Sam Fisher is back and meaner than ever.
It's 2007 and Sam Fisher is once again called back into service this time to save a computer programmer from Revolutionaries in Peru but what he doesn't know is that its much bigger than a kidnapping....
It’s been a full year since I bought this game and yet I still seem to be hooked.
In Splinter Cell Chaos Theory you take control of Sam Fisher an Splinter Cell working for the NSA, his mission (for the new comers to the series) is to investigate, gather and conduct intelligence operations in support of national security, he is sometimes allowed fifth freedom (meaning that he can kill anyone or anything, any where, any time or spy on other agencies within the US border for the sake of National security [it's loosely based on FDR's speech]).
Enough with the small talk, I'll get right into this review.
Chaos Theory allows more freedom than ever, in this game it's 3 strikes (alarms) and your not out making missions easier to complete and sometimes even harder to achieve certain objectives, to compensate for the loss of the 3 strike rule Ubisoft implemented Secondary and bonus objectives, these are optional objectives that you can achieve and in doing so increases your mission rating failing to complete an secondary or bonus objective means that your mission rating drops. Like all CT games there are hostages and friendly troops around the area, if you kill one of them on purpose or even by mistake (I know it's tempting but contain yourself) then you automatically fail the mission (however unlike other games you can still continue to finish the mission but really what’s the point). Sam for some reason has become more of a blood thirsty killer, most interrogation conversations that Sam make are very shallow and dark it's almost like Sam loves to kill, and in this game you’re allowed just that. Chaos Theory also has Same Brandishing a knife, use it to your little hearts content.
If your into firefights then Chaos Theory has enough firefights to wet you appetite, firefights are rare (if your sneaky otherwise) but when they occur then you better have enough ammo to sustain the firefight or get the hell out of dodge, unlike other games Splinter Cell wants you to lurk around in corners not spend your time ducking bullets so if you do happen to get into a firefight then prepare yourself. Chaos Theory also introduces new gadgets into the game, like the OCP or EEV mode, the OCP is an excellent asset you can actually disable anything electronic (think of it as your own little EMP device), unlike previous games where the only countermeasure you had against a camera was to sneak around it; you can now disable it for a short period of time. The EEV mode acts as a microphone, binoculars and scanner all in one. Want to hack a computer across the room? no problem, want to hear a conversation behind a glass wall? no problem. CT also introduces hacking, most computers you access contain vital information that Third Echelon needs to either prevent war or start a war, some of the information you find will allow you to access certain features and certain areas of the game, other information will allow you to understand what's going on in the game as the story progresses.
Chaos Theory is also an adventure game because of the fact that there are multiple paths through most of the missions; Peeking through a door to find that your exfil point is overrun by bad guys? no problem take the stairs and jump down. That's all I have for the game play portion now on to the sound and storyline
Sound:
The ambient sounds in this game is just simply amazing, you can hear footsteps and voices Clearly, if you happen to run and scrap a bush the bush will make a noticeable sound. The Music is pretty well done, although through most of the game you won't hear it, if you've been spotted then a tense dramatic track will play. Conversations in the game are at sometimes dramatic and sad and at other times humorous and dark, it’s some of the best dialogue I've ever heard. The only beef I have about the sound is that when they speak in their native languages (a PC only option) they sound like their English partners, very bland.
Overall the sound is so good that I'm speechless.
Graphics:
The graphics in SCCT is some of the best I've ever seen in any game, the detail that the developers spent shows. Each shadow and reflection is done perfectly, when people talk there mouths are in synch with the words there saying, you can actually see people blink, it's utterly amazing and realistic.
Storyline:
One of the best I've ever seen. Nuff said. Don't want to ruin the game.
Multiplayer:
Never played multiplayer although I hear it's pretty good.
The only problem I have about this game is that it's full of product advertisements, there’s one for Nokia, Brothers in Arms RTH30 and EIB.
Splinter Cell Chaos Theory will grab you by the throat, and take you down for a ride of your life. It's one of the best games I've ever played and will be for sometime.
Until next time.