<s>
Tom	B-Application
Clancy	I-Application
's	I-Application
Splinter	I-Application
Cell	I-Application
:	I-Application
Blacklist	I-Application
is	O
an	O
action-adventure	O
stealth	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Ubisoft	O
Toronto	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Ubisoft	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
seventh	O
installment	O
of	O
the	O
Tom	B-Application
Clancy	I-Application
's	I-Application
Splinter	I-Application
Cell	I-Application
series	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
Splinter	B-Application
Cell	I-Application
:	I-Application
Conviction	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Blacklist	O
marks	O
the	O
return	O
of	O
the	O
asymmetrical	O
multiplayer	O
mode	O
Spies	O
vs.	O
Mercs	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
introduced	O
in	O
Pandora	B-Application
Tomorrow	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
directed	O
by	O
Maxime	O
Béland	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
worked	O
on	O
Conviction	B-Application
,	O
and	O
produced	O
by	O
Jade	O
Raymond	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
endeavors	O
to	O
combine	O
elements	O
of	O
its	O
predecessors	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
action	O
focus	O
of	O
Conviction	B-Application
and	O
the	O
stealth	O
focus	O
of	O
the	O
older	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
later-announced	O
Wii	B-Device
U	I-Device
version	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Ubisoft	O
Shanghai	O
,	O
which	O
also	O
developed	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
multiplayer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Announced	O
at	O
E3	O
2012	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
worldwide	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
,	O
Wii	B-Device
U	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
in	O
August	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
Blacklist	O
intended	O
to	O
continue	O
the	O
"	O
aggressive	O
stealth	O
"	O
of	O
Conviction	B-Application
while	O
retaining	O
the	O
traditional	O
stealth	O
features	O
of	O
the	O
older	O
games	O
,	O
it	O
combines	O
action	O
and	O
stealth	O
,	O
and	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
use	O
different	O
approaches	O
and	O
methods	O
to	O
complete	O
objectives	O
and	O
defeat	O
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Conviction	B-Application
mark-and-execute	O
system	O
returns	O
in	O
Blacklist	O
,	O
with	O
refinements	O
and	O
additions	O
to	O
allow	O
players	O
to	O
mark	O
several	O
targets	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
the	O
game	O
has	O
interrogation	O
sequences	O
involving	O
questioning	O
(	O
or	O
torturing	O
)	O
targets	O
,	O
it	O
does	O
not	O
feature	O
Conviction	B-Application
interactive	O
torture	O
scenes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Blacklist	O
has	O
platform-specific	O
features	O
,	O
including	O
voice	O
integration	O
with	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
's	O
Kinect	O
peripheral	O
which	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
distract	O
enemies	O
before	O
attacking	O
them	O
or	O
to	O
call	O
in	O
an	O
air	O
strike	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
Wii	B-Device
U	I-Device
version	O
,	O
the	O
Gamepad	O
controller	O
's	O
touchscreen	O
is	O
an	O
interface	O
,	O
accessing	O
gadgets	O
and	O
other	O
features	O
from	O
the	O
protagonist	O
's	O
arm-mounted	O
computer	O
(	O
OPSAT	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
incorporating	O
screen	O
and	O
motion	O
controls	O
to	O
highlight	O
enemies	O
with	O
thermal	O
vision	O
when	O
using	O
Killing	O
in	O
Motion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Wii	B-Device
U	I-Device
version	O
was	O
not	O
shipped	O
with	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
cooperative	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
"	O
Spies	O
vs.	O
Mercs	O
"	O
competitive	O
mode	O
introduced	O
in	O
Pandora	B-Application
Tomorrow	I-Application
again	O
appears	O
in	O
Blacklist	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
supporting	O
characters	O
from	O
Conviction	B-Application
reappear	O
,	O
including	O
Victor	O
Coste	O
(	O
Howard	O
Siegel	O
)	O
,	O
Patricia	O
Caldwell	O
(	O
Mimi	O
Kuzyk	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
Andriy	O
Kobin	O
(	O
Elias	O
Toufexis	O
)	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
interactive	O
telephone	O
conversations	O
with	O
Sarah	O
Fisher	O
(	O
Victoria	O
Sanchez	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
years	O
after	O
Third	B-Application
Echelon	I-Application
is	I-Application
dissolved	I-Application
,	O
Sam	O
Fisher	O
takes	O
up	O
work	O
as	O
a	O
contractor	O
for	O
Paladin	O
9	O
Security	O
–	O
a	O
private	O
military	O
company	O
run	O
by	O
his	O
friend	O
Victor	O
Coste	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sam	O
,	O
disguised	O
as	O
a	O
hostage	O
,	O
helps	O
Delta	B-Application
Force	I-Application
snipers	O
to	O
take	O
down	O
Sadiq	O
's	O
men	O
,	O
before	O
incapacitating	O
Sadiq	O
after	O
a	O
fight	O
,	O
as	O
he	O
tries	O
to	O
escape	O
using	O
the	O
Paladin	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Grim	O
identifies	O
him	O
as	O
Mikhail	O
"	O
Kestrel	O
"	O
Loskov	O
and	O
Kobin	O
confirms	O
his	O
identity	O
,	O
noting	O
that	O
they	O
have	O
a	O
history	O
(	O
detailed	O
in	O
Conviction	B-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
worked	O
on	O
a	O
new	O
installment	O
of	O
the	O
Splinter	O
Cell	O
series	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
in	O
parallel	O
development	O
with	O
an	O
unnamed	O
project	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Toronto	O
team	O
was	O
made	O
up	O
of	O
Ubisoft	O
Montreal	O
's	O
core	O
Conviction	B-Application
team	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Maxime	O
Béland	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
worked	O
on	O
Conviction	B-Application
,	O
was	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
creative	O
director	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
November	O
2010	O
Raymond	O
confirmed	O
that	O
her	O
studio	O
was	O
developing	O
Splinter	B-Application
Cell	I-Application
6	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Toronto	O
studio	O
focused	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
Windows	O
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
versions	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
Wii	B-Device
U	I-Device
version	O
developed	O
by	O
Ubisoft	O
Shanghai	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2010	O
,	O
the	O
series	O
 '	O
fifth	O
installment	O
,	O
Conviction	B-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Béland	O
considered	O
Conviction	B-Application
a	O
"	O
stepping	O
stone	O
"	O
for	O
him	O
when	O
he	O
prepared	O
for	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Blacklist	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
development	O
team	O
studied	O
Conviction	B-Application
reviews	O
and	O
feature	O
lists	O
,	O
deciding	O
to	O
discard	O
its	O
"	O
black-and-white	O
"	O
stealth	O
approach	O
,	O
and	O
also	O
deciding	O
to	O
bring	O
back	O
the	O
Spies	O
vs.	O
Mercs	O
mode	O
introduced	O
in	O
Pandora	B-Application
Tomorrow	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Béland	O
called	O
the	O
mode	O
's	O
return	O
"	O
the	O
easiest	O
decision	O
of	O
 [ his ] 	O
life	O
"	O
,	O
since	O
the	O
team	O
considered	O
its	O
absence	O
Conviction	B-Application
greatest	O
misstep	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ubisoft	O
sent	O
questionnaires	O
through	O
Uplay	B-Operating_System
to	O
thousands	O
of	O
players	O
to	O
collect	O
feedback	O
on	O
Conviction	B-Application
new	O
features	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
players	O
called	O
Conviction	B-Application
campaign	O
weak	O
and	O
short	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
added	O
a	O
stronger	O
storyline	O
and	O
greater	O
character	O
depth	O
by	O
introducing	O
the	O
Fourth	O
Echelon	O
and	O
Fisher	O
as	O
a	O
leader	O
(	O
a	O
series	O
first	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Ubisoft	O
Toronto	O
founder	O
Jade	O
Raymond	O
,	O
the	O
series	O
had	O
become	O
too	O
grueling	O
and	O
complicated	O
for	O
modern	O
gamers	O
,	O
and	O
its	O
popularity	O
had	O
suffered	O
relative	O
to	O
Ubisoft	O
flagship	O
franchises	O
such	O
as	O
Assassin	B-Application
's	I-Application
Creed	I-Application
and	O
Far	O
Cry	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Game	O
director	O
Patrick	O
Redding	O
compared	O
it	O
to	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
an	O
ecosystem	O
;	O
the	O
team	O
designed	O
a	O
dynamic	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
which	O
would	O
react	O
differently	O
to	O
players	O
 '	O
actions	O
,	O
making	O
levels	O
feel	O
alive	O
and	O
adding	O
randomness	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Encouraging	O
the	O
"	O
panther	O
"	O
style	O
of	O
play	O
(	O
aggressive	O
stealth	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
incorporated	O
elements	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
Tom	B-Application
Clancy	I-Application
's	I-Application
Splinter	I-Application
Cell	I-Application
(	O
where	O
one	O
mistake	O
would	O
abort	O
a	O
mission	O
)	O
and	O
Conviction	B-Application
(	O
where	O
stealth	O
seamlessly	O
becomes	O
combat	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Elias	O
Toufexis	O
,	O
voice	O
and	O
performance-capture	O
actor	O
for	O
Andriy	O
Kobin	O
in	O
Splinter	B-Application
Cell	I-Application
:	I-Application
Conviction	I-Application
,	O
said	O
that	O
he	O
would	O
return	O
for	O
the	O
new	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
Conviction	B-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
have	O
no	O
interactive	O
torture	O
sequences	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Splinter	B-Application
Cell	I-Application
:	I-Application
Blacklist	I-Application
was	O
introduced	O
at	O
E3	O
2012	O
's	O
Microsoft	O
press	O
conference	O
on	O
June	O
4	O
,	O
2012	O
,	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
February	O
2013	O
,	O
a	O
Wii	B-Device
U	I-Device
version	O
was	O
rumored	O
to	O
be	O
in	O
development	O
,	O
and	O
Ubisoft	O
confirmed	O
the	O
report	O
two	O
months	O
later	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Splinter	B-Application
Cell	I-Application
:	I-Application
Blacklist	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
August	O
20	O
and	O
in	O
Europe	O
three	O
days	O
later	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
,	O
Wii	B-Device
U	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Splinter	B-Application
Cell	I-Application
:	I-Application
Blacklist	I-Application
-	O
Spider	O
Bot	O
,	O
a	O
2D	O
puzzle	O
game	O
tie-in	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
Android	O
and	O
iOS	O
platforms	O
on	O
June	O
10	O
,	O
2013	O
and	O
is	O
available	O
on	O
Google	O
Play	O
and	O
the	O
App	O
Store	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Homeland	O
,	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
for	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
September	O
26	O
,	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
Joystiq	O
's	O
Mike	O
Schramm	O
praised	O
Blacklist	O
early	O
screenshots	O
and	O
videos	O
for	O
removing	O
Conviction	B-Application
monochromatic	O
visuals	O
,	O
its	O
new	O
voice	O
actor	O
was	O
not	O
received	O
well	O
by	O
some	O
fans	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tom	B-Application
Clancy	I-Application
's	I-Application
Splinter	I-Application
Cell	I-Application
:	I-Application
Blacklist	I-Application
received	O
positive	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
website	O
Metacritic	O
rated	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
version	O
84	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
,	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
82	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
,	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
82	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Wii	B-Device
U	I-Device
version	O
75	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ryan	O
McCaffrey	O
of	O
IGN	O
praised	O
the	O
gameplay	O
's	O
variety	O
and	O
player	O
options	O
,	O
which	O
he	O
thought	O
made	O
Blacklist	O
the	O
best	O
installment	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
since	O
Tom	B-Application
Clancy	I-Application
's	I-Application
Splinter	I-Application
Cell	I-Application
:	I-Application
Chaos	I-Application
Theory	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tom	O
Bramwell	O
of	O
Eurogamer	O
disliked	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
direction	O
,	O
particularly	O
its	O
action	O
elements	O
(	O
which	O
he	O
compared	O
to	O
2012	O
's	O
Hitman	B-Application
:	I-Application
Absolution	I-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ubisoft	O
hoped	O
that	O
Tom	B-Application
Clancy	I-Application
's	I-Application
Splinter	I-Application
Cell	I-Application
:	I-Application
Blacklist	I-Application
would	O
sell	O
at	O
least	O
five	O
million	O
copies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
debuted	O
at	O
number	O
two	O
on	O
the	O
UK	O
retail	O
software	O
sales	O
chart	O
in	O
its	O
first	O
week	O
of	O
release	O
,	O
behind	O
Saints	B-Application
Row	I-Application
IV	I-Application
.	O
</s>
