settings and the like, which is just general speak for 'we don't know what's going on, try some basic stuff to try and fix it while we do nothing on a more complicated level like trying to rewrite any game code or fix how our modems and servers work'. The software for smooth, clean co-op connection has been around for like a decade, only adding to our incredible frustration at not being able to fulfill the primary purpose for which we bought the game. Sure, you can fix the issue with a combination of firewall exceptions, port forwarding, deleting certain programs and a whole lot of other work, but it just isn't worth it when literally no other game has made me do this before. I feel cheated, and almost like I should be refunded for the unfinished product which no one is doing anything about to fix. While looking up fixes I found people claiming that this very issue happened with previous Ubisoft games for years and NO ONE FIXED THEM. I rate this a 0 not because it is a bad game, but because it was literally unplayable and unfinished to the point that I felt that I deserved my money back because I didn't want it going to a company with such terrible customer support or response to such issues.… Expand
  51. niconline
    Aug 26, 2013
    10
    Splinter Cell: Blacklist is a class act that gets pretty much everything right. It looks slick, plays beautifully and boasts more than enough options to encourage repeat visits to its missions and multiplayer modes. The deepest and most engaging Splinter Cell. Chaos Theory remains the high watermark for many, but Splinter Cell: Blacklist feels like a real return to form for Sam Fisher,Splinter Cell: Blacklist is a class act that gets pretty much everything right. It looks slick, plays beautifully and boasts more than enough options to encourage repeat visits to its missions and multiplayer modes. The deepest and most engaging Splinter Cell. Chaos Theory remains the high watermark for many, but Splinter Cell: Blacklist feels like a real return to form for Sam Fisher, Welcome back, Mr. Fisher.… Expand
  52. SidiousStrange
    Aug 26, 2013
    9
    I like to keep my reviews here pretty short and to the point. No spoilers. No great detail. Others are better at that sort of thing... but here is my two cents.

    I've been a fan of this series since the first one. The only one I've never finished was Splinter Cell Double Agent (I kept running into audio bugs that caused the sound to cut out completely on the mission in which you had to    I like to keep my reviews here pretty short and to the point. No spoilers. No great detail. Others are better at that sort of thing... but here is my two cents.

    I've been a fan of this series since the first one. The only one I've never finished was Splinter Cell Double Agent (I kept running into audio bugs that caused the sound to cut out completely on the mission in which you had to infiltrate a ship... I found it impossible to do without audio. And so I eventually gave up when I could not find a fix), and I've really enjoyed how the series has evolved. My two favorite games in the series are Chaos Theory, for being one of the best stealth games I'd ever played... and Conviction, which changed things up a bit, focusing on you being "the panther"... a bad ass, Jack Bauer type who, while still using the shadows to his advantage, was more aggressive and lethal than in past games. Two very different takes on the same character/series... but to me, the were the best. And with that in mind, this is where Blacklist really succeeds for me. The developers have taken the core of Chaos Theory (widely regarded as the best game in the series), but mixed in elements from Conviction, ultimately creating a game that feels like the best of both worlds. You are scored in each mission along three skill types, the stealthy Ghost (non lethal, avoid detection, avoid confrontation), the Panther (which seems to combine Conviction's more action oriented play style with a focus on keeping in the shadows... you can still be stealthy, but as a "panther", you can take down your prey with lethal moves) and the all out action of Assault (which forgoes stealth for straight forward aggression). The game provides a wide array of tools, many of which work to support one of the three play styles (for the Ghost you have noise makers, stun guns, sleep grenades..., the Panther would use tear gas, electrocution grenades or mines, silenced weapons and for when things get crazy, you have shotguns, frag grenades, sniper rifles and more). There are some items that are useful across play styles, like a remote control drone you can control... and you can also unlock various stat changing suits, goggles and other such gear. The game really seems to want you to play it your way. And that is what I really like about it. The developers knew some people want Splinter Cell to be about stealth. Others liked the faster, more lethal antics of Conviction... and others still may prefer action games like Call of Duty... and this game provides something to love for fans of all of the above! And you can go back and replay each mission to try and get the high score for each play style if you really want to see all the game has to offer.

    The game offers a wide variety of missions that can be played solo, with a co-op partner or if you like online multiplayer, Spys vs Mercs returns from Chaos Theory, offering a strong mix of game types to sample. I've not had much time to spend with the Spys Vs Mercs element this time around, but word has been positive about it.

    Overall, this is s Splinter Cell game that feels like it has something for everyone. Unless you are a fan of actor Michael Ironside. They decided to replace him as the voice of Sam Fisher (must be something in the water, as David Hayter is also being replaced by Kiefer Sutherland as the voice of Snake in the Metal Gear Solid series with MGS V). I was sad to hear this. Ironside has done a great job bringing this character to life over the course of the series. And while the replacement is alright, I still find myself missing Ironside's grizzly voice. Maybe I'll get over it eventually. But it is a bit jarring for long time fans.

    Lastly, the game can be tough. Especially if you are trying to stick to one play style. But there are multiple difficulty levels available for when things need adjusting. I ended up beating Conviction three times, once for each difficulty level... I doubt I will do that with this game. It is a lot tougher. But there is also a lot more game here as well. I'll be playing Blacklist for some time.    … Expand
  53. seantimothy
    Aug 27, 2013
    9
    I wouldn't say it's the "best" or "most ambitious" Splinter Cell game ever released. But I would say that compared to Conviction the best Splinter Cell game for sure this title is highly comparable and definitely builds off of the strengths of CT. The spies vs mercs component is very strong, with perks that the original CT could not have had given the limits of the console back then. TheI wouldn't say it's the "best" or "most ambitious" Splinter Cell game ever released. But I would say that compared to Conviction the best Splinter Cell game for sure this title is highly comparable and definitely builds off of the strengths of CT. The spies vs mercs component is very strong, with perks that the original CT could not have had given the limits of the console back then. The production is out of this world graphics, sound, gameplay, controls. The only reason I can't give it a 10/10 is that the game is unoriginal in the general sense of a new game. Any FPS gamer who misses out on this is missing out on what CT should/could have been, had it been created with the new technologies and smart developers we have now.… Expand
  54. strapcharles
    Aug 21, 2013
    10
    I am already completely hooked on SvM and can't decide which I like playing as more. The graphics and controls are so smooth I feel I'm physically inside the game when I have the lights out on my big screen. It's too bad they didn't put it out on PS4 but I'll be waiting for The Division when that comes out too.
  55. VonSeux
    Sep 6, 2013
    9
    Better than Hitman Absolution; great stealth with open maps, room for improvisation and solid action sequences. Graphics and music do not impress but gameplay is king.
  56. Magdi_alafifi
    Aug 26, 2014
    6
    Okay I'll put it in separate points, mixing the pros and cons...

    - The writing is the weakest link of this game. If you want a game that cares about adequate story telling, three-dimensional characters, or thought provoking debates then this is not the thing for you. It's your typical jingoistic story. Murica's-right-everyone-else-is-wrong mentality runs throughout the entire game. -    Okay I'll put it in separate points, mixing the pros and cons...

    - The writing is the weakest link of this game. If you want a game that cares about adequate story telling, three-dimensional characters, or thought provoking debates then this is not the thing for you. It's your typical jingoistic story. Murica's-right-everyone-else-is-wrong mentality runs throughout the entire game.

    - Sam has lost all his wits and became unforgivingly brain-dead, angry all the time and very uninteresting. Others in his team are also very dull characters, perhaps Charlie and Kobin were slightly interesting. but that doesn't redeem how little they cared about writing complex characters. In fact, they ruined all the good parts that Sam Fisher had in the previous instalments.

    - You have the option to play in 3 different styles, and you're rewarded for playing in each, which is great. But still playing in panther (killing everyone but silently) is still objectively much easier to do, and subjectively more fun, which is not necessarily a bad thing, really. I enjoyed playing panther a lot.

    - The gameplay is fun and entertaining. especially in panther. It's very diverse and thought-provoking that at times it feels like a strategy game. You're constantly thinking what's the smartest approach. and it doesn't get boring fast, though after a while it doesn't feel very inventive any more.    … Expand
  57. twevz
    Sep 28, 2013
    8
    I got this game with my purchase of GTA V and I will have to admit that I play that more than this. But that doesn't mean that its bad game because its definitely one of the best games I've played this year! Sam Fisher is a fantastic protagonist and the Engineer narrative is intriguing. The gameplay is also great, anyone can play however they want. Personally I take the stealthy path andI got this game with my purchase of GTA V and I will have to admit that I play that more than this. But that doesn't mean that its bad game because its definitely one of the best games I've played this year! Sam Fisher is a fantastic protagonist and the Engineer narrative is intriguing. The gameplay is also great, anyone can play however they want. Personally I take the stealthy path and when I do I discover a lot more and feel a lot more badass. The game also gives a lot of bang for your buck! Besides the 10 hour campaign there is also a hoard mode, a co-op mode (SUPER fun) and a fantastic reissue of Spies vs Mercs! Spies vs Mercs is insanely fun and is one of the best multiplayer modes I've played in a while! The only con is that the controls get kind've frustrating, the graphics aren't that great and there are a lot of texture pop ins. Great game though … Expand
  58. HolyMackinaw
    Aug 25, 2013
    9
    Just beat this on Perfectionist/No Kills/Ghost Mastery and I gotta say, this is my favourite splinter cell game. The only other splinter cell games I have BEATEN are Double Agent and Conviction, and although I loved Double Agent, Conviction was just okay to me. This game is so COMPLETE, with the coop missions, multiple approaches to campaign missions (which is lengthy enough) and anJust beat this on Perfectionist/No Kills/Ghost Mastery and I gotta say, this is my favourite splinter cell game. The only other splinter cell games I have BEATEN are Double Agent and Conviction, and although I loved Double Agent, Conviction was just okay to me. This game is so COMPLETE, with the coop missions, multiple approaches to campaign missions (which is lengthy enough) and an amazing online component, that this comes highly recommended to ANYONE with even the slightest interest. 9/10… Expand
  59. Truedovah
    Aug 25, 2013
    10
    Silently, full assault or mix your call there are so many ways to approach. Sam Fisher has lots of tools and ways to deal with his unlucky enemies or simply leave them untouched. campaign missions are awesome the story not so much, plenty of coop missions 14 I think and they are not short but not 2 long.
    online has lots of stuff to do as well all though not all the modes are required,    Silently, full assault or mix your call there are so many ways to approach. Sam Fisher has lots of tools and ways to deal with his unlucky enemies or simply leave them untouched. campaign missions are awesome the story not so much, plenty of coop missions 14 I think and they are not short but not 2 long.
    online has lots of stuff to do as well all though not all the modes are required, but classic spies vs mercs and new one are really good and tdm is not bad. Paladins command bridge is awesome really easy and fun way to launch missions whatever its solo/coop or online. The upgrade system is very good as well so much customization from gadgets to armor weapons really good job Leaderboards to chase and achievements to unlock. this is from person who has spent 30 hours in the game and still loving it.    … Expand
  60. JohnWitten
    Oct 20, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Concept: Redefine Sam Fisher as a more emphatic hero than ever before, bring out his even wilder side, and give him plenty of leeway and fire power- he'll get the job done.

    Graphics: Definitely some of the best graphics I've seen all generation, especially on consoles. It ranks up there with other Ubisoft titles such as Far Cry 3 and Assassin's Creed III, as well as with the console versions of the Crysis games.

    Sound: Sam's voice might be a little different, but that doesn't stop the new voice overs from being just as moving, powerful, and downright terrifying at times as before.

    Playability: It may not be one giant sandbox, but there are always alternative ways to get the job done, and with the hefty arsenal at your disposal, I'd venture to say that you could play through the game three different ways and still not see the hind side of the end of the possibilities for an awesome experience.

    Entertainment: Again, as with any great game, it has its ups and downs at times, although definitely more ups than the latter. Overall however, it is one high octane fueled adventure, and one I'd certainly never want to miss.

    Replay Value: Very High.

    Overall Score: 9.25    … Expand
  61. SuperstarVenom
    Sep 2, 2013
    9
    Splinter Cell at it's finest. Graphics are a high standard, good controls and game modes.
    The daily/weekly challenges give you some good competition amongst friends and there are co-op missions which can easily add an hour to your gameplay through your failings of being spotted and killed.
    Spies vs Mercs make a return and is good fun multiplayer mayhem where the Spies have to hack    Splinter Cell at it's finest. Graphics are a high standard, good controls and game modes.
    The daily/weekly challenges give you some good competition amongst friends and there are co-op missions which can easily add an hour to your gameplay through your failings of being spotted and killed.
    Spies vs Mercs make a return and is good fun multiplayer mayhem where the Spies have to hack terminals while the mercs have to defend those terminals.
    The Story missions are pretty cool too and make you want to try and complete them in all ways possible, Stealth or brute force and in various difficulties.
    The Xbox version comes on two discs, one being a HD content pack to make it look as good as possible.
    Definitely worth a play and I feel you get a lot for your money as a game goes.    … Expand
  62. doughnutbone
    Aug 23, 2013
    8
    Blacklist is my first introduction to the Splinter Cell franchise and I have to say so far I'm really enjoying it. I like the "sand-box" approach to individual missions/objectives. The game challenges you to try and tackle each challenge in a variety of techniques/play styles. This is very addictive and promotes replay as you attempt to better your score in each play style... NarrativeBlacklist is my first introduction to the Splinter Cell franchise and I have to say so far I'm really enjoying it. I like the "sand-box" approach to individual missions/objectives. The game challenges you to try and tackle each challenge in a variety of techniques/play styles. This is very addictive and promotes replay as you attempt to better your score in each play style... Narrative is good if not a bit predictable. Graphics are decent, but not mind-blowing... An excellent bridge-game to pass the time until GTAV...… Expand
  63. TheManofSteel
    Jul 22, 2014
    5
    Splinter Cell: Blacklist is not necessarily a bad game.....its just not very good. Its predecessor "Splinter Cell: Conviction" is one of the best games of the past few years. It featured several innovative and entertaining features that Blacklist just throws out of the window. If Blacklist took the elements that made Conviction so great and added a new story, it would have been great butSplinter Cell: Blacklist is not necessarily a bad game.....its just not very good. Its predecessor "Splinter Cell: Conviction" is one of the best games of the past few years. It featured several innovative and entertaining features that Blacklist just throws out of the window. If Blacklist took the elements that made Conviction so great and added a new story, it would have been great but this game seems to have gone back in terms of its technical side. The game is enjoyable at best but its not as mind blowing as the previous game in the franchise was.… Expand
  64. mone06
    Sep 20, 2013
    9
    YOU WONT FEEL CHEATED OUT OF $60 DOLLARS!!!! This is the best game in the splinter cell series since the original xbox. Double agent being ok. But you actually feel like Your playing a stealth action game not some run and gun third person shooter like the last entry in this series. Great Game
  65. MacMorris
    Aug 24, 2013
    9
    The game had made a major improvement in graphics to be honest..The gameplay is good. There a few new features new gadgets and etc)... Nothing more to tell..anyways ..Great Game..
  66. PicklesOfWar
    Dec 16, 2013
    9
    Splinter cell blacklist is a great game with very little errors from making it perfect. First of all i am a huge splinter cell fan and this really impressed me (yes Michael Ironside is gone but that wont effect my review). The story is basic, a group of terrorists called the engineers initiate the blacklist a set if escalating attacks on the US but there's a twist if the government was toSplinter cell blacklist is a great game with very little errors from making it perfect. First of all i am a huge splinter cell fan and this really impressed me (yes Michael Ironside is gone but that wont effect my review). The story is basic, a group of terrorists called the engineers initiate the blacklist a set if escalating attacks on the US but there's a twist if the government was to pull out the US forces from all countries round the world it will stop. Its a basic story but it works very well and i really wanted to learn more about the villain and what happens next throughout. The gameplay is excellent mixing some classic chaos theory with the conviction movement and the result is perfect, this whole new idea gives the player the freedom on how to play. Lethal or non-lethal and take out everyone or kill/knock out as little as possible, this caused me to play the campaign multiple times with its smart level design.… Expand
  67. mezdejek
    Aug 27, 2013
    10
    Beside I'm somehow missing old voice of Sam. This game is somehow the best. I love scenario and maps created both for single and multiplayer. And this is really first game where i can choose how to play. I played Chaos Theory a long time and there maybe you had a weapon enhancement like shotgun or sniper. But those were not available to use. What we get here, we have A LOT ofBeside I'm somehow missing old voice of Sam. This game is somehow the best. I love scenario and maps created both for single and multiplayer. And this is really first game where i can choose how to play. I played Chaos Theory a long time and there maybe you had a weapon enhancement like shotgun or sniper. But those were not available to use. What we get here, we have A LOT of modifications, A LOT of weapons and what is more you can use them with sense.

    Thanks Ubi for:
    • great possibility to play different styles
    • great cooperative
    • great customization
    • paladin

    In the future there should be something like perfect ghost?
    ghost schould be counted for every doors/lights left in different state than it should be

    I always loved Spliner Cell
    And after somehow dissapointed after Conviction (only technically because Conviction had the best story of all splinter cells until now) i'm proud of that game.

    I just completed this game of course on perfectionist level    … Expand
  68. Kid_Kodeine
    Aug 28, 2013
    8
    Love this game, honestly though it is a merger of Splinter cell: conviction and Ghost Recon future soldier. As a splinter cell fan I do appreciate them bringing back the stealth roots the game, by empathizing the use of shadows and night vision. Perfectionist mode is my one true love. The only gripe I really had is the voice, Micheal Ironside brought a power to Sam fisher that this new guyLove this game, honestly though it is a merger of Splinter cell: conviction and Ghost Recon future soldier. As a splinter cell fan I do appreciate them bringing back the stealth roots the game, by empathizing the use of shadows and night vision. Perfectionist mode is my one true love. The only gripe I really had is the voice, Micheal Ironside brought a power to Sam fisher that this new guy can't match. If you can look past that your golden… Expand
  69. keet81
    Sep 1, 2013
    8
    The game does have a lot of faults and is very glitchy in places but it is an excellent game with tons of replay value. You can play every mission in three different styles. You are scored on each of these styles after completing a mission. 'Ghost' style is the classic SC experience while 'Panther' and 'Assault' appealing to the broader audience with the mark and execute feature. ThereThe game does have a lot of faults and is very glitchy in places but it is an excellent game with tons of replay value. You can play every mission in three different styles. You are scored on each of these styles after completing a mission. 'Ghost' style is the classic SC experience while 'Panther' and 'Assault' appealing to the broader audience with the mark and execute feature. There are also other side missions apart from the main campaign which are really descent allowing local or online co-op. This along with the SvM multiplayer makes this game a good investment.… Expand
  70. TomSketch
    Sep 4, 2013
    9
    This game is very good, It's reverting back to the old style of the games, it's a lot harder and better than Conviction. It's AI Is actually really well done, and the game is a lot more realistic. It has a lot of playing time even after the main single player. In saying the positives, the game has some bugs, but other than that, I would really encourage you to buy it. THE STORY IS PRETTY AWESOME.
  71. Vellioh
    Oct 15, 2013
    9
    You can tell that Ubisoft really listens to their fanbase. Splinter Cell: Conviction took the tried-and-true formula and attempted to breathe new life into it. Some found it to be a successful revitalization which provided a much needed boost in action. On the other hand fans of the series slow, methodical play style thought this new style was more reminiscent of if sam fisher had aYou can tell that Ubisoft really listens to their fanbase. Splinter Cell: Conviction took the tried-and-true formula and attempted to breathe new life into it. Some found it to be a successful revitalization which provided a much needed boost in action. On the other hand fans of the series slow, methodical play style thought this new style was more reminiscent of if sam fisher had a edgy brother who was in the special forces, took his coffee black, smoked marb reds, and had a mustache. Not saying that it was a bad game by any means, I personally loved it. It just strayed away from the fundamentals that drew its fan base in the first place. However, I give my props to Ubisoft because they took their experience and meshed it with the outcries from their fans, and you can see that in every aspect of the game. They answered the cries for the return of spies vs mercs. They intelligently left in the mark and execute function for the fans of conviction, but toned it down a notch by only allowing three targets instead of the 5 or so conviction allowed. And finally they added in a money and customization system that rewards users who play the game with accuracy and patience. The only gripe I have is the fact that they wernt able to get the same actor for sam fisher. In conviction he sounded like he was an old timer in his mid 40's whos every word was weaved with the psychological toll brought on by 20 years of conspiracy and murder. This new guy just isnt the same, thankfully hes not bad though. The character looks younger too, throws you off for a little bit. The entire idea is made easier by the superb voice actors, just from the conversations in the cutscenes you are able to piece together each persons personality. All in all a great game, and the best stealth game to come out in recent years. Sorry Agent 47, no hard feelings right?… Expand
  72. EpicCheese1
    Oct 26, 2013
    9
    I love this game, it was really good. The only disappointing thing was the Spies vs. Mercs, but that was still epic and fun just it doesn't feel like it used to. Oh and yes Sam's new voice is annoying!
  73. Ljmavin
    Oct 14, 2013
    10
    Best Stealth Game Ever!! i didn't think that they could improve on Conviction but oh they did, yes it is a new younger voice behind Sam Fisher but that's not a bad thing the voice acting is done incredibly well and yeah it did take me a mission or two to get used to the new voice but it is great, the game looks amazing a lot of detail gone into the level design giving you multiple ways ofBest Stealth Game Ever!! i didn't think that they could improve on Conviction but oh they did, yes it is a new younger voice behind Sam Fisher but that's not a bad thing the voice acting is done incredibly well and yeah it did take me a mission or two to get used to the new voice but it is great, the game looks amazing a lot of detail gone into the level design giving you multiple ways of executing your task, this game is the Splinter Cell equivalent of Jame Bond Skyfall it is that good, all of the upgrades/customization options are good from the HQ to the suits and the HQ plane is awesome, the controls where great for the game made it simple to play through, not a huge fan of not being able to control the interrogations like in Conviction and how when your are in full cover the lights on your gear lit up rather than having the black and white effect from Conviction, i like how a lot of the game is very open making it easier to get spotted meaning you have to be smart about moving around and how you had three ways of playing the game Assault where you just go through and kill everyone, my personal favorite Panther where you stick to stealth and silently take out your enemies or Ghost where you kill no one and go through the game undetected… Expand
  74. TigerVsLion
    Oct 29, 2013
    9
    This is one of my favourite games. Trust my review as I know what I'm talking about, being formerly ranked #1 All Time World Wide on Game Battles and G2W Match for SCC and SCB.

    Blacklist is a brilliant game, unlike Conviction which didn't have alot of stealth, this definitely does. Map design is amazing, you have multiple ways to attack the situation instead of one. It doesn't force you    This is one of my favourite games. Trust my review as I know what I'm talking about, being formerly ranked #1 All Time World Wide on Game Battles and G2W Match for SCC and SCB.

    Blacklist is a brilliant game, unlike Conviction which didn't have alot of stealth, this definitely does. Map design is amazing, you have multiple ways to attack the situation instead of one. It doesn't force you to do anything, there are three different play styles so Blacklist can be played the way you want.

    Ghost The old games would've used this style, pure stealth which means avoiding enemies, and leaving no evidence that you was there. If you must, then you can use non lethal takedowns or non lethal gadgets to knock enemies out. Although you might want to hide the body.

    Panther Remember the enemies are planning to kill you if they find you, so why do they deserve to live? this style still has stealth, except you'll be silently killing people. Whether it be with your Karambit curved blade for lethal takedowns or shooting them in the head with a silenced hand gun.

    Assault Loud guns, grenades, the enemies know you're there. I don't see the point in this style, if you want to play this way I suggest buying Call of Duty.

    Timing and studying the guard's movements and patrols is involved, every time you start a new mission they won't be placed in the same spots. Stealth is harder than going all out action, but it can be easier if you're very good at it. You must face all different kinds of enemies such as standard, dogs, heavies, tech, etc. which means you're always thinking of what is coming next, and how you're going to plan it out.

    The reason it didn't get a ten is because I think Conviction is what Blacklist should have been. That means what I'd be reviewing now would be a completely different game.

    Co-Op is the best mode by far, playing with a friend is the greatest thing to do on Blacklist, you'll be tackling all different types of missions.

    Grim Go in and hack 3 different laptops, and then get out of there. This is similar to Infiltration mode from Conviction, so lasers, cameras and mines will be in your way so I recommend Ghost style.

    Kobin You face 11 enemies, how you take them is up to you. Kill or knockout, if you go loud then you get 13 reinforcements and lose your undetected bonus. It also should be noted there's two different areas. This is similar to Hunter mode from Conviction so I recommend Panther style.

    Charlie This is similar to Last Stand mode from Conviction except you'll be defending yourselves from enemies, instead of an EMP Generator. Waves of guards and all types of enemies will be coming for you. But the way they're set up I recommend Assault style, it is possible for stealth though.

    Briggs He is your Co-Op partner, it should be told all Co-Op missions can be played solo, except for his. They must be played with a partner, they're a mix between all styles.

    Spies vs Mercs is the multiplayer mode, it's basically Splinter Cell vs Call of Duty.

    3 terminals need hacking, by the spies which are in third person, and they're defended by mercenaries which ar in first person. The mercs have guns and explosives. Unlike spies which are not as lethal an need to tactically think in order to get close to the merc.    … Expand
  75. TigrisVsLeo
    Jun 20, 2015
    10
    My favourite game of all time! I could play it forever, it is actually the main reason I did not want to sell my 360 to go over to Next Gen. I am ranked #1 All Time World Wide on GB and G2W for Splinter Cell and the highest level online.
  76. MarvelGuy
    Jul 24, 2014
    10
    I've been playing splinter cell games since they came out. I remember playing co-op mode with my dad as a little kid on chaos theory. It's not the same game it used to be, but it is still amazing. It's way better than cod or battlefield. As a multiplayer experience not so much, but it reminds players of a time before multiplayer gaming. It takes actual thought and skill, and sometimesI've been playing splinter cell games since they came out. I remember playing co-op mode with my dad as a little kid on chaos theory. It's not the same game it used to be, but it is still amazing. It's way better than cod or battlefield. As a multiplayer experience not so much, but it reminds players of a time before multiplayer gaming. It takes actual thought and skill, and sometimes patience. It's a great game overall and i can't wait to get the next one.… Expand
  77. Broyax
    Apr 17, 2017
    7
    Finalement et contre toute attente, un Splinter qui laisse le choix de l'approche et remet l'infiltration à l'honneur après le trop bourrin Conviction. Fort bien ! mais certaines situations induisent encore une approche bourrine (traverser une bataille, prendre à revers les ennemis) tandis que deux autres tiennent du ridicule : poursuivre un terroriste qui s'enfuit ?... Assassin's Creed !Finalement et contre toute attente, un Splinter qui laisse le choix de l'approche et remet l'infiltration à l'honneur après le trop bourrin Conviction. Fort bien ! mais certaines situations induisent encore une approche bourrine (traverser une bataille, prendre à revers les ennemis) tandis que deux autres tiennent du ridicule : poursuivre un terroriste qui s'enfuit ?... Assassin's Creed ! se taper la moitié d'un niveau en vue FPS ?... Call Of Duty ! mais on dira Far Cry 3 si on est indulgent...

    Cela dit, l'essentiel demeure, le choix de l'infiltration (ou pas) avec le lot habituel de gadgets revu encore à la hausse, l'interface excellente, les niveaux réussis et très étudiés, l'IA assez convaincante, l'histoire à la Clancy grotesque et sans intérêt (une constante dans les Splinter) les graphismes agréables et la VF impeccable (on retrouve la voix de Daniel Beretta (Schwarzy et Fisher depuis le tout premier). La musique marque le pas par contre, très oubliable et quelconque.

    Un avion, des personnages à qui parler ?... voilà un mini-Mass effect ou à tout le moins une mini-tentative guère concluante... mais rien de rédhibitoire. Ce qui a failli l'être, c'est le putain de QTE de merde de la fin... je ne sais pas ce qui leur est passé par la tête chez Ubi Soft !

    Quoi qu'il en soit, Black List est mieux que Conviction dans l'ensemble. Mais trop de maladresses l'empêchent de s'approcher de Double Agent ou Chaos Theory.    … Expand
  78. Brayancodova
    Aug 23, 2020
    10
    Es el mejor juego que e jugado tiene muy buenos graficos, mejor jugabilidad, mejor multiplayer, muy entretenido, mejor illuminacion, buena campaña, este es mi titulo favorito. Es un super juegazo! Excelente!
  79. Gfunk839
    Dec 6, 2013
    10
    A truly great game. Improves the style of gameplay introduced by SC:C.

    The game offers loads of single, coop and multiplayer content. The Stealth is a brand of fast paced quick movement stealth, not much like the earlier games, however it is a nice evolution of the gameplay and still feels plausible. You can even play the game gun blazing style, if you are very good. Co-op missions    A truly great game. Improves the style of gameplay introduced by SC:C.

    The game offers loads of single, coop and multiplayer content. The Stealth is a brand of fast paced quick movement stealth, not much like the earlier games, however it is a nice evolution of the gameplay and still feels plausible. You can even play the game gun blazing style, if you are very good.

    Co-op missions are super fun, best gamepaly experience of this year, nothing more to say.

    SvM is also great for a multiplayer mode.

    Graphics are good in terms of detail and textures, but not so much in lighting. Game still looks good though.

    Totally worth your money.    … Expand
  80. RagingCanadian
    Nov 5, 2013
    8
    Splinter Cell: Blacklist was good. Story was good. In Multiplayer if you played real Spies Vs Mercs it was fun (Classic, Blacklist, Extraction Game Modes) but the other two Uplink Control and Team Deathmatch is just screwed up where you can be anybody you want which doesn't work. Great game though.
  81. nookyzooky
    Jan 18, 2014
    8
    I wanted to repost another review. my opinion on this game has gone down. the past few months. the more I played it, the more I realized how wrong I was to give this game a 10/10(or was it a 9? I cant remember). this game, while fun, IS NOT the stealth we all know and love from previous games. spies don't sneak, they run around spaming the melee button or spaming emps or shooting the mercsI wanted to repost another review. my opinion on this game has gone down. the past few months. the more I played it, the more I realized how wrong I was to give this game a 10/10(or was it a 9? I cant remember). this game, while fun, IS NOT the stealth we all know and love from previous games. spies don't sneak, they run around spaming the melee button or spaming emps or shooting the mercs down with the guns they should not have in the first place. the MP is filled with a ridicules amount of exploits, and the performance done by eric Johnson was sub par at best. I originally lowered it to 4, btu thought that was WAY to harsh, so I have decided to rest my score at an 8. idk if this will overwrite my previous review, but idc, as most people don't check down all the 70+ reviews anyway. this game is fun, but fans of the original games will be disappointed.… Expand
  82. noodlesensei
    Nov 6, 2013
    10
    Takes all of the great aspects of Conviction++ and expands on them in a sequel that (as if it were possible) blows the previous entries out of the water. Long time fans may find the pacing and continued use of "Marks" as sacrificial to the true Splinter Cell stealth aspect, but will be won over nevertheless by this entry's entertainment value and solid replayability.

    Coop? Hellz yea
  83. DamianWilson7
    Jan 30, 2014
    9
    I have only come around to playing this addition splinter and if there is anyone new like me this review may come helpful. And let me put it right out there, this game is really good and out of the entire game I encountered only two issues that got on my nerve, and let me address the elephants in the room right off the start. The graphics and especially facial animation arent very good.I have only come around to playing this addition splinter and if there is anyone new like me this review may come helpful. And let me put it right out there, this game is really good and out of the entire game I encountered only two issues that got on my nerve, and let me address the elephants in the room right off the start. The graphics and especially facial animation arent very good. And in spies vs mercs blacklist I feel is more 3rd person shooter rather than the suspense of the classic.

    Now to the good part.... well thats pretty much everything else. Lets make a comparison Splinter cell BL vs call of duty ghosts one is a challenge and requires mind power to overcome and the other an ape to shoot up with precision. Dont get me wrong im an avid call of duty player but I love the change of things that splinter cell challenges me in every way. Something im not used to in the brain dead call of duty franchise.

    Here is an open territory there is 15 guards how do you deal with this.... in whichever way you want! Thats the beauty of it and I like to take it on personally like in my pandora tomorrow or chaos theory days like a badass wiping every enemy out and later when the inspector comes along no one even knew I was there and the only evidence is a trail of bodies from last night. Yes this game is rewarding personally and customizably. I have owned every splinter cell game and I have never been dissapointed, and once again ubisoft drags me in from the corners just like sam fisher would.

    Besides a lack of beautiful graphics its all balanced and a game that can really be enjoyed by everyone...
    Then the spies vs mercs came along...

    Wow is it intense! late at night I slip on my pair of turtle beach and head onto the classic servers. As merc I wonder around protecting my intel with only a torch to see in the very dark maps. This is what is special the racing of your heart knowing there could be two spies right behind without you even knowing it. And with a good headset you hear the footsteps upon the tin roof, quickly turning your flashlight towards the position only finding nothing. Genuine intense stuff!! Then you a spy and boy do you then feel the power looking at mercs from the rooftop as they walk round nervously. Im hunting my pray and then steal the intel. Hack into the system you hide. And thats when the pressure is on because the mercs are anxious and out to rid of your sneaky ways because if they dont they fail. Its hardcore being in dark spot only seeing the flashlight pass you, your heart beating thinking 'please dont find me' to me all in all those thrills make evrything good about the multiplayer or lets be honest it would just be average.

    So why do I give it a 9?
    Rewarding in every aspect
    Take it on however you want
    Be a badass
    Spies vs mercs classic

    Why is it not a 10
    lackluster graphics
    Spies vs mercs blacklist.

    Appreciate any feedback from this review.
    Happy hunting Sam and Briggs    … Expand
  84. ITZZZPERRY
    Aug 2, 2015
    9
    Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist is an awesome game to play. There are a variety of ways to play, along with a long list of customization. Any fan of stealth games should pick this up.
  85. Deathdealer699
    Jan 21, 2014
    10
    As a fan that has played all but one of the games in the Splinter Cell series, I will admit I was a little worried about Blacklist. However, this game brings a lot of content to the table and is a great breath of fresh air for the series. Even without Micheal Ironside playing as the voice of Fisher this game does not dissapoint with its ability to openly play down either stealth orAs a fan that has played all but one of the games in the Splinter Cell series, I will admit I was a little worried about Blacklist. However, this game brings a lot of content to the table and is a great breath of fresh air for the series. Even without Micheal Ironside playing as the voice of Fisher this game does not dissapoint with its ability to openly play down either stealth or action archetypes. A must play for any Sam Fisher fan.… Expand
  86. splente
    May 14, 2014
    9
    I've been playing all splinter cell franchise except for conviction that I didn't have any interest to play it cuz it looks kinda boring, the first one was good like it had to be, pandora tomorrow was just great mainly because of the Jerusalem chapter that I just loved, chaos theory was the **** and by far the best game in the hole franchise, just play it and u know what I'm talkinI've been playing all splinter cell franchise except for conviction that I didn't have any interest to play it cuz it looks kinda boring, the first one was good like it had to be, pandora tomorrow was just great mainly because of the Jerusalem chapter that I just loved, chaos theory was the **** and by far the best game in the hole franchise, just play it and u know what I'm talkin about , double agent was ok depite the boring missions, blacklist was very very good IMO cause was the first one to have a decent graphic and a good history like a hollywood action movie, thus it has a lot of gadgets to Sam use in the hole game, some of the Sam's knocks out is cool like when he grabs the enemy and smashes the guy's head against the floor and say "shhh" , I loved the trirrotor and the dogs stuff , the only bad thing I thought about blacklist was it had no real stealth in it like in chaos thery for example, it was more action then stealth, but still a badass game but it could be a lot better !… Expand
  87. Master_Taffer
    Aug 13, 2014
    9
    An amalgam of the best aspects of previous Splinter Cell outings, Blacklist is a fine example of a great stealth game. It thinks critically of what the previous games accomplished and combines them in a great single player, coop, and multiplayer game. I've been playing this one quite a bit in the past year and it still hasn't gotten old. easily one of the best entries in the series.
  88. ANTtheKNEEEE
    Mar 15, 2022
    8
    People didn't like how different it was, but i actually think they pulled off the new style very well.
  89. Alex_Pilgrim008
    Sep 11, 2022
    8
    "Blacklist" is the biggest Splinter Cell ever made, if not the best. It combines the fast action of "Conviction" with the vast environments of "Chaos Theory". The game features several firearms, clothing and gadgets that can be purchased with in-game currency. Its story campaign includes various side-missions that can be played cooperatively with a partner (online or off). These missions"Blacklist" is the biggest Splinter Cell ever made, if not the best. It combines the fast action of "Conviction" with the vast environments of "Chaos Theory". The game features several firearms, clothing and gadgets that can be purchased with in-game currency. Its story campaign includes various side-missions that can be played cooperatively with a partner (online or off). These missions are similar to the Spec Ops levels from the "Modern Warfare" games. "Blacklist" also brings back Spies Vs. Mercs from "Pandora Tomorrow". This mode can be played in either the classic version or in an updated form. Overall, this Splinter Cell is loaded with content and challenges. While not quite a masterpiece, "Blacklist" is very good. I would put it up there with Far Cry 3. This is an 8.5 out of 10.… Expand
  90. Dperks
    Jun 26, 2020
    7
    Blacklist is a definite improvement to its predecessor Conviction. While still hampered by problems both old and new to the series. Blacklist seemed to gel its more action focused set pieces with the traditional stealth that the series is known for a lot better then Conviction did. Although there are still some rather frustrating parts in the game typically involving action over stealthBlacklist is a definite improvement to its predecessor Conviction. While still hampered by problems both old and new to the series. Blacklist seemed to gel its more action focused set pieces with the traditional stealth that the series is known for a lot better then Conviction did. Although there are still some rather frustrating parts in the game typically involving action over stealth it doesn't go to overboard with it. The story isn't to great i wouldn't call it bad but its nothing to special. I also didn't care for the side missions as they seemed more built for co op and playing solo felt like nothing more then time wasters. Buying gadgets and equipment was a good addition it defiantly gives you initiative to go after side objectives in the missions although i wish they more interesting then the 3 options they have pasted in each level. Overall i think the game is fine the base stealth is really enjoyable and the levels were fun theirs just a lot of other things around the core game play that are rather week in my opinion. And i really do hope we get another game from this franchise as it could do so much better then this for a finally i feel.… Expand
  91. Xplocion
    Feb 1, 2020
    9
    The good:
    This game is more similar to the original Xbox Splinter a Cell. Repeat the Mark / Run option to remove targets. Difficulty selector that includes Easy, Normal, Realistic and Perfectionist (the latter can not report bullets or gadgets, without the option to mark / execute, your resistance is low). You have three ways to advance in the missions, these styles allow you to re-play    The good:
    This game is more similar to the original Xbox Splinter a Cell. Repeat the Mark / Run option to remove targets. Difficulty selector that includes Easy, Normal, Realistic and Perfectionist (the latter can not report bullets or gadgets, without the option to mark / execute, your resistance is low). You have three ways to advance in the missions, these styles allow you to re-play the missions and are not restrictive being able to combine styles
    • Ghost: Infiltration and stealth
    • Panther: Stealth, stalking and minor clashes
    • Assault: Be the same unrecognized brother of Rambo
    Plot twists agree if you hit or miss. The game allows you to decide the order of activities including personal missions of the team for cooperative and competitive. Spies vs. Mercenaries returns as a competitive multiplayer mode. The advanced AI of the enemies, they surround you, they take you out of coverage, the terrorist group The Architects have countermeasures to interfere with your sensors, Voron has your same gadgets including tri-rotary drones and mobile drones that interfere with your gadgets. There are infiltration missions in which the restriction varies (not being detected, not killing anyone, etc.) which gives the game an extra challenge

    The bad:
    The bad sales of this game sent Sam and his team to the freezer. The progression of the purchase of the improvements, all are chained so you can not go to the improvement you want without previously obtaining all the previous ones. The plus improvements and “premium” content are already out of reach because they were unlocked with a Mobile App that is no longer available and in Uplay (some have already removed them). "The fans" were asking for the return of Spies vs. Mercenaries for a long time and this game has it but they didn't even peel it. The multiplayer at the time emptied very fast and today is abandoned

    The Meh!: The cost of the Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell license and its bad sales meant that Ubisoft will not consider a reissue in the new generation. This game was overshadowed by all the glamor of the new generation back in 2012-2013 and the new and "revolutionary game of the most solid snakes" (MGSV) that first sold a demo with a mission and later an unfinished game and the press put them 100 and people keep applauding them     … Expand
  92. Shimmeywill
    Mar 9, 2020
    6
    A solid stealth game with mediocre visuals. Level design and pacing is decent.
  93. FilipeGameF7
    Apr 3, 2020
    10
    Incredible, this game is really unbelievable with so good, beautiful graphics, incredible gameplay, and a story that keeps me from playing, undoubtedly some of the best stealth game I've ever played.
  94. Yammy
    May 29, 2020
    9
    I am a big Splinter Cell fan. I have played all 6 games in the series. This one is my favorite (Chaos Theory is my second favorite). SP: Blacklist is one of my favorite games ever!

    The story in games like this are usually not my favorite. I think they're hard to follow and not all that interesting. Although, I will admit the main antagonist in Blacklist is really cool for a bad-guy.    I am a big Splinter Cell fan. I have played all 6 games in the series. This one is my favorite (Chaos Theory is my second favorite). SP: Blacklist is one of my favorite games ever!

    The story in games like this are usually not my favorite. I think they're hard to follow and not all that interesting. Although, I will admit the main antagonist in Blacklist is really cool for a bad-guy.

    The gameplay is underated. It feels open and sandboxy in nature. This element is my favorite part of the experience. It is just fun!

    Though, the worst part by far is the voice actor for Sam himself. He did a good job, but it is just not Michael Ironsides.    … Expand
  95. DefaltWorld
    Jun 19, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Final de la saga( por ahora), este juego es mi favorito de todos los splinter cell, molan sus mecanicas, su uso de el sigilo y nuevas herramientas como el trirotor y el los nuevos personajes como briggs y charlie estan muy bien colocados como la escena de briggs es flipante lo que puede ser este juego en primera persona y es otro de mis favoritos, el doblaje como siempre espectacular, todos los mapas con mucho detalle y ningun bug como siempre en esta saga, lo mismo creo que superare las 1000 horas en total en este juego, el enemigo de esta entrega es la ostia con perdon de la palabra, y se trabajaron los personajes segundarios, incluso acabas perdonando a kobin… Expand
  96. explorerbay
    Jul 20, 2020
    6
    Not as good as Blacklist, feels even more fast pace and less stealth than the predecessor
  97. Mirowave
    Aug 11, 2021
    10
    The best Splinter Cell Game out there! Fantastic Graphics, Great Missions and on Xbox 360 an Must Play Game!
  98. Yoman0
    Dec 24, 2020
    8
    Not as good as i remember, but it's still one of the finest games i I've ever played.
  99. JJ2FAS4U
    Dec 28, 2021
    8
    Atmosphere: 9
    Enjoyment: 9
    Gameplay: 9
    Graphics: 8
    Music: 7
    Story: 8
    Total: 8.33
  100. goodgriff33
    Dec 25, 2022
    8
    Answer: 75 characters is between 10 words and 19 words with spaces included in the character count. If spaces are not included in the character count, then 75 characters is between 12 words and 25 words.

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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
  1. 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]
  2. Games Master UK
    Sep 18, 2013
    81
    Meaty chunks of great stealth game book-ended by identity breaking flourishes. [Nov 2013, p.56]
  3. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Sep 17, 2013
    80
    The design mantra, it would appear, is to offer you as much freedom as possible. [Issue#102, p.70]
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