Customer Reviews

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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

I've been playing the Splinter Cell series from the begininng, and have always been impressed with the games. Chaos Theory is the latest game and builds well upon the sucess of the previous games, while adding enough new moves and changing several controls around to make the game more playable and enjoyable. The only part of the game that I was not impressed with was the mapping -- I found the 3D map to be both difficult to see and manipulate. There's nothing wrong with floor plan map views; and the lack of a "you are here" marker made it difficult to get my bearings at times.

That said, the basic gameplay and combat system are excellent. My favorite weapon is the sticky shocker, a non-lethal attachment to your main weapon that shoots like a bullet but shocks the daylights out of your victim instead. The storyline is pure Clancy -- believable enough to happen tomorrow. This game earns it's M rating and should not be played young children.

the first thing that i wanted to do when i loaded this game up, was to hang from a pipe, upside down, and strangle somebody to death. but, as my luck would have it, i could not do so on the first level. but oh well, my time will come.....it better anyway.

so, i wanted to get this for my pc, because it's really fast and i know it could handle the spiffy graphics and stuff, but alas, my EB Games did not have it for PC, so i got the limited edition ps2 version. now, i remember way back when, when the first Splinter Cell game was ported to the old Playstation 2, and when i fired that sucker up, i was appalled by the terrible graphics. terrible, not just compared to the XBOX version, but just terrible in general. but, i thought to myself, i can't get screwed twice! and, luckily enough, i didn't get screwed over again, not entirely. for those of you who do not own an XBOX or a high speed PC, do not feel frightened to purchase this game for the PS2. the graphics, while not super-realistic like the other two higher end installments, are still good none the less. they are some of the best graphics on the ps2. the water looks mighty neat, and most walls and floors have their own different surfaces and shine. now, of course, the little black, flat rectangle that is the playstation 2 cannot handle things such as rain dripping off Sam (who you play as, just in case you're new to the series) as he ducks into a cove, into the shadows. or when he steps in a deep puddle and gets wet, he is supposed to be soggy and dripping and all that kind of cool stuff. but not so much in the ps2 version. but, eh, i don't really care. the gameplay is where it's at, so i can take a few graphical downhauls as a sacrifice to play the game on my ps2.

and the gameplay is indeed where this baby shines. like the new game, God of War, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is all about the cool moves (and gagdets). for vets of the series, you will notice that all of your favorite split-jumps and pipe hanging are back, as well as a few new tricks. one, and the coolest by far, is where you climb across a pole over an enemy, then either: a) hang down and snap his head for a quick kill, or b) grap him around the neck and lift him off the ground, thus strangling him to death while he kicks and gasps. you can also hang upside down and shoot and all that good stuff, but that's nothing new, though it is still fun. like a lot of reviews have been stating, while he has these few cool new moves, he doens't really get that many chances to put them to use. sure, it would have been a wee bit silly to put a pipe over every enemy in the game...but just imagine....i'd be in neck snapping/strangulation heaven....

anyway, all the wonderful shadows are back for you to hide in. in fact, most of the game is basked in darkness, requiring you to wear your nightvision for most of the game. which isn't a bad thing, but even on the ps2, the levels still look pretty nice and i would have liked to see more of what they looked like without ink-black spilled all over them.

the difficulty in Chaos Theory isn't nearly as frustrating as Pandora Tomorrow, the second installment in the Splinter Cell series. this time around, if you set off an alarm, or too many alarms, you aren't done with the mission and have to start over. you just can't complete that one certain mission this time round, and you just go on with your other missions. sure, there are some missions that require NO KILLING, but that isn't too hard to avoid while your kneeing people in the face or giving them the old one-two to the skull with your meat-hooks (fists, i'm talking about fists). there are numerous ways to complete each level, and five minutes into the very first level, you'll already be saying, "man, i can't wait to do this mission again and do it different next time." or something along those lines. if you want to be Rambo and shoot from the hip through the levels, go ahead...it will just be much more difficult, mainly because the enemies are a hell of a lot smarter this time, and they will flank you, call for help, team up, track you down, all that good stuff. and they are really good shots this time, too...which pissed me off a few times, but it was my fault for stepping into the daylight like a suicidal vampire. the freedom of the missions is refreshing, and opens up all sorts of doors to you, the player.

the story is your usual terrorist/political fair. it's very similar to what is going on in the world today, as was the developers intent, and it suits the game well. Sam is the same old rugged over the hill rogue that he has always been, though in this game he looks a bit younger for some reason...oh well, he still has that gravelly old voice. you travel through a variety of mission locations, from an island in the sea (with a light house and a torture room! hooray!), to the back alleys of Manhatten, from an Oriental mansion/base, to a sea fairing vessel packed with terrorists and other unmentionables that you must do away with. and these levels are no walk in the part. the first level alone took me almost 45 minutes to complete on the easiest difficulty (yes, you may laugh. but i should point out that i'm a die-hard Metal Gear Solid/Solid Snake fan, and i would prefer a cardboard box to hiding in the shadows any old day! that, and this is the first time i've played a Splinter Cell game since the original, so i was just getting back into my groove....it's not an excuse! shut up! <runs away, crying>)

okay, well...graphics, story (kinda...it deals with terrorists and the government, use your imagination), levels, moves, oh, the controls are very good. i never got used to the XBOX controller for the original game (mainly cause i only played it for ten minutes), but the ps2 controller is good for this game, all of your cool moves and sneakiness flow like water from your hands with this game. the voice acting is good. Sam doesn't use crappy one-liners, i won't name names (ratchet & clank series, Jak and Daxter series, Robots (it's for my little cousin, honest!), Prince of Persia, the list goes on...). so, i guess, to end my review, i would just like to say again, that i believe that the Playstation 2 version of Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, while not super-freakin'-tastic looking like the XBOX and PC versions, still fairs well with the rest of the ps2 games out now. so, pick up a copy, a limited edition copy, if you can, cause the extra dvd is pretty funny and interesting, though not that long, like the Halo 2 Limited Edition DVD, but anyway...like Sam Fisher, i will now lurk about in the shadows, until i am spotted, then i will just click my red shoes together and wish i was home.....ugh...i'm lonely. so, i hope this review helped you with your decision on whether or not to buy this game. if not, sorry. um, so, if you want a cool, stealth filled game, buy this. if not, and you don't want to sit around in the darkness and wait for a gaurd to walk by so you can stab him in the stomach BEFORE asking the questions (mwahahahahahahaha!), then fine, be a jerk and go play with your...your Pong, and your Hungry Hungry Hippos...or go buy a God of War or something. but seriously, this game takes patience, but you will never be frustrated, unless you are missing fingers or something (no offense to any fingerless people out there), the you might have a problem. but other than that, just sit in the shadows and strike your firey vengeance upon thine unsuspecting gaurd.

oh crap, i suppose i could talk about the multi-player. well, i don't have the internet, but i'm sure you've all heard super great things about all that online mercs vs. spies stuff anyway, so i won't talk about that. but this time around, you can play with a friend in a new co-op mode, where you can help each other up ledges and into windows and stuff. you can even play on the same system if you have two controllers, it's just split-screen then. i think that if you have four controllers, you can do the spies versus the mercs on one system, like a fps set-up, but i could be wrong. okay, now that that's done, make your choice, and do it quick, before you feel an icey blade stuck in your get and see three glowing green circles hovering in the shadows of nightfall...

This game is awesome! The single player game's levels are challenging and expansive. All of them have multiple pathways and let you go into the missions with recommended weaponry, stealth weapons, or heavy weapons. On most levels, heavy weapons are your best bet. The AI is very smart. One example is when you disable a light, some enemies will use a torch or flashlight to try and find you. Another great improvement is the ability to save ANYWHERE! This is a great feature and makes it much easier to complete levels. The game also has co-op gameplay, where you and a friend team up to complete levels. When playing co-op, just make sure your friend is good at the game, and if they aren't good at it, make sure they can follow directions. Because if 1 of you dies, its failed mission. Now down to the core of the game: multiplayer online. The multiplayer is why i rated this game 5 stars. It is amazing! You can either be a spy or a mercenary. When you're a begginer, i recomend being a mercenary, because it's much easier to kill spys. When you are a spy, you have to jump on mercenaries or sneak up behind them and brake their neck. Mercenaries just have to shoot the spys. Overall, this is a must buy if you like the stealth genre and have a PS2, Xbox, or good PC. If you have a gamecube, but not a good PC, you dont know what your missing with the multiplayer mode.

Splinter Cell Chaos theory is an incredible game. It is a stealth game. The focus is light and dark: hiding in the darkness and sneaking up on guards thtanever heard or saw you. You can use non lethal attacks like punches, knees, or choke-holds, or lethal attacks like neck snaps and throat slits. The graphics pushn the ps2 to the limit: many cutscenes can be mistaken for movie scenes. Do not believe any bad review you hear. There is also a co-op mode and an online, spies vs. mercenaries, mode. The level design, sound, and story are great.

Graphics-pushes the ps2 to the limit. 9.9=4.95
Gameplay- stealty, light and dark, play 9.6=4.8
sound- good msuic, but nothing spectacular 8.5 4.25
fun factor- if you do not enjoy stealth games, you will after splinter cell chaos theory 9.5=4.75
note: the game is very hard

Is this really Splinter Cell? it dosn`t feel like SC. Theres no trial and error, no 3-alarms-and-mission-over-crap. no 1-civilain-death-and-mission-over-crap. Instead of being 90% stealth, it`s more like 40%. And ya-know, this is the first one to actully be fun!!! No really, yeah it`s still a tough game but nowhere near as bad as the last two.And lastly,even though the Xbox is better this game has the best graphics on PS2 period(.) PS: i`m writing this on my PSP`s web-browser so pIease excuse my spelling

This is a great game As far as multiplayer goes, there is an even bigger improvement. There is the new Deathmatch mode for versus. Spies now have a gadget tha lets them turn invisible for a short time. Mercs also have three different tyoes of mines (laser, proxy, poison) to use. There are also many new and exciting maps, each with their own objectives to complete so it never gets repetitive with the same game types.

The new Co-op mode is definately the best change in the game. Although there are only four missions (five counting training), the gameplay is great. There are many co-op moves that both people need to do to complete. For example, one person can throw the other across a bunch of lasers.

This is my favorite game of all time. It is fun to hang out in the shadows and stuff. It takes time to get used to the game if you are a first person shooter type of guy(or girl) this game is believeable unlike DOOM or something. Yeah, the co-op is on the short side but it is well worth playin with one of your buddies!

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is the latest installment the Splinter Cell series. This game is near perfect for the right kind of gamer. I know the casual gamer may dislike a lot of it because they are unable to run around and shoot things. For people who like a challenge or enjoy games where they have to think this is a great game. The graphic are greatly improved and they were already some of the best for PS2. The gameplay is great and unique requiring a lot of thinking and stealth in order to complete objective. The game is based of being quiet, and not alert anyone to your present, which provides a challenge. In the game you are given great gadgets to help you. The addition of saving when ever you want takes the pressure off trying to reach the next checkpoint. The games dificulty has been downgraded slightly from the first two there is usual always away to complete a part without being seen and you are always given enough ammo. Co-op is fun requiring to spies to work together but at times difficult working with someone who may not play the same way as you such the may focus more on shooting while ou try to be quiet. Also the Co-op is very short. Online is probably one of the most unique and fun expiernces for a game played online. It requires two spies to complete an object while two human mercenaries try to thwart their efforts. Between The single player, Co-op and online this game is well worth your money.

I am a true Die hard Splinter Cell fan, and I was slightly dissapointed that this game was rated M. The game does not have any blood! But anywho asside from the stupid ESRB, the gameplay was fun, and I found using the gadgets is more fun in this game. I also like how they let you choose your basic arsenal for the level. The game has its issues, but the music is great and has a cool tune. The game did, go by quickly though and I beat it in a day. though some of the levels were frustrating. Also in this game, the Levels are not as linear as the last game. For example: If you kill a guard, and there are no lethal attacks alowed on the level, you will not lose immediatly, you may actually kill as many guards as you like. Lethal or not. Lambert just yells at you, you can also get as many alarms as you like, and you will not lose. But the Co-op mode is fun, but if you are more experianced than you're friend, it will be very hard to get around with a non-experianced player by your side. So the game does have its pros and cons. But it is still more fun than Pandora Tommarow, its just shorter. So I do recommend that you buy this game and enjoy!