Splinter Cell 2 did a better job of smoothing out the problems of the first while including a cool online portion but it still had trial and error gameplay that I couldn't get into.
Finally, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is out and it is grand.
When I first started to play the single player game, I was amazed at how much more forgiving the system was. Not to say it was dumbed down or easier, I still got my ass handed to me, but it was more fair. And if I made a mistake it didn't necessarily spell total disaster. Overall, it's still a lot of the same from before, except that in this case you are given much more freedom in how you want to go about your missions and you can, in fact, use those high-powered weapons you were given without worry.
Then there's the multi-player portion which is amazing. The co-op mode is fully fleshed out, allowing two people to play either split screen, system link or through Live. New moves are given for team attacks and for various ways of solving situations. Gameplay is fun and exciting, it's a natural extension of the single-player experience and makes me wonder why it took for the third game for them to include it. My only complaint is that there aren't many co-op levels but hopefully this will be remedied through downloads through Live.
As if those two modes aren't enough, there's the merc vs. spy multi-player from the second Splinter Cell. Maps from the second game and new ones are included. Very awesome. Nothing like going up against real people for a change.
Astoundingly, the graphics have been increased in this game. I didn't know how they could do it, but they did. Environments are more realistic, the shadows are better, everything is much much better. Audio is also stellar and if you have the ability for 5.1 you will be in for a treat.
I don't like repeating other reviewers out there so I don't think I can say much more. It's a fun game mostly, that incorporates some real cool moves. If you liked the original two but wanted more freedom in how you go about things, then this game is for you. It took three games but I am finally a Splinter Cell believer.
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The Splinter Cell series has been truly amazing, and with #3 they have perfected it. The AI is great, the graphics are stunning, and gameplay is simply fun.First, if you've never played the Splinter Cell theory, you really have to see these graphics. Curtains ripple in the wind. Candlelight gleams faintly. Streetlights fall through blinds in rippled patterns. It is gorgeous to watch.
The plot feels very real and current. You're a lone spy, sent in to get information and extract hostages. You learn more as you go through the game, finding out who to trust and who not to trust.
All the latest gadgets and techniques are here. You have to use your heat vision, night vision, electronic vision to scan for danger. You have a wireless device to scan laptops from nearby. You can shimmy along pipes, hang by your knees and grab people beneath you. You can slit holes in fabric curtains and grab people through them. You really begin to forget that this is "just" a game.
The enemies have become quite intelligent. If you turn off lights, they wonder who did that. If you open doors that should have been closed, they notice. You really couldn't ask for much more.
But then, it gets even better. The missions offer a number of ways to solve them. There isn't just "one path". And multiplayer is truly phenomonal. You could play multiplayer every day for months and never get bored.
Of course, it needs to be pointed out that, while you can aim for stealth as much as you wish, this is a game involving violence. You are snapping the necks of guards, watching hostages be killed in nasty ways, and generally dealing with adult dangers. This isn't a game for pre-teens.
But that being said, the game is amazingly immersive and does reward you for taking the stealthy way through the course. You get far more points for sneaking in and out of the enemy base, vs doing a Rambo and blasting away everything in sight.
Highly recommended!
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Ive played and tremendously enjoyed the first two Splinter Cell series, but this one is far and away the best, in fact its the best game in its genre, no other tatical/action game comes close. These are the best graphics I've seen for the X-Box (and I have Doom 3, Halo 2 and Riddick). The textures look incredible and its incredibly immersive, this game sucks you right in. The enemy AI has drastically improved, the enemy responds to broken lightbulbs and locks the added all round intelligence makes the game extremely believable. The only feature that marred the last 2 Splinter Cells' was the enemies lack of intelligence and common sense, most of this has been corrected.The 5.1 mix of this game is perhaps the best that I own, you are put right in the middle of the environment, guards walk and talk behind you and sounds swirl around you with great effect, and the ambient sounds are fantastic. Sometimes when dogs are barking or birds chirping, I actually have to put the sound on mute to check if its coming from the game or outside, its that good!
All in all, this is the best game for X-box I've ever played. You wouldnt be disappointed.
Honest reviews on Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory - Xbox
Sam Fisher is back once again. This time he must find the source of the barrage of information attacks causing blackouts and unexplained attacks on US targets.The first thing you will notice about this game is that it is huge compared to the first two splinter cell's. Look at the manual and you will notice it is unbelievably thick. This is because there is so much things that Sam can do. All of Sam's tools and gadgets carry over to CT, but he now has some new ones. He can use his pistol to disrupt the functionality of most electrical components. No more having to fire your pistol to shoot out lights and making a lot of noise as the glass breaks. With the EV, Sam can just shoot a laser at the light and the light will flicker off within a few seconds. He can also do the same to computer screens, TV's and radios, which drives the enemies mad. Perhaps that coolest new thing he can do in this area is that he can wirelessly hack into PC's even while someone is sitting at the desk. Now is that cool or what?
Sam's SCK-20 has a few upgrades that allow you to use different attachments. In addition to the launcher attachment that allows you to fire camera, shockers, grenades, etc, there is also foregrip, sniper and shotgun attachments. The Foregrip allows Sam to aim the SCK-20 with more accuracy. The sniper attachment turns the gun into a Sniper rifle. I haven't used it yet, but will choose it on my next mission. Finally there is a shotgun attachment for the times when you just want to let the enemies know you mean business. Its very noisy, but if you get to point where you have to use it, you probably don't care anyway. The only drawback to these new attachments is that you can only choose one per mission. So you can't go into a mission with both the sniper and the shotgun. It kind of sucks, but I suppose it wouldn't be very realistic anyway.
Sam this time now has a lot of lethal moves in addition to his non-lethal attacks. When you grab and enemy from behind, you can elect to choke them until they are unconscious, or perform a lethal, like ramming a combat knife into his back or push them off a balcony sending them to their death. Sam can also perform attacks without having to grab an enemy, you can kill them by slitting their throats or stab them in the heart. Or you can elect to knock them out by hitting them in the head or kicking them. I recall one level where I kicked this guy so hard he went flying head first into a nearby fire extinguisher causing it to go off. Yes Sam is RAW in this game. If this wasn't enough you can also kill (by breaking their neck) or knock out enemies while you are hanging upside down from a pipe!! One of my favorite things to do however is while Sam's hanging off of a cliff or balcony, he can reach up and grab an enemy and toss him over the railing sending him to his death! I think UBISOFT got a lot of requests from SC players requesting more lethal attacks and they responded brilliantly. Sam's demeanor has also changed, in judging from his conversations with Lambert. However you don't HAVE to kill to advance in this game. If you like you can go through most of the game without killing anyone, so the stealth aspect is still there and is still encouraged in many levels. I still prefer stealth, but will occasionally kill depending what kind of mood I'm in. I like the fact that UBISOFT now gives players a choice. One thing I forgot to mention is that Sam can now also bash a door in, almost certainly knocking out the person on the other side.
The graphics in this game are much crisper than Pandora tomorrow and look a lot better than the graphics on the original SC. The environment movements are so life like, it's almost scary. The lighting is once again done brilliantly, allowing you to still be able to look at shadows to estimate where the enemy is standing just around the corner.
The sound is also a step above the previous two installments. Depending on what country you are in, the locals and enemies accents will change. The environment sounds are also very lifelike. On certain levels, you can hear the annoying sound of mosquitoes and flies buzzing around your head. High pitched buzzing from flies and mosquitoes always makes my nose itch, and when I heard those sounds while playing the game I, had to constantly pause the game and rub my nose. I was glad to get off that level!
The story this time around is better than PT, but still seems to jump around a lot and is kind of hard to follow. I still think the original SC had the best story line. With that being said, the story line is still very good, and I like the fact that UBISOFT went back to full news broadcasts, instead of cutting them off constantly like they did in PT.
There is also a Co-op mode in this game which allows you to play story mode with someone else simultaneously. That's right two "Sams" on the same mission at the same time. After I finish single player, I'll try to convince the wife to play Co-op with me. If you are unable to find anyone to play with you in person, there is also XBOX Live. I cancelled my XBOX Live account 3 months ago, so there is no need for me to review that potion of the game.
My disappointments in the game are as follows. 1) The manual doesn't do a very good job in telling you how to use your new weapons and moves. I couldn't figure out for the life of me how to use the shotgun attachment, until finally I went online and asked somebody. The manual did not mention how to do this it all! In addition it does not tell you how to use the laser mic. I will be going online to figure out how to use this as well. A training mission would have been perfect, but for some reason, UBISOFT felt that it they didn't need to include it this time. I feel sorry for the person who never played SC before; they will almost certainly be lost and confused. 2). While some comical dialog is welcome in some aspects of the game, sometimes it just goes too far and ends up being corny. For instance, the enemies that have no problem killing you at a moments notice turn into complete p****** when you grab and interrogate them, they whine entirely too much saying there going to piss their pants, or they should have stayed in bed this morning. It would have been cool if some people did that, but it seems that every guy you grab and interrogate does the same thing.
One thing I must mention is that UBISOFT got rid of the checkpoint system! FINALLY! You can now Save your game whenever you want. No more redoing a section over and over and over again just because you got killed 2 feet from the checkpoint. This is a welcome addition by myself and I can imagine many more gamers. If they do the same in the new RS3, then I will be doubly happy!!
Overall, this game is very good being ALMOST as good as the original. While this game improved in all aspects from the previous two installments, I can't play it for very long periods of time. Don't get me wrong, this game is fun, but I just can't play it as long as I could with the first SC. Maybe I am just getting old. I generally don't give 5 stars unless the game is 99% perfect, but because I want to distinguish this from PT which I gave 4 stars (rounded up from 3.8). Had this been a 10 scale rating system, this game would easily get a 9.5. But because it's only a five scale system, I have no choice but to give this game all five stars.
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When I played SC 1 I really felt it was a wasted opportunity... Yes it had amazing graphics and was the stealth-based 'spy' game to own but its amazing shadowy look was also matched by its ultra-unforgiving realism. Trip one alarm too many game over. Use a weapon you're not allowed to game over. Kill someone game over etc.With Chaos Theory that frustrating aspect of gameplay has almost all been removed. With each successive trip of an alarm your enemies don armor or get out more powerful weapons and become more prepared and aware of your presence. Much more preferable to 'mission failed' start the level again style of gameplay.
Additionally, Xbox owners can now save at any point. This is radical especially on for a console game, and increases the enjoyment factor ten-fold. It allows you to experiment without fear of going back to the start and thankfully load and save times are very quick.
The new toys, moves and especially the intelligent AI is also a welcome addition to the game franchise. Enemies converse with each other, share info and plan flanking moves extremely realistically. Add to that environment affected ragdoll physics and the game starts to *feel* real. Levels are cunningly designed for multiple game styles want to go in guns blazing, then go for it, want to subdue and interrogate guards as you go or even avoid them completely again that's up to you.
Graphically, it's stunning. The mathematics and visuals integrate tightly to offer a truly unique looking game. Cloth and drapes are affected by wind and light. Water is a factor as is sound and ambient noise. Granted you'll be spending a lot of time seeing the game through Sam Fisher's night vision scope or waiting in some pitch black corner, but where the game is bright enough you can be awed by how far gamegraphics not only has come, but also how much they're part of the gameplay.
Sure they are some points I didn't like. I personally hate games that have time limits and SC:CT has a parts of of some levels where you have minutes or even seconds to perform some task. I like to slowly plan my next move without fear of a 'time up'. I want to play the game at my own pace. Thankfully there's only a couple of levels that do this.
Chaos Theory is the game I wanted the original Splinter Cell to be. At this pricepoint you shouldn't miss this one.
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