by
Ted Kritsonis
Faze
Video Game Editor
Sam Fisher returns in this highly anticipated
third installment in Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell series
only a year after the second (Pandora Tomorrow) hit the market.
While Pandora Tomorrow was developed by Ubisoft’s Shanghai
studio, the Montreal studio took an extra year to start from
scratch and develop Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, which is
sure to be a contender for game of the year in 2005.
Without
a doubt, the most noticeable change this time around is in
the visuals, given that the old graphics engine used in the
previous two games was overhauled and reworked completely.
But what’s most impressive is that the general “look”
and “feel” of the game has hardly been touched.
Sam still looks and moves the same, but the environments around
him are better. The light and shadows are breathtaking, and
mission locales are varied and interesting in many ways. Colours
are richer, reflective light is more eye-catching and the
textures used are some of the best ever seen in a video game.
The AI has also seen a marked improvement,
with a few exceptions here and there. Enemies will make your
job tougher by using flashlights and working together to investigate
any unusual instances, which would probably explain why Sam’s
non-lethal weapon inventory has been downsized because it
would probably make things a lot easier. But there are times
when the AI helps, as I noticed on a few occasions when an
enemy should’ve seen or heard me, but stayed motionless.
Also, instead of shooting out lights all the time, you can
now cause them to flicker out for about 30 seconds with an
electronic jammer attached to your pistol. This helps enemies
be less suspicious because of the lack of broken glass.
The
single-player campaign takes place in 2007, and revolves around
a crisis in the Korean Peninsula. The events unfold through
excellent cutscenes and debriefings and take Sam to places
like a Spanish colonial fort in Peru, an upscale penthouse
suite in Manhattan and a war-torn urban landscape in Seoul.
Where levels were linear in the previous two games, Chaos
Theory’s levels are more distinct and offer a variety
of methods to complete each one. This alone changes the replay
value of the single-player campaign.
You also have a choice in equipping yourself
for each mission. You can go stealth, assault or a mix of
the two. The assault option lets you use a sniper and shotgun
attachment for your assault rifle. Both are quite loud, so
don’t expect stealth to be your strong suit if you’re
going to use them. And for those annoying alarms from the
first two games, triggering three of them won’t result
in mission failure this time. Sam will hear an earful from
his boss, Lambert, for doing so, but alarms are also easier
to trigger now, which means enemies will be ready and waiting
for him.
Sam also carries a knife with him for the
first time, and its usefulness is obvious early on. Sam can
now be seen holding the knife to an enemy’s neck during
interrogation, but he can also slice someone sleeping on a
bed or shank someone from behind. The knife can also be used
to cut through material for a sneakier way to set up an ambush
or to grab someone through it. And if that’s not enough,
he can even break a lock on a door by shoving it into a keyhole.
As for movement, the coolest new move has
to be the neckbreaker while hanging from a pipe. Sam can now
reach down and either snap an enemy’s neck or knock
him out. Every time I see it, it never gets old, and has to
be one of the coolest things any character can do in a video
game. Plus, if Sam’s hanging from a ledge, he can pull
an enemy over the edge from his feet.
The multiplayer game online was a big hit
in Pandora Tomorrow, but it’s been expanded here to
allow for two-player missions, where you and a friend can
work together in four co-op levels via offline split-screen,
System Link or Xbox Live. There is a lot of fun to be had
here, and you can expect downloadable co-op missions to come
out in the next few months. The mercenaries vs. spies game
online is also smoother this time around, and features a few
enhancements for both sides. Spies can now render themselves
invisible by using a camouflage suit, while mercenaries can
utilize a devastating rifle whip technique that can knock
down any spies within reach.
For fans of the SC series, Chaos Theory is
the hallmark, but newcomers should feel comfortable with it
as well. With such an engaging single-player mode, and incredibly
entertaining multiplayer gameplay, as well as sporting some
of the best graphics ever seen in a console game, Chaos Theory
is currently the game to beat for top spot in 2005.
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Publisher:
Ubisoft
Developer:
Ubisoft Montreal
Platform:
Xbox
Rating:
10/10
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