The Splinter Cell series is one that has long been reliant on the stealth gameplay mechanic. From what I saw of Splinter Cell: Conviction at E3, this isn’t going to change too much. Although players will have the option to just tear shit up, it will make the game much harder, and covertness is definitely encouraged. That makes GameStop’s pre-order bonus for Conviction, an in-game semi-automatic shotgun, a bit confusing. According to the retailer’s website, “If you prefer the rugged sophistication of a manual shotgun, but also enjoy the convenience of an automatic, then this is the shotgun for you! Available for online and in-store customers while supplies last.”

I do prefer the convenience of automatic guns in video games, but uh, won’t that kind of take away from the whole stealth thing? Of course, this will be good for people like me, who have absolutely zero patience. My early impressions of Conviction were that it looks amazing, but I know it’s only going to be a few missions until I get tired of sneaking around and just start firing wildly, hoping for the best. That’s a perfectly valid gameplay strategy, right?

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