What Splinter Cell MUST Learn From Metal Gear Solid 5
What can an old dog learn from a snake?
It's been too long since we've had a Splinter Cell game. That goes without saying, really. Ubisoft know this, that's why they're constantly taunting us by pimping out Sam Fisher in games like Rainbox Six: Siege and the upcoming Elite Squad.
The problem, though, is if were offered a new Splinter Cell title, what would we want from it?
Do we want a remake of Chaos Theory, the oft-forgotten Double Agent, a return to the action-heavy focus of Conviction or a direct sequel to the criminally under-selling Blacklist? Give us too much choice, we won't decide. Times have changed, and I don't know about you, but those early ones aren't as graceful to play as you might think they are.
How about, and hear me out here, Ubisoft take a page or twelve from Konami's "How To..." with Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. MGS is no stranger to reinvention: Just look at the leap from MGS2 to Snake Eater, to Guns of the Patriots, to Peace Walker, to Phantom Pain... but then stop there, don't ever go near Survive.
From a mechanical point of view, MSGV is phenomenal. Sneaking through encampments and strongholds has never felt so fun, so fluid, with stealth dynamically affecting whatever comes up. Strip the base building and microtransaction/live service elements away, and MGSV is a cracking open world stealth 'em up.
By comparison, Splinter Cell has only ever moved in the direction of "faster paced" and more action, eventually clawing some semblance of its particular brand of stealth back in Blacklist. If it were to go back to its roots and make a methodical, slower stealth game like its first day, it'd just be derided a lazy hash of its originals. Something needs to be done, hypothetically, if there is ever a new Splinter Cell. Maybe it is time to look to its successors for a few ideas.
So, with that in mind, let's throw caution to the wind and explore the concept of what Splinter Cell could learn from Metal Gear Solid V. Ubisoft tread water with the somewhat lacklustre Ghost Recon Wildlands and Breakpoint, including cameos from Fisher, but they failed to capture that spirit. Let's instead focus solely on Fisher and what could be done...