Fans of the early
Splinter Cell games probably found the inconsistency of the enemy A.I. to be a source of frustration.
Splinter Cell: Conviction gives players a way to visualize the enemy's strategy. If you're spotted, simply break the line of sight. When you have effectively hidden yourself, a silhouette of Sam appears. This is the Last Known Position, a visual representation of where the enemy believes Sam is hiding. It gives you a chance to set up traps and ambushes, and is a much-needed alternative to "Mission Failed. You Were Spotted Too Many Times."
Splinter Cell: Conviction wouldn't be worthy of its name if it didn't include gadgets. The demo gives you access to five. You've got your fragmentation and flashbang grenades, but the most interesting of the gadgets are the EMP grenade, the sticky camera, and the portable EMP. Sticky cameras have been around since the first Splinter Cell game, but Ubisoft Montreal has tweaked them for Conviction. Sticky cams have most of the capabilities of the ones from the first four games; they provide great reconnaissance information and produce noisy distractions. These sticky cams allow you to mark any enemies in the camera's line of vision, but they can also be detonated. The EMP-related gadgets allow you to temporarily disable the electronics in localized areas. This only serves to reinforce the notion that you are not hiding, but hunting.
If you are not a fan of previous Splinter Cell games, I still recommend that you download the free demo of Conviction on Xbox Live. If you're a fan of Sam Fisher, enjoy the demo and rest assured -- the wait is almost over. April 13 can't come soon enough.