14 DAY TRIAL // A lot of fans of the Splinter Cell franchise were rather disappointed with the information coming from the Ubisoft team that was creating the recent Blacklist, being worried about the promises of accessibility and the fact that the game would be oriented towards cooperative elements.
When I first launched the game, there were two potential playstyles I considered: should I take advantage of the shooter elements to progress faster or should I just learn patterns and guard moves in order to complete everything stealthily?
The questions show why Splinter Cell: Blacklist is the runner-up for the category of action game: it can deliver freedom that the player can choose how to use and does so while also bringing a set of levels that can compete with the best in the series.
The best moment I had with the game involved a trip to a remote island on a dark and rainy night, trying to make my way through the fairly cramped areas without any guard noticing me and without tripping any of the alarm system.
I could have shot my way through that space, but my logical sense told me this was the kind of situation where no spy could get away with firing a weapon, regardless of the resources that he could call upon.
At the same time, I had no regrets about using high-powered weaponry to get myself out of a jam when I was in an Islamic country where the situation clearly was volatile enough to call for it.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist rewards gamers who are able to use stealth and take everyone out silently, but the game basically does not care and allows each gamer to choose what kind of spy he wants to be and how he plans to achieve his objectives.
Despite its flaws, this is an action title that manages to be both accessible and deep, shifting based on player level and style.