johng Blog

Splinter Cell Chaos Theory has been my game of choice for the last week or so, my lack of progress in Swat 4 pretty much forced me into finally installing it. Overall very impressed so far and this game is vast improvement on it’s predecessor.

I can imagine first time players to series picking this game up and not having a clue what’s going on. There are no training missions or tutorials aside from the video clips hidden in the menu structure. The first game did this very well and why it couldn’t be replicated here, albiet with new moves added, is beyond me. The controls are excellent once you are used to them, but getting used to them maybe a problem for newbies.

When you do start playing the graphics are stunning, littered with awesome effects and little touches that make it great. One graphical touch that does spoil it though is the warping on the night vision goggles. Considering how much you must use them it’s supprising that they warp your view in a fishbowl lens style so much. Pretty minor but it can be distracting looking at wobbly walls.

Sam can do some great new moves like pulling people over ledges, breaking their necks from above and giving enemies a good stabbing when needed. The knife is a new adition that can totally change the style of play, if your good it’s possible to just run up to guards and stab them before they hit the alarm. This can make the game very easy at times, especially on the darker levels.

The cut scenes, normally the worst part of most games, are of excellent quality if littered with a bit too much product placement (Airwaves and Nokia take a bow). They tell the story very well and you always feel like the missions you are doing are of great importance to the countries involved. The decision to go with dynamic objectives adds a new level of replayability to SC that it didn’t have before (can you complete the second level without killing anyone?).

I have heard bad things about the PS2 version so if you are thinking of getting this, and I suggest you do, then pickup the PC or Xbox versions which are the same build. And I haven’t even touched on the multiplayer yet! A major part of it that I haven’t got round to yet. Just one more level…