Review: Splinter Cell - Chaos Theory

Not every worthwhile game title involves headshots, big explosions, high speed racing, or athletic prowess. The stealth genre, which started to gain attention with the likes of Tenchu: Stealth Assassin, is now typified by the modern military series Splinter Cell. The newest title, Chaos Theory, improves on concepts introduced in previous games, continues to offer a unique multiplayer experience, and expands the gameplay in a few minor ways. All told, Splinter Cell : Chaos Theory is a worthy successor to the previous games in the series, and offers up familiar gameplay that never once feels stale.

• Title: Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
• Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
• Publisher: Ubisoft
• System: Xbox
• Reviewer: Zonk
• Score: 9/10

Splinter Cell titles center around the missions of Sam Fisher, an American military tool in the information warfare age. Chaos Theory, like the titles that preceded it, follow the exploits of Mr. Fisher as he moves from one mission to another. Events and characters that mimic real world analogues very closely fill the game, and despite some nonexistent devices to further gameplay (like hacking a computer from across a room), the impression you receive is that Sam Fisher's world is very much our own.

As such, the entire game is steeped in realism to preserve the flavour of the modern day experience. The graphics and lighting are gorgeous, and the fluidity of motion that the game's character portray is extremely impressive. The artificial intelligence of enemy opponents, while not perfect, is certainly better than many other titles in the stealth genre. This allows for some lovely emergent gameplay, as you can take actions in the game world and can plan on a logical reaction taking place. The first mission allows you a perfect opportunity to try this out, with two mercenaries patrolling near a tent. Taking out the merc outside the tent allows you access to the generator for a large lighting system nearby. By turning off the generator, you make the guard inside the tent curious...a vice which gets cats and guards in trouble.

The need for stealth in the game is paramount, but not as rigorously enforced as in previous titles. You can set off as many alarms as you like, and until you are slain the mission isn't over. This, and nearly every other, addition to the Splinter Cell gameplay library was made to make the game more accessible to players. The addition of a knife to Sam's arsenal allows him to take out enemies in a single thrust in near silence. Gunshots are noisy and attract attention, but laying out your opponents with deadly fire is an accepted way to complete a mission. The previous titles were extremely punishing of mistakes, and Chaos Theory counteracts that by allowing Sam to take on a more kick-ass take-names approach. If you've played the previous incarnations a great deal, you may find the going easier than you expect. Higher difficulty settings are provided to challenge the more skilled. This eased gameplay also allows for more than one way to complete a mission. Even if you decide to kill the captain of the cargo ship without interrogating him, you can still sweep the ship with your weapon drawn looking for your target. Arbitrariness and gameyness have been deliberately reduced.

That sense of realism is extended by the story and voice acting. The tale centers around a series of missions which take you from one end of the earth to the other. Each mission has a good deal of background to it, and the depth of the Chaos Theory story is entirely at your discretion as the mission briefings are entirely skippable. Each portion of the mission briefing is handled by one of the memorable non-player characters, each with their own area of expertise. The memorable nature of these characters is solely based on the quality of the dialogue writing, which comes off very natural and spiced with quality humor, and the skill with which the voice actors portray their roles. Fan favorite Don Jordan returns as Irving Lambert, and Michael Ironside returns to the tight fitting bodysuit of Sam Fisher.

The score, by Amon Tobin, nicely accentuates the mood and temp of the game with a modern vibe that never feels as though it was composed by software. Tobin's composition, his first for a videogame, is very promising. I hope to hear more from him in the future.

Like the previous title, Pandora Tomorrow, Chaos Theory isn't something you have to enjoy alone. Multiplayer via Xbox Live is once again a unique experience. The four-player Mercenaries vs. Spies gameplay returns, with some tweaks and refinements. To ensure that you're briefed on the objectives of the multiplayer game, you are required to go through a training scenario. The maps allow you a range of several types of gameplay, including a deathmatch, a disk capture mode that is a variation on keep-away, and a new story mode. Story mode is probably the most interesting addition, forcing the mercs and spies to complete several missions in sequence and tying them all together with a workable plot. Chaos Theory has a lot of living room local multiplayer potential as well, with four cooperative levels available. There are several moves that two spies working together can accomplish, and the gameplay is accentuated by a story which works the co-op levels in as part of the backstory to the single player campaign.

Nothing is perfect, of course. While I enjoyed the game, my previous experience with Splinter Cell titles is limited. I found the game challenging on Normal mode, but players who have honed their skills on less forgiving titles may view the single player campaign as a cakewalk. The darkness mechanic can start to feel slightly contrived after a while, as you move through areas that wouldn't be as dark as the game allows them to be. The realism of other areas of the game makes it a jarring experience when you find a well guarded part of a bank in pitch blackness. The co-op mode, finally, could have been more fleshed out. Cooperative play is one of the most interesting aspects of modern gaming, and I would have liked to see a more developed co-op aspect for this title. Minor complaints, but the attention to detail that the game takes in all other areas makes weak points stand out.

For fans of the previous games, and players who enjoy modern tales, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is a perfect fit. It has a sensibility all its own, and the high praise it has garnered around the industry is well deserved. If you're looking for a stealth action title, Chaos Theory will fit your needs with military exacting precision.

Screenshots are from Microsoft's official Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Xbox site, ©2005 Microsoft and Ubisoft.

First

FG - First time for graphics on slasdot?

Re:First

The inclusion of more relevant graphics on slashdot may be to discourage readers from blocking all images on slashdot pages (which would block some advertisements...)... in addition to graphics sometimes being very useful of course.

I'm basing this partially on this CmdrTaco comment. [slashdot.org] Am I reading it right?

Apparently the article tried some stealth too...

"Nothing for you to see here, move along". Yeah, right. Jedi mind tricks won't work on me, Mr. Fisher.

Two out of Four...

"Not every worthwhile game title involves headshots, big explosions, high speed racing, or athletic prowess."

Stealth games always have the first two items on that list.

Re:Two out of Four...

I'm a big fan of the Splinter Cell series. I love the stealth genre, and I was first in line to buy the game after I played the demo a few weeks ago. It's still extremely unstable, however. I don't mean unstable like SC2, where the game would crash after browsing for more than 10 seconds for a multiplayer game to join, more like... piss poor porting. I was getting blue screens during play, until I read on a forum to uncheck one of the advanced video options, that only prevented the blue screens while the game was running, it would then do it every time I quit the game. After a few days of doing that, I played it again, and it said my saves were corrupted. Needless to say, I'm not impressed with Ubisoft.

Re:Two out of Four...

It certainly can't be a problem with your hardware.

Re:Two out of Four...

Just thought I'd point out something that's probably not widely known.

In my experience in games dev (and that of others), the dreaded PC game demo is usually demanded by the marketing dept, and put together as quickly as possible, and will usually not reflect final code of the product. It may not even have gone through much more than basic compatibility testing, as your experience suggests. Quite often it doesn't even feature on the schedule (at least, not in a realistic way).

Feel free to lambast me with the observation that what the hell is the point of the demo if it doesn't give people a true idea of the game, or actually puts them off buying it.

Because I'd agree with you completely. But the devs usually don't get to make those decisions.

Re:Two out of Four...

Tell me about it.

The guy's older than me, yet I can't help but think that I have far more gaming experience. He's apparantly unaware of just what happens when a genre becomes popular.

Just you wait Zonk. Give it two years and these stealth games will contain headshots, big explosions, high speed racing, and athletic prowess. As well as conspicuously placed fruit in numerous quantities, which will be required to develop the miracle drug that saves the president from heart failure (and opens up secret fantasy levels with stars and hearts).

Sincerely apologizing for the run on sentence,
-deltasigma-

Brought to you by...

The slashdot advertising department in cooperation with Microsoft (c).

MGS

Surely he meant to say, "which started to gain attention with the likes of Metal Gear."

Tenchu? Late and lame if you ask me. MG (even the old 8 bit jobs) was what made the genre.

Re:MGS

I don't know. If you ask me, "Thief" was really the origin of the genre. Sure, there were older games which involved stealth to some extent, but the many of the conventions and much of the gameplay of the first-person/third-person sneaker were born with "The Dark Project".

Re:Rationale?

I'm not claiming that "Thief" was the first game to employ any stealth techniques into the gameplay. Many games had some instances where the character could be hidden, or certain techniques that could be used to avoid triggering an enemy attack. However, as far as I can remember, "Thief" was the first game to do something comparable to "Splinter Cell". It put you into a 3D world with gameplay resembling a FPS or TPS, except the enemy AI had defined [semi-]realistic senses of sight and hearing which were limited in various ways by the environment and exploited for the sake of sneaking through the entire game unnoticed.

So was "Thief" the first game to allow the player to avoid the notice of enemy AI? No. Was it the origin of the modern First/Third-Person-Sneaker? I'd say yes. That it uses magic instead of night-vision-goggles is inconsequential. Think look-and-feel. Think gameplay conventions.

I'll agree with the 9/10 rating...

All the Splinter Cell series have kicked ass, and while I haven't picked this one up yet (Guild Wars is released soon, my money is for that!), I have no doubt I'll enjoy it as I did the other ones.

Xbox only?

I thought this game came out on all three systems (gamecube, ps2, xbox)?

Am i the only one..

..who played the original and thought "Sure, I can sneak around, but I'm sure it would be quicker to shoot my way through".

Maybe I'm just to violent *Loads up Red Orchestra"

Modern Co-Op?

Cooperative play is one of the most interesting aspects of modern gaming, and I would have liked to see a more developed co-op aspect for this title.

Excuse me? If I recall I was playing games co-op with my friends back in the NES and SNES days. In fact, a heck of a lot of games back then had some form of co-op. Only in 'modern gaming' has co-op taken a backseat to lots of run of the mill style deathmatch. So no, co-op isn't an aspect of modern gaming; modern gaming is finally reintroducting the co-op back into the game.

With that said, I find the co-op enjoyable. Two issues: needs a save function (there is one, but only while youre playing; if you quit and come back you have to restart the level). Could use more levels, oh, and less slowdown. Sometimes it gets downright awful.

Wha?

The co-op mode, finally, could have been more fleshed out. Cooperative play is one of the most interesting aspects of modern gaming, and I would have liked to see a more developed co-op aspect for this title.

Were we playing the same game? The simple fact that these four HUGE levels (with more to come, eventually) were developed specifically for co-op and require you to work together directly with a teamate (or you can't pass the mission) demonstrates who incredibly well the co-op was designed. I don't thing I can even name another co-op game (aside from Phantasy Star Online) where it was impossible to get through a level without your teamate timing something with you perfectly. Each level has at least one moment where you and your teammate must do something simultaneously in order to get past it, like disarming bombs, mixing chemicals, etc. And several other places where you can't move on to the next area of the level without help from your teammate. On top of that, you can play through these huge levels differently every time if you so choose. Aside from some occasional disconnect and slowdown issues on co-op, I've never seen a better co-op mode in any game, ever, hand's down. Heck, even the simple fact that guards can hear the two of you talking is something special. A less-developed co-op would've been to simply give us the single-player levels and allow two people to play on them (which I'd gladly take as content download).

And admittedly, Zonk says he doesn't have a lot of previous Splinter Cell experience, but this one is hands-down easy if you want it to be. No more trial-and-error gameplay, alternate paths, added knife ability (which makes it really easy to kill armed people even after they've spotted you), more accurate guns (also easier to kill), and a handy save anywhere feature, this one is pretty easy to get through compared to the other two games. As a result, I've managed to get 100% ratings on a couple levels the first time through, without really even meaning to (which means not being detected, completing all objectives, and not killing anyone).

Now they have to change the commercial!!!!!

"9/10"
- Slashdot Daily -

[Fade to Black]

non existent hacking tools?

"and despite some nonexistent devices to further gameplay (like hacking a computer from across a room)" I didn't know wardriving belongs to sci-fi.

More room on the HD

... and despite some nonexistent devices to further gameplay (like hacking a computer from across a room) ...

Ah great, I can remove the firewall software tonight.

Startlingly original multiplayer

Tom Clancy's jingoistic pro-military, pro-police-state propaganda and lackluster dialogue aside, the game is beautiful and it really hits its stride when you plug into the internet and start testing out their multiplayer modes.

The co-op play is a real joy to behold, and the versus play is a really original take on multiplayer "shooters." You wouldn't think a 2v2 where one side has guns and the other side is devoted to stealth would work. It's not perfect, but it's surprisingly successful, noticeably balanced, and deep.

There is just nothing quite like sneaking up behind a merc as he saunters past you down a corridor, grabbing his neck, holding down the button and whispering something offensive into his ear before you snap his neck. Or for that matter, watching a spy do a 20 foot header through the air from a grenade you dropped right at his feet while he was trying to sneak past you.

When you see an alarm go off, and are rushing through some dark basement area towards it and think you catch something moving in the shadows, but it disappears when you shine your flashlight on it, you feel real fear. :D

Congrats to Ubisoft. No dobut they'll make the mint selling extras over the XBox live channel to boot...

Co-operative Play

The only thing I found lacking in the game was knowing where to go in Co-Operative play. In addition to removing your binoculars you do not have access to a map. This was frustrating on the first co-op level in trying to figure out how to get into the big fancy server room to end the mission, without really knowing where you had to go.

With the game being so new there were no walkthroughs for the co-op mode either. But I am pretty sure that has changed by now.

Other reviews...

First of all, let me tell you, I think you should let game reviews for other web pages, personally I like Metacritic [metacritic.com] a lot.

Secondly, although I have not played the game, after reading some user reviews from the above page I found someone who stated:

the no blood thing is terrible for a game like this. This is an Adult game so why no blood?

I can just say come on! why the heck there is no blood??

Also, if the bad guys spawn in predetermined places, as the same reviewer states "kind of like the first Super Mario Bros. [...], you know exactly when and where to move the second time around ( either dying and spawning over or just playing the game a second time all together )"
So, maybe the replayability levelfor this game is low, but anyway I a fan of the Hitman series, lets see if there is a new Hitman sequel and, how is it going.

Fun Game

Don't know why they had to change the Interface 3 times in 3 games. IMHO the first one with the PDA was the best. It obivous they were going by sponsors, ie Palm 1st game, Ericsson 2nd game, 3rd game ????. The "in-game" interface for the 3rd game is slow and looks just like some shitty menu. It just make me feel like I'm back at the game menu as opposed to a spy looking at the pda on his wrist.

Also I preferred the night vision from the previous games where once you switched it on the whole screen just went "green". Now when you turn on night vision you look through a green fisheye lens. Its still useable, just not worth doing and not and improvement.

Finally I have to say if you've played the 1st two games even on Expert this game is just way too easy. I tried to challenge myself, but even though I didn't set off 1 single alarm nor get seen by guards the game was just too easy.

Finally, finally, :) They HAVE to do expansion packs. Beyond them wanting your money with reagards to the single player game there is just no reason to keep putting out entirely new games. All the tools they need are already done, just put out expansion packs for $19.95 every 3 months and trust me people WILL buy them. Shit if they just put on expansion packs for the 1st game I'd pay again what I've already spent on games 2 and 3.

My review on PC

It's a bit short. It felt shorter than HL2.

The single player is excellent. They fixed a lot of little problems in the previous games. You can switch shoulders for your weapon (which was the biggest UI change I saw, which was great). Unfortunately, you can't switch your firing mode for your SC-20 now. It's "pressure sensitive"--so good luck not accidentally squeezing off a few bullets instead of one.

That being said, the multiplayer is impossible unless you play with someone you know and you're using a mic. Also, the multiplayer isn't the same executable as the SP game, and it's probably nearly unchanged from Pandora Tomorrow. Which is irritating because I mouse with my left hand, but the multiplayer doesn't recognize left mouse button mappings.

Also, make sure you've got the latest drivers. I kept getting a BSOD until I realized my audio drivers weren't up-to-date.

Plays great on my laptop. Specs: 3GHz HT processor, 1GB RAM, ATI Radeon Mobility 9600 (128 MB).

Oh, and the Collectors Edition isn't worth it.

Amon Tobin's Albums

. . . are great. "Supermodified" is very catchy, but nowhere near as polished as "From Out of Nowhere." I have the soundtrack to Chaos Theory and I like it a lot, but it doesn't really show off how insanely detailed his compositions can get.

Chaos Theory not for the unfamiliar

For those who have never played any of the splinter cell games, Chaos Theory does not lend itself to the pick-up-and-go person without a little frustration along the way. I consider myself somewhat proficient at figuring stuff out with unfamilar games, but I actually had to *cough* break out the manual *cough* to figure out how to do most everything. I'm assuming the 'how-to' stuff is covered in previous games. The only other complaint is - what is with game developers not supporting at least 480p? Regardless, the game looks pretty good for not being any flavor of HD.

Once you get the hang of it, it's actually rather fun and a nice change of pace from the run-around-and-blow-everything-up type games that are generally prevalent.

Something's missing

Am I the only shocked that the "worthile" list does not include RTSs? Ah, Broodwar, you stole my youth away.

The most interesting about this game

...is that the PC-version has been in stores for WEEKS, and it's STILL not cracked! I guess the new version of the protection "StarForce [star-force.com] 3" was really hard to crack!

Surprising no mention of copy protect

Perhaps not as it's the X-box version, but there's a ton of vitriol being spewed at Ubisoft on a significant number of sites for their choice of copy protection.

It's the little things...

First off, I must say that I truly enjoy Chaos Theory as a game. However, I have to bring up the fact that I believe the Ubisoft tried to ruin the game with a number of other problems. For example, the extensive DVD checking which takes place during each and every launch of the game. Apparently, it has an issue with my DVD drive, such that it takes several minutes to perform the check. On my brand new AMD64 laptop, it refuses to run, since the GeForce 4 440 is apparently not good enough. However, I understand it to run on lesser GeForce cards. And last, but not least, it includes two (poorly printed) serial numbers required for play. The install key appears to be the same (on the three copies which I have seen) and the serial number has never been asked for (perhaps for online play?). Why do they insist on making this so diffucult? In summary: Great game...once you get to play it!

Mandatory Penny Arcade reference

Spilter Cell: Popcorn eyeglasses [penny-arcade.com]

grammar nazis?

I thought "why is a video game review on Slashdot?" Then, I saw the use of "center around" at the beginning. Hooray for poor grammar usage! Boo for advertising poorly done video games!

What is the attraction of Splinter Cell?

I have the first Splinter Cell on my XBox. I feel like it was a waste of money (the game, not the XBox ;)) It's all eye candy and no substance. Realism is touted as one of the games selling points, but let's be honest, it seems to be restricted only to the graphics, not to the actual plot, etc.

The AI is extremely simple. Enemies have no memory what-so-ever. That's so realistic! Disturb them a couple of times and after a while they'll always go back to what they were doing. Somehow they seem to be able to see in the dark too! And how many people on a level must disappear before others start noticing that it's become awfully quiet? How can they shoot so accurately when I've taken out all the lights, and I've moved around?

The game is also extremely linear with a very constrained map. Furthermore, this is another game (like Halo) that I completed in under a week. It has less substance and real game play than most of the FPS games I've played over the last 10+ years. It's all fancy graphics and nothing else. That's my opinion... so will somebody please tell me what the attraction is?

Amon Tobin interviewed about the soundtrack

interview - clicky linky [mp3.com]

That interview says rather slyly:

GS: Right. The press pack for the soundtrack said most of it was recorded almost entirely with acoustic instruments that you then modified electronically. Did you play all the instruments yourself, or did you--

AT: Actually there's things that you'll hear when you listen to the soundtrack which will be very revealing about all that. I'd rather not go into the recording techniques too much, if that's OK?

For a more honest look at how he actually composes ("play all the instruments yourself", haha :) ), then try this interview [soundonsound.com] from Sound on Sound magazine.

It's funny, but the /. stance on sampling and electronic music seems curiously luddite for people so enamoured with the idea of collaborative software development, "commons"-style re-use of ideas, creative product and 'intellectual property'. I often see statements like "sampling is just stealing someone else's tune because you're too lame to write your own", which is an extremely naive and prejudiced opinion - albeit an understandable one, if the only sample-based music you've been exposed to is P Diddly.

Honestly - read the interview, which covers both the practical and "ethical" aspects of sampling, and check out Tobin's music, and see if you don't feel a little different. Here's a taster:

Sometimes I'll have an idea for a melody and that gets really tricky; for example, I'll find three or four saxes that have the right notes, so I'll try and piece them all together."

Amon has a pragmatic and highly effective way of dealing with the discrepancies between the tone and production of the samples. "It's amazing what you can do with filters; I look at it as being a bit like watercolours, when you've got various different blotches and then you use a wash to bring it all together. I also use a lot of effects in my stuff for that reason -- it's not particularly because I love delays and reverbs or whatever. Processing is the answer. I'll take a lot of samples to make a melody, then process it with one type of filter or modulation effect, re-record it, cut it up, and by then it will sound like one sample -- but sometimes if it doesn't, it can be really interesting anyway."

Filters and EQ also play a big part in isolating specific sounds or instruments within a sample. "You can take out an entire frequency that holds an instrument, so that you can no longer hear it, or you can hear it in such a background way that it becomes an interesting subliminal part. Unfortunately that means it can sometimes sound really harsh, because the EQ has to be so extreme. Some people have even said it's a characteristic of my sound. I love that -- here's something I f**ked up, and someone relishes that!

Review Comments

I have played all three SCs and I can say I have enjoyed this one the most.

Pros:
Best cut scenes and voice acting
Great storyline
Addition of the soundmeter has added a great deal of skill necessary to complete some missions
Better AI (still pretty average overall)
Mission statistics
Detailed levels and character interactions (those going through Japanese house through the floor shaft know what I mean)
Sam's mannerisms change when moving close to objects (creeping up on people)
Better and more realistic weapon selection
The EM jammer on the pistol (no need to blow out every light)
Breaking, kicking in doors
Primary, secondary, bonus, and opportunity objectives
Hacking computers
Changing weapon shoulders
Jumpy NPCs when you have spooked them a couple of times

Misses:
Mission statistics subtract for all kills but not for knocking everyone out...would like to have seen this modified to at least deduct from the mission score if a NPC was not guarding a particular computer or target. Mission scores should reward pure stealth.
No back-to-the-wall shooting
AI still is pretty bad, but is getting better. For instance, I take down a buddy and the other NPC does not try to look for him. Also, everyone seems to have radios but NPCs are not worried when someone doesn't check-in. However, it has gotten better, if doors are left open or closed the NPCs will get suspicious also the NPCs will at least use some squad tactics when challenged.

In all I have enjoyed SC:CT a great deal. Also, I will be crawling back through the game again because the mission statistics now make it a challenge to try to go through the entire game unnoticed and unseen.

First-class pseudoscience

While I give credit for the writers for trying to spice up the cliched subject matter (which, like all Tom Clancy material, revolves around terrorism) with a little infobabble (we've moved past portable nukes), I've broken down laughing many times while playing this game.

I can't speak for laymen, but as a guy who has taken quite a few classes on formal languages, algorithms, and the theory of computation, terms like "weaponized algorithms", the mystery of "512 encryption", the forbidden secret of "recursive functions", and having to steal (and use) "access algorithms" on servers always gets me going.

The writers of this game would have you believe that the fate of the world rests in the careful control of these so-called "Masse kernels", capable of some sort of uber-intrusion. I don't see how any of the possible interpretations of that (popcorn, OS, or sigproc tool) are such a threat, but maybe these writers know more than we suppose at first.

The end-all, very best line in the story (and I won't spoil it by providing the context) is the startling realization that the villians have access to an INFINITE STATE MACHINE!!! I suppose the surprise this is met with is justified, since we'd have to rewrite a lot of textbooks (and not just CS ones) to accomodate that. The only problem is, they didn't specify if it was deterministic or non....

Still, the game was a treat on almost every level and I'm glad to have had the opportunity to play it.

njord

PC version of Splinter Cell translate well?

My little brother has a PS2, and about 2 years ago, I played Splinter Cell for a bit to see what it was all about. I really enjoyed it, although I hated the alarms going off when I left some dumbass dead in a hallway. Irritating, but part of the whole "don't leave evidence behind" concept, I guess.

Does this series translate well to a PC? And is there a strong multiplayer group out their playing the MP version for PC?

IronChefMorimoto

Console

Ok moderators, here is more practice for you in discerning flamebait from a legitimate opinion.

Its been said before and I'll say it again, first person shooters are best left on the PC. They just aren't "right" on the consoles.

I spent all weekend playing this game

I purchased, yes I said purchased, this game on Saturday afternoon and basically did nothing else until I had to go to work this morning.

I LOVE THIS GAME. It's sooooo good. 10/10.

Did anyone notice something odd in this game.

I was playing this just a few minutes ago, I play it about an hour a week. I'm on the 4th mission now. I was walking and I saw this ingame advertisement for "The Longest Yard" a movie that's comeing out in May. Now this brought me to think Doesn't this game take place in 2007 or 2008.... Now why would they have an advertisement for a movie that came out 3 years before the events in the game? Stupid continuity.

Ugh

I installed Windows XP (yes, a "genuine" copy) just so I could play this game on my desktop.
Basically it comes complete with crappy/annoying copy protection. It installs some weird driver that requires you to reboot(!) after installation. You then have to enter two keys: one from the manual and one from the disc case. Then you are allowed to play the game that you just laid down $60 for.
They sure invested a lot of time in copy protection. Not that it did them any good - I looked and found plenty of pre-cracked torrents for the damn game. So, basically all the copy protection did was turn me from a satisfied customer into a pissed off customer.
The weirdest aspect: the installer analyzes your PC before installing the game. However, the analysis isn't able to determine whether or not you can run it. That particular bit of data is calculated after you install, reboot and enter your keys.

Cold War

The game looks good but I'm goign to be holding out for a similar game:

Cold War [mindwarestudios.com]

I've been following it for over a year now and according to rumor it's supposed to be released sometime this year. And there's going to be a linux port so long as the devs stick to their word.

Must Buy Gum

What about the ads for "Airwaves" chewing gum in the game? I haven't played it myself, but I hear that there is at least one CG scene that is essentially a gum commercial. Sam Fisher whips out the gum, label-out, the camera takes a look at the stuff, and he pops it in his mouth.

From what I hear, it adds nothing to the game, and is really blatant. Even worse than the ads in Burnout 3 or Need for Speed Underground 2.

Personally, I wouldn't buy a game with blatant advertising like that.

Re:And you didn't even mention the music?

I'm sorry, but you deserve the "RTFA" stamp. Clearly, it states

The score, by Amon Tobin, nicely accentuates the mood and temp of the game with a modern vibe that never feels as though it was composed by software. Tobin's composition, his first for a videogame, is very promising. I hope to hear more from him in the future.

I too am a big fan of Amon Tobin and own almost all of his albums (aside from this new soundtrack), but come on. Read thoroughly, next time.

Re:Console

It's not an xbox game. It is on PC as well. The demo has been out for a while. I believe it's also on PS2.

Oh, and instead of $200 for a limited console, you can pay $300 for a video card and your other upgrades. I just don't understand "consoles have to be purchased and maintained for years to come". What maintenance are you talking about? You mean, like swapping out cards, adding memory, and the like? Oh, that's right, consoles don't require that at all. In fact, last I heard, that was one of their big value propositions.

Somehow, the idea that consoles involve forking over too much money and maintenance during their lifetime doesn't ring true at all, and less so when you say that in comparison to PCs.

Re:Console

FYI:

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is on the XBOX, Gamecube, PS2, *and* PC.

There goes your argument.

Re:Console

The PC version is out. *cough*torrentspy.com*cough*

Re:Console

There's a PS2 and PC version of Splinter Cell.

Yiff?

yiff-yiff-yiff?

Re:Console

Pretty sure its out for PC, too. Least its on the torrent sites.

Re:Amon Tobin has been around quite some time

I always thought "Get Your Snack On" was more big beat than drum and bass, but to-may-to/to-mah-to, anyways... I'm partial to "Fast Eddie" myself.

And yeah, the 'Splinter Cell:Chaos Theory" soundtrack CD is quite good. I've been playing it nonstiop since I picked it up last month.

RTFM

Why are these games so damn dark. I'm not a nocturnal animal. I need light to see.

Which is exactly why the good folks at Ubisoft took the time to outfit you with night vision goggles.

Re:Console

The X-box has existed for three years and is still going strong. In that time I have purchased a new computer already, as most gamers do. It was more expensive than an X-Box.

The graphics aren't bad, and it's easy to just pop in a disc and start playing, which is less so on a PC.

While I prefer PC gaming as a whole, there ain't nothing wrong with consoles.

Re:Honestly now...

Or, more correctly, without the banner ads, paid subscriptions, and click throughs, how long until there are no more comment pages to see?

Re:Amon Tobin has been around quite some time

I don't know... Get Your Snack On is good stuff, but I'm still partial to Clint Mansell's Pi theme for best d'n'b track ever. Or at least best recreation of the Amen break ever.

(I do love Amon Tobin, don't get me wrong. Supermodified is a damn fine record.)