Sam Fisher is back and back with a vengeance!
In the fifth installment of one of Ubisoft's and one of the video game industry's top franchises, Splinter Cell: Conviction (which was originally slated to be out November of 2007) sees Fisher resigning from Third Echelon shortly after Double Agent (the fourth installment) when he hears the tragic news of his daughter's seemingly accidental death. Knowing that her daughter has been murdered, Fisher returns home to the U.S. to find the reason behind her death and those responsible.
To make sure Splinter Cell doesn't get old as it gets older, Ubisoft has given the series a brand new lease in the video game industry by going away from the usual Top Secret espionage missions and actually giving Fisher a new chapter in his life and career that's looking to be the most challenging and intense Splinter Cell yet.
So what else is there to expect?
For starters, Fisher is forced to be much more resourceful in everything that he does. It's a good thing that the developers have given gamers much more options in helping him complete all of his tasks.
Gone now is his instant access to all those wonderful gadgets that was in his disposable when he was still a cell for Third Echelon. So, for instance, if Fisher needs to survey an area immediately in front of him he will have to use whatever he can find around him like a broken piece of mirror to keep himself hidden. While interrogating someone, Fisher can now use objects around the room like doors, mirrors, urinals, etc. to make someone talk a whole lot faster.
Gameplay has been given a special amount of attention. Since Fisher is now a man on his own, he should be given more freedom to take down his opponents. The "Mark & Execute" feature allows Fisher to tag an enemy (or enemies) to kill or objects to shoot to create a distraction of different forms. What's amazing about this feature is that when executed, Fisher does it automatically without the need for the gamer's quick trigger or ability to shoot at even the smallest of objects from afar. So clearing a room full of baddies is no longer an unnecessary chore. Or for a more difficult scenario, Fisher can tag someone located far away to kill then tag an object next to another enemy to make that enemy come closer to Fisher for an up close and personal take down.
There's also the "last known position" feature in which an outline of Fisher is frozen on the very same position an enemy has spotted him thus allowing Fisher to make his way around a room to either get past the enemies or to flank them for a kill.
Conviction also has given players the decision of going about Fisher's business to either play the game using stealth or an all out guns blazing or fists of fury firing. Of course, actions do have their consequences. So, by not using stealth all the time will prove to be difficult for gamers to proceed in the game.
Other than that, graphics look astonishing, voice acting sounds great (Michael Ironside is back as Fisher's voice), and the score (hear a sample on the official website) makes the game feel even more like an action-thriller movie.
EARLY VERDICT: A Must Buy!
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