Ubisoft defends Splinter Cell series changes

All Ubisoft wants is for Splinter Cell fans to give emo-Fisher a chance. It seems reaction has been quite strong to Sam Fisher's new look and the departure from the light-and-shadow gameplay. 'Cause, you know, Splinter Cell without light and shadow is basically that other famous stealth action game (except you'd need to add a healthy dash of eccentric characters -- really eccentric characters). Speaking with GI.biz, Splinter Cell producer Mathieu Ferland says, "We've been working very closely with the fans from the beginning ... Their first reaction was, 'What's going on? Where's Sam?' And then they discovered these new possibilities, this new mechanic and they said, 'That looks awesome. I want to play it."

Ferland goes on to say that if the game doesn't do well that they'll go back to the darkness and shadows that Fisher called home for so many years. It looks like Conviction is trying to do for Splinter Cell what Blood Money did for Hitman, by making the controls less complex and more intuitive. The game is still expected to release later this year and we don't expect Sam Fisher to release a book of poetry before then.