Fisher is Back!

Game: Splinter Cell Conviction

System: Xbox 360

Release: April 2010


Sam Fisher is back and he is pissed. Some assholes have been fucking with his life and he won't stand for it. His daughter is dead, and he killed his best friend on a bupkus mission that failed to produce a mole in Third Echelon. Now after three years on the run Grimsdottir contacts Sam. She has information about his daughter's killer, and warns him of a hit squad out to get him. This starts a wild roller coaster ride filled with conspiracy, action, and lots of death.

Like most Tom Clancy games, Splinter Cell Conviction's presentation is top notch. Michael Ironside and friends did a great job with the voice acting. The plot is well done with plenty of twists and turns. The graphics are sweet, and the new projection tech used to illustrate objectives is the coolest HUD idea since Dead Space. Environments are detailed, and like previous Splinter Cell games Sam can take full advantage of pipes, ledges, shadows, cover, and whatever else is around. There are some frame rate issues, and a few progression stoppers, but these minor mishaps are few and far between.

The biggest change to the series is the gameplay. The old slow and steady pace has been speed up significantly. Traditional Splinter cell mechanics have bit the dust. There is no dead body management, hacking, or lock picking. Many of the old gadgets are gone, but the famous Sticky Camera remains. Everything has been streamlined and simplified. Melee strikes are a guaranteed kill that trigger the Execute ability. This allows the player to mark up to four enemies for a quick kill. This seems like an “I win” button, but in the midst of chaos marking targets is not easy.

All movement is quick paced and the animations are reminiscent of Assassins Creed. The cover system is the best I've ever seen. Pressing the left trigger will dash your character to the nearest cover. Holding the button will keep you under cover, and pressing A will dart you to the next spot. At any time you release the left trigger and tada you are away from cover. I never felt stuck to a wall, and that is a first. Interrogations have also seen an improvement. Click the video below. Sam makes water boarding look like a bad day at the beach.
Sam's adventure is just one piece of the delicious pie. The single player game takes five to six hours to complete. The co-op story is about the same length, and is a ton fun.The two game modes have interwoven plots that really create a well rounded universe. Other game modes include Hunter, Last Stand, Face Off, and Infiltration. Hunter and Infiltration are simple kill everyone missions. Last Stand is a survivor mode that forces players to protect a EMP from waves of enemies. Face Off pits spy vs. spy. Players have to rack up points to win. Killing NPC's grants one point, but killing the other human player rewards five. Dieing subtracts three. Whoever has the most points at the end of the round wins. With the exception of Face Off, each game mode can be played alone or with a friend. Ubisoft took a big risk rebooting the Splinter Cell series but it payed off. Stealth action has been born. The fast gameplay is fun and rewarding. The story, graphics, and hud are polished and entertaining. The various game modes provides hours of content, and co-op improves the replay value. The non-story based sections are also wide open for future DLC packs. Conviction is a new type of shooter that is a welcomed refreshing experience. Some veterans of the series will be turned off by all the changes, but the rest of us will enjoy a great video game. Snerts Snazzy Score grants Splinter Cell Conviction a 4.9 out of 5.

Who You Gonna Call?

Game: Ghostbusters (Single Player)

System: PS3, Xbox 360, PC

Release: June 2009

Ghostbusters the game could have easily been the third movie. The original cast shows up for another slime filled adventure through New York City. Players take on the role of silent rookie who gets to test all the new experimental equipment. The story is your typical Ghostbusters tale. Ghosts appear. Jokes are made. Gadgets are used. Government agencies get pissy. Ghostbusters are called to save the day. The designers did a great job of capturing the essences of the movie and incorporating it throughout the game. The games presentation matches the writing and voice acting. The graphics are very smooth with plenty of lighting, damage, and ghost effects. The HUD is primarily on the proton backpack, and each level is full of destructible assets. There are a number of diverse enemies that complement the environment. You face Civil War ghosts in the museum, and the infamous librarian at the New York Public library. There is also an early level where you take on the Marshmallow Man. Just about everything from the movies is either experienced or mentioned in the game.

Gameplay is the weakest part of Ghostbusters. The dodging mechanic is slow. Your teammates are consistently incapacitated, and require your assistance to continue fighting. Only two of the four weapons are useful, and the main character takes up most the screen. The vision impairment hinders your ability to fight multiple foes, which is always necessary because your AI teammates suck.

It's not all bad. The designers made a wonderful game that combines lazers, slime, and fishing. Ghost fights come in two flavors. One is the standard, “There coming right for us! SHOOT till there dead!” The other is classic Ghostbuster. You wear down the ghost with your proton beam. Once thier health is low you can capture them with your beam and slam them a round. To slam the ghost you move the analog stick back and forth like in a fishing game. Throw down a trap and guide the ghost to it's new home. Tada you just bagged your first ghost, and it was th--------is big.
Ghostbusters is a solid B movie—err I mean game. The story and voice acting is top notch, but the level design and gameplay are subpar. The friendly AI is terrible. I don't like the main characters mime act. Where is my smart ass comebacks to all the crappy orders I have to follow? Dodging is the only defensive maneuver and it sucks. Still the graphics are pretty, and if you pay attention to the dialogue you might even laugh. I also give the developers credit for making a fishing mechanic exciting. This is an excellent game to rent or borrow from a Ghostbusters fan boy. Snerts Snazzy Score is 3.8 out of 5.