One of the larger games of E3 2012 was unquestionably Splinter Cell: Blacklist. This game was a surprise for fans and much anticipated after the first showing of the actual game play at the Microsoft press conference a day before the Electronic Entertainment Expo began. The game took over the showroom floor with classic character, Sam Fisher, once again in the role of the protagonist. We were lucky enough to get a walkthrough of Splinter Cell: Blacklist’s demo and were very pleased with what we had witnessed.
This next installment to the Splinter Cell series is going to be the biggest and best Splinter Cell to date. It will feature the most options and games modes then ever seen in a Splinter Cell game. We were pleased to find out that there will be a return of a cooperative story just like in Splinter Cell Conviction. Aside from that there will be a lot more modes to choose from that haven’t been fully disclosed yet. All that is certain is that Splinter Cell: Blacklist will feature more game play and more time than ever before seen in the franchise.
One of the more interesting points of this demo is that the developers mentioned how much effort they put into listening to their fans. They wanted to make a game that every single one of their fans would find enjoyment out of and therefore searched forums and listened to complaints that came straight from their audience. While most game push titles out there that they suspect the gaming population will enjoy the developers of Splinter Cell really took what their fans input into consideration, this game was made to please the Splinter Cell fans, and that right there says a lot about how this game will turn out.
As the demo starts, Sam Fisher is on an undercover mission to capture a notorious member of a criminal organization called the Blacklist. He carries a wounded enemy into the opponent’s camp and lays the body down for the opposing side to check out. As these enemies are tending to the wounds Sam marks his targets for a cool slow motion killing session. Fisher is always one step ahead of his enemies which makes him very dangerous. He then continues to carry out his mission and is faced with a choice; he can either knock out his enemy or kill him. These choice won’t have a major effect on the story aside from the way the player wishes to play the game, does the player have morals or not? The mission continues and because Sam is now in charge of Fourth Echelon he can call the shots and is able to call an airstrike on a large enemy patrol. Fisher is nearing his target, he busts open a door kills the last remaining enemies and holds the Blacklist member at gunpoint. The man then places his hand over Fishers and the gun is fired. The demo comes to a close from that cliffhanger.
One thing that we found interring about this demo is the killing in motion sequences as well as how the game can be played. The killing in motion sequences gave new moves to this classic character. Sam Fisher was able to pull off really neat looking moves and finish off enemies stealthy with this new move. It not only looked cool but it got the job done clean and simple. Another aspect of the game that set it apart from the rest of the show is how many ways the player could get from start to finish. This game can be played however the player wishes to play it. There are different routes to take that leads to the same objective which gives us the sense that Splinter Cell: Blacklist will have a lot of replay value.
The story of Splinter Cell: Blacklist takes place around 6 months after the end of Splinter Cell Conviction. This game will find ways to appeal to hardcore fans and those new to the franchise. This is going to be the largest Splinter Cell game to date. The player will be able to use voice control through the Xbox 360 Kinect to pull of classic Splinter Cell moves such as whistling to get the enemies attention as well as using voice command to call air strikes. These new integrations do not take away from those who wish to play the game using only the controller but adds to the experience to those who are looking for something new.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist was impressive; we can’t wait to learn more about Sam’s new adventure as well as the other game modes that will be available in this game. Splinter Cell: Blacklist is set to be released in the spring of 2013.
