Blacklist is the last released title in the iconic Splinter Cell series. Albeit the game being released back in 2013, it still holds up quite well in 2025. If you're a fan of stealth, this game is definitely going to scratch that itch for you.

• Time played: 64 hours
  
• Difficulty played on (Easy, Normal, Realistic, Perfectionist): Completed the campaign and all side missions on Realistic, then replayed the campaign on Perfectionist for its achievement, twice.
  
• Achievements unlocked: 28 / 28

• There are three playstyles you can adopt in your approach to completing each mission: Ghost, Panther, and Assault. Ghost is the staple approach for the series. Even that can be taken a notch higher by not only playing non-lethal and not raising the alarm, but also leaving hostiles completely undisturbed; a true Ghost. With Panther, you stalk and kill enemies silently. With Assault, you play loud and kill tangos in open combat.
  https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3596699451
  
  
• The campaign is fleshed out and of average length. It offers a lot without overstaying its welcome. The game's antagonist is a hidden gem in the world of villains; his genius is reminsiscent of Hans Gruber of Die Hard.
  
  
• There are three types of side missions: Grim's, Charlie's and Cobin's. Three missions from each NPC make a total of nine. Add the 12 missions in the campaign (including the introduction) and you have plenty of content to keep you busy. The different playstyles make replaying the campaign and side missions fun, adding replayability value.
  
  
• There's upgrades for your HQ and a shop to purchase and customize weapons, operational suits and gadgets. There are exclusive suits that are made available only after you complete the side missions at least once. The game rewards your efforts well.

• Superb quality even by 2025 standards.
  
• Voice acting is AAA. Ubisoft does that bit well at least. It's not easy portraying an iconic character such as Sam Fisher. The new-at-the-time talent nailed it though. Notable mention goes to Kobin's voice actor as well.
  
• Background music goes hand in hand with your playstyle: almost silent with Ghost, suspensful with Panther, and crecsendos with Assault. It's very tastefully done.
  
• The short cutscenes are action-packed and almost cinematic level.
  https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3594368449
  The screenshots don't do the game justice.

• The whole game (except for the choice of targeted enemy and the cons below) can be listed in this section.
  
• The enemy AI is not a dummy and will aggressively search for you once the alarm is raised. If spotted, you'll be targeted, flanked and neutralized in less than a minute unless you relocate and hide. It's done so well that it reminds me of another smart enemy AI: F.E.A.R. The only issue I have with this AI is that although you've been exposed, the enemy will lose interest in you in about 2 minutes if you're last spotted in an unreachable place. That's just lazy code-writing.

1. Ubisoft being Ubisoft removed the co-op components of the game for no valid reason whatsoever. That's an issue because there was a whole mode called Spies vs Mercs , which is no longer available unless you're ready to tinker with mods (I'm not). Another set of side missions from NPC Briggs were co-op only, so those are unavailable as well.

2. The game still has a DRM that forces it to shut every 30 minutes. Although it's turned into a completely single player game, it still has this so-called protection which Ubisoft in its eternal wisdom has not addressed.

3. The Deluxe Edition (including the Homeland DLC) is no longer available on the Steam store for some unexplained reason. This denies us players from two side missions: Dead Coast & Billionaire's Yacht (the fourth mission from Grimm and Briggs, respectively) and locks up a weapon, some suits and gadgets.

4. The somewhat elite suits and weapons tied to the defunct uPlay Points are locked and cannot be obtained, even though if you check the Blacklist page in your Ubisoft launcher, they appear as unlocked.
https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3596826344

Yes. I already had Blacklist on the Ubisoft launcher from years ago, had completed it there at least three times (including the now defunct missions), and still got it here on Steam when I happened to see it on deep sale. There's no other game that comes even close to how masterful stealth is done in Splinter Cell.

The graphics, voice acting, sound effects, background music and most importantly gameplay are all top notch. This is by far the most polished and versatile Splinter Cell title to date.

• Total: 28
  
• All the co-op only achievements have been removed, so 100% the game is still doable. I did it on Steam today.
  
• Most achievements are straightforward and none are missable.
  
• You might need to play the campaign twice, once on Realistic difficulty, then on Perfectionist. Each has its own achievement.
  
• Note that you need to reset the story from the ingame menu after you're done with the campaign on Realistic, then choose Perfectionist and start another playthrough. Changing the difficulty to Perfectionist without resetting the campaign won't pop the achievemnt for completion even when you're done. All progress, unlocks and the campaign must be reset first. I learned that the hard way!
  
• +1 Perfect Game? Yes

Recommended.

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Although not said outright, this game presents throughout its campaign a certain religious group as the enemy. Sadly the underlying bigotry is there in Blacklist no matter how shown but not said it's done.

The game went as far as to portray a person of that religion who is a British citizen and works for MI6 -with security clearance- as untrustworthy and a double agent whose loyalty is with the enemy. The message being even the 'good ones' aren't to be trusted.

Traditionally, it used to be the Soviet Union that was the big bad wolf in games then the focus shifted. First it was the Nazis, then Communists, then for a brief stint Charlie (Vietcong), then the War on Drugs (so anyone in Latin America), then Islam (so anyone in the Middle East), then China.

This appaling hatred towards others might make more sense when you remember that America always needs an enemy to project its populations fears onto. How else could they possibly justify the wars and the killings?

I know this is a game review and I've done that part. I also realize that games affect us subconsciously the same way books we read and films we watch do, so it's worthy warning against underlying messages of hate. The world has enough of that already. I had to put that thought to rest to be able to buy and complete this game.

If you feel this is untrue, then ask yourself why aren't there any games about Gaza or Palestine in general? It's been happening since the 1920s. The recent war/genocide has been going on for two years already and nothing has changed even after the ceasefire. [31.Oct.2025]. More food for thought: What's the last game you played about what happened in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s? Srebrenica, to be exact? Your mind just drew a blank because there's no such game. Why?

All I'm saying is don't fall for the veiled hatred some games push with their narratives.