Splinter Cell Blacklist Review will take you on the new Tom Clancy game that brings stealth, action with adventure in one game.
The new Splinter Cell comes at a good time, in which stealth games are becoming more accepted by the public, and under the pretext of “can handle situations or infiltration by direct action, you choose”, are showing great exponents of the genre, we are enjoying as dwarfs all those whom we love go unnoticed, surprise enemies from behind and sneak in the shadows.
The agent Sam Fisher created by American author Tom Clancy, returns 11 years after his first adventure at first exclusive Xbox, a game that quickly compare with the legendary Metal Gear Solid series, but we soon discover that their intentions were very different. More realistic and sensible, less narrative load, Splinter Cell triumphed by having its own personality and unquestionable quality, although with some fluctuations, has always remained high over the past decade. With Splinter Cell: Blacklist have that possibly more complete delivery of all series in terms of content, and one of the best overall, that is left of experiments and returns to his roots , to what is truly important, infiltration and stealth. That does not mean you stop along the way some of the additions of the latest installments, as the mark and execute, but its weight in the gameplay and is rarely used, but it continues to be a possibility.
Sam returns to work for the Government of the United States, in the newly formed Fourth Echelon, clandestine unit only responds to the president of the United States, whose mission will be to hunt down the Engineers, a terrorist group that through the Call Blacklist , a series of targets all over the world, has promised an attack every 7 days until the United States does not withdraw its military troops worldwide . An interesting premise which offers plenty, we take as stimulating and controversial scenarios such as Iran, Libya, London and various locations within the United States itself, in addition to some other site that will surprise you. Accustomed to being a wolf alone, Sam will have to lead a group formed by former Anna Grimsdottir known as the brain after each mission, and some new faces, as the agent Isaac Briggs, who joins us in cooperative missions, or computer expert Charlie Cole, the typical graciosete character and somewhat obnoxious that has given Ubisoft to include in their games, and that gives us all kinds of advanced technology. The base of operations of this secret unit is the Paladin , a sophisticated and huge plane he found Sam and his team, and from where we started to missions, in addition to acquiring equipment and other improvements.
This aircraft replaces the classic main menu to choose different game modes and options, and unifies a very organic and natural single-player mode, cooperative missions and competitive multiplayer . A detailed location we can explore freely before going into action, and where we can talk to the crew, buy all kinds of upgrades, see the quests available, check our progress, and to call Sam’s daughter, to know what are you feeling and how is living this complicated situation that threatens world peace.
Game Difficulty Modes and Challenges
At the start of the game we have to choose one of the four difficulties , at any time, before you start a mission, you can modify. A section we want to give special importance because depending on the difficulty chosen, the gaming experience can be significantly different. Easy is for players new to this type of game, with enemies that are slow to detect you and cause less damage. In Normal the difficulty of stealth and combat are moderate, although we warn you that if you have experience in stealth titles, is a breeze. interesting thing begins with Realistic where there is little ammo, enemies detect you quickly and cause more damage, and executions meter slowly fills. And for those looking for a challenge are perfectionist, in which there are no automatic executions, ammunition is scarce and can not resupply in the hiding of supplies, the enemies will easily detect and sonic visors do not see through wall. These four challenges offer an experience tailored to each player, which adds very flexible gameplay, based on three styles of play. Depending on our way to play, killing enemies or not, trying to avoid detection and handling clean shot situations, we will valuing each of the three styles. Ghost (stealth) , avoiding being detected, using non-lethal techniques and sneaking behind the guards, Panther (murder) , killing enemies without you detect, and Assault (open combat) , confronting the enemies using weapons and explosives noisy. Although you can combine all three styles, it is interesting to focus on one of them and dominate it, because at the end of each mission action report is made, and if we got enough points in a particular style, we will as dominated in that mission, as a kind of gold medal. As far as completing it, you will have to finish each stage three times , focusing on a style, in addition to gain several collectibles and secondary objectives that are scattered around the stage.
Missions
The development of the missions perfectly combines linear and open world moments with sporadic and dramatic scripts and direct action, with more leisurely situations and open environments , in some cases enormous, let us explore at will, raising situations that can solved in various ways. This successful balance makes the campaign becomes very entertaining and never falter, in a game marked by their mechanical could eventually become repetitive.
AI and difficulty
Now we have spoken of the importance of the level of difficulty for an experience or another, because the “sensitivity” of the enemies of what they see makes a difference, and we have to repeat a scene a few times. There is so much missions that can not be found, since failed, as in others, the majority, in which if we are jumping alarms and enemies do not stop coming, to those who do not have much to do in an open confrontation . The AI meets, without too many frills, and there are many details that have to be taken into account to avoid detection. Do not make noise, move quietly and crouched, bodies keep enemies on the ground in sight, move in the shadows and provoke, to what we can destroy or turn points of light switches, and so on, but all these actions have their counterpoints.
Mercenaries against spies
The multiplayer faces two types of characters with completely different skills and perspectives. With spies play with a third person camera , can climb walls, pipes and vents, hang us of projections, and hide in the shadows. No weapons or heavy armor, spies are very fragile in direct shooting, so should always seek to surprise their enemies in the back or by air. With the mercenaries played from a first person perspective, like a shooter, and we equipped with weapons and heavy armor, so that in a face to face confrontation against a spy, we all win. The trouble, for everything else, mercenaries can not climb ledges or concealed, and playing in first person, are very vulnerable Within each class, there are three sub classes, with a special ability each. In the spies have the Data Explorer , which can make nearby enemies, sharing information with peers, the Predator , in a suit that allows them to become invisible, and Saboteur , with the ability to produce an overload, capable of mine and grenades explode the wearer. On the other side of the mercenaries have the Peacemaker , which can trigger adrenaline that provides higher speed and better vision in the dark, the Hunter, you can deploy a drone flying by remote control can trigger the enemies, and the Disruptor , which can disable devices and interfere with displays and information systems spies, also preventing the activation of special abilities. Besides all this, there are plenty of viewers, weapons and gadgets that can unlock and equip, making each class to our measure.
In total there are five modes of play. Blacklist, clashes of 4 on 4 with two rounds, one being spy hack aiming three terminals, and the other being a mercenary, having to defend the end, winning the team that terminals has managed to hack. In Classic faces are teams of 2 to 2, with no customization, have spies and mercenaries night vision flashlight, giving all the attention to the play of light and shadow. Extraction is similar to Blacklist, but instead of conquering terminals have to steal a briefcase of data, let a capture the flag of a lifetime.
Ubisoft nailed it with plinter Cell: Blacklist, is perfect for new players entering the series, is packed with content for both single player and for multiplayer, and all what is proposed makes it great.