Splinter Cell: Conviction

Maybe it's because I'm a huge fan of the series (I even liked DOUBLE AGENT), but I think SPLINTER CELL: CONVICTION is probably the best game I've played so far this year. I was expecting to be let down, but I wasn't.

Like most games lately, the single-player campaign is a bit short. While I would've been happier with a longer game, I can't complain about what we did get. A lot of other people are complaining about the length, but it's not that short, and I'm saying that as somebody who never plays multi-player. The game zips along and doesn't drag. The story is a bit predictable in some parts, and you can tell what's really going to happen in the flash foward parts before you get to them later on in the game.

Despite worried that the game was moving towards a more GEARS OF WAR-style, CONVICTION is still a stealth game. Although, there are a lot of parts you can't simply sneak through like in most of the older SPLINTER CELL games. You're forced into fights a lot of times. That having been said, if you go running in guns blazing to most situations, you're not going to live very long. One big change was that they did away with the whole hiding the bodies of dead or unconcious guards mechanic. But otherwise, this game plays like the other games in the series. (There's even one "raise an alarm and it's game over" level.) You still lurk in the shadows, hang from pipes and try to quietly take out guards.

You can definitely tell the RAINBOX SIX VEGAS team worked on this, especially with the weapon boxes with the upgrades. In some other ways, this felt slightly like one of the RSV games.

DENIABLE OPS adds some value. It's a bunch of missions you can play solo or co-op. So, even if you're one of the people that feels the main story is too short, you still get plenty of single-player action.

I haven't tried the co-op storyline mission yet. If I ever do, I imagine it'll be split screen with one of my friends.

My biggest gripe with the game is a single story element. (Spoilers for four year old game.) The canon version of what happened at the end of DOUBLE AGENT is that you killed Lambert. I thought that sucked, since the best ending to DA is when you spare him and then have to take down the JBA in their own HQ while they hunt for you. With the Lambert dies ending, you don't get the extra level where you fight the guys on the boat. Plus, it made more story sense for Sam to save Lambert.

Overall, this is the game that I spent the least amount of money on in the last six months or so and yet the one I enjoyed the most. Go figure.