Splinter Cell Conviction changes things up with an entirely new approach to stealth, which will no doubt influence how similar games will use it from now on. Instead of the traditional slow pace of constantly sneaking and avoiding detection, the new Sam Fisher can adapt if things start to heat up. It's not to say that Conviction will be a straightforward action game, since getting through still requires a bit of planning, but players won't be forced to reload if things don't go exactly as they should. The E3 2009 presentation starts with Fisher roughing up a guy to get information out of him, which includes smashing his face into a urinal. As the informant breaks, so to speak, he reveals information that is illustrated using a black and white projection on the nearby walls, which emphasizes how the game will be taking a very cinematic approach to storytelling.


Once Sam has the information he needs, the game immediately transitions to the next part of the game. Locations and objectives are projected onto the environment, so there's no interruption from the action. Sam breaks off a piece of mirror from his car then immediately takes to the shadows to break into a guarded building. The stealth meter is shown using the environment, which changes to black and white except for key targets whenever Sam is sufficiently hidden. While there is still an emphasis on stealth and keeping to the shadows, Conviction is an action oriented game. Fischer can queue up moves ahead of time to take out multiple targets using a system called Mark and Execute. The number of moves that can be cued up depends on the type of weapon Sam is using and can include shooting out lights to disorient enemies. Sam can use the mirror he took off the car to peek underneath doors and plan out his attack.

As expected, Sam will be scaling walls and traveling along pipes to stay out of sight. There are also opportunities for him to use the environment to his advantage, like shooting a chandelier so that it drops on some unsuspecting guards. However, even a careful planner gets spotted once in a while. Conviction sticks to the action should Sam be discovered. He can run and hang off a balcony to get out of sight, leaving a silhouette of himself behind. This system is called "last known location," and as the name indicates, it represents the last spot the AI saw Fisher run to, which is where they'll be investigating and sending reinforcements, making it a fantastic tool for planning ambushes to take out reinforcements as they come.

Let's not overlook Sam's gadgets, which will compliment the stealth and gunplay. In the presentation, we were shown a toy called an EMP grenade, used to destroy all the lights within a radius to disorient and confuse the enemy. With the renewed emphasis on action, Conviction may become the stealth game that people who hate stealth games will want to play. We'll find out for sure soon enough, since Splinter Cell Conviction is scheduled to release this fall for the Xbox 360 and PC.