Splinter Cell Dev: Blacklist Has 'More Realism' Than Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes

NowGamer: Splinter Cell's cinematic director has spoken to NowGamer about the differences between Blacklist and Ground Zeroes, explaining "I see it as [for] a much different audience. With our realism pillar, all of the story elements we have in Splinter Cell are much more 'current events', stuff you’d see in the news."

[Nyxus]

He is right, the series are very different and while in the same genre, have a very different way of approaching it.

[skyward]

In terms of stealth and action the series' have similarities - but it sounds like Ubi thinks they have the more mature game, rather than Kojima's sprawling, anime-inspired soap opera...

[Irishguy95]

Quality > realistic

+ only 4 was a soap opera

[Ace_Pheonix]

However, Kojima makes his games exactly how they should be. I wouldn't want them any other way.

[GenericNameHere]

@Irishguy95
It you thought MGS4 was a "soap opera", I don't know what you call MGS3.

[ShinMaster]

Any MGS > new SC games.
Chaos Theory HD > new SC games.

Also, MGS is Sci-Fi and doesn't try to be realistic. So what kind of pointless article is this??

Lame.

[Sarcasm]

I wouldn't call Splinter Cell realistic...

[vulcanproject]

Meh. These aren't stealth 'sims'. Being the most realistic Is hardly a vital aspect of this sort of game. Telling a great story maybe, being a lot of fun definitely. Realism? Not at all.

[snipes101]

I don't see how people don't find all of the overblown, melodrama that perforates every MGS game soap operatic.

[morganfell]

SC is more mature? Do you think mature = simple? I say simple without an ounce of dislike as I enjoy SC titles but in the end they are rather straightforward uncomplicated affairs. MGS titles involve very complex storylines dealing with expansive socio-economic and political issues and question a great many accepted everyday beliefs. MGS titles engender the sort of more meaningful questions concerning the way we act as individuals and nations that are never asked in most games. They hint to us to think about what we see everyday and whether or not what we perceive is true and what we have is really freedom.

Anyone that believes MGS titles aren't more mature simply because they have a stronger science fiction element hasn't made it out of the 3rd grade.

[MariaHelFutura]

The imagination always trumps reality. Reality has to adhere to rules, the imagination does not. Which in the end makes for better games and movies, art in general really.

[wishingW3L]

The new Batman trilogy should prove you wrong. Imagination with no control or rules doesn't make for a great experience from a story-line point of view and that's why Metal Gear works and exactly why Naruto sucks so much now.

Even an anime as crazy as One Piece maintains great consistency compared to some stupid crap like PS3's Neptunia.

[gintoki777]

Aren't games supposed to be not realistic so you can do things you wouldn't be able to do realistically. I rather have Kojima's cyborg ninjas and metal gears than splinter cell that is 10x cooler (in my opinion) than current events. Oh and btw Blacklist looks and plays similar to Assassin's creed.

[Syntax-Error]

I still think Chaos theory was the best Splinter Cell. Graphically it was better too. Conviction was the ugliest SC in the series and turned me off. This doesn't look that much different. I will buy this game, but it will definitely be a used copy. There's no way I am supporting their decision on this title. No Ironside and no graphical upgrades equal no full retail purchase. Fuck You UbiSoft. Assassins Creed 3 is the only day one you'll get from me. PS-Ghost Recon:FS sucks and you've destroyed Rainbow Six

[Tetsujin]

How about playing both games? Both are good in their own merit; just because one is "hyped" as realistic doesn't always mean it's an overall better game.

[SilentNegotiator]

Mechanical WMDs, ninjas and vampires, clones, etc
is less realistic than
Terrorists, assassinations, conspiracy, etc?!?!

No s***, Sherlock.
Who would argue otherwise about MGS being a more science-fiction type of game?

[Jihaad_cpt]

apparently there is one person. Lol

[shutUpAndTakeMyMoney]

If they had both of them next to each other and I had to choose a game kojima would be $60 richer. MGS actually look refreshing and not just some action hybrid for the masses who need to be pumped all the time. If they made it only for xbox I really wouldn't care. Conviction is good but to much hand holding so I can't imagine the next more casual version of splinter cell. Also MGS graphics destroy what I have seen ubi come up with.

Kojima makes the game he wants and ubi more interested in expanding to casuals.

Kojima never changes thank god.

[showtimefolks]

Yeh right UBI keep making the games were you can press one button to get kills

Tag and kill a very stupid gameplay choice

I take MGS over splinter cell any day

[xtremeimport]

when was metal gear ever about realism?
lol silly argument trying to make you game look better than one of the best series in gaming.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

lol Exactly.

At first I was like what do they mean by realism? gameplay? story? both?

I read the article and it was about the story which holds no water whatsoever. Metal Gear's story was never realistic to begin with, yet it's one of THE best gaming franchises of all time. Every single MGS game made by Kojima is a masterpiece.

[Abdou23]

Video games aren't about realism, it's about FUN. MGS series are one of the most amazing series of all times. whilst Splinter Cell 1-3 was just a rip-off and SC:Conviction can't even be called a game.

[Mounce]

Yea, it's like.... It's more realistic, so WHAT?

Realistic doesn't make it a better game. Is ARMA better than Metal Gear Solid too? Or is it since ARMA is the most realistic of a FPS at that, that it defines or implies it's superior? To me, I like the Sci-fi, the jokes, the parodies, the great story. Splinter Cell has great moments especially with Chaos Theory, but it's mostly male Chest-puff that you can find in most other games, the 'World' isn't as Beautiful as MG's universe. Splinter Cell might as well be compared to Jack Bauer in '24'.

[iamnsuperman]

I just wish Splinter Cell went back to what is was.

[dirthurts]

Those were the golden days my friend.
Alas, they are gone, at least for a while.

[HammadTheBeast]

I think Double Agent was a great balance between stealth and action. Also, it looked amazing.

[Campy da Camper]

Agreed. I just finished playing the HD Chaos Theory and Pandora Tomorrow games and I had forgotten how much fun they actually were. The epitome of stealth. I even downloaded Double Agent and as it had some frame rate issues, was still a pretty cool game.

Ubisoft has simply destroyed the franchise with the last installment. Auto takedowns, almost run and gun style play....pisses me off.

I PRAY TO GOD the New Rainbow Six has not been "modernized". I cut my teeth on multiplayer Black Arrow and Vegas. I really havn't gotten into mp as much since the old days of spy vs merchs and the Rainbow games. Cod4 was great and WoW, but after MW started with all the killstreaks and whatnot I simply left mp gaming.

[cpayne93]

Judging by what happened to the recent ghost recon, I expect the new rainbow six will follow a similar path. Less strategy, more run and gun. Game which had large learning curves are starting to get more and more uncommon.

[FarCryLover182]

I remember when EA was trying to buy Ubisoft back in like 2004 or 2005, whenever it was... and I was worried as to what they'd do with the Splinter Cell brand... Little did I know, I should have been worried about what UBISOFT would do.

[Walker]

Right, The story behind the MGS Series destroy everything .

[ALLWRONG]

No one understands the MGS story

[Campy da Camper]

Who cares? The game play is so addictive I don't care if Snake is chasing Pokemon.

[shenpo_shin]

if your r an idiot its not our fault and stop trying finding excuses to deffend splinter cell

it WILL NEVER surpass the overall quality and sales and fans mgs has just deal with it.

and oO nobody cares about blacklist
while ground zeroes you already know its gonna be a mega hit and probably best game of the year with mutliple awards in its pockets easily.

blacklist will sale lets say around 300k MAX 700 nothing more nothing less while MGS:GS is already a 5-6mil easily

[hennessey86]

Splinter cell
Is no more, they need to rename this game or just call it blacklist. The original actor is no longer being used and for any fan he is Sam fisher.

[FarCryLover182]

This is true, but even if Michael Ironside was in it, it still wouldn't be Splinter Cell. ConViction was the death of the franchise.

[Cam977]

I am no longer a Splinter Cell fan. Why? I saw the gameplay of Blacklist.

[WeskerChildReborned]

Looking forward to both games.

[FarCryLover182]

Shouldn't you have no longer been a Splinter Cell fan when you saw the gameplay of COnviction???

[Cam977]

I haven't looked at it as I have no Xbox.

[Chrono]

Realism is always better?

[TopDudeMan]

Check the link for an amusing smosh video on the subject

Related video

[jaymart2k]

Just ask the GTA 4 devs, oh wait

[MysticStrummer]

Yeah I'm sure they're really second guessing themselves after GTA4 was the highest rated of the series and sold over 22 million copies. What a failure it was... smh

[JoySticksFTW]

Who cares about GTA IV sales?

It was a downgrade from San Andreas in the most important aspect... fun

BoGT dlc was great because it injected some fun into boring GTA IV

[cpayne93]

Usually it isn't. That's why this gen hasn't been as good as the past two imo.

[Ashriel]

Well it's always been like that. Splinter Cell has always been less science fiction and more "current events".

[ChronoJoe]

Well MGS is in a borderline fantasy world with plenty of made up technologies and so forth. So no sh*t. I don't think Metal Gear was going for realism... ever... lol

[FlairSomewhere]

Ubisoft: "In our game, we don't have second generation psychics being controlled through a dead war hero super soldier dominant gene-only clone's severed arm"

...good to know.

[josephayal]

Bad news for mr kojima

[Nyxus]

Not really...

[a_bro]

-_- go watch the ground zeroes trailer again, then come back to me with this bad news comment. Kojima probably read this article and laughed like crazy...

[godofboobees]

I did lolololololol

[MariaHelFutura]

You mean this article is good news to you.

[BlaqMagiq24]

If Mr. Kojima actually cared

[Stoppokingme]

Screw blacklist!

I'd prefer a HD remake of chaos theory, at least they can't screw that up like they did with the last two games.

Besides, Michael Ironside IS Sam fisher, his departure will be the death knell of the series.

[Aeon]

Haven't they already released a HD remake of the first three games? Think it might've been PS3 only though, but yeah I agree, it isn't Sam Fisher anymore, they really should've just made him into a different character.

[ElitaStorm]

Screw realism

- do i really need realism when i have fun playing a game that i like?

No, realism is not the answer

[dorron]

More real or not, MGS:GZ will clearly be the better game.

[TopDudeMan]

How can they know that?

[RivetCityGhoul]

because its a fact MGS is more pseudo-future. blacklist is more in the times. doesn't mean blacklist is better though.

[fossilfern]

He would of been right if he was comparing Chaos Theory to earlier MGS titles but looking at Blacklist and looking at Ground Zeros the tables have turned.

[Dmd]

Of course it does, MGS was never ever about realism! Hint for the next flamatory headline: Mortal Kombat has more blood than Street Fighter!

[kopicha]

Splinter Cell attempt to insult MGS.... gosh they have no freaking idea what are they talking....

[Obnoxious_Informer]

Obvious dev is obvious

[GamerElite]

That may be so, but MGS games were always more popular and sold more than SC.

[leahcim]

HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA

[B-radical]

I disagree, it's a very good game, but I think Donkey Kong is the best game ever.............donkey kong sucks!

[Saturne3]

That´s what almost always been expect for that thing that takes out every single enemy in a room by pressing a single button to tag the targets.

[nofallouthero]

the game where a 50 year old man can run towards six people and stab them in the neck without any of them noticing is more realistic. hahahahahhahaha my sides

[ChunkyLover53]

That is a weird comparison in my opinion, there are actually ops people like in Splinter Cell though, so I'd have to say that I agree with that statement. Metal Gear is still fun though, but can get a little far out with all the cyborgs and whatnot.

[Donnywho]

I'd buy that for a dollar with a .99 cent rebate

[sdplisken]

ive played the original 3 splinter cell games, they were pretty good, but please do not compare them to the best franchise in gaming

[xPhearR3dx]

I wouldn't say MGS is the best franchise in gaming. It's ONE of the best, but not the best.

[KingOptimusOrigin111]

This is exactly why I don't support Splinter Cell because the developers seem to have lost their ways but when MGS Ground Zeroes its going to 1,000,000 times better than Blacklist.

[KingOptimusOrigin111]

I meant when it releases its going to 1,000,000 times better than Blacklist.

[fitfox]

I used to be a HUGE Splinter Cell Fan, Then i found Metal Gear.

[gamepard]

Even if the gameplay of SC game looks in the eyes of average game more realistic than MGS the truth is the exact opposite..MGS has million details and factors that are present in battlefield...emotions, weapons usage, physical wear (hunger ,various psychological factors that decrease your eficience etc etc),realistic scientific concepts that would appear in the future ...In SC you have an american super hero that is just a killing machine for his enemies without any dose of remorse for human life (MGS awards you for no killing gameplay)conected with dull scenario easily acceptable for teen players

[shenpo_shin]

haha lol ubisoft or whatever is doing this....dont expect more players ESPECIALLY after saying this.

Metal Gear was-is-will remain the best of the two...in sales and ofc the overall package and oO big boss-snake--->fisher

[Braid]

How do they even know? We have almost zero footage regarding gameplay... All they have shown so far is a cutscene and a tiny glimpse of vehicles, nothing else. And yet they conclude that their game is more "realistic" compared to what, a two minute vehicle showcase?

[KillerPwned]

Don't care what game is most realistic I love both series....Only thing I gotta say is Splinter Cell seems like it has gone down hill a tiny bit still love it though. But with Blacklist this game looks like its up to par with Chaos Theory.