Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction is a video game that consists of 18 releases
Reviewed on April 13, 2010
Conviction modernizes Splinter Cell's stealth-action formula in a lot of ways, and it's partnered with a quality story that makes playing it worth your while.
Read Jeff Gerstmann's full review
Splinter Cell: Conviction is the fifth installment in Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell franchise. Sam Fisher breaks apart from the Third Echelon in order to find the people responsible for the death of his daughter, only to find that not everything is what it seems.
Story
Extracting information.
The game opens with Sam Fisher sitting at a cafe in Malta when he receives a cell phone and bluetooth headset, and hears Anna ("Grim") Grimsdottir's voice through them. She informs him that armed men are converging on his position as Fisher has trouble trusting her, but when the shooting starts he finds himself gunning his way through several armed gangsters. Eventually, he reaches their leader and violently interrogates him in a public bathroom until the man tells him that someone named Andre Kobin hired him, and that Kobin was the same person who killed Sam's daughter Sarah.
Upon hearing this information, Sam decides to pay a personal visit to Kobin at his villa. He infiltrates the mansion by himself, using little more than the weapons he picked up and a slightly broken car mirror. Eventually, he manages to reach Kobin and demands to know who ordered the hit on his daughter, but several armed men from Third Echelon break into the villa and hit Fisher with a fast-acting tranquilizer dart.
Sam wakes up in a room at Price Airfield in Washington DC. He finds that he is strapped to a bed while some men are talking about him. After the men leave, one soldier plans to interrogate Sam himself on Reed's orders before Grim shoots the soldier in the head with a silenced pistol and helps Sam break free from his restraints. She informs him that she is secretly working with a small team directly under President Caldwell's control because they suspect that top-level officials in the government are working on a plot to overthrow the President.
Sam is reluctant to jump in, until Grim tells him that his daughter Sarah is actually still alive, and uses this information to convince Sam to get "back in the game" and beat her up to sell the ruse that Sam broke free on his own without her help. Sam punches her in the face a few times out of anger, but then promises that he'll do the job for her on the condition that he gets to hear from his daughter. Sam sneaks around the base, planting C4 on a satellite uplink and a helicopter so that Black Arrow won't be able to track him, and then escapes with Grim's car.
The story flashes back to Victor Coste (nicknamed "Husky") who Sam calls for help as he leaves the parking lot. Several years ago, during the 1991 Gulf War, Husky was part of a squad that got ambushed in Iraq and left for dead. However, Husky fought his way through several Iraqi soldiers in order to reach his squad leader, who happened to be Sam Fisher, and rescued him.
Back in the present, Sam tries to meet Victor at a fair, taking place on the Mall at Washington, DC. After knocking out a few Black Arrow agents who are tailing him, Sam meets his friend in a booth near the Washington Monument. The man hands him a backpack full of gadgets and weapons along with a little more exposition. Victor tells Sam that his next target is White Box Technologies, but several Black Arrow operatives appear at the fairgrounds to terminate Fisher. Fisher manages to escape and heads over to White Box to find what's going on.
After infiltrating the building, Fisher finds that the scientists at White Box are being forced to design some EMP devices for someone named Lucius Galliard, but Galliard also hired Black Arrow for "security," and Black Arrow operatives are gunning down any scientist who even thinks of questioning the project. Sam manages to forward some of the experimental data to Grim, and then triggers a large EMP to cover his tracks as he escapes by car.
The next day, Sam is then directed to the camera booth just outside the Lincoln Memorial in DC to record a conversation between Galliard and Third Echelon's current director, Tom Reed. He overhears the two of them talking about a "historical event" together that would throw the capital into chaos. With Grim's help, Sam manages to reach Galliard and threatens him for information about a potential attack, but Galliard is shot by a gunman before he can give any useful data. Sam tries to catch the gunman, but the man hops into a getaway car which is promptly blown up by a car bomb. Third Echelon agents swarm the site, trying to take down Sam, but he manages to escape with the help of the US Secret Service.
Sam decides to follow his last lead after that incident, infiltrating Third Echelon itself by blowing up the power generators and zipping into the office in the confusion. Sam first meets up with Grim's techie friend in the server room to acquire a set of "sonar goggles" that allow Sam to see enemies and invisible lasers in the dark and through walls. Then he fights through several Third Echelon agents to find Tom Reed, but upon entering Reed's office only finds Kobin again.
After bashing Kobin's face in enough times, Sam discovers that Reed was working with someone named "Megiddo" to smuggle weaponized EMP technology into the US, use that tech to knock out the DC power grid, and assassinate the President in the confusion so the Vice President (an ally of Megiddo) could assume control and reward Reed after the fact. Kobin also mentions that he was asked to provide a fake Sarah to kill from someone in the office, and mockingly tells Sam to ask Grim about it.
Sam makes his way to Grim's office, tells her what he found out, and Grim decides to play a private diary from his now-dead ex-boss Irving Lambert, talking about how he personally arranged to make it seem as though Sarah was killed by Kobin and lied to Sam about it so he wouldn't have anything holding him back to fight the newest terrorist threat in New York, even though it pained him to do so.
Hearing this enrages Sam and he considers ending his involvement there, but Grim begs him to try and stop one of the three EMP generators anyway before they go off and leave DC in the dark. She says they only have enough time and manpower to stop one, so Sam should head to the generator hidden at the Michigan Avenue Reservoir, stating that Sarah's apartment is within the blast radius of that one. Sam reluctantly decides to go along with that, escaping the offices of Third Echelon before they self-destruct and heading off to Michigan Avenue while asking his friend Victor to get Sarah to safety.
Sam drives over to the reservoir and fights his way through several Black Arrow mercenaries to discover that one of the scientists is being violently forced to finish her work on the EMP weapon. Sam manages to rescue the scientist, but she tells him that the weapon was rigged with power generators in two separate locations that have to be destroyed at the same time or the weapon will go off anyways. Sam doesn't have enough C4, so he simply marks each generator with a tag that allows Victor to fire two missiles at the same time, knocking the weapon out of commission. Having finished that, Sam reunites with his daughter in Victor's chopper, then decides to head to the White House to rescue Grim.
The three of them sit in the chopper as they see the two other EMP weapons go off, leaving a trail of destruction across DC, but someone fires a missile at the chopper and crashes it. Miraculously, Sam, Sarah and Victor all survive. Sarah and Victor take off while Sam reluctantly leaves his daughter to go to the White House on foot. Aside from the panic and the carnage enveloping DC in the wake of the EMP blast, Sam finds that he has to fight his way through a whole battalion of Black Arrow troops who are there to "provide security" for Tom Reed's operation, to make sure no one interrupted Third Echelon as they did their dirty work, or to act as scapegoats if any US forces decided to intervene.
Eventually, Sam makes his way into the White House, shoots the traitorous VP in the leg to keep him secure, and reunites with Grim in the White House Press Room after shooting his way through many Third Echelon forces. Grim comes up with a quick plan to get Reed's attention, by shooting Sam in the shoulder and taking him hostage, then personally delivering him to Reed who happens to be gloating over his victory with the President in handcuffs and a small group of Third Echelon forces behind him. Sam and Grim take advantage of his mistake, kill the Third Echelon forces, and secure the President while Reed jeers at him. The player gets to choose whether to spare him or put a bullet in his head. An alternative ending exists if the player never triggers the event where Sam snatches the gun out of Tom Reed's hand. Tom Reed will continue on with his speech, giving more background and reasons why he is doing exactly what he is doing. Tom Reed then puts the gun to Sam's head, asks if Sam has any last words, and then says "Well, how about Tom Reed just f**king killed me" while proceeding to shoot Sam in the head. Sam falls down dead, the camera pans out, and it eventually leads to a "mission failed' screen.
The scene switches back to the present, where Victor has been telling the whole story to a Black Arrow interrogator. He talks about how Sam decided to spend more time with Sarah, and that the last thing he said to Victor was that he saw him as a brother ("That's like family, right?") when alarms suddenly start going off, inferring that Sam (or someone) broke into the Black Arrow base to rescue him. The scene ends as the interrogators rush out of the room, leaving Victor to wonder what will happen next.
Gameplay
The team from Ubisoft have set out to redefine the Splinter Cell franchise by the use of new mechanics. In addition to the series' staples of stealth, smarts, and gadgets, the gameplay in Conviction takes steps to make the game faster, more fluid, with a focus on cinematic action.
Mark and Execute.
Upon being spotted, provided the player goes into hiding, the Last Known Position feature leaves a white silhouette of Fisher in the location where the opponents saw him last. This gives the player a reference point where they can assume the enemies will converge while looking for them, giving them time to escape or set up an ambush.
In previous Splinter Cell games, Fisher had access to a light meter that told him to what degree he was hidden. Not having the gadgets made available by Third Echelon, players will be notified of being hidden from enemies by the screen becoming black and white, except for enemies.
Objectives are now projected on the environment to keep the player immersed.
Levels have been built in the style of a 'mini-sandbox,' allowing the player some degree of choice in how the missions are approached. Some environments have specific, dynamic elements, such as chandeliers that can be broken and used to take out enemies.
In addition to redesigning the play style to allow more seamless, flowing combat, Ubisoft have attempted to remove transitions between environment. The gameplay is now linked with fly-through of the next mission, and titles, objectives and plot elements are 'projected' on to the environment around the player. When Sam Fisher is interrogating suspects, the player is in full control of Fisher's brutal interrogation tactics, keeping the player "in the action" throughout the game.
There have been some gameplay mechanics from previous Splinter Cell games that are not present in Splinter Cell Conviction. These include the ability to move and hide bodies, distract enemies by throwing miscellaneous objects, whistling to get the enemies attention, and split jump in hallways.
Multiplayer, Co-Op, and Deniable Ops
In addition to the single player component, there is also a number of cooperative modes, as well as an adversarial multiplayer mode. The traditional Spies versus Mercs multiplayer mode from previous versions of the game does not return in Conviction however. The PEC (Persistent Elite Creation) system, previously seen in the Rainbow Six games, also factors into the multiplayer, allowing players to customize their looks, gadgets, and weapon load outs for their character. Unlocking things in the PEC mode is based on an experience system, where actions you perform in single player and multiplayer help you unlock new items and gadgets. The multiplayer modes included are:
Archer & Kestrel
Co-Op Story
A collection of missions that take place before the events in the main single player mode, providing more back story. Players take on the roles of Third Echelon agent Archer and Voron agent Kestrel. The story takes place over the course of four missions, and features unique co-op actions players can utilize to take care of enemies. For example, each player can Execute the other player's Marks, allowing upwards of 8 Mark & Execute opportunities. Players can also be downed by enemies or placed in choke holds, relying on the other play to revive or free them.Hunter
A pure elimination mode. Players are tasked with removing all 10 enemies of each of 5 zones in the map however they choose. Being detected does not end the level, but it will add 10 more enemies to current zone, and those enemies will be more aggressive in finding the players. Face Off
A spy versus spy mode for two players. Both players vie for a high score, and are awarded points for eliminating enemies, as well as each other. Players earn one point for each AI enemy they kill, and five points for killing an opposing player. Dying causes a player to lose points. Last Stand
A survival mode that tasks players with protecting an EMP warhead from enemies. Waves of 20 enemies will spawn with the singular goal of destroying the warhead, and players must take them out before they do so. The EMP will regenerate its health to full at the end of each Wave unless its health has dropped below 50%, at which point it will only regenerate to 50% health for the remaining Waves. Each map has 20 waves of 20 enemies, but the game can be started as late as Wave 15 and still count toward completion of the map.Infiltration
A pure stealth mode. Like Hunter, players must eliminate enemies in a set location. However, being spotted will instantly cause the mission to fail. There is also a greater focus on avoiding things like infrared lasers and security cameras, stressing a more cautious approach to succeed. This mode must be "purchased" by use of U-Play points or by pre-ordering from Amazon.com.Deniable Ops
All modes, except Face Off, are available to play in a single-player version called Deniable Ops.
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier Beta Access
In addition to everything else, the 360 version of the game will also give players access to the Ghost Recon: Future Soldier multiplayer "beta". Much like how the game Crackdown came with an invite for the Halo 3 beta, or how Halo 3: ODST grants players access to the Halo Reach beta, the public "beta" for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier will be accessible via the game disc at a later date. Maps
The following maps are currently available for play in both Co-Op and Deniable Ops: St. Petersburg Banya
Russing Embassy
Yastreb Complex
Mozdok Proving Grounds
Lumber Mill
Printing Press
More maps have been hinted at by Ubisoft as coming in future DLC releases.
Downloadable Content
MP7A1 Machine Pistol's Stats
Free DLC
Ubisoft released free weekly downloadable content for Splinter Cell: Conviction. The first piece of downloadable content was the MP7A1 Machine Pistol it was released on April 14th 2010. The MP7A1 was available early to purchasers of the Collector's Edition. All of the content is downloadable from the Extras - Exclusive Content menu in-game.Unlocks
- MP7A1 Machine Pistol - released April 14, 2010
- Proximity Mine - released April 22, 2010
- FAMAS G2 Assault Rifle - released April 29, 2010
- 3E Elite Uniform - released May 6, 2010
- VR Akali Uniform
- 3E Shadow Armor
- P99 Pistol
- VIKHR Sub-Machin Gun
- M3 Shotgun
Pay DLC
Ubisoft also released Deniable Ops: Insurgeny that originally cost 800 MP ($10). This includes four new maps that can be played in Hunter, Last Stand, Face Off and Infiltration coop game modes. Maps
- San Francisco, CA
- New Orleans, LA
- Portland, ME
- Salt Lake City, UT
Weapons, Gadgets & P.E.C.
No longer affiliated with the Third Echelon division of the National Security Agency , Sam Fisher must find and utilize various tools that he comes across throughout his missions. The weapons available in Conviction range from pistols, to shotguns, to machine guns and assault rifles. All of these weapons can be modified through the P.E.C. (Persistent Elite Creation system), a system where the player can use the earned P.E.C. points which have been earned through completing the different challenges in the game. The P.E.C. points can be used to upgrade the different weapons, gadgets and suits, including the portable EMP backpack and the Sonar goggles. The points can also be used both in single and multiplayer/co-op. Weapons
| Handguns | Marks | Magazine | Upgrade Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mk.23 (Silenced) | 2 Marks | 12 Rounds | |
| Upgrade A Cost: 300 P.E.C | 18 Rounds | Extended Magazine - Adds 6 Ammo | |
| Upgrade B Cost: 250 P.E.C | Laser Sight - Adds Accuracy | ||
| Upgrade C Cost: 250 P.E.C | Hollow Point Ammo - Adds Power | ||
| | |||
| MP-446 (Silenced) | 2 Marks | 17 Rounds | |
| Upgrade A Cost: 400 P.E.C | 3 Marks | Reflex Sight - Adds 1 Mark | |
| Upgrade B Cost: 250 P.E.C | Laser Sight - Adds Accuracy | ||
| Upgrade C Cost: 250 P.E.C | Match Grade Ammo -Adds Range | ||
| | |||
| Desert Eagle | 2 Marks | 7 Rounds | |
| Upgrade A Cost: 250 P.E.C | Laser Sight -Adds Accuracy | ||
| Upgrade B Cost: 400 P.E.C | 3 Marks | Reflex Sight -Adds 1 Mark | |
| Upgrade C Cost: 250 P.E.C | Match Grade Ammo -Adds Range | ||
| | |||
| P228 | 3 Marks | 13 Rounds | |
| Upgrade A Cost: 250 P.E.C | Laser Sight -Adds Accuracy | ||
| Upgrade B Cost: 300 P.E.C | 20 Rounds | Extended Magazine -Adds 7 Rounds | |
| Upgrade C Cost: 250 P.E.C | Match Grade Ammo -Adds Range | ||
| | |||
| FN Five SeveN (Silenced) | 3 Marks | 20 Rounds | |
| Upgrade A Cost: 250 P.E.C | Laser Sight -Adds Accuracy | ||
| Upgrade B Cost: 400 P.E.C | 4 Marks | Reflex Sight -Adds 1 Mark | |
| Upgrade C Cost: 250 P.E.C | Match Grade Ammo -Adds Range | ||
| | |||
| USP .45 | 2 Marks | 12 Rounds | |
| Upgrade A Cost: 250 P.E.C | Laser Sight -Adds Accuracy | ||
| Upgrade B Cost: 400 P.E.C | 3 Marks | Reflex Sight -Adds 1 Mark | |
| Upgrade C Cost: 250 P.E.C | Hollow Point Ammo -Adds Power |
| Machine Pistol | Marks | Magazine | Upgrade C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skorpion | 2 Marks | 20 Rounds | |
| Upgrade A Cost: 500 P.E.C | Gun Stock -Adds Accuracy | ||
| Upgrade B Cost: 400 P.E.C | 3 Marks | Reflex Sight -Adds 1 Mark | |
| Upgrade C Cost: 250 P.E.C | Hollow Point Ammo -Adds Power | ||
| | |||
| SR-2M | 2 Marks | 30 Rounds | |
| Upgrade A Cost: 500 P.E.C | Gun Stock -Adds Accuracy | ||
| Upgrade B Cost: 400 P.E.C | 3 Marks | Reflex Sight -Adds 1 Mark | |
| Upgrade C Cost: 250 P.E.C | Laser Sight -Adds Accuracy |
| SMG | Marks | Magazine | Upgrade A |
|---|---|---|---|
| MP5-N | 2 Marks | 30 Rounds | |
| Upgrade A Cost: 250 P.E.C | Laser Sight -Adds Accuracy | ||
| Upgrade B Cost: 400 P.E.C | 3 Marks | Reflex Sight -Adds 1 Mark | |
| Upgrade C Cost: 250 P.E.C | Match Grade Ammo -Adds Range | ||
| | |||
| MP5-SD3 (Silenced) | 2 Marks | 30 Rounds | |
| Upgrade A Cost: 500 P.E.C | Gun Stock -Adds Accuracy | ||
| Upgrade B Cost: 300 P.E.C | 2x Scope -Adds Range/Zoom | ||
| Upgrade C Cost: 250 P.E.C | Hollow Point Ammo -Adds Power | ||
| | |||
| AKS-74U | 2 Marks | 30 Rounds | |
| Upgrade A Cost: 400 P.E.C | 3 Marks | Reflex Sight -Adds 1 Mark | |
| Upgrade B Cost: 250 P.E.C | Laser Sight -Adds Accuracy | ||
| Upgrade C Cost: 250 P.E.C | Hollow Point Ammo -Adds Power | ||
| | |||
| UMP-45 | 3 Marks | 30 Rounds | |
| Upgrade A Cost: 250 P.E.C | Laser Sight -Adds Accuracy | ||
| Upgrade B Cost: 650 P.E.C | Suppressor -Silenced | ||
| Upgrade C Cost: 250 P.E.C | Hollow Point Ammo -Adds Power | ||
| | |||
| MP7A1 (Silenced) (Unlockable Extra) | 2 Marks | 20 Rounds | |
| Upgrade A Cost: 300 P.E.C | 40 Rounds | Extended Magazine -Adds 20 Rounds | |
| Upgrade B Cost: 400 P.E.C | 3 Marks | Reflex Sight -Adds 1 Mark | |
| Upgrade C Cost: 250 P.E.C | Match Grade Ammo -Adds Range |
| Assault Rifle | Marks | Magazine | Upgrade 1 | Upgrade 2 | Upgrade 3 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK-47 | 2 | 30 Rounds | 4x Scope (300) - Increased Range/Zoom | Extended Magazine (300) - 55 Rounds | Match Grade Ammo (250) - Increased Range | ||
| M468 | 2 | 30 Rounds | Reflex Sight (400) - Adds 1 Mark | Suppressor (650) - Silenced | Hollow Point Ammo (250) - Increased Power | ||
| G36C | 2 | 30 Rounds | 2x Scope (300) - Increased Range/Zoom | Laser Sight (250) - Increased Accuracy | Match Grade Ammo (250) - Increased Range | ||
| SC3000 | 2 | 30 Rounds | Gun Stock (500) - Increased Accuracy | Suppressor (650) - Silenced | Hollow Point Ammo (250) - Increased Power | ||
| SCAR-H ( Uplay Unlockable) | 2 | 30 Rounds | 4x Scope (300) - Increased Range/Zoom | Reflex Sight (400) - Adds 1 Mark | Match Grade Ammo (250) - Increased Range | ||
| FAMAS G2 | 2 | 30 Rounds | 2x Scope (300) - Increased Range/Zoom | Laser Sight (250) - Increased Accuracy | Match Grade Ammo (250) - Increased Range |
| Shotguns | Marks | Magazine | Upgrade 1 | Upgrade 2 | Upgrade 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-500 | 2 | 8 Shells | Reflex Sight (400) - Adds 1 Mark | Match Grade Ammo (250) - Increased Range | Laser Sight (250) - Increased Accuracy |
| SPAS-12 (Silenced) (Gamestop Pre-order Unlockable) | 2 | 8 Shells | Gun Stock (500) - Increased Accuracy | Match Grade Ammo (250) - Increased Range | 2x Scope (300) - Increased Range/Zoom |
Gadgets
Sam utilizes gadgets of many types throughout the course of the game, most of which tie into the P.E.C. challenges in some manner:- Broken Mirror/ Snake-Cam: Fisher doesn't have access to the Snake-Cam from the beginning of the game, instead he uses a mirror taken from a car, which allows him to peek under doors and mark up targets on the other side. Once Sam acquires the Snake-Cam he will be able to see everything clearly.
- Sticky-Cam: A camera that can be thrown and adhere to an object, allowing Fisher to monitor areas that are not within his line of sight. When near the device, guards are able to hear the sound of the camera, revealing its location. Fisher may also use the remote to make the camera play a tune, which will attract the attention of nearby guards. He can also detonate it.
- Sonar Goggles: Goggles that send out a pulse that passes through the environment, allowing Fisher to discover the location of his enemies and laser tripwires. It also allows the player to mark targets for the Mark and Execute maneuver.
- EMP Grenade: This grenade disables electronics for a short period of time in a small radius around where the grenade goes off. This both distracts enemies and creates darkness to enable Fisher to maneuver to a better tactical position.
- EMP Backpack: This gadget works similarly to the EMP grenade and gives the same sort of tactical advantage to Fisher, except that this EMP radiates a short distance around Fisher himself and is instantaneous instead of waiting for the grenade to detonate.
- Flashbang: This grenade will temporarily disorient a group of enemies, allowing Fisher to slip past them or take them out at his leisure.
- Frag Grenade: This grenade will explode killing or hurting anyone in its blast radius. This is good for taking out a group of enemies in a small area, but it will alert other nearby enemies of Fisher's presence.
- Proximity Mine: This mine latches itself to any surface it touches, if an enemy gets too close it will automatically detonate.
- Remote Mine: This mine is controlled directly by Fisher, he can plant it on any surface and wait until the maximum amount of enemies are within range before manually detonating it.
All gadget upgrades cost 250 P.E.C. points. All gadgets have a single type of upgrade that can be purchased twice.
| Gadget | Effect Radius | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Frag Grenade | 5 Meters | Increases Radius By 1 Meter |
| Remote Mine | 5 Meters | Increases Radius By 1 Meter |
| EMP Grenade | 15 Meters | Increases Radius By 2 Meters |
| Flashbang (Duration: 3 seconds) | 8 Meters | Increases Duration By 1 Second |
| EMP Backpack | N/A | N/A |
| Sticky Camera (Remote Mine Function) | 5 Meters | Increases Radius By 1 Meter |
| Proximity Mine | 5 Meters | Increases Radius By 1 Meter |
P.E.C. Challenges
Prepare and Execute Challenges
Each action must be performed a certain number of times to reach each level, noted below. The rewards for reaching Level 1, 2, and 3 are 400, 450, and 550 points respectively.| Challenge | Description | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Death from Above | Neutralize an enemy using Death from Above. | 5 | 15 | 30 |
| Grab from Ledge | Neutralize an enemy using Grab from Ledge. | 5 | 15 | 30 |
| 5x Predator | Neutralize 5 enemies in a row without being detected. | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| Stealth Headshot | Neutralize an enemy with a headshot without alerting other enemies. | 10 | 20 | 50 |
| Mark Proficiency | Neutralize at least 2 enemies in a single Mark & Execute. | 5 | 50 | 500 |
| 3x Frag Grenade | Neutralize 3 enemies at the same time with a single frag grenade. | 10 | 25 | 50 |
| Remote Explosion | Neutralize at least 3 enemies by detonating a remote explosion gadget. | 10 | 25 | 50 |
| Stunned | Neutralize an enemy who is stunned by a flashbang or EMP gadget. | 10 | 25 | 50 |
| Behind Closed Doors | Use a mirror or snake camera to mark an enemy, then neutralize him. | 10 | 25 | 50 |
| Sonar Mark | Use the sonar goggles to mark an enemy, then neutralize him. | 25 | 50 | 100 |
| Shadow Takedown | Perform hand to hand takedowns in the shadows without alerting other enemies. | 25 | 50 | 100 |
| Sticky Camera Whistle | Make noise with the sticky camera to attract an enemy and neutralize him. | 5 | 10 | 15 |
Vanish Challenges
Like the Prepare and Execute challenges, each action must be performed a certain number of times to reach each level, noted below. The rewards for reaching Level 1, 2, and 3 are also 400, 450, and 550 points respectively.| Challenge | Description | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanish Silently | Once you are spotted, vanish without neutralizing any enemies. | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| Cat and Mouse | Perform a hand to hand takedown against an enemy who is investigating your Last Known Position. | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| Last Known Position | Neutralize an enemy while standing at least 10 meters from your last known position. | 10 | 25 | 50 |
| Portable EMP Escape | Use a portable EMP to vanish. Stun at least 3 enemies while escaping from a combat situation. | 10 | 25 | 50 |
| Flashbang Escape | Use the flashbang to vanish. Escape for a combat situation. | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| EMP Grenade Stun | Stun at least 3 enemies with a single EMP grenade. | 10 | 25 | 50 |
| Choke Hold Freedom | Free your teammate from a choke hold in any multiplayer game mode. | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| Reviving Teammates | Revive your teammate in any multiplayer game mode. | 5 | 10 | 15 |
Splinter Cell Challenges
Splinter Cell challenges only need to be completed once. Point values rewarded vary, as noted below. | Challenge | Description | Points Rewarded |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Mastery | Neutralize 4 enemies with a single Mark & Execute. | 500 |
| Advanced Stealth | Complete a level without being spotted and without retrying. | 750 |
| Advanced Close Combat | Complete a level without firing a single shot and without retrying. | 750 |
| 10x Predator | Neutralize 10 enemies in a row without being detected. | 500 |
| Assault Rifle Marksman | Neutralize 15 enemies with a single magazine using an assault rifle without reloading. | 500 |
| Pistol Marksman | Neutralize 10 enemies with a single magazine using a pistol without reloading. | 500 |
| Collateral Damage | Take an enemy into a human shield and bash him against a wooden door to shatter it. | 500 |
| Human Collision | Knock an enemy down by throwing another enemy into him. | 500 |
| Deadly Fall | Throw an enemy so he falls 10 or more meters. | 500 |
| Environmental Hazard | Neutralize 3 enemies using a single trap or explosive. | 500 |
| Security Device Diversion | Attract an enemy by disabling a security device, then neutralize him. | 500 |
| Car Alarm Investigation | Neutralize an enemy while he is investigating a car alarm. | 500 |
| Human Kevlar | Mark & Execute 3 enemies while holding a human shield. | 500 |
| Group Neutralization | Neutralize at least 3 enemies who are stunned by a single gadget. | 500 |
| Alternate Door Entry | Crush an enemy on the other side of a door by bashing into it or kicking it down. | 500 |
| Breaking Glass | Shatter a window by throwing an enemy through it. | 500 |
| Effective Interrogation | Use 3 different special moves during a single interrogation. | 500 |
| Full Recovery | In any co-op game mode, when you are knocked down, sit up and neutralize 5 enemies before your teammate revives you. | 500 |
| Remain Undetected | Remain undetected for 10 minutes after vanishing. | 500 |
Original Conception
Original design for Sam Fisher in Splinter Cell: Conviction
On May 19, 2008, it was announced that Conviction was "officially on hold". Since then, Conviction has gone through radical changes, both in terms of gameplay and visuals. Trailers and gameplay videos released soon afterward confirmed this, showing a much more 'traditional' Sam Fisher, with short hair, a stubble beard and wearing stealth oriented attire.
The New Design
Since the release of both the demo and a gameplay footage, many Splinter Cell fans had asked about the new fast paced approach. For some, the old style was what defined Splinter Cell. In an interview (on industrygamers.com) Creative Director Maxime Béland answered that question and gave a brand new vision of what the Splinter Cell franchise was about:
New design for Sam Fisher in Splinter Cell: Conviction
That is why the Splinter Cell team refocused, and took a different approach on how to make the new franchise more accessible but also trying to make the new title just as innovative as some of the previous titles were. One of the things, that the team changed was the whole visual area that implanted the light, shadows and HUD in-game:The Splinter cell team found out what people really wanted was a fantasy; a fantasy of being Sam Fisher. A fantasy which gave them a brand new vision and approach that demanded that they would change the way that we were and are thinking, when looking at the stealth genre in general. Because it was taking too long, which often meant that only hardcore gamers were the ones to really complete the game and see it through. And the consequence of that fact, was also to see in the sales numbers. He actually stated that "If you look at the sales of Splinter Cell 1 versus Splinter Cell 4, they go a little bit down."
Another part of the gameplay, that has been criticized for making it too easy for the player to complete the game, is the feature called "Mark and Execute." The feature is enabled by the player performing a hand to hand take-down, where after the player is granted with marks to use in the killing of multiple targets, depending on which weapon Sam Fisher is using, and how upgraded it is. The vision for Mark and Execute was allegedly seen in one movie in particular:So light and shadows, for example, but before it was just a light meter on the screen... or in Double Agent there was a light on the back of the character that was either green, orange or red. So we said, "Let's not have the player play in the HUD; let's have the player play in the world." What we're doing in Conviction is as soon as you enter the shadows, the entire game goes to black and white. It's very on or off - when you're in the shadows you're invisible and the only way they can see you is if you shoot or they bump you or put a flashlight on you. It's a lot less analog.
One of the more discussed and heated subjects regarding the release of the demo earlier this month has been the difficulty of the game, especially in the demo. That was explained by Ubisoft Montreal developers (in an interview with msxbox-world.com), where they explained the situation:There's a great scene in the movie Vantage Point with a bad guy going up a flight of stairs. He's moving super fast, not making any noise, and then some CIA guys pop out and he just kills them all super fast. And that's action, but it's stealth. He's not throwing a grenade and blowing up everything – no one knows he's there. So Mark and Execute was our answer for how to deliver that. The concept is very simple. You can mark enemies and then get in range and press the Y button and Sam shoots them all automatically. ... It's a little thing, but again it's about taking the fantasy and values we always had for Splinter Cell and trying to deliver it in a different way.
Splinter Cell: Conviction was originally set to be released on February 23rd, 2010, but was delayed until April 13, 2010 in the US. As a bonus, if you pre-ordered the game from selected retailers, you could, for example, have unlocked an exclusive in-game silenced SPAS-12, SC3000, SR2 and the MP5.We designed the demo with one main objective in mind: make it exciting and fun to play for as much people as possible; even for gamers who had never played Splinter Cell before but were into action games. With that in mind, we adapted the level design (less enemies, more projected texts, tutorials) as well as the AI for this demo to meet this objective. We also ran a lot of playtests and worked in conjunction with Microsoft's people who have been really resourceful on this matter, and we feel that we found the right balance for a lot of gamers to have fun with this demo and still find it challenging.
The demo doesn't feature the hardest enemies you'll face in the final game. Remember, Sam will come up against more than just Black Arrow mercs (which is all you see in the demo). More capable enemies will have different levels of aggression and tactics. When you face more elite operatives in the realistic difficulty setting you will be challenged. A good example of this is when Sam goes up against other Splinter Cell agents.
Uplay
Uplay is a service where you earn points and use them to unlock bonus items. Here is a list of Actions (achievements) and Rewards for this game.| Actions | Points |
|---|---|
Merchant MarketComplete the single player "Merchant's Street Market" mission on any difficulty. | 10U |
Weapon UpgradePurchase all 3 upgrades for any 1 weapon. | 20U |
Ready for AnythingPurchase all 9 accessories for all uniforms. | 30U |
In the EndComplete the last mission of the single player story on any difficulty. | 40U |
| Rewards | Cost |
|---|---|
SCC Theme (Wallpaper)Download the exclusive Uplay theme (wallpaper) for Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction. | 10U |
SCAR-HBuilt for rough conditions, the COMBAT ASSAULT RIFLE deals far range damage, while keeping accurate. | 20U |
VR ZVEZDAVoron's SV7 Rapid Response Assault Suit. Used by Voron field operatives for assault operations. | 30U |
Infiltration modeEliminate all hostiles without being detected. | 40U |
Special Editions
Collector's Edition
The Collector's Edition
The collector's edition will be available in the US on the Xbox 360 and will be released the same day as the standard edition. It was originally priced at $79.99, but was reduced to $69.99 due to faulty USB drives. The following items are Included in this edition:
- Two in-game multiplayer items
- MP5-SD3 submachine gun
- Third Echelon player skin
- A custom USB drive compatible with the Xbox 360, containing videos, wallpaper, concept art, storyboards, and several other types of media.(Note: Due to random sampling, many of the USB drives were found to be defective.)
- "Fifth Freedom: The Art of Splinter Cell" - An artbook based on the Splinter Cell series with commentary from the developers.
- Two Xbox 360 decal stickers
- "Digging in the Ashes" - A comic book explaining the events preceding the game.
- Steelbook case
- Early access to the MP7A1 machine pistol
Limited Collector's Edition
Limited Collector's Edition
- Four in-game multiplayer items not including the game mode
- MP5 submachine gun
- SC3000 assault rifle
- SR2 SMG pistol
- Shadow Armor player skin
- Infiltration Mode, an exclusive game mode
- A Sam Fisher statuette
- Steelbook case
- Game soundtrack
Special Edition Xbox 360 Splinter Cell Conviction Bundle
The Xbox 360 Splinter Cell Conviction Bundle is to be released on April 13th in the US and from April 15th to 16th in Europe etc. Different from the difference between the Collector's and Limited Collector's edition, the Bundle will be containing the same in both the US and Europe. The bundle will contain the following:
Xbox 360 Bundle
- Xbox 360 console
- Xbox 360 250GB HD
- 2 black Xbox 360 wireless controllers
- 1 black Xbox 360 headset
- 1 ethernet cable
- 1 standard definition Xbox 360 Composite A / V cable
- Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Conviction
Xbox 360 Pre-order bonus
Demo
The demo for Splinter Cell: Conviction was released over Xbox Live on Thursday, March 18th, 2010. The demo itself consists of two single player levels. The first level is an interrogation scene in a seedy bathroom which introduces the player to the new interrogation techniques that involve pummeling an NPC into submission by beating him against destructible objects such as sinks, urinals, mirrors, and doors.The second level of the demo has Sam infiltrating an abandoned warehouse that's being used by the enemy to store an EMP device, which he must disarm. The level introduces the player to the new mechanics of Splinter Cell: Conviction, such as the new controls, updated cover system, and the new mark-and-execute feature. The demo provides players access to varying pieces of equipment such as Sam's new Sonar Goggles, EMP grenades, a portable EMP device, frag grenades, and flashbang grenades. Sam's weapons during this demo include his silenced pistol and an MP5-N, although he can also pick up enemy weapons.
Differences Between Demo and Final Game
- The main chunk of the demo takes place in the level Michigan Ave. Reservoir, Washington D.C which is a level close to the end of the game. The level is modified for demo purposes.
- The trunk of grim's car is closed, therefor the player doesn't have the ability to pick their weapon loadout.
- There is a small tutorial that shows off the cover mechanics of the game and the mark and execute ability, by having the player switch cover to cover and doing a hand to hand takedown on a enemy, then finally marking and executing two enemies.
- The interrogation interaction with the Black Arrow agent has been removed because it would spoil the story of the game.
Splinter Cell: Conviction Trivia
- The hand to hand combat techniques Fisher uses in Conviction are based on the self defense system Krav Maga that originated in Israel.
- Sam Fisher boasts a new handgun technique called Center Axis Relock (C.A.R,), which is designed to be more effective and efficient in close quarters combat.
- Vinny made a bet with Ryan that there would be night vision goggles in Conviction. After Jeff reviewed the game, it was revealed that there was no night vision in the game. Vinny lost and had to pay up.
- The song that features prominently after Grim plays Lambert's office recording is Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt by DJ Shadow.
- Plush dolls of Rabbids from the Rayman's Raving Rabbids series (also published by Ubisoft) are visible at various points in the game, including at the carnival.
PC Version and DRM
On March 19, 2010, the PC version was delayed by two weeks to April 27, 2010. Ubisoft stated that the game needed extra time for polish and debugging. The game was released in stores and on Steam and Direct2Drive.Splinter Cell Conviction is the third Ubisoft game that requires an "always-on" internet connection to play, as part of a new DRM and online services platform, regardless of where the game was purchased from.
If a player's Internet connection is lost while playing, gameplay is halted and progress since the last checkpoint or save game is lost, with only the option to quit to Windows or wait until reconnection. This also happens if Ubisoft's servers go down.
System Requirements
- OS: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
- Processor: 1.8 GHz Intel Core2 Duo or 2.4 GHz AMD Athlon X2 64
- Memory: 1.5 GB Windows XP / 2 GB Windows Vista, Windows 7
- Graphics: 256 MB DirectX 9.0c–compliant video card (512 MB recommended) (see supported list*)
- DirectX®: DirectX 9.0c
- Hard Drive: 10 GB
- Sound: DirectX 9.0c–compliant sound card
- Peripherals Supported: Mouse, keyboard, headset, 12-button gamepads with analog sticks
- Internet Connection: Broadband Internet connection
Minimum:
*Supported Video Cards at Time of Release:
NVIDIA GeForce 7800 / 7900 / 8 / 9 / GTX series
ATI RADEON X1800 / X1900 / HD 2000 / HD 4000 / HD 5000 series
ATI HD 3000 NOT supported at time of release.
Laptop versions of these cards may work but are NOT supported. These chipsets are the only ones that will run this game.
Xbox 360 HD Install
Installing Splinter Cell: Conviction on your hard drive takes up 6.8 GB of space.
General Information
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| Game Name | Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction |
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| Original US Release |
April 13, 2010
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| Original US Release | April 2010 know the real date? |
| Aliases |
Splinter Cell 5 SCC SC: Conviction |
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