“Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist,” a fast-paced stealth action game developed by the Ubisoft Toronto studio and issued in 2013, is the reward for the success of its “Splinter Cell” franchise. Known for its tricky gameplay, strategy, and good storyline, the title was released on a number of platforms, each with some variation in user experience. The review attempts to cover Blacklist on different platforms in terms of performance, features, and overall gameplay for the reader to have an informed decision.
Platforms Overview
“Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist” was made available on the following platforms:
PC (Steam and UPlay)
PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
Wii U
Each hardware varies in the set of feature it supports and the performance it provides, effectively setting the gaming experience. We now examine the individual platforms on criteria such as graphics, controls, performance, and other platform-specific features.
PC (Steam and UPlay)
Graphics and Performance:
The PC rendition of “Splinter Cell: Blacklist” is praised for its excellent graphics and the immense potential for customizations. The game can go up to 4K resolution, if your system permits. Textures are fine-tuned, lighting effects accurate, and environmental details rendered in tandem with high-end PC hardware.
Resolution and Detail:
The PC version boasts the best visual fidelity, offering options to customize the graphics according to one’s taste or hardware capacity: texture quality, shadows, and effects, among others. Owners of high-end graphics cards can enjoy the game at 4K resolution, thereby maximizing the level of detail provided plus player immersion.
Frame Rate:
High frame rates give a smooth and responsive gaming experience. It is additionally useful to those players who like to use their high-refresh-rate monitor.
Customization:
Some graphic options as well as key bindings and control sensitivity can all be modified to enhance performance. With such freedom of calculation, players can tailor-fit the experience to their liking.
Controls:
Keyboard and Mouse:
The PC version offers precise keyboard-mouse controls. However, control settings are open to customization, which means key binds can be rearranged, and sensitivities adjusted. Tactical gameplay and aiming choose this style over the others.
Gamepads:
Supported by different types of controllers, including the very popular Xbox and PlayStation controllers, the game offers a little variety to those who want to enjoy a nearly-console experience on PC.
Exclusive Features:
Modding:
PC platform allows for community-created mods which may mod the game in different ways. These mods may change the game cosmetically or modify gameplay.
Higher Fidelity:
Higher fidelity graphical options and resolutions make the PC the finest looking incarnation.
Technical Issues:
Optimization:
The game is generally well optimized but a few issue may come up with certain hardware configurations or driver compatibilities. These issues are addressed through updates and patches rolled out fairly regularly by Ubisoft.
System Requirements:
The players who wish to experience a full-fledged game should meet certain system requirements. For an enhanced experience, top-of-the-line GPU and CPU are recommended.
PlayStation 3
Graphics and Performance:
The PlayStation 3 version of “Splinter Cell: Blacklist” shows that the game performs well, with slightly inferior graphical fidelity than the PC version.
Resolution and Detail:
Running at 720p resolution is the standard setting of the game for the PS3. The PS3 graphic modes are not the sharpest when compared against the PC version, yet they still provide for high immersion, with well-designed environments and character models.
Frame Rate:
A generally stable frame rate of 30 is maintained, keeping the gameplay smooth, although it cannot be considered as smooth as that seen on higher frame rates on PC.”
Controls:
Dualshock 3 Controller:
The controls are a good match with function for Dualshock 3. Educationally it is rather nice in the sense that controls work exactly the way the new gamer has thought of them. There is precision with the thumbsticks for aiming, as in confidence with the movements themselves.
Exclusive Features:
Trophies:
In the PlayStation 3 version, there were a whole slew of trophies that players could attempt to unlock. These achievements are tied into the PlayStation Network and offer added challenges and rewards.
Technical Issues:
Performance-Occasional Variations:
There might be some frame drops from time to time or one or two graphical glitches, but these are very minor.
Xbox 360
Graphics and Performance:
Splinter Cell: Blacklist” for the Xbox 360 runs comparably to its PS3 counterpart with a few platform-specific differences.
Resolution and Details:
The Xbox360 version is also equally capable of keeping the games running smoothly at a 720p resolution. The crisp graphics engage the player visually by rendering every single detail.
Frame Rate:
A steady framerate at 30fps is maintained through the gameplay for smooth interaction.
Controls:
Xbox 360 Controller:
It uses a control scheme designed with the Xbox 360 controller in mind. The layout is user-friendly, and the analog sticks on the controller allow very precise control for both stealth and combat scenarios.
Exclusive Features:
Achievements:
Xbox 360 has several achievements,’ Far Cry 2 only was but for one that can be earned throughout the course of the game. These achievements are integrated into the Xbox Live system.
Technical Issues:
Performance Consistency:
There are very few issues with performance, though, at times, players might encounter graphical glitches.
Wii U
Graphics and Performance:
The Wii U version of Splinter Cell: Blacklist gives a different feeling than on other platforms since graphics and controls are a few differences amongst them.
Resolution and Detail:
The Wii U version runs at a lower resolution than the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 versions. The graphics are nice enough, just not very high detail as would be expected from more powerful platforms.
Frame Rate:
A solid 30 frames per second on all occasions fades to visual downgrade from almost the absence of greatness on all other platforms.
Controls:
Wii U GamePad:
Game utilized unique features of the Wii U GamePad, and through that, players interact with the touchscreen to manage inventory and several other tasks.
Pro Controller:
Even the traditional game modes involve using the Wii U Pro Controller. They were designed with very good controls, which happen to match very well with the game’s mechanics.