Chaos Theory is the turning point of the Splinter Cell games, bringing out the best the series has to offer.
The Bad: Lots of trial and error; have to create your own checkpoints; difficulty can be aggravating; only four levels for co-op; only 4 players in online.
The Splinter Cell series has been the innovation for stealth action games, and the third installment in the series, Chaos Theory, not only improves visually, but also adds completely new elements to the overall gameplay package. The first Splinter Cell showed us a new protagonist named Sam Fisher, who has remained in the series ever since. The game was impressive, but not only that, it also showed potential for a successful franchise. The release of the second Splinter Cell game, Pandora Tomorrow, broke the barriers of Xbox-Live multiplayer by adding both spies and the ability to be a mercenary. This combined the best of Splinter Cell and the Rainbow Six series. The third and most recently released installment, Chaos Theory, added better controls, visuals, audio, and a on- and offline cooperative mode, and neatly polished the multiplayer aspect.
Chaos Theory has three main gameplay modes: Solo, co-op, and online versus. Solo mode has you going through a Tom Clancy based story as Sam Fisher trying to stop World War III from starting. There is no personal story or ties; Sam is just a soldier doing his job. Co-op mode has you and a friend, either offline or online, going through four custom made missions that have you doing the backdrop for the Solo mode’s story. The online multiplayer portion has you on Xbox Live playing with up to three other people. Two are spies and the other two are mercenaries. The spies and mercenaries are given objectives, which they must complete within the time limit, whilst killing each other.
The Splinter Cell series has been notorious for limiting your attacks to either your firearms or a knockout hit that usually took a few swings. Now Ubisoft has added the ability for Sam to use a combat knife, which he uses for many things. You can use the knife to take out an enemy quickly and quietly, cut materials like plastic or paper walls, pierce gas tanks on generators, and even tap cameras and phone lines. The knife will probably be used more then your firearms, mostly because the kill is quick and quiet, and you don’t have to use any ammunition. However, you will still need to stick to the shadows and sneak around the levels. What can be really great about this is that the enemy can get pretty scared when they hear you but they can’t see you…usually when you’re right behind them and they don’t know it, right before you end their life. You may not want to kill some people in this game though, some you are not allowed to kill, and others you may need to interrogate to get certain information.
There are number of new melee attack moves that Sam can use other than his knife. You can use the left trigger instead of the right for a non-lethal knockout hit, which varies depending on where you were when you made the blow, while hanging on a horizontal pole, you can strangle, shoot, or even break the neck of an enemy who stands below you. The split jump is much easier to perform: instead of pressing Y then Y again, you simply just approach the wall and hold Y. You can also use the new ability to bash doors open; this allows you to knock the door open very hard, knocking out anyone on the other side.
-Modes of Play-
Solo
The solo mode puts you in the shoes of the most badass man of them all: Sam Fisher. Sam, now being 56, has been through many situations that put his life in danger. His job now is to investigate the activity of a new guerilla group called Peoples’ Voice and its leader. The solo missions will have you traveling from the open waters of the Pacific to Japan. Most missions are at night or at sunset, so you’re always sure to have the cover of darkness. The scenery in solo mode is absolutely stunning (see graphics).
Cooperative
Cooperative has you play as two Splinter Cell trainees. You and a friend must work together to complete four distinct missions. The co-op moves can take some getting used to, but it’s a lot of fun. You use the black button for your “co-op” moves, whether it be boosting your teammate over a wall, throwing him into and enemy or across gaps, or even using yourself as a human ladder. You have to work together with your teammate in order to complete the level. It is a lot of fun distracting enemies with one, and having the other sneak up behind him has he’s checking the noise.
Xbox Live Multiplayer
Two on two spies vs. mercenaries action is more in depth in Chaos Theory. There are now eleven new online levels that are more interactive. You will find more crawlspaces, switches, and other things within the levels. Both teams will have certain objectives to complete, and it can be very entertaining. Both teams are equally matched and are fun to play as; the only problem is is that there are only a total of four people in a match.
-Graphics-
The graphics engine in Chaos Theory has been extremely improved over the last two games. Lighting is astounding. Everything that is supposed to shine, shines, and it creates a truly beautiful world to sneak around in. Textures are also something to compliment. Everything seems real, like you could reach out and touch it, everything down to the wrinkles in the character model’s clothing. Sometimes you will want to stop what you are doing and gaze at everything around you. This game is definitely a showcase for what the Xbox can do in terms of graphics. Character models and animations have almost doubled for both Sam and the enemies, making them feel more lifelike. Ubisoft has really outdone themselves with the graphics engine.
-Audio-
Chaos Theory features Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound support, and it works. The audio is immersive in both ambience and when the electronic music kicks in. The music, done by Amon Tobin, adds a great mood to the gameplay, and it always comes at the right moment. The music is fantastic, and if you have a 5.1 surround sound system, not only with the music impress you, but all the sounds, especially ambient sounds, will bring you into the game. Never have I been so immerged into a game because of it’s awesome sound.
-Final Word-
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory defines what is a great game on the Xbox, and brings out not only the best in stealth action gameplay, but also brings out beautiful visuals and audio. You would be doing yourself a huge favor by adding this awesome game to your collection. If you loved the other Splinter Cell games, this one will be your new favorite.