I think the newer more 'frantic' pacing completely reflects Fisher's mental/emotional state, using everything from before but MUCH more brutally!!  
I dont think you need to be able to knock dudes out or drag bodies around, because you're not returning to areas anymore, and as you're basically a fugitive, they sorta know you're there, and you can have fun playin around with th guards ala Arkham Asylum!  
 
When guards are searching for you and you sneak a headshot in on the leader only to hear th rest of them freak out, its AWESOME!! 
I honestly think its taken a turn for the better, and cant WAIT 4 th final product!! :D

I personally do NOT love the new direction. It seems like they are trying to fuse Assassin's Creed and Splinter Cell into one, and I am not loving it.

Between this and Batman: Arkham Asylum, it looks like developers are finding ways to make stealth player not feel like pussies.  Both games also allow the player to canvas the area before taking everyone out - real stalker-like.
 
As for the mark-and-execute feature, I initially wasn't the biggest fan of it.  All you have to do is spot enemies and the game takes care of the rest, which isn't all that fun.  After playing the demo a couple of times though, I found using the mark-and-execute feature along with Fisher's other stealth moves to be the better/more fun way to play the game.  Marking three guys beforehand and doing a death from above on a forth enemy right in the middle of the room(only to use that gained execute on the aforementioned marked guys) is truly badass.  It adds to the whole "plan, and then attack" predator feeling that this game is going for.  Mark-and-execute might make the game easier, but I see no problem in that.  It's really fun.

" Between this and Batman: Arkham Asylum, it looks like developers are finding ways to make stealth player not feel like pussies.  Both games also allow the player to canvas the area before taking everyone out - real stalker-like.  As for the mark-and-execute feature, I initially wasn't the biggest fan of it.  All you have to do is spot enemies and the game takes care of the rest, which isn't all that fun.  After playing the demo a couple of times though, I found using the mark-and-execute feature along with Fisher's other stealth moves to be the better/more fun way to play the game.  Marking three guys beforehand and doing a death from above on a forth enemy right in the middle of the room(only to use that gained execute on the aforementioned marked guys) is truly badass.  It adds to the whole "plan, and then attack" predator feeling that this game is going for.  Mark-and-execute might make the game easier, but I see no problem in that.  It's really fun. "

After playing the demo I'm even more sold on the new Splinter Cell. It seems like there's a pretty wide variety in how you can tackle different situations. It takes some getting used to, but once that's out of the way, I think you can string together some amazing ways for taking out bad guys.

Yeh I like planning everything out and then go all out in a string of moves, ending with the slow motion of the last M&E as the bodies drop....its beautiful!! 
Oh and if you guys didnt know, you can mark dudes when in th sonar view, if you wanna pre-mark through walls in prep for stormin in or whatever!! 
 
Game absolutely RAWWWWKS!!!!! :D

People who really liked the old splinter cell don't seem to realize that they are not required to use the mark and execute stuff.  I know it's still faster but it's not completely different.

I love the new direction, taking a bit getting used to the new controls though.

for some reason this splinter cell kind of reminds me of a jason bourne kinda thing. just the way it feels looks and moves. but never the less, i love it.

"for some reason this splinter cell kind of reminds me of a jason bourne kinda thing. just the way it feels looks and moves. but never the less, i love it. "

" @Ryax said:

"for some reason this splinter cell kind of reminds me of a jason bourne kinda thing. just the way it feels looks and moves. but never the less, i love it. "

I think they took strong inspiration from those movies, a good thing in my book.  I really enjoyed the demo, I may actually enjoy this Splinter Cell game... feels weird saying that.  Also did anybody else think that the demo was mad short?  Once I got to the end I thought, "there is no way this is over already."  Then again maybe I'm just spoiled by the Just Cause demo which I've put more time into than some full games I've played. "