5. Tom Clancys Splinter Cell: Blacklist
Release Date: August 20th 2013 Splinter Cell: Blacklist is the next in line in the American and proud series created by Tom Clancy apparently, the hardest working man in the videogame business judging by how many games hes made. Anyway, Splinter Cell only recently found its feet again with Splinter Cell: Conviction because the last three games where pretty terrible. Not saying Conviction is a great game because Conviction didnt have a decent plot as well as other issues that I wont get into now. Let me retract, the old Splinter Cell was always second best to you guessed it; Metal Gear Solid. This is why there was such a heavy focus on the night vision goggles in a desperate effort it distance it from the franchise. But with Conviction however, this had its own flavour and a lot of people enjoyed this new taste. I for one didnt because Im bitter, but thats beside the point. The point is that Blacklist does seem to be a step followed in the series and is more of a step to the side in dog mess. Splinter Cell is principally about stealth which Im fine with and actually prefer, but it seems in Blacklist some of the stealth takedowns seem a bit lazy. For example, one takedown is just Sam rolling an enemy over his back like hes afraid to wake the bloke up. Im no doctor, at least not a real one, but Im pretty damn certain the enemy would be okay after a loving tumble to the ground. An example of a more violence takedown is when Sam bends over and hysterically kicks in the air like a toddler in a temper tantrum. (Nice bit of alliteration there.) And one more point, Id like to address before I move on is how Sam moves around cover. When Sams close to cover, he seems to trip over himself and uncontrollably scramble on the floor like hes scared out of his bloody mind. Not painting a picture of fearlessness Sammy mate. As a non-American and in an Americans eyes, probably a terrorist, I am sick of the level of patriotism in the hype for Blacklist. One trailer for example, begins with a mix of different presidents inauguration throughout the years as Sam dramatically gears up. Maybe this is me nit-picking, but it is a bit much. And finally, the whole feel of the game looks more like a re-boot than a sequel. Sam seems to not care about his daughter anymore, the actor for Sam has changed and (apparently) the game is going back to its roots meaning, as enjoyable as raw diarrhoea.