SC::CT

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. Game two in a series of three (to date). Available for Xbox, Play Station 2, PC, Game Cube and Game Boy Advance. This review is a reflection of the Xbox version.

Jakarta 2006. A corrupt guerilla militia overpowers, and now occupies, the U.S. Embassy. Dozens of hostages are being held and a rescue attempt is needed. But you are not to be bothered with such minor pettiness. You have a bigger mission to attend to. Somewhere in the embassy there is a top secret document. Your mission is to find and destroy it… before the terrorists do.

Those of you that have played the original Splinter Cell will feel right at home with this game…and it just keeps getting prettier. Chaos Theory continues to push the boundaries of the Xbox. Lighting, shadows, in-game physics and sound have been enhanced to create an even more immersive environment to explore. Single player is fantastic and the developers have given us new gadgets and moves to help evade and engage your enemies.

But the greatest addition to this franchise has to be the addition of Multiplayer mode. Remember, this not your daddy’s Doom. Splinter Cell multiplayer pits two on two battle in a whole new way. Spies use stealth with a third person perspective and non lethal means to incapacitate their rivals. MERCs (the rivals) are armed & deadly, but in first person view. I was skeptical at first, but the execution of this format is spot-on. Yes, the mercenaries have lethal weapons, but spies are faster, are agile, can climb, hang, and break your neck. Being able to whisper some trash talk in your enemy’s ear before breaking their neck is a rush! Mercenaries have motion tracking to catch spies in dark corners and shadowed areas…but there hidden routs such as ducts and ledges to travel unseen. UBI has outdone itself in every way with this title.