I’ve been hearing all my life that “there’s time for everything.” I don’t want to say that it’s a lie, but it’s certainly a half-truth that falls apart as you add up responsibilities. Studies, work, relationships… Sooner or later you realize that there’s not time for everything, at least not as much as you’d like to invest.
Those of us who play video games know very well that life doesn’t give us much time, especially when we get older. And the worst thing is that there is no choice. You have to give up experiences and hours of play to do something other than sit in front of a screen. I don’t think I’m discovering anything new with this introduction, but it fits very well with the theme of this post.
Splinter Cell, another pending subject
I’ve been a fan of Splinter Cell since the franchise’s inception. My first exposure was at an acquaintance’s house, where I was able to try out the original 2002 game for a while. At 10 years old, all I could say was that it reminded me of Syphon FilterAnd although I really liked it, I had other priorities back then, like The Getaway, GTA Vice City and Destruction Derby Raw.
I remember playing Splinter Cell from 2002 and other installments a few more times, but I couldn’t say if they were Pandora Tomorrow from 2004 o Chaos Theory 2005. At that age, all I wanted was to go home to someone who had a console or PC so I could play whatever they threw at me. I didn’t even ask.
I never touched a Splinter Cell again, even though I liked its universe. I just followed it from a distance in YouTube videos and more recently live on Twitch. I remember the exact moment when I felt that I had to play the saga no matter what: after seeing the trailer for Splinter Cell: Conviction with Johnny Cash’s God’s Gonna Cut You Down. It still gives me goosebumps. It was John Wick before John Wick.
I got Splinter Cell: Conviction 2010 for my Xbox 360. The console died the next day. I was so pissed off that I lost all desire to play, bought a PS3 and started following it again through gameplays by content creators. I really enjoyed their appearances on Ghost ReconIt had to be the announcement of Splinter Cell Remake to light the flame once again.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist after 11 years of waiting
The absence of Splinter Cell Remake The latest Ubisoft presentations have me pretty pissed off. Their announcement was a signal: what better way to get fully into a saga that I have followed for so many years? Ubisoft has exhausted my patience, so I have thrown myself headlong into Splinter Cell: Blacklist while I wait.
I bought Splinter Cell: Blacklist for PC (Steam) last weekend and it crashed 5 times during the first mission. I requested a refund and tried the Xbox 360 version, available on Xbox Series X. Did you know that the Splinter Cell saga does not exist on the PlayStation Store? This version was great, so much so that I spent 7-8 hours straight last Sunday.
I still have a couple of missions left to finish, but I think I’ve accumulated enough hours to tell you everything I’ve felt after so many years of being a spectator. I know it’s a crime to have waited so long, but I think it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made regarding video games.
Its story, setting and style are all aspects that I’m in love with. I think it deserves to have “Tom Clancy’s” in the title. It oozes and exudes a serious and tough military vibe that I also thoroughly enjoyed with the original Modern Warfare family. Call of DutyThere are no neon lights, bright colors or outlandish skins. Everything follows an artistic style based on espionage, covert operations and military themes. It is not realistic, but faithful.
- Use: integrating mission orders (messages) into the scenarios is something that borders on the erotic at the design level
Sam Fisher’s mobility through the environments is another aspect that has me in awe: Blacklist’s climbing and combat have more fluidity and detail in their animations than the last ones. Assassin’s CreedThey respond to a very strategic and precise style of play in which you can do some really crazy things in a few seconds, especially with the Marked Executions system. The movements don’t have too many frills, they are very pragmatic, and that’s what I love.
Another aspect that surprised me is the Artificial Intelligence. It’s not the best, but it has details that I would never expect from the current Ubisoft: they detect changes in the environment such as lights (on/off) and doors (open or closed), they recognize if their allies are dead or unconscious (and wake them up), they avoid dark areas when they look for you…
Blacklist It also features the stealth shadow system that many players were amazed by during Assassin’s Creed Shadows gameplay. Cutting out the light or destroying light bulbs completely changes the scenario and the strategy when crossing zones. I have completed objectives with the enemies literally two meters away from me and they didn’t notice because it was dark. It reminded me a lot of the stealth zones in the trilogy. Metro.
I find it hard to express how much I am enjoying it. Splinter Cell: Blacklistdespite its shortcomings and errors. One thought grows stronger in my mind as I approach the end: I wouldn’t expect this from Ubisoft today. I’m worried Splinter Cell Remake Now that I know firsthand the bar they have to set.
I’m sorry if I sound pessimistic, but I don’t see Ubisoft devoting all its resources to making a story-driven, linear game that takes care of every detail of the animations and respects its artistic identity, much less the dark, military and hard vibe that characterizes this saga. I’m terrified by the idea of Sam in a pink suit or the iconic green lights as if they were the LEDs of a gaming computer. And if you think I’m exaggerating, look at the paid skins in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
I hope I’m wrong. Nothing would make me happier than Splinter Cell Remake It ended up being on par with the original video game and what I’m enjoying like a kid in Splinter Cell: Blacklist…And I have left with the rest of the installments! I have some other stories to tell, but that will be for another time.
At iGamesNews | The last time we saw Sam Fisher from Splinter Cell was not in Blacklist or another game in the franchise… and he seemed to be very busy
At iGamesNews | I want a new Splinter Cell and details from classic games like this one don’t make the wait any easier
At iGamesNews | XDefiant hides a lot of references and secrets to other Ubisoft games: The Division, Far Cry, Splinter Cell and more
