Splinter Cell: Blacklist's co-op mode 'integrates almost every Splinter Cell' game

The co-op mode of Ubisoft's upcoming stealth game, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist, integrates elements of "almost every Splinter Cell game" into the one mode, according to co-op lead game designer, Richard Lee Carrillo.

Speaking to Polygon, Carrillo said the mode supports three main play-styles, each taken from previous Splinter Cell games. There's the Ghost-type play-style, which Carrillo describes as the "old school" method of relying heavily on stealth. There's the Panther variety, which is inspired by the gameplay from Splinter Cell: Conviction, where players focus on a plan-execute-vanish style of play. There's also support for more action-oriented players who prefer to run and gun.

According to Carrillo, all 16 maps in Blacklist's co-op mode support at least two styles of play. For example, in a map titled Missile Plant, players can't be detected, or else the mission will be aborted, but they can't kill anyone in the missile base, either.

"Players can 'ghost' through every level — even the daylight maps."

"So the run and gun players will find this map a little more challenge, but still fun," Carrillo said. "We've tuned it to be really exciting and to give players tons of options, so even run and gun players can kind of find their way through it, even if those areas better support Ghost and Panther players."

Carrillo says the co-op maps are, at their core, Splinter Cell maps, which is shown in the fact that players can "ghost" through every level — even the daylight maps.

"We wanted to prove once and for all that all our daylight maps can be ghosted, so as you go through it, there are a few shadows to cling to. You have to break the enemy's line of sight, you have to use gadgets to distract them and you have to watch each other's backs."

Splinter Cell: Blacklist is due to release on the Wii U, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows PC in North America on Aug. 20.