In “Splinter Cell: Conviction,” Sam Fisher’s humanity is demolished, leaving nothing but an emotionally frail and agitated shell of a man. He lost his daughter. Everyone he trusted betrayed him. He’s teetering on the edge of madness, and his thirst for revenge is the only thing driving him.

“Conviction” follows Sam as he wrenches answers from those who have wronged him. His methods are brutal, often making Jack Bauer’s interrogations look like relaxing massages. Heads are smashed through urinals, hands are impaled by knives, and most people who exchange words with Fisher likely won’t talk again.

Artfully constructed flashback sequences bring Sam’s darkest days into full frame, giving the hunt ahead a twisted sense of justification. The plot races forward with the urgency of a Jason Bourne film and skirts most of the cliches associated with revenge stories. Who Sam ends up hunting is a twist I didn’t see coming. This development is an eye-roller, but it gives a concrete and satisfying conclusion to Sam’s story. The last act, and the means with which Sam handles a high-ranking official, are worthy of a fist-pump.

With the story transitioning seamlessly from a tale of revenge to one of hope, the gameplay also takes on a new identity. “Conviction” is not a slow-moving stealth game, nor is it a fast-paced shooter. Ubisoft finds the happy medium. With solid gunplay and intuitive movement at your fingertips, “Conviction” offers the best of both worlds. I didn’t feel like I was railroaded into using one or the other I approached combat the way I wanted to.

The game’s sense of urgency spills over into the stealth mechanics. I rarely found myself sitting in one spot waiting for a guard to turn his back to me. The level designs embrace player choice in how you traverse environments as well. Walls can be ascended with the grace of Ezio from “Assassin’s Creed,” and a sprinting slide maneuver can quickly lower you from an enemy’s line of sight should you need to cover a large distance in a single effort.

Gunplay is highlighted by Sam’s new “mark and execute” ability, which uses cinematic slow motion to frame the brain-bursting shots. When this move is used, Sam quickly chains together a series of silent headshots. I used this ability religiously to make short work of small pockets of enemies.

“Conviction’s” only glaring oddity is the logic that enemies exhibit. They empty clips and toss grenades with the best of gaming’s foes, yet are overly vocal in their pursuit of you. These “Chatty Cathys” yell taunts so frequently that you’re always sure of their location. I don’t know about you, but if I spotted one of the world’s greatest killers I wouldn’t antagonize him. They feel more like Dr. Evil henchmen than believable adversaries.

I also have mixed feelings on “Conviction’s” stylistic visuals. I love how mission objectives and memory sequences are projected on the game world, but the transitions to black and white — an effect used to tell the player they are hidden from enemy sight — are jarring. I know Ubisoft’s intent was to reduce the reliance on the HUD, but I’d much rather look at a stealth meter than have the game’s gorgeous visuals fade to shades of gray.

“Conviction’s” single-player campaign is a finely crafted thrill ride that puts Sam front and center. The game’s second campaign (yes, there are two completely different stories) focuses on two characters named Archer and Kestrel. This co-op only experience is heavy on action, pumping out adrenaline-filled “they’re everywhere, man!” sequences almost every step of the way. Coordinating mark and execute maneuvers with a friend to combat the onslaught is a gaming moment I’ll cherish forever. While light on narrative, this campaign is every bit as good as Sam’s. It’s my favorite “Splinter Cell” co-op endeavor yet.

It may surprise longtime series fans, but “Conviction’s” multiplayer disappoints outside of the co-op.

“Splinter Cell: Conviction” isn’t the series’ high point, but it does get the franchise back on track.

‘Splinter Cell: Conviction’

9 (out of 10)

Xbox 360

Ubisoft

ESRB rating: M for Mature

Weekly download

‘Final Fight: Double Impact’

For: PlayStation 3 via PlayStation Network and Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade

From: Capcom

ESRB Rating: T for Teen (animated blood, mild violence, suggestive themes)

Price: $10

Most longstanding game publishers are savvy enough nowadays to tap into players’ nostalgic nerves. But nobody has as much fun doing it as Capcom does, and if the PSP compilations, “Mega Man” revival and brilliant “Dark Void Zero” weren’t proof enough, “Final Fight: Double Impact” should do it. “Impact’s” main attraction is, naturally, the arcade-perfect translation of 1989’s “Final Fight,” which endures remarkably well as one of the best 2-D brawlers ever made. The port is spotless, and Capcom does it modern justice with online leaderboards and two-player local/online co-op support. Capcom showers its source material with additional love by way of a superbly remixed soundtrack, an awesome optional visual presentation, and a large assortment of in-game achievements that unlock various “Final Fight” multimedia and give longtime fans of the game entirely new challenges to overcome. Additionally, and because Capcom can, “Impact” also includes an arcade-perfect port of another game, “Magic Sword,” that’s too obscure to sell on its own but a fantastically fun sidescroller in its own right.

— Billy O’Keefe, McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Top 10 PLAYSTATION 3

The editors of Game Informer Magazine rank the top 10 PlayStation 3 games for April:

1. “God of War III,” Sony Computer Entertainment

2. “Battlefield: Bad Company 2,” Electronic Arts

3. “MLB 10: The Show,” Sony Computer Entertainment

4. “Heavy Rain,” Sony Computer Entertainment

5. “Final Fantasy XIII,” Square Enix

6. “Just Cause 2,” Square Enix

7. “3D Dot Game Heroes,” Atlus

8. “Super Street Fighter IV,” Capcom

9. “Moto GP 09/10,” Capcom

10. “BioShock 2,” Games

— McClatchy-Tribune News Service

New game releases

The following titles were scheduled for release the week of April 18:

• “After Burner Climax” (PS3, X360)

• “Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper” (X360)

• “Windy X Windam” (DS)

• “thinkSMART” (DS)

• “All Star Karate” (Wii)

• “Beat City” (DS)

• “Monster Hunter Tri” (Wii)

• “Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley” (PSP)

• “Blood Bowl” (PSP)

— Gamespot.com