WeView Verdict: Splinter Cell: Blacklist

It was quite a quiet week for your opinions, but Splinter Cell: Blacklist managed to divide them just a little. Certainly not in absolutes, but there were varying degrees of pleasure for the latest entry in a stealth game series entering its second decade.

Though Mick939 disagreed with his calling it a reboot, Foxhound_Solid was the most enthusiastic:

Great reboot of an already great series. Yes, the originals are still highly regarded, particularly Pandora Tomorrow, however what they did with the reboot was simply bring the gameplay, back story and game style bang up to date. The new Fisher is cooler, more action based as oppose to the older, grumpier battle hardened Fisher.

Set pieces are great and the Mass Effect style deck is brilliant. I hope they keep running with the reboot as it’s started of brilliantly!

If Foxhound was returning to the series and finding a pleasant update, then the game also appeared to do well with newcomers. Jimmy-google said that he “I hadn’t played a Splinter Cell game before but I definitely will after playing Blacklist,” and that “it reminded me of what I want from a stealth game and why I didn’t really enjoy MGS4.”

Similar sentiments were echoed by Mick939, who found himself put off by MGS: Ground Zeroes to the extent that he went back and bought Blacklist all over again.

However, there was a counter argument, and Jimster71, who had just come from playing Hitman Absolution, though that Blacklist “takes itself too seriously at times and I didm’t like the way it tried to fit your play style into one of three boxes.”

Wonkey-willy agreed, saying that it was “not as fun to play as Conviction,” and finding the stealth to be frustrating. As the only person to dive into the multiplayer, it was good to hear him say that “the online modes are as fresh today as they were 10 years ago.”

But we’ll finish with some chatter about the co-op play, as bunimomike practically wet himself like an overexcited puppy when he realised that I had briefly mentioned our ludicrous co-op escapades:

I’m that friend. I’m that friend!!! *jumps up and down* Get in!

In all seriousness, Tef and I have laughed ourselves silly with the co-op sections. Stealthily sliding along an exterior wall, only to have your co-op buddy mash some bad guy body up against the inside glass as he attempts to deliver said cadaver to the outside world like a midget veterinarian working from the inside out, is often hilarious.

We’ve done most things possible. Thrown them off cliffs. Hurled them into sofas in lewd positions with their fellow (knocked-out) brethren. Hell, at one point I was trying to throw an unconscious guard dog onto a piano stool. It really has been an absolute laugh-riot and has taken us hours to finish missions which typically take ten to fifteen minutes.

Rounding things up, it was a three-all tie between a Bargain Bin purchase and a straight up Buy It. As I said, there were a few shades of grey, ranging from the very enthusiastic to the slightly disappointed, but everyone seemed to think it is a decent enough game.

In a photo finish, Gran Turismo 6 snuck over the line just 1% ahead in last week’s poll, so it will be the game featured in tomorrow’s Weview. As for next week, you can get voting now with the poll below, with Need for Speed: Rivals joining in GT6’s wake.

3 Comments

  1. Although i completely agreed with Foxhounds verdict.
    I didnt hate ground zeroes its simply that it again made stealth the hardest option, i could pull a gun and plow through enemies which is not really how i like to remember MGS. Not using weapons sometimes feels impossible, i dont want to be knocking out i want to be slipping by, but the it is probably more realistic.

    Love Blacklist and cant wait for next

  2. I’ve been playing the single player and it’s been very enjoyable. I’m managing to leave the guards alone or just knock the buggers out. Oh, and I now HATE dogs in video games! Dirty, scent-sniffing canine bitches!

    • Dogs shit up all stealth fun, even thiefs caged mutts

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