Ive waited a long time to play this game (I dont own an XBOX), so I was really excited to see it ported to OS X. Splinter Cell Conviction runs quite well on my 2008 iMac (2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB SDRAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GPU), albeit with the visuals turned most of the way down. I havent experienced consistant lag, other than the occasional framerate jump, and I have to accept that this is partly my own systems limitations. While some might see toned down graphics as a drawback, if youve only ever played the Splinter Cell series on GameCube (as I have) then you wont miss out on too much.
Ive noticed in reviews on other sites that some fans feel Conviction is much more "run-and-gun" than its predecessors, and while its easy to play that way in Conviction, I found that the in-game bonuses reward a more stealthily player. Does Conviction handle like Chaos Theory or Double Agent? Not exactly. But it does offer a more varied way to play. Want bonuses and points to upgrade your gear? Be the covert agent Sam has always been. Feel like you wanna spray n pray? Go for it, just dont expect to be rewarded.
Ive enjoyed playing as far as I have (I just finished the Iraq level), and I really like how the series and storyline has evolved since the first Splinter Cell game. If youve got the hardware to support the graphics, I think youll be impressed with this installment.
UBISOFT! One last thing - please note that Conviction doesnt like my Logitech Performance MX mouse at all. I was lucky to still have the old Mighty Mouse that came with my iMac. Please fix this in an update to support wireless peripherals. Ill gladly change my review to 5 stars when I dont have to change mice.