Splinter Cell: Conviction – Demo Impressions
This article was written by: Cooper Bibaud (Thirsty Robot)The Splinter Cell franchise has put itself into an awkward position. For starters, the previous entry in the series didn’t leave the best taste in gamers’ mouths – which naturally would lower expectations of the next installment. However, with so much time spent in development, it may have hoisted the title up onto an unreachable pedestal.
4 Years since Double Agent, (from what previously had become somewhat of an annual release for Ubisoft since the franchise debut in 2002) people may have took it upon themselves to assume the time had gone into refining the title and making sure every little detail was up to snuff. I don’t think that’s the case with Conviction. It seems more like they were unsure of where to take the series, and after a lot of testing, trial an error, and experiments – Conviction was born.
In short, it feels messy.
The first thing I noticed when booting up the demo was the lack of polish and presentation. On the original Xbox, it seemed as if every iteration set the standard for visuals and what the machine was capable of. Like Double Agent before it, it just didn’t feel like the same Sam Fisher we were used to, and even more so this time around. Visually, the game didn’t impress me. It isn’t bad; it’s just not pushing any limits.
In terms of presentation, the game is taking a much different approach. Mission objectives are displayed in-game where they’re broadcasted on walls and buildings, almost like there is a video projector shining onto various nearby surfaces. It’s different, but I’m not sure I like it. It definitely keeps you in the action, and keeps things moving forward but at the same time, it takes you out of the game. It’s almost a constant reminder that you’re playing a game, whereas the previous titles in the series always felt so realistic and grounded in their own fiction.
I should say that I’ve had a love/hate relationship with the franchise. I absolutely hated the original Splinter Cell, whereas Pandora Tomorrow is in my top ten of all time, and Chaos Theory left me feeling ‘meh.’ After Double Agent, I really stopped caring about the franchise, but did have a part of me hoping for the best with Conviction.
For fans of the series, you’ll be in for a very different experience. I think Conviction may gain as many new fans from this change, as it loses. To be quite honest, this doesn’t even feel like a Splinter Cell game to me – it’s that different. It felt more like a darker/sloppier Uncharted mixed with a Bourne highlight reel.
The problem I have with the game is that the way it’s all set up. While my impressions are based solely on the demo, I can’t see the full game straying from what was represented. Basically, you’re rewarded for sneaking around and performing close melee attacks by being given the ability to mark your enemies and kill them with the press of a button. The problem is that for any fans of the original game, where you’d spend minutes just waiting for the perfect time to strike, you’ll find that completely stripped away this time. You can do that in this game, but you almost feel like you’re wasting time, or purposely making it harder on yourself because you know you could just run in and blast everyone in the room. That wouldn’t fly in the classic Splinter Cell games.
Conviction seems a lot more focused on action than on stealth this time. Which, again isn’t a bad thing, it’s just different. So for fans looking for their Splinter Cell stealth fix, it doesn’t seem like you’re going to get it here. Without even trying I finished the demo in what felt like 5 minutes without even thinking. For the most part I followed the path of what I thought the game wanted me to take, but as soon as I realized that I could run around aimlessly shooting and come up with the same results of trying to play it slow; the game fell apart and I found myself finishing it just to finish it.
The new ‘marking enemies’ thing is pretty fun, and great to watch, but it really puts the games’ difficulty into a place the franchise has never really been before, which is – well, easy.
Overall, I left fairly disappointed with Splinter Cell: Conviction. It lacked the presentation, from visuals, voice work, and structure of the missions, to the core gameplay itself. A once groundbreaking stealth series has transformed into an action title that seems aimed for a larger, different audience than those loyal to the franchise. There’s no doubt in my mind it will have an appeal to a certain crowd, but I doubt I’ll be part of it. Bold statements to take from such a short, easy, demo – but that’s what I got from it. Try it yourself, the demo is available to download now.
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basically after double agent which from the content of the article i guess you didn’t finish it was obvious that Sam would no longer be working for the agency so a completely different style of game would have to be made for the next one. also from the events at the beginning of double agent where Sam’s Daughter was killed we knew that was going to be one of his major focuses. now there you are on your own no one from the agency to help you no info no maps. kit has to be improvised or procured on site. as for the visuals while it does not look like MW2 the tricks that it pulls off are quite respectable the washing out of colour when you unable to be seen, the last known position maker etc. are glorious game mechanics that are original and deserve to be championed. you say you ran through it in “what seemed like 5 minutes” could it be that you actually enjoyed so much that the time just fizzed away and it was a much longer period of time i still will be buying this title first day and feel that this will be a fitting addition to the series
Dave Hodgson, I absolutely agree with you. I played through the same demo all weekend. (It was about 8 minutes long on average for each play through.) I played it on realistic mode after the first two times, and felt relatively challenged. However, my point is that I never had the same experience twice. Each time I played through the demo, I would have different results (even knowing where my enemies were). The sonar goggles replace the map as the information feed quite well. I am a die hard fan of the series and understand when people accuse this game of being weaker than its predecessors. Ultimately, I believe this game will absolutely alter the series, taking it in a fresh, brilliant, and (in my opinion, colorful) rep[presentation.
Yeah I am a little on the fence with the demo as well. Visuals seem to have taken a step back, however are they using a new engine? That could be the reason for the difference in feel. It actually very much reminded me of Batman Arkham Asylum only with less up close melee.
The washing out of color as feedback for being hidden was very jarring to me as I kept hitting what I assume are borders of shadows creating this weird color shifting that was driving me crazy.
The melee to earn a execute is kind of gimmicky and reminds me of Wanted: Weapons of Fate where you had to do the exact same thing to earn the ability to curve bullets.
It also seems to make the game incredibly easy this way , provided you can get those melees in.
I personally loved the projection of objectives into the environment, although they could have been woven into the “game” a little more like Dead Space did.
This game is definitely all over the place, and not really what I expected but the demo was very short so I’ll reserve final judgment for now since I have been a fan of all of the games (even Double Agent).
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[...] I agree with this demo review: For fans of the series, you’ll be in for a very different experience. I think Conviction may [...]
Agreed, sadly.
I was really looking forward to the game, too.
again and not for the firs time on this page i say that its no surprise that “Conviction” is a different style of game anybody who played ten minutes of double agent knew it would be. as most of double agent (especially if you played the original Xbox version) was played in Flashback. Sam was on the run from the agency and therefore the next game was always going to have a change of style
You should go back and play through it.
There are multiple paths to take.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXKZ6nGetfA
you can play through stealthy if you want to, or not.
and that’s the point.
go back and play through it.
First couple of playthroughs were a little rough, but keep digging away and you’ll find stuff in there.
I have to say that your demo impressions feel one sided and opinionated too quickly.
I feel this game has the potential to be played in stealth and all guns blazing, its just up to the players actions and patients.
The graphics may not be the best and yes with new games we have been visually spoilt, but back in the day of games from yesteryear we had things called great gameplay and storyline.
Yes this game has been delayed and might feel in limbo, but it has to be credited for trying a new direction and throwing in some cool new moves.
my final words are… if you dont like it, the dont buy it.
give it a fair chance… ie more than 5mins
and dont judge demo’s too quickly…. remember resi evil 5!!
This game is the biggiest let down ever, I frealking love every splinter cell most amazing games besides metal gears, I loved the sneaking hiding all that having to think before u act so u don’t die and have to restart at a checkpoint, but this game shouldn’t even be called splinter cell. It takes no stradage like the old splinter cells, all u do is run and gun don’t need to sneak at all you can but what’s the point when u can open the door and just shoot and kill evey one? And the unreal egine sucks all the games that use unreal suck because the move ments are way to fast and gay looking, maybe that’s why it’s called unreal? Cause it as unreal in everyway, old sp where way better in every way, and the screen going to black and white when your hidin is so annoying and stupid. Ubi should have never used unreal or made it xbox only should have let Sony take it and produce a real and good looking game like metal gear 4, xbox just can’t hang with ps3 graphics, and games. F xbox, and def f this new splinter cell, by far worse game, I already took my pre order off.
as soon as I saw “didnt like the original splinter cell” and after reading all your comments about “not feeling like a game” I decided youre an idiot
the original splinter cell was the first of its kind, that completely uses the interaction with the environment as part of the game, you play slow or fast its up to you.
and you didnt like it?
and were supposed to believe anything you say after that?
(given that chaos theory could easily be mistaken for an xbox 360 game, it looks and feels that good)
this is my comment to your review
“meh”