Things have changed for Sam Fisher since 2010's Splinter Cell Conviction. No longer on the run - or at least, not in quite the same way - the E3 reveal trailer for Splinter Cell Blacklist shows him in charge of Third... er, Fourth Echelon, along with a cast of returning characters. Not returning, however, is Michael Ironside, the voice actor who has played Sam since the first game in the series.
Ubisoft have put out a video introducing new actor Eric Johnson and explaining the reasoning behind the change. It's worth a watch, if only to see what it looks like when Michael Ironside's voice comes out of an actual human being. Check it out below.
The six minutes of in-game footage put out during yesterday's Microsoft E3 conference show a game that seems a little wider in scope than Conviction, but retains a few of that game's quirks: particularly an enthusiasm for wince-inducing interrogation sequences. Mark and execute also makes as return, albeit in a refined, more fluid form. Sam still aparrently needs to break something's neck before he's capable of executing a series of snap headshots, a facet of his personality that I still don't really understand. Does shearing someone's vertebrae help him focus?
According to the presentation there'll be a new co-op campaign - one of Conviction's stand-out features - as well as Mercs vs. Spies competitive play. Sam also has a crossbow gadget now, because, well, bows.
What's your take on the new Sam Fisher, readers?