Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction

Ubisoft Montreal

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Video games
Founded	April 1, 1997 (1997-04-01)
Headquarters	Montreal , Canada
Products	Video games, including Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell series
Parent	Ubisoft

Overview

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction is a stealth-focused action-adventure video game launched in 2010. The title was crafted by Ubisoft Montreal and published through a collaboration between Microsoft Game Studios and Ubisoft. It serves as the direct successor to Splinter Cell: Double Agent and continues the narrative of the Splinter Cell franchise. Key contributors from the Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas development team, including creative director Maxime Béland, played significant roles in its production. The game initially debuted on Windows and Xbox 360 platforms in April 2010. Subsequently, a handheld adaptation was released by Gameloft for Apple's iOS devices between May and July 2010. Additional versions were made available for Android, Windows Phone, and Bada, alongside a 2D side-scrolling edition designed for mobile handsets.

Critics generally responded favorably to Splinter Cell: Conviction, commending its gameplay mechanics, visual style, and storyline. However, some reviewers noted drawbacks such as the relatively brief campaign duration and a shift away from the traditional stealth elements that characterized earlier entries in the series. By July 2010, the game had achieved sales of approximately 1.9 million copies. The franchise continued with a follow-up installment titled Blacklist, which was released in 2013.

Gameplay

File:SC Conviction ME.jpg

The Mark and Execute mechanic in action. Here, Sam Fisher eliminates intruders during the tutorial flashback.

Splinter Cell: Conviction brings several innovative gameplay mechanics to the Splinter Cell franchise, most notably the "Mark & Execute" system. This feature enables players to tag multiple targets—whether adversaries or objects—and then swiftly neutralize them in sequence without the need to aim at each individually. Players can set target priorities; for instance, they might disable a nearby light to distract one guard before dispatching another. Another addition is the "Last Known Position" mechanic, triggered when the player breaks an alerted enemy’s line of sight. This generates a silhouette indicating where the enemy believes Sam is located, offering an opportunity to flank foes effectively.

Additional new mechanics include real-time interrogation of characters and leveraging environmental elements as weapons. Mission goals and critical narrative cues are projected onto surfaces within the game world itself, enhancing immersion. Other planned features—such as blending into crowds, improvising gadgets, and expanded environmental interactions—were initially announced and intended to infuse a strong Bourne Identity vibe, according to creative director Maxime Béland. However, these concepts were ultimately removed when the development team deemed them too risky to pursue.

Several gameplay elements from previous entries in the series are omitted here. Sam no longer uses his signature hybrid night/heat vision goggles or the versatile SC-20K assault rifle that featured prominently in earlier titles. Instead, sonar goggles become available later in the game, allowing detection of enemies through walls and invisible laser tripwires. The light sensor is absent as well; instead, changes in screen saturation to grayscale signal whether Sam remains concealed. Unlike past games, players cannot move or hide bodies nor render enemies unconscious since equipment supporting these actions has been removed. Mini-games involving lock picking and hacking are also excluded. Sam now primarily wields pistols equipped with unlimited ammunition and suppressors for stealth takedowns, although longer-range firearms like battle rifles remain available.

Ubisoft aimed to enhance accessibility with Conviction. Creative director Béland explained that previous installments like Chaos Theory were considered "very hardcore," which alienated some players and diminished their connection to embodying Sam Fisher’s role. He compared earlier games to franchises featuring characters such as James Bond or Jason Bourne, who move quickly and silently while neutralizing multiple enemies rapidly. Conviction was designed to offer a similarly fast-paced experience that emphasizes action more heavily than its predecessors in the series.

Multiplayer

The multiplayer aspect of Splinter Cell: Conviction includes various modes such as split screen, System Link (for Xbox 360), and online cooperative play. Additionally, there is a "Deniable Ops" mode featuring four distinct scenarios where players face off against AI opponents. These scenarios include "Hunter," which requires eliminating a specific number of enemies; "Infiltration," where players must silently dispatch targets without detection; "Last Stand," involving the defense of a bomb against attempts to disarm it; and "Face-Off," a competitive variant of "Hunter." Among these, "Face-Off" stands as the sole competitive multiplayer mode, allowing players to eliminate each other. The other modes—"Hunter," "Infiltration," and "Last Stand"—can be experienced solo or cooperatively with another player. Notably, the game omits the "Spies Vs Mercenaries" mode that was present in earlier installments of the series.

Patrick Redding, the co-op game director, explained that Conviction's stealth mechanics are built around innovative core features such as "Mark & Execute" and "Last Known Position."

Plot

The narrative unfolds in two segments. The primary storyline is delivered through the single-player campaign, centering on Sam Fisher three years following the events depicted in Splinter Cell: Double Agent. Meanwhile, the game's prologue is accessible via the multiplayer cooperative mode, allowing two players to assume control of agents Archer and Kestrel in a mission set ten days prior to the main campaign.

Prologue

File:Splinter Cell Conviction Co-op.jpg

Split screen gameplay of the cooperative campaign showing Archer (left) and Kestrel ambushing armed guards.

Agents Archer from Third Echelon and Kestrel from Voron are dispatched to Nevsky Prospekt in Saint Petersburg, Russia, aiming to disrupt rogue Russian military factions involved in illicit arms sales. Intelligence linked to criminal Andriy Kobin identifies Valentin Lesovsky, a trafficker of drugs and humans, as the intermediary for these transactions. Their objectives include neutralizing Lesovsky and his partner Boris Sychev, as well as securing Lesovsky's list of contacts.

Following this operation, Archer and Kestrel proceed to the Russian embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan, to investigate an arms deal orchestrated by former GRU Colonel Leonid Bykhov. They witness Bykhov betray his associate Tagizade by ordering his assassination. The agents prevent the destruction of weapon crates and discover that Bykhov intended to sell Block II JDAM missile guidance kits. Upon interrogating Bykhov, they learn of his collaboration with Major General Kerzakov, who operates from the Yastreb Complex—an underground facility beneath Moscow's Red Square.

The duo infiltrates this complex to locate EMP warheads. Utilizing portable EMP devices, they disable the JDAM kits and extract data from multiple servers that lead them to the Mozdok Proving Grounds. There, they covertly board a supply truck and secure the EMP devices with assistance from Kobin. During their extraction, Third Echelon director Tom Reed orders Archer to eliminate Kestrel; simultaneously, Kestrel accesses Archer's OPSAT device, prompting a confrontation that forces self-defense actions. Although either character can perish during this encounter, the canonical conclusion depicts Kestrel fatally shooting Archer before being shot herself in the head while grieving and unaware of Kobin’s presence.

Main narrative

The private military firm Black Arrow conducts an interrogation of Victor Coste, a former Navy SEAL teammate of Sam Fisher, who starts to detail the recent sequence of events.

After departing from Third Echelon, Sam travels to Valletta, Malta, to probe into suspicions surrounding his daughter Sarah’s hit-and-run death, which may have been deliberate. Unexpectedly, Anna "Grim" Grímsdóttir, an ex-colleague of Sam’s, reaches out to warn him about an impending assault by hired assassins. Sam neutralizes the attackers and pursues their employer, Kobin, identified as the true orchestrator behind Sarah’s supposed accident. He infiltrates Kobin’s estate, eliminates the guards, and begins questioning him; however, a Third Echelon Splinter Cell unit intervenes and apprehends Sam before he can obtain valuable information.

Grim and Black Arrow transport Sam to Price Airfield in Virginia for interrogation. Nevertheless, Grim releases him, disclosing that she is undercover for U.S. President Patricia Caldwell. Her mission involves investigating suspicious activities linked to Director Reed, Black Arrow, and the theft of Russian EMP technology. Grim reveals that Sarah is alive and assists Sam in escaping the airfield.

Sam arranges a meeting with Coste at the Washington Monument to collect equipment. He discovers that Lucius Galliard, CEO of Black Arrow, has assigned them to secure White Box Technologies—a recently acquired R&D firm specializing in EMP devices. Sam infiltrates White Box Technologies and observes Black Arrow operatives eliminating redundant scientists. He hacks into a high-security terminal to retrieve intelligence on an EMP-related operation for Grim’s analysis team. After intense combat with mercenaries and triggering an EMP to mask his presence, he escapes the compound. Subsequently, President Caldwell instructs him to eavesdrop on a conversation between Reed and Galliard at the Lincoln Memorial. Their discussion and Galliard’s interrogation reveal that a group named "Megiddo" finances and orchestrates an imminent operation scheduled within 24 hours. Before more information can be gathered, a hitman assassinates Galliard; Sam pursues the shooter but loses him when a car bomb detonates.

Sam proceeds to Third Echelon headquarters where Grim’s associate Charlie Fryman equips him with advanced sonar goggles. While searching Reed’s office for clues, Sam encounters Kobin again and interrogates him. Kobin confesses that Reed serves Megiddo and plans to detonate three large EMP devices across Washington DC while assassinating President Caldwell amid the ensuing disorder—enabling Vice President Calvin Samson to assume power and reward Reed with a promotion. Kobin also reveals Grim ordered him to stage Sarah’s death. Grim confirms this by playing an audio recording of former director Irving Lambert who uncovered a mole within Third Echelon planning to endanger Sarah for leverage against Sam. Although Lambert faked Sarah’s death successfully to thwart this plot, he never identified the traitor. Grim urges an enraged Sam to destroy the EMP device located at Michigan Avenue Reservoir since Sarah’s residence lies within its blast radius. At that moment, Third Echelon initiates its self-destruct sequence; Sam narrowly escapes before the building explodes.

With Coste’s assistance, Sam assaults the Michigan Avenue Reservoir facility. After defeating Black Arrow mercenaries guarding the site, he designates EMP generators for Coste’s aerial destruction. Following extraction by Coste, Sam reunites with Sarah just before two remaining EMPs activate—crippling much of the city’s electronic infrastructure and triggering widespread chaos. Soon after, Coste’s helicopter is struck by a surface-to-air missile; despite this, all three survive. While Coste escorts Sarah to safety, Sam navigates through downtown Washington towards the White House now overrun by Black Arrow mercenaries and rogue Third Echelon agents. After incapacitating the corrupt Vice President, he reunites with Grim.

To enter the Oval Office without alerting Reed—who intends to kill the President—Grim shoots Sam in the shoulder and feigns detaining him at gunpoint; this ruse allows them safe access. Reed prepares to execute both Sam and Caldwell, revealing that Caldwell planned to disband Third Echelon following Lambert’s death. Reed intends to frame Sam for Caldwell’s assassination as justification for maintaining Third Echelon’s existence. Sam and Grim counterattack by disarming Reed and eliminating his guards. During interrogation, Reed admits he is the mole Lambert was investigating. Depending on player choice, either Sam or Grim executes Reed; canonically, Grim carries out the execution.

As Coste concludes his account, he recalls Sam promising in their last conversation that he would protect him as he would a brother. Suddenly, alarms sound accompanied by explosions and gunfire nearby; the interrogators abandon their session abruptly, leaving Coste behind.

Development

On September 21, 2006, a 2GB RAR file was leaked online containing various media, including 75 concept art images of unreleased next-generation titles, uploaded to Ubisoft's public FTP server. Among these was evidence of a sequel to Double Agent. The artwork depicted somber scenes such as the Washington Monument under military control and street-level views of Washington, D.C.

The official reveal of Conviction occurred on May 23, 2007, when Ubisoft unveiled a trailer showcasing a more rugged Sam Fisher, characterized by long hair and a full beard. This iteration of Sam demonstrated new abilities like environmental blending, interaction with objects such as tables and chairs, and hand-to-hand combat, indicating a departure from the strictly stealth-focused gameplay of earlier entries. Additionally, the lighting and shadow rendering showed significant advancements compared to Double Agent. Initially, the game was slated for release on November 16, 2007. However, it failed to meet this deadline. On May 19, 2008, Xbox World reported that the title had been "officially on hold" and was being "taken back to the drawing board." Although Ubisoft did not formally confirm this status, they did announce a postponement to the 2009-2010 fiscal period.

At E3 2009, Conviction reemerged featuring an entirely revamped visual style and a more casual appearance for Sam. Developers disclosed that development on this revised version had been underway since early 2008. They noted substantial evolution in gameplay mechanics and an overall improved visual direction. The game was initially scheduled for release in November 2009 but was subsequently delayed to early 2010. After setting a February 23 release date, Ubisoft postponed it once more to April. On February 4, 2010, Ubisoft confirmed an April 13 launch date specifically for the Xbox 360 platform.

Furthermore, Conviction is compatible with AMD’s multi-monitor technology known as Eyefinity.

Audio

On July 16, 2007, it was revealed that composers Kaveh Cohen and Michael Nielsen, collaborating with the music production company Groove Worx, would be responsible for creating the soundtrack for Conviction, marking their debut in video game scoring. On October 25, 2007, Soundtrack.net shared updates from the game's scoring sessions, including images showcasing the orchestral recording process. Later, on January 28, 2010, a statement appeared on Amon Tobin's official site announcing his involvement in contributing to the game's score.

In an interview dated March 29, 2010, Michael Ironside disclosed that he had initially contemplated stepping away from his role as Sam Fisher due to feeling limited in further developing the character. Nevertheless, he ultimately decided to continue after Ubisoft provided him with a copy of the script.

Release

Retail versions

Splinter Cell: Conviction was launched for Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows, alongside mobile editions for iOS and Java ME. Ubisoft confirmed there were no intentions to release the title on PlayStation 3. Max Béland, the creative director of the Splinter Cell series, explained: "Originally, Splinter Cell was developed for Xbox and we've maintained a strong partnership with Microsoft. Therefore, Conviction remains an exclusive for the 360 platform and will not be available on PS3." The PC edition incorporated Ubisoft’s latest DRM system requiring a constant internet connection.

The game was distributed in four distinct retail editions: a standard version, a Special Edition, a Collector's Edition, and a Limited Collector's Edition.

The UK-exclusive Special Edition, named Shadow Edition, was sold through retailers such as Game, Gamestation, and Gameplay. It featured alternative cover artwork, an in-game silenced SPAS-12 shotgun, early access to the SC3000 weapon, and a unique "Shadow Armor" skin. Pre-orders additionally included a Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction Projector Torch.

The North American market received the Collector's Edition, which came with a USB flash drive, an artbook centered on the Splinter Cell franchise, two decal stickers, a comic book narrating events preceding Conviction, plus two exclusive in-game items: an MP5-SD3 submachine gun and a Third Echelon spy suit. Due to some defective USB drives included in this edition, Ubisoft reduced its price by $10.

For Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Pacific regions, the Limited Collector's Edition was launched. This package contained a premium collector’s box with a Sam Fisher figurine, a steelbook DVD case housing the game disc and manual, a soundtrack CD featuring 24 tracks, and a card providing five bonus in-game content codes: MP-5 submachine gun, SC-3000 assault rifle, SMG-2 machine pistol, "Infiltration" game mode, and Shadow Armor outfit.

Certain retailers offered exclusive variations: GameStop pre-orders included codes for a silenced SPAS-12 shotgun; Best Buy pre-orders came with SC-3000 assault rifle codes. Amazon.co.uk issued its own Limited Edition containing the standard game version alongside an "Exclusive Pre-order Pack" DVD case, the SPAS-12 code, a 32-page comic titled "Digging in the Ashes," and a behind-the-scenes making-of DVD. Meanwhile, Play.com bundled their edition with the standard game plus a Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction carabiner torch.

In March 2010, Microsoft unveiled a special limited edition black Xbox 360 Elite console themed around Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction. This bundle included a 250 GB hard drive, two black wireless controllers, a black wired headset, an ethernet cable, standard definition composite A/V cables (RCA), and the standard edition of the game.

Ports

On May 27, 2010, an iOS edition of the game was launched. Created and distributed by Gameloft, this version maintained gameplay largely consistent with the original, though it streamlined the narrative by excluding the prologue along with numerous scenes and characters present in the main title. Notably, it introduced a unique stage unavailable in the original release—a speedboat mission taking place on the Potomac River.

In June 2010, Ubisoft revealed plans for a Mac OS X version, initially scheduled for an October 19, 2010 launch but postponed until February 17, 2011.

A port was also made available on February 22, 2012, as part of the Windows Phone "Must Have Games" campaign.

Downloadable content

Splinter Cell: Conviction provided weekly unlockables every Thursday accessible through the in-game "Extras" menu. These updates included new weapons, gadgets, multiplayer character skins, and additional maps for Deniable Ops mode.

The game also integrated Ubisoft’s Uplay system, allowing players to earn units by accomplishing specific in-game objectives. These units could then be redeemed for various content within Splinter Cell or saved for use in future Ubisoft titles.

On May 27, 2010, the sole official DLC map pack titled "The Insurgency Pack" was released. This package added four new Deniable Ops levels and introduced nine Achievements totaling 250 Gamerscore points.

Multiplayer Beta for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier

On April 19, 2012, a closed multiplayer beta for the forthcoming title in the Ghost Recon franchise was launched. Access was granted to Xbox 360 users who owned Splinter Cell: Conviction, as well as to those who preordered the game through GameStop or were members of PlayStation Plus.

Soundtrack

Official Soundtrack

On April 13, 2010, Ubisoft Music collaborated with composers Michael Nielsen and Kaveh Cohen to release a 16-track official soundtrack for Splinter Cell: Conviction, available exclusively on iTunes.

Included in the Limited Collector's Edition of Splinter Cell: Conviction was a physical CD of the "Original Soundtrack" by Nielsen and Cohen. This edition featured a track composed and produced by Amon Tobin, known for his previous work on the soundtrack of Chaos Theory. The CD and its packaging did not contain a track listing; however, on April 18, 2010, Nielsen shared the soundtrack details on his Myspace profile.

Following the release, on April 20, 2010, Amon Tobin's official website published an update announcing the availability of most of his contributions to the Splinter Cell: Conviction score.

Reception

Critical reception

Splinter Cell: Conviction was met with generally positive reviews from critics, as aggregated by the review compilation website Metacritic.

Alec Meer of IGN awarded the game a 9.3 out of 10 and honored it with an "Editor's Choice Award." Tim Ingham from Edge rated the title 8 out of 10 in a feature review, describing it as "within striking distance of greatness." He particularly admired how Sam Fisher could transform any setting into "torture chambers" with a simple button press. However, he noted drawbacks such as the game's brief duration and the extensive use of monochrome visuals.

Kevin Van Ord from GameSpot gave the Xbox 360 version an 8 out of 10, commending the cooperative gameplay and narrative, yet criticizing the game's short length, reduced stealth mechanics, and the interrogation sequences, which he felt were a "missed opportunity" and tended to be "more predictable than provocative." GameTrailers rated it 8.9 out of 10, praising the "exceptional voice acting" and calling Conviction a compelling new installment in the Splinter Cell franchise. Similarly, Game Informer scored it 9 out of 10, while GamePro awarded a perfect 5 out of 5.

The PC version experienced a somewhat less favorable response. Kevin Van Ord of GameSpot rated it 6.5 out of 10, highlighting issues such as bugs, absent features, connectivity problems, and a higher-than-average price point for a PC release. Meanwhile, PC Gamer UK gave it an 87 out of 100 but cautioned against purchasing due to problematic DRM implementation.

At the 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Splinter Cell: Conviction for the "Outstanding Achievement in Animation" category.

Sales

In April 2010, Splinter Cell: Conviction achieved the highest sales in the United States, with 486,000 copies sold, securing its position as the top-selling game for that month.

By mid-2010, specifically July, the title had reached a total of 1.9 million units sold.

External links

• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction featured on MobyGames