Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

I have recently looked through video game boards and had watched Spike TV's video game awards. Splinter Cell Chaos Theory was not even in the running for game of the year. It was used in best graphics technology and best use of sound. But it did not win in either category. Game of the Year went Resident Evil 4, which by the way is a crap game in my opinion. Other games nominated for Game of the Year and were not as good as Splinter Cell Chaos Theory were God of War, FEAR, and World of Warcraft. Jade Empire was even a favorite over Chaos Theory. Damn RPGs don't do anybody good. I just hope that Splinter Cell Double Agent (part 4) will be a much better game and will receive credit for what it will do for the gaming industry. Double Agent should and will win Game of the Year for 2006.

I only played my first Splinter Cell game recently – Conviction on the Xbox360 to be precise. I enjoyed it despite the way that I could "win ugly" by blasting my way through far too much of the game if I wanted to, so when I saw a relative had a copy of Chaos Theory I borrowed it, not realising that it was for the original Xbox and not the 360. Anyway, as a result it took me a minute to get used to the game; primarily because of how it looked but also because some of the more specific controls were lost on me since the manual was for the original controller, not the one in my hands. After a short time (and some trial and error) I got to grips with more than the basics and it was then when the game-play came through the previous generation graphics.

The story is on quite a large scale and the cut scenes do help it, but there are limitations on the telling due to the age of the game and one of the things they haven't pulled off is atmosphere. I never really felt the race against time, or the scale of the situation and I did feel like I would have liked a bit more tension in the game. Anyway, playing it without that emotional buy-in was fine though. The game offers you the option of going in guns blazing but, while you might get away with that approach for part of a mission, you will be punished by the staged alarms, which mean guards put on body armour, use more powerful weapons etc. You also have a limited amount of ammo as well, which means that they are worth keeping for when you need them – not just using them from the get-go. So, the focus is very much on stealth and this aspect is really well done. It is hard to play it in a bright room but the shades of darkness are impressive even though it is previous generation. Although the action is mostly the same, there is variety in how you deal with the guards – avoid them, kill them or knock them out, hide their bodies or leave a trail behind you. Generally I found myself knocking out the guards to make missions a bit easier since I didn't have to worry about someone circling round on me when I know they're unconscious behind a desk.

Creeping in the shadows is fun and I appreciated the change of pace from games like Call of Duty etc; I also don't mind that patience is part of the game-play as well because this worked for me but these things do come with a downside. The downside for me was that I found that I had to play Chaos Theory in smaller sessions (like an hour) because I did get a little bored with the game if it was all I did for longer than that. It wasn't that it was boring per se, just that the game-play doesn't vary too much and it does rely on getting things right. As a result it is also a bit broken up and fragmented in terms of a flow (slow saves don't help either). On some levels there was forgiveness and you were able to be patient, get the feel of the room before you make your move. On other levels you learn by trial and error so it sometimes doesn't feel like you're good at the game – just that you know guy someone will come from the left because he got you last time (for example).

Although the game-play carries the fact that it has aged now, there are still some issues with this as a previous generation game. Graphically I had no issues because it still looks good – although it is quite a shock to jump from it back into a modern HD game! Audio wise things are not as good; the music in Conviction blended and built really well but in Chaos Theory it doesn't quite work as well and it is quite digital in how it comes on and goes off. It was the sound effects that bugged me a bit more though. They blend but again the limitations are clear because, although they fade, there is a very noticeable "switch off" stage to them. The best example is city noise on the New York level – on a balcony it is a great background of traffic, take one step inside a doorway and it completely stops, take a step back and there it is again. This is the same with radios and other environmental noises. The directional nature of the noise isn't great either because locating things within your headphones is hard and this aspect was a bit off as well. This aspect annoyed because playing a stealth game and being quiet means supporting noises are important, and in this I found it difficult to locate. It isn't awful though and maybe I am just accustomed to the very impressive sound design one gets with modern games.

Overall Chaos Theory remains a really enjoyable stealth game despite the limitations of its age. It got a little dull for me if I exclusively played it for any significant length of time, but this wasn't a problem. Lack of atmosphere, slow saves and fragmented game-play did hurt it for me but otherwise the stealth aspect and the freedom of opinions kept it fun and engaging. Not quite the classic some would have you believe but a good game and one that stands up well.

Right now, it's pretty clear that Sam Fisher has what it takes to stand up to the likes of super-spy Solid Snake. Both have the gizmos. Both have the gadgets. And both have the charisma and lasting value of Asian monks. I have played MGS3 not too long ago, and it feels like Contra but with a stealth attitude. Nonetheless, the stealth half is the most emphasized part. In SC, Sam Fisher holds his own in a game that's strictly a stealth adventure. Don't expect to have legendary boss battles or lightning-fast game play. What you can expect is a solid, above-average stealth/action adventure that makes almost anyone who plays it feel like they can go out and really be a spy. Breakdown! GRAPHICS: As expected, SC delivers the most detailed and crisp environments ever shown off in a video game. However, I am sad to say that the PS2 version doesn't look quite as good as the Xbox and PC versions. For instance, on the Xbox/PC, night vision mode is crisp-clear and basically highlights dark areas in the game (and trust me, there will be A LOT). In the PS2 version, the night vision mode is unusually blurry and static clouds the screen as you try and find your way around the environment. I don't know why Ubisoft made this change because I don't see why the PS2 couldn't have handled the Xbox/PC versions' night vision modes. Oh, well. The damage was done. Anyway, aside from that, the graphics are still as spectacular on the PS2 version as they are on the PS2 competing consoles.

SOUND: Yes, there is music, but throughout most of the game is complete silence. This is a good thing because it would just be ridiculous if DMC3 rock music was blaring through your speakers while you were trying to sneak through a hallway. The only time actual music plays is when the mood of the environment changes. If guards are getting wise to your scent, the music will play very softly while the guards search you in the darkness. If the guards are on alert, tense music will start playing, telling you that you'd better do something before you end up as a big black stain on the floor. There are also points in the game where you can interact with the music, mainly with radios that play unusual music that can also be used to help cover your footsteps (I'll get to that in a moment). Michael Ironside and company also return for another voice-over session, and it is some of the best voice acting I have ever heard before. Sam Fisher's one liners are well written, and the script fits well with the story at hand.

game play: The boys and girls at Ubisoft know certainly well that it will take more than revolutionary graphics to make a game good. They bring back some of the old game play elements we know from the older SC titles, such as spying on secret meetings with optic cables and laser microphones, and more importantly, having the vision modes. This time, there is an additional vision mode...the EMF. The EMF certainly won't help you find your way around a dark room, but it does help point out shootable lights and objects. It also points out interactive objects such as control panels and circuit boards, not to mention computers. You can also do things like pick locks (or break them, if you're in a rush), and you can hack control panels and retinal scanners. There's also a sound masking system that measures how much environment noise there is, and how much noise you are making in the meantime. If your measurement exceeds the environmental noise level, nearby enemies can hear it, and may either investigate or not, depending on what kind of characters they are. The AI is very unique and varied. Enemies will be afraid of you if you happen to catch them off-guard. You can also shoot enemies if things get heated, but ammunition is scarce because you're not necessarily expected to have a gunfight with EVERYONE. Sam also have a complex variety of ways to take out enemies in the most exotic fashions possible, but you probably won't be needing them all, because I rarely found any times where I needed to do a wall split to surprise an enemy.

STORY: It's your typical Tom Clancy war-torn world...Sam Fisher is out to save the world again from the brink of a war. His crew, mainly his boss Lambert, his professional hacker Anna Grimsdottir, and his "Q-Labs" William Redding. That's really all that needs to be known from here. Also pay attention to the "news highlights..." it's like the stuff is actually happening! BOTTOM LINE: If you are a fan of the SC series, DEFINITELY pick this one up. If you like pure action games like Metal Gear Solid, you can still play this and have a good time. However, if you only play fast-paced action games, you probably won't enjoy this, or any of the SC games for that matter. For me, this game gets a 9.25/10.

Plain and simple its a really good game. its got an awesome plot and the graphics have improved from the old splinter cell games. when i got this game and played it i was addicted i just couldn't get enough of the game. I wouldn't recommend playing co-op with someone who's never played the game before. I've tried. Usually they will just run around shooting anything and end up getting killed within the first minute or so. but the single player is terrific. If you don't have any patience i wouldn't recommend playing the game. In this game you are the shadows. YOU choose how, when, and where they die. YOU are your enemy's greatest fear. they cant stop you. at the flicker of a light your enemies will fall. how do you kill something that can't be seen? you don't.

9 out of 10 - The Pinnacle of Stealth Gameplay

Chaos Theory wasn't just another entry in the Splinter Cell franchise - it was a seismic leap forward in nearly every way. Released in 2005, it redefined the standard for stealth action, refining the series' mechanics while adding an edge that felt darker, deeper, and more immersive than its predecessors. It's the entry where Sam Fisher didn't just survive the shadows - he owned them.

Gameplay: Stealth Refined to Perfection

The stealth in Chaos Theory is not just an option - it's a finely-tuned instrument. You're given tools, gadgets, and weapons, but your biggest weapon is choice. Want to go non-lethal? Use the OCP (Optically Channeled Potentiator) to disable lights and electronics, then choke enemies out. Want to go loud? The SC-20K can make noise when it has to, though it always feels like a last resort.

The enemy AI was smarter than ever, reacting to sound, light, and movement with surprising intelligence. This wasn't a game you could run-and-gun your way through - you had to think like a ghost. And every decision had weight.

Tone and Story: Darker, Sharper, More Personal

Unlike the more clinical approach of Pandora Tomorrow, Chaos Theory brought a grittier tone and a sharper edge to Sam Fisher himself. This Sam is more seasoned, more sarcastic, and far more human. The writing - especially Sam's banter with Lambert - hits that perfect balance of dry humor and razor-sharp realism.

The story itself - a geopolitical thriller with Japan, North Korea, and private military corporations - taps into early 2000s post-9/11 paranoia with unnerving accuracy. But it never becomes overwhelming. It's grounded. It's tight. And most importantly - it works.

Multiplayer & Co-op: Way Ahead of Its Time

The co-op mode in Chaos Theory deserves special praise. Two agents, working together to navigate levels built specifically for teamwork - it wasn't just an extra mode, it was a full experience. The communication, the coordination, the tension - it laid the groundwork for what stealth co-op could be.

Versus multiplayer returned with spies vs. Mercs - and for many, this mode alone justified the purchase. It was unique, intense, and demanded skill, patience, and strategy.

What Keeps It from a 10?

Only a few things hold it back from perfection: The story, while tight, doesn't always match the emotional resonance of later entries like Double Agent or Conviction.

Some mechanics, like quick saves, made the challenge feel less intense compared to the hardcore stealth ethos of the earlier games.

A few levels had slightly uneven pacing, especially for players wanting more variety beyond tech-based infiltration.

But these are minor critiques in a game that redefined its genre.

Final Verdict

9 out of 10. Legendary stealth.

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is the game where you set the pace. It gives you the sandbox, the tools, and the enemies - then says, "figure it out." It's slick, smart, and serious. A stealth masterpiece that aged better than most of its contemporaries.

If you love tactical thinking, strategic execution, and a cold, calculated protagonist who can crack a joke and your neck - this is the one.