Splinter Cell Chaos Theory Review

Normally we see Sam Fisher taking down terrorists bent on destroying some part of the world with ballistic missile warfare. But in Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, a mere computer programming algorithm has the power to rip any nation’s infrastructure to shreds. With Chaos Theory, there is no need for ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles), nuclear warheads, or cowardly suicide bombing. With a series of complex computer algorithms, someone seems bent on causing conflict between Japan, Korea and the United States of America.

Japan now has an I-SDF. That stands for Information Self Defense Force. This has been deemed a blatant violation of both international law as well as the country’s own constitution. This causes heightened tension between Japan, China and North Korea. Facing possible blockades of critical shipping routes by China and North Korea, Japan requests help from the U.S. This is in accordance with American obligations under Article 9 of the Postwar Constitution.

Now continued gathering of evidence by Japan’s I-SDF has led them to believe on the day of Japan’s “Black Gold Day” economic devastation, information warfare may have been used. All the nations have begun to mobilize, with the U.S. activating the U.S.S. Walsh, a premiere electronic and information warfare platform. Third Echelon, Fisher’s organization, has caught wind of a very small and seemingly unrelated event that may cause a disaster of global proportions.

When you first fire up Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, you have the option of either heading straight into the game’s main campaign, or view a slew of training videos. If you choose to go after the videos, you will be treated to some moderately entertaining tutorial clips narrated by Sam Fisher himself telling you all the things he is able to do on the battlefield. Well, battlefield may be exaggerating, but you get the idea.

Anyway, whether or not you choose to view the training videos, the beginning of Chaos Theory’s campaign is pretty decent. You are provided with a brief cinematic cutscene that explains an overview of the game’s plot. You are then introduced to your Third Echelon team in Colonel Irving Lambert (your commander), Anna Grimsdottir (computer and signal intelligence technician) and William Redding (planning/preparation/data) who brief you on your mission objectives. Some missions will present special military guests in helping you along even further, but they don’t come until the later missions.

Your first mission takes you to an island with a giant lighthouse on it. You are to save a man by the name Bruce Morgenholt. He apparently held information of significant computer-driven algorithms that have the ability to compromise virtually any computer system in the world. He was apparently kidnapped by the men of a known terrorist by the name Hugo Lacerda. As a staunch supporter of guerilla-like tactics and revolutionary groups, he feels information warfare is one of few ways to achieve his ideals.

So you must save Morgenholt at all costs, and in doing so, hope the enemy doesn’t have a text-based weapon of mass destruction in their hands.

If you’ve played previous installments of the Splinter Cell franchise, getting used to Chaos Theory should take hardly any time. The game does run a lot of its menu arrays and such in accordance to various controller button combinations, but it’s nothing too daunting. You use the D-Pad to toggle your various goggle settings, you hold Z and use the D-Pad to scroll through your equipment. Then with other actions like grabbing people from behind, opening doors and using your optic cable; that is all done through a drop down “game interaction” menu utilized by the A button when presented with one. After the first mission, which takes an hour or so to accomplish depending on how good you really are, your familiarity with the controls will more than likely be set. One of the more pleasing aspects of Chaos Theory is the ease of jumping into it with not having to read the instruction manual first.

Perhaps one of the most disappointing aspects of Chaos Theory on the GameCube is its graphical presentation. Ubisoft definitely gave us the shaft in terms of overall polish and atmosphere when they developed our version. That doesn’t go to say the graphics are terrible, but they are nowhere near where they easily could’ve been. The XBox version without a doubt is the superior version in this case, with the PS2 version not being too far off with subpar quality in terms of the GameCube. So just what is it about this game that won’t impress you graphically? Well, virtually everything to be truthful.