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[Old but still good] Splinter Cell Chaos Theory.

JastJast Registered User regular
edited March 2009 in Games and Technology
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Ahh, Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, one of the best if not the best stealth action games ever made. Everything about it was so good, from the music, to the levels, to the gameplay. This was actually the game that got me interested in the Splinter Cell series. The three difficulty levels allow you to play at your own pace, and the save system makes sure you won't get frustrated. I was dissapointed in Double Agent, coming from this game the sky was the limit, but instead it was rushed and took away what was good about Chaos Theory.

So what does everyone else think about Chaos Theory and the rest of the Splinter Cell series?

Oh, and just in case someone asks, CT is compatible with the 360, buy it now.

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Jast on
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Posts

  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Not only is it compatible, but you can buy it for your 360 without even getting off your ass, if you have the Microsoft Points equivalent of $15 lying around. It's on Xbox Originals.



    Chaos Theory was easily the best game in the series. The first one was really good too, but they were still sort of figuring out what they were doing. I actually liked Double Agent (played the 360 version). It wasn't as good as CT, of course, but it was still a good game. But CT was certainly the best.

    Come to think of it, I skipped Pandora Tomorrow. Did I miss anything?

    Oh, and anyone have any tips on how to get the PC version to recognize the 360 controller? Tips other than "give up".

    Daedalus on
  • ilmmadilmmad Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    So good.

    Too bad the small amount of people who remain on live are complete douchebags.

    ilmmad on
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  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Also, this one had the best ending. And villain. I mean, Double Agent's main bad guy was kind of campy and the final standoff was anticlimactic. But this one was great.
    "No, Doug, I wouldn't shoot an old friend." is a good line for either choice you could make.

    Daedalus on
  • JastJast Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Daedalus wrote: »
    Not only is it compatible, but you can buy it for your 360 without even getting off your ass, if you have the Microsoft Points equivalent of $15 lying around. It's on Xbox Originals.



    Chaos Theory was easily the best game in the series. The first one was really good too, but they were still sort of figuring out what they were doing. I actually liked Double Agent (played the 360 version). It wasn't as good as CT, of course, but it was still a good game. But CT was certainly the best.

    Come to think of it, I skipped Pandora Tomorrow. Did I miss anything?

    Oh, and anyone have any tips on how to get the PC version to recognize the 360 controller? Tips other than "give up".

    I don't have any tips on the PC version, but for all that is good, DO NOT PLAY PANDORA TOMORROW. If you thought the first one was cheap, just wait until you play PT. So much hate.

    Jast on
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  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Really, the difficulty never got to me much. But then, I'm playing the PC versions, with quicksaves.

    The only really bad part in the first one was when you had to invade CIA headquarters.

    Daedalus on
  • troublekingtroubleking Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Now considering you mentioned Double Agent as not being a high-point and that being the only Splinter Cell game I've really played properly (outside of a couple of hours on the others at friend's houses), this opinion may not be fantastic. Yes, I also realise I have a Big Boss avatar.

    There is something about Splinter Cell that puts me off. I think it may just be that I am so accustomed to the Metal Gear Solid style of Stealth Action gaming, but there seems to be a certain clunkiness about the game. It does feel as though Sam Fisher is almost fighting back when I try and move him to places. That isn't saying they are bad, there are some pretty cool innovations that wowed me when I first played (the shimmy up a wall and hang over enemy before stabbing them trick being one of the more obvious ones). It's just to me it seems that they aren't always fun. Which, you know, games should usually be.

    Again, citing Double Agent here, but the prison level in the game when you break out of the prison is horrible. I don't like there being one set path and that you have to do it, and how the game pretty much takes you by the hand and shows you all the conveniently placed buttons and who to kill.

    That said, I am almost looking forward to Conviction. It seems that (if it ever is released) it will be totally different to anything done before, and the idea of having to Stealth Action through a park would be awesome, cutting the throats of Ice Cream sellers who get in your way (this being what I've seen from the limited promotional material).

    troubleking on
  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    By the way, was the Xbox version of Double Agent any good? I understand that the PS2/Xbox/GC/Wii versions of Double Agent were a completely different game from the 360/PS3/PC versions, developed by a different studio with different levels and plot and a storyline that was only sort of similar.

    Daedalus on
  • Big ClassyBig Classy Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Daedalus wrote: »
    Really, the difficulty never got to me much. But then, I'm playing the PC versions, with quicksaves.

    The only really bad part in the first one was when you had to invade CIA headquarters.

    That was bad enough to make me quit. Eventually I did manage to do it though. I would have sold the game were it not a promo copy, so well over a year after getting stuck on that bit did I manage to complete it.

    Big Classy on
  • JastJast Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    CIA HQ is one of my most favorite missions out of all four. Sneaking into the CIA HQ, knocking out dudes left and right, hacking them, kidnapping one of their guys and then escpaping? All with a non lethal parameter? If you need proof Sam Fisher is a bad dude then the proof is CIA HQ.

    Edit: And hilariously the current gen version of Double Agent stinks. The next gen version is better. At first I thought the Oxbox version was better, but after playing through it, no, just no. At least the story is a little better but it's still junky.

    Jast on
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  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Again, citing Double Agent here, but the prison level in the game when you break out of the prison is horrible. I don't like there being one set path and that you have to do it, and how the game pretty much takes you by the hand and shows you all the conveniently placed buttons and who to kill.

    Yeah, you need to go get Chaos Theory.


    Come on, four dollars. No excuses.

    Daedalus on
  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Oh, and, um, this should be obvious, but don't get the Nintendo DS version of this game. Whatever you do, don't do that. Holy shit. Talk about bad ports.

    edit: Also, the PC version is infected with Starforce. There is an... unofficial removal patch, though, and if you use that patch before running the game even once, then you won't get the Starforce drivers installed on your computer.

    Daedalus on
  • xWonderboyxxWonderboyx Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    To the guy asking about the 360 controller for the PC version, I know it's doable, I just don't remember how. I got the PC version when it first came out and used a 360 controller with it. Sorry I can't help you more than that.

    xWonderboyx on
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  • Dr SnofeldDr Snofeld Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    This always looked cool, but I played a demo of a Splinter Cell game (Pandora Tomorrow, probably) but just got frustrated by the zero margin for error, and now I fear I've been spoiled too much by Hitman: Blood Money to play something unforgiving like that. How does Chaos Theory compare?

    Dr Snofeld on
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  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Dr Snofeld wrote: »
    This always looked cool, but I played a demo of a Splinter Cell game (Pandora Tomorrow, probably) but just got frustrated by the zero margin for error, and now I fear I've been spoiled too much by Hitman: Blood Money to play something unforgiving like that. How does Chaos Theory compare?

    In CT, recovery from being detected is difficult sometimes, but never impossible, and you're rated out of 100% at the end based on how discreet you were, much like in Hitman.

    Daedalus on
  • Fizban140Fizban140 Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited July 2008
    Best part was the multiplayer, so much fun to be had with the spy on line.

    Fizban140 on
  • ShmittyShmitty Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    i'm surprised no one has mentioned the co-op. with the free dlc levels, it was like having nearly an entire second game to play through. one of my favorite games of last gen, and definitely my favorite xbox game.

    Shmitty on
  • ArrathArrath Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    CT brought us the shotgun attachment. Thus CT is the best.

    I love the shotgun so much for when I say fuck it to stealth and just want to kill stuff. *BLAM-riiiiiing*

    Arrath on
  • ZoldenZolden Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I still have CT that I never even got a chance to play, then moved on. I got the furthest I ever have in any SC games in Double Agent. I liked it... maybe because it softened things up a bit for the non-hardcore stealth gamer. Pandora Tomorrow I loved the most, which is weird to most people, because of the online. I sank sooo many hours of play with some buddies of mine into that mp. It was the first of its kind and I hear nothing but dissapointment in the DA version, which I tried a few times and ended up being "like wtf, man."

    Is there any word on the one that's supposed to be coming out next? I remember reading a year ago about it but have heard nothing since. I thought it was supposed to be very Assassins Creed but modern-day-esque.

    Zolden on
  • -SPI--SPI- Osaka, JapanRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I loved the first Splinter Cell, creeping around in the dark and grabbing guys is so much fun. The non lethal missions were especially an awesome challenge. Pandora Tomorrow however was odd, for some reason whistling from shadows and then elbowing them in the face when they got close worked every time which took all the tactics out of the game. I gave up on PT around about the point in the TV station level where you
    Have to shoot 3 or 4 guys who stop some woman (at this point I don't remember the plot to PT, not that it had a coherent one in the first place) every time I would try to do that I could get one or two guys down but you have no cover in that section and the guys have psychic powers that allow them to pinpoint a guy in pith black darkness using a silenced weapon. I finished the original SC and then played through again on the harder difficulty but this section in PT was enough to make me quit, PT just wasn't a good enough game to push through the bullshit.

    Chaos theory was awesome, mostly. I was going through the game, loving it the whole way until I hit a point of such utter bullshit that I put the game away in disgust. I felt so annoyed because up until that point the game really was 100% the best game in the series.
    But seriously, fuck that room where you have to run around finding bombs with only a few seconds to spare. That, I would be ok with but when you disarm each one a bunch of enemies appear out of fucking nowhere. And they gave the fuckers Night Vision goggles! It's not like I rally have time to sneak around them with the constant timer and if they see me I'm pretty much instantly dead.

    The whole section really stood out from the rest of the game in that it was so poorly put together. Having enemies pretty much teleporting into the room to cut you off just seemed so out of place with how the rest of the game works up until that point.

    -SPI- on
  • ilmmadilmmad Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I beat them in reverse order, from CT, then Pandora Tomorrow, and I haven't beaten the original yet.

    Pandora Tomorrow is good though. Especially the last two levels. And Playing it before CT gives good background on Shetland. In CT he's mentioned as a friend of Sam's, but it's exacerbated more in Pandora Tomorrow.

    ilmmad on
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  • ExarchExarch Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I was a huge fan of the original Splinter Cell, the CIA level was especially awesome. For whatever reason I never bothered to pick up the others. Might have to after all this reminiscing.

    Exarch on
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  • AmphetamineAmphetamine Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Are you guys getting into this on LIVE? Like, this is a game on right?

    Amphetamine on
  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Daedalus wrote: »
    Dr Snofeld wrote: »
    This always looked cool, but I played a demo of a Splinter Cell game (Pandora Tomorrow, probably) but just got frustrated by the zero margin for error, and now I fear I've been spoiled too much by Hitman: Blood Money to play something unforgiving like that. How does Chaos Theory compare?

    In CT, recovery from being detected is difficult sometimes, but never impossible, and you're rated out of 100% at the end based on how discreet you were, much like in Hitman.

    Yes... so for those of us that like to be stealthy so they can find a good spot to kill people from, the game is still playable. ;-)

    Shadowfire on
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  • HarakhtiHarakhti Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I would absolutely love to be able to play this again. Particularly co-op and mp. Some fun times.

    *shakes fist* Curse you Starforce!

    Harakhti on
  • DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Shadowfire wrote: »
    Daedalus wrote: »
    Dr Snofeld wrote: »
    This always looked cool, but I played a demo of a Splinter Cell game (Pandora Tomorrow, probably) but just got frustrated by the zero margin for error, and now I fear I've been spoiled too much by Hitman: Blood Money to play something unforgiving like that. How does Chaos Theory compare?

    In CT, recovery from being detected is difficult sometimes, but never impossible, and you're rated out of 100% at the end based on how discreet you were, much like in Hitman.

    Yes... so for those of us that like to be stealthy so they can find a good spot to kill people from, the game is still playable. ;-)

    for those of us who go through the game with a ninja-like semi-stealth, where you sneak up on and murder every human being in the level, it works out fairly well too.

    Daedalus on
  • Fleck0Fleck0 Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    How is the multiplayer in CT (or DA for that matter)? honestly the most fun I've ever had in an MP game was when Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow came out and I spent endless nights staying up until 4am tearing people new ones with Captain K (pre-mod times).

    Ahh, summer nights. It's something I could get back into (if the playerbase exists and the 2v2 dynamic is as well done)

    Fleck0 on
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  • MrDelishMrDelish Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    I'm the complete opposite with the whole MGS vs SC thing. I love both, but MGS's gameplay feels so much more clunky than Splinter Cell's, with 4 being a possible contender.

    But as for each:
    Splinter Cell: you need to play this one. I liked it more for the story than any of the others

    Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow: can skip. I just rent it and beat it to say I did. The story didn't captivate me at all.

    Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory: Also need to play, though I didn't get as into its story as I did with the first.

    Double Agent: Meh. I still haven't beaten it.

    MrDelish on
  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    edited July 2008
    ilmmad wrote: »
    So good.

    Too bad the small amount of people who remain on live are complete douchebags.
    At least you had people playing.

    This thread will likely be bigger than the PC's Game On thread.

    Sterica on
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  • ilmmadilmmad Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    MrDelish wrote: »
    I'm the complete opposite with the whole MGS vs SC thing. I love both, but MGS's gameplay feels so much more clunky than Splinter Cell's, with 4 being a possible contender.

    But as for each:
    Splinter Cell: you need to play this one. I liked it more for the story than any of the others

    Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow: can skip. I just rent it and beat it to say I did. The story didn't captivate me at all.

    Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory: Also need to play, though I didn't get as into its story as I did with the first.

    Double Agent: Meh. I still haven't beaten it.

    Dev switches explain this.

    ilmmad on
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  • DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    ilmmad wrote: »
    MrDelish wrote: »
    I'm the complete opposite with the whole MGS vs SC thing. I love both, but MGS's gameplay feels so much more clunky than Splinter Cell's, with 4 being a possible contender.

    But as for each:
    Splinter Cell: you need to play this one. I liked it more for the story than any of the others

    Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow: can skip. I just rent it and beat it to say I did. The story didn't captivate me at all.

    Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory: Also need to play, though I didn't get as into its story as I did with the first.

    Double Agent: Meh. I still haven't beaten it.

    Dev switches explain this.

    Which is why I remain hopeful for Conviction, despite the change in setting.

    DarkPrimus on
  • GnofGnof Registered User new member
    edited July 2008
    One of my most favouritest games ever. Absolutely loved CT. Except for the plastic wrap look. Lol.

    Gnof on
  • TrusTrus Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Funnily enough I just started playing Chaos Theory on my Gamecube again this last week. I bought it and never really got past the 3rd level since the stealth part never really kicked in for me so I went through every level killing everyone without a second thought. Playing through the game now is so much more fun, I just played through the China level (until it crashed right before the end) and I'm looking forward to when I finally get around to playing the next levels.

    Trus on
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  • ilmmadilmmad Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Despite Ubisoft Montreal once being my favorite game studio, one I believed could make no wrong turns, recently they've been putting out games with less and less quality; see Army of Two for evidence.

    ilmmad on
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  • WoodroezWoodroez Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Army of Two was EA.

    As for Conviction, it saddened my to read that it's pushed to next year. That was in the last EGM, btw. Being honest though, I'd have to wait for a demo to see if it's a purchase or not.

    Woodroez on
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  • Shoegaze99Shoegaze99 Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Daedalus wrote: »
    I actually liked Double Agent (played the 360 version).
    I played both, and believe it or not, I thought the OxBox version was much better. The graphics took a step down, of course, but I found I enjoyed the missions and levels in the OxBox version a lot more.

    Re: Chaos Theory, I agree with all the praise lavished on it. Loved the game. Probably my favorite of the series (and I love the series). For an OxBox game, stunning graphics, too. That lighting engine looks amazing.

    Shoegaze99 on
  • Shoegaze99Shoegaze99 Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    MrDelish wrote: »
    But as for each:
    Splinter Cell: you need to play this one. I liked it more for the story than any of the others

    I'm surprised they haven't released a version of this with the three DLC levels built-in. They form a nice little three-chapter coda to the main story and were very challenging levels.

    Shoegaze99 on
  • FireflashFireflash Montreal, QCRegistered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Trus wrote: »
    Funnily enough I just started playing Chaos Theory on my Gamecube again this last week. I bought it and never really got past the 3rd level since the stealth part never really kicked in for me so I went through every level killing everyone without a second thought. Playing through the game now is so much more fun, I just played through the China level (until it crashed right before the end) and I'm looking forward to when I finally get around to playing the next levels.

    Man, do yourself a favor and play the XBox/pc version if you can. The PS2/gamecube versions had to be built from scratch and are inferior to the xbox/pc version. On Xbox/pc you get:

    -Larger levels with more different paths to choose from
    -No loading screens between different parts of the levels
    -A possibility of much more dynamic lights per area. (I think gamecube/ps2 were limited to 2 per area, which made a lot of the lights static/unbreakable)
    -More and better AIs
    -And the coop on ps2/gamcube is awful. The levels had to be separated into a lot of small subsections, something like 5 or 6 per level. That means that you had parts that played like: Loading screen -> Walk down a hallway, take down one guy, open a door -> already another loading screen.

    Fireflash on
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  • Operative21Operative21 Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Splinter Cell:CT was my favorite of the whole series so far, and I've played and beaten every Splinter Cell released. The fact that they didn't limit your methods as much in CT worked out very well in the end. I'm hoping they return a similar level of freedom when Conviction is released.

    Operative21 on
  • CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    This thread needs more Amon Tobin.

    Lighthouse

    Cantido on
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  • ilmmadilmmad Registered User regular
    edited July 2008
    Guys here's what's up. We only need 4 people total to do online. So it should be easy to work it out. I demand the OP lists gamertags of people with live and this game.

    ilmmad on
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