Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First off, I must say that Splinter Cell is the leader of stealth action games.It's fun, thoughtful, and intuitive.This game took many of the flaws of it's predecessors - "Pandora Tomorrow" and improved upon it.The three main improvements are the ability to save at any time, co-op, and a slightly better close up killing method.

All in all, if you played the other Splinter Cell's, it's pretty much the same.Which is good.You still can shoot lights, you still need to stick to the shadows, walk softly, kill quietly, and hack your way in.It continues the most thought provoking action series around, even though the latter levels are pretty annoying.The game mechanics have yet to be matched by any other game around.

The level designs are fun, unique, and varied.There 10 levels, with levels 3 to 8 being equally the best.

Unfortunately, this is not a perfect game.While there have been improvements from the previous game, there have been some drawbacks.In my opinion, some strategy and thinking have been removed from this game.Pandora Tomorrow (at least the first half), was really a thinking man's game.This chapter in the series sort of eliminates it.It's more of, "how many guys are there I need to kill".I found less reliance on shooting lights, taking out cameras, sneaking around and avoiding enemies, and more concentration on just plain shooting.Kind of dull and annoying (especially the last two horrid levels).Also, hand to hand combat is still not good enough.The newly added knife is excellent, but it still attracts attention, and grabbing guards is still to finicky.With more enemies in smaller spaces in this game, this flaw really stands out.

The co-op is interesting.Not as great as I'd hoped, but still not too shabby.It's definitely better than nothing, so I will give them credit for that.Since there are two people, it would have been interesting if there were more enemies, as both can handle the enemies simultaneously, but alas, the majority of the co-op is running really fast to avoid autoguns or figuring out where I can use the special co-op moves.The whole team aspect isn't really utilized in a manner befitting this series.It sort of feels tacked on.They have unique co-op missions that are really short, and the whole co-op only lasts a few hours, but there is no mid mission save for some reason.Oh well.

There is online as well.I can't comment on it because I would just be fodder for Splinter Cell nerds living in their mom's basement, so I didn't try.

Pros:
Co-op exists
Still the same great Splinter Cell gameplay
Knife kills are quick and fun
Can save anytime

Cons:
Co-op short
Too much action, not enough stealth
Close combat still not perfect

Time to Complete (on normal): 15 hours

Difficulty (on normal): Medium

Frustration Level (on normal): Medium

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Product Description:
Sam Fisher is back for more espionage and intrigue in Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. All the nail biting about whether to go in "hot" with guns blazing, or to use stealth is back in this new version, plus some amazing improvements. Chaos Theory ups the ante with vastly improved graphics, totally open level design, and coop gameplay.
Fresh from the East Timor operations, Fisher is now put on the front lines of information warfare. The year is 2008 and the world is suffering from citywide blackouts, stock exchange sabotage, and electronic hijacking of national defense systems. The stakes are high and Fisher, as the NSA's most elite black-ops agent, is inserted in operations to aggressively gather intelligence. A wide range of missions call on a lethal mixture of weapons and close range combat. While Chaos Theory demands the same agility and athleticism required in previous Splinter Cell incarnations, some new weapons, gadgets and moves are available, such as the prototype Land Warrior rifle, and the stealthy, but oh-so-deadly inverted neck break.
In addition to an improved graphics engine, physics are enhanced, too. Enhancements like rag doll physics, particle effects, and realistic interaction with the environment make the Splinter Cell experience more immersive than ever.Just as judging your environment was crucial in past Splinter Cell games, Chaos Theory demands that you understand the delicate balance between light and shadow to stay alive.
Chaos Theory offers great replayability in single player mode, thanks to its vast, open level design. There's always more than one way to achieve your objectives. At the beginning of each mission you are given your objectives, but you must choose how to go about completing them. Decisions about stealth versus conflict are yours to make, too. Should you enter a mission with non-lethal weaponry, a host of guns and ammo, or a little bit of both? You decide.
The Splinter Cell franchise is known for its tense, stealth-driven multi-player modes, and Chaos Theory is no exception. This version adds unique cooperative modes where you and your teammates must complete infiltration missions. Try to keep each other alive. Try to thrive in the dark and strike when the moment is right.

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