Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory

"The All-In-One Action Stealth Game!"

Gameplay: 9/10
There is where the game really shines! Everything is taken into account when you sneak around. You have to be wary of the lights, of the sounds you make, and you must be sure to have no guards roaming your way.

Your gadgetry is just as impressive. There are pistols which disable electronic devices. There's even an attachable shotgun! The pure diversity of your equipment never ceases to amaze me. However, near the end, I thought it was getting quite repetitive. The single-player campaign was fun, but I doubt I'll be playing through that again.

There are three modes of play. They are the single-player campaign, the Co-Op Campaign, and the Online Spy vs. Mercenary. The single player campaign possesses a believable story in the near future. There are many interesting and varied missions and you get a chance to try out many techniques.

In the Co-Op campaign, you play with a friend in split-screen. It is quite entertaining, and teamwork is required in many places. Imagine this: Two guards are sitting together on a couch. If you were alone, it would be hard to take both out at the same time without making a commotion. However, with a partner, you can take both of them out at the same time efficiently and quietly! The Co-Op campaign is completely seperate from the Solo Campaign, even though their stories interweave with one another.

Finally, there is Spy vs. Mercenary. This was first in Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow. The basic concept is akin to Counter-Strike. There are two teams, one "Spies" and one "mercenaries" each with their own strengths and weaknesses. It is up to each team to complete their given objective, which may include taking each other out. All in all, an extremely rewarding and enjoyable game mode.

Graphics: 10/10
The locales are immensely beautiful. There are shadows for everything, and there are no draw distances at all. Slowdown is not a factor. Everything works as they should in real life, with fire burning, water shining, and lights burning and flickering out. The guards however, seem to have the same mesh. No big deal in the end however.

Story: 10/10
The story begins in the near future, where The Chaos Theory, a computer algoritihm, begins wreaking havoc upon the world. It is up to you, Sam Fisher, an agent of the Third Echelon, a secret reconnaissance division of the US Government to find out what has happened. You will travel to far-away locales, including a blacked-out New York, and a war-torn Seoul. The story is what is expected of a Tom Clancy novel.

Sound 10/10
From the sounds of the guards conversing to the sound your boot makes when you crush an object, there are many different sounds. Every sound you make goes to the "sound meter". The louder the sounds you make, the easier it is for you to get detected. The amazing quality of the sounds improves the overall quality of the game.

Closing Comments: Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory really wowed me. The graphics were immense, the sound was realistic, and the gameplay was smooth and well-polished. The Story was merely the icing on the cake. This game is a worthy addition to any game library.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/20/05