I'm not talking about Conviction as that can never be a Splinter Cell game. but.. a lot of debate on this sub with Blacklist fans.. saying it's a good Splinter Cell.
Blacklist is a fun game in its own right, but how can a game about being an elite covert operative feel so disconnected from classic spy stealth?
Don't get me wrong, it's a good game.. a fun game.. a well made & polished game
but does it serve the spy fantasy or feel like a true stealth game like the original 4? No way..
It lacks so much of what made the original Splinter Cell games special: the emphasis on light and shadow, sound-based stealth, slower and more deliberate movement, the tension of avoiding detection, and the feeling that you're infiltrating somewhere you're not supposed to be.
Where is the following?
light & sound meter
interrogations
hacking
lockpicking
slow/variable speeds
focus on REAL ghosting and stealth instead of panther style.
Instead, Blacklist puts far more emphasis on fast movement, aggressive takedowns and action-oriented gameplay. Yes, you can play stealthily, and the Ghost playstyle is enjoyable, but the overall design feels like it's trying to accommodate an action game rather than prioritise the classic Splinter Cell experience. This is not what Splinter Cell is about. When you try to make a game that caters to everyone, you inevitably risk compromising the core experience to appeal to the lowest common denominator, particularly action fans. You can't balance all three playstyles equally without sacrificing something, and I think Blacklist demonstrates that.
The original games had so much more tension, and gunplay was far more punishing. Sam was a highly trained operative, not a one-man army who could effortlessly take down entire groups of enemies. Combat was dangerous, and avoiding detection was often the smartest option.
Sam should feel like an elite spy who relies on stealth, intelligence and careful planning, not an action hero who can single-handedly wipe out a room full of enemies.
*Why Ubisoft changed the formula*
SC1-DA do really well, but the leaders and development team changed. Maxime Beland took over who was in charge of R6 Vegas 1&2, who made that series easier too and dumbed it down.
Maxime Beland couldn't get past level 1 in SC1, gave up early on in Chaos Theory. He didn't understand why Sam moved like a "Grandma" and why Sam couldn't sneak with his pistol out.. lol..
SC1, Pandora Tomorrow, Chaos Theory and even Double Agent understood the tension and vulnerability of being a spy sneaking through hostile territory. Blacklist is enjoyable, but it sacrifices too much of that identity in favour of a faster, more accessible experience.
SC1-PT-CT-DA = Real stealth games and real spy simulators. You feel like a sneaky spy.
SC1 started off the formula - or the real stealth "sneaky spy" formula = PT built on it.
SC Chaos Theory took sneaky spy formula to mark 2 and improved it. Double Agent V2 built on it slightly and Double Agent v1 took sneaky spy formula mark 2 and tried to build on it, with some improvements, some step backwards.
Conviction and Blacklist threw the entire FORMULA away. That's why they are not Splinter Cell games. The games regressed, were diluted & really were a distortion of the classic games, they lost their identity.
SC Conviction and Blacklist = Ambush predator games where you feel like Jason Bourne or John Wick.
Blacklist.. it's a good, fun game, but as a Splinter Cell game and a pure stealth experience, I think it's one of the weakest entries in the franchise.. it's not a Splinter Cell in soul or essence, it's just a Splinter Cell in name.