Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Xbox game cover
Developer(s)	Ubisoft
Publisher(s)	Ubisoft
Engine	Unreal Engine 2.5
Platform(s)	Xbox, PS2, GameCube, PC, Nintendo DS, N-Gage, Mobile Phone
Release	March 31, 2005 (NA)
Genre(s)	Stealth-based game
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is a third-person stealth-based video game developed and published by Ubisoft. Chaos Theory is the third game in the Splinter Cell series by writer Tom Clancy. The game follows the covert activities of Sam Fisher, an agent working for a black-ops branch of the NSA called "Third Echelon". Though originally announced for release in Fall of 2004, the actual release date was March of 2005 for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube and PC. Handheld versions for the Nintendo DS and Nokia N-Gage have also been released. A version for the Game Boy Advance was planned, but cancelled. The soundtrack for the game - released January 26th, 2005 on Ninja tune record label - is composed by the breakbeat artist Amon Tobin. Composer Jesper Kyd, best known for his work on the Hitman third-person stealth shooter series, composed the music for the game's cinematics. Actor Michael Ironside still plays Sam, while Don Jordan returns from the original game to voice Lambert, having been replaced by Dennis Haysbert in Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow.The game went gold on March 22, 2005 for all platforms. Recently, The Official Xbox Magazine rated Splinter Cell Chaos Theory Xbox "Game of the Year" (2005) for its oustanding gameplay and lifelike graphics.

Engine and gameplay

The graphics in Chaos Theory feature a number of improvements, including the addition of normal mapping and HDR lighting. The game also features a number of major changes and improvements to the series' basic gameplay.

Stealth Mechanics

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An in-game screenshot of Chaos Theory

Chaos Theory features refined stealth mechanics. In addition to the standard light bar, the game also features an aural monitor that measures the noise that Sam makes, along with the ambient noise of the environment. It is important for Sam to make less noise than his surroundings, otherwise, the enemy guards will hear him.

The AI detection has been altered as well. In former titles, after Sam would leave a certain area, the game would automatically do a sweep of the previous area for all unconscious or dead bodies in a well-lit spot. If any were found, an alarm would be triggered. In Chaos Theory, the bodies have to be discovered by a patrolling guard in order to trigger an alarm.

Being spotted by enemies will still trigger alarms, and alarms will still cause enemies to become more alert and combat-ready (such as causing them to don flak jackets and helmets). However, creating too many alarms will no longer cause the game to end automatically. Even killing civilians or U.S. soldiers won't cause Sam to fail the mission, although doing so will cause Fisher to be seriously chastised by his superior, and cost him significantly in his mission score.

Chaos Theory is also the first game in the series to keep track of mission performance. Missions are summarized upon completion with various statistics such as the number of times detected or the number of guards killed.

Close-Quarters Combat

Chaos Theory adds a combat knife to Sam's close-quarters combat abilities. Sam can use the knife in multiple ways, such as threatening an enemy during an interrogation, or killing an enemy in close-quarters combat. Sam can also attack enemies in combat from any direction, not just from behind. He also has the option of using lethal or non-lethal force when ending an interrogation. As an expansion on Sam's ability to shoot while hanging upside down (introduced in Pandora Tomorrow), he can choke down or slit the throat of enemies below him. He also has the ability to pull people over railings while hanging off a ledge and throwing bodies off of cliffs.

Weaponry

Sam is now able to choose from one of three different equipment "kits". They are Redding's Recommendation, Assault, and Stealth. The Redding's Recommendation kit gives Sam an even balance between ammunition and non-lethal weaponry, The Assault kit gives more ammunition at the expense of non-lethal weaponry, and the Stealth kit gives more non-lethal weaponry at the expense of ammunition. Each kit is customized for each mission, meaning that, for example, on a mission that calls for no fatalities, all kits will feature less ammunition and more non-lethal weaponry.

The 5.72mm pistol returns with a new feature: the Optically Channelled Potentiator, or the OCP. When fired at certain electronics, the OCP can disable them for a limited time. Sam can disable lights, security cameras, and more. When Sam successfully disables the electronic device he aimed at, a green light flashes on the pistol. If he misses, a red light flashes. In both cases Sam must wait a period of time for the OCP to recharge and become ready for use again.

The SC-20K modular assault rifle returns with a multitude of new attachments, such as a foregrip that reduces recoil and increases accuracy, a launcher that fires non-lethal weaponry, an undermount shotgun attachment for close quarters firing, and a 20 mm sniper scope for long-range combat. The SC-20K's standard scope now only zooms to 1.5x magnification, while the sniper scope allows from 1.5x to 3.5x magnification.

A large variety of non-lethal weaponry can be fired from the SC-20K launcher, such as the Sticky Camera, the Sticky Shocker, and the Airfoil Round. The Sticky Camera will reveal an image of the area in which you shot it. In addition, it can make a clicking sound that will attract enemies, and also emit a CS gas that will render any enemies in the immediate area unconscious. The Sticky Shocker will shock and incapacitate its target when fired. If shot into a body of water, the shocker will incapacitate all targets in the water. If a single target is struck while in water, the electric current will be grounded and electrocute the target lethally. The Airfoil Round is a hollow metal ring that will knock out the target. It is still possible for an unconscious enemy to die if shot, dropped from a considerable height or dropped into water, no matter how shallow.--Leon kennedy 01:55, 18 July 2006 (UTC) This is important in non-lethal missions in which Sam is forbidden to kill anyone.

Sam also has multiple types of grenades. There is the Gas Grenade, which emits a CS gas that knocks enemies unconscious, the Smoke Grenade, which provides Sam with a cloud of smoke to hide in, the Flash Bang Grenade, which will temporarily blind and deafen any enemy near it, and the Frag Grenade, which will kill any enemy within its blast radius.

AI

Enemy AI has been improved, with enemies taking cover, leaning around corners, using squad-based tactics, and even throwing grenades. Enemy AI will also react to changes in the environment; if a light switch is turned off, an enemy may become concerned, more so if the light is shot out. Enemies may even become so frightened as to start firing wildly into shadows. They will also open fire on Sam if they walk into him, or if he is seen in the light. They will fire a large amount of rounds at his last known location, so if detected, the player is advised to reposition himself and attempt to sneak past or kill the enemy.

Plot Summary

The plot of Chaos Theory sees a return to the original Splinter Cell's theme of information warfare, with Sam on the trail of the Masse Kernels used by Georgian President Kombayn Nikoladze to attack America's infastructure.

The main focus of the game takes place in East Asia, 2007, with tensions running high between China, North Korea, and Japan, following Japan's formation of an Information Self Defense Force (I-SDF). Considering this to be a violation of the Post-World War Two Constitution, Chinese and North Korean forces establish a blockade in the Yellow Sea against Japanese shipping. Because Japan and the I-SDF are allies of the US and Third Echelon, the U.S. dispatches its Navy cruiser, the USS Clarence E Walsh, to the Sea of Japan. The US hopes this show of strength will get China and North Korea to back down.

Meanwhile, in a seemingly unrelated incident, Sam is dispatched to locate Bruce Morgenholt, a missing computer programmer who worked on deciphering Phillip Masse's algorithms. Masse, whom Sam assassinated in the original Splinter Cell, was a genius far ahead of his time, and the algorithms he used to launch his attacks on America have been extensively studied by the UN. The resulting Masse Kernels are being touted as the superweapon of the 21st century. Sam is tasked with making sure they do not fall into the wrong hands.

Although he assassinates the Peruvian revolutionary responsible for kidnapping Morgenholt, Sam arrives too late to prevent Morgenholt's death. He is also unsuccessful in stopping the release of the Masse Kernels. Unknown parties use the algorithms to black out Japan and the Eastern Seaboard, including New York City. Japan has previously suffered similar attacks that crashed its economy, and Admiral Otomo of the I-SDF contacts Third Echelon and warns them that North Korea and China are probably responsible.

Meanwhile, in the Far East, the American show of force backfires when the Walsh is sunk by a North Korean ballistic missile, initiating a war between North Korea and the United States. Since North Korea claims the missile was launched unintentionally, Sam is sent to the Korean peninsula (including the South Korean capital city of Seoul), to determine if North Korea is truly responsible for sinking the Walsh, or if the Masse Kernels are involved. (Note that the sinking of the Walsh and the U.S.-North Korea war is the plot for the Playstation 2 version of Ghost Recon 2.)

Sam eventually learns that the entire war has been orchestrated by an American private security corporation called Displace International. Displace used the Masse Kernels to hijack North Korea's missile systems, and sink the Walsh, in order to draw the U.S. into a war from which Displace could profit. Sam also realizes the mastermind behind the entire plot is none other than his old war comrade and friend, Douglas Shetland, the CEO of Displace. Ultimately, Third Echelon sends him to spy on a meeting between Shetland and Shetland's unknown accomplices, who shockingly turn out to be the I-SDF. At the meeting, Shetland betrays the I-SDF, and a firefight subsequently breaks out between Shetland's soldiers and I-SDF assault troops. Amidst the chaos, Sam pursues Shetland to the roof, where, after a tense Mexican standoff, Sam kills Shetland.

Even after Shetland's death, one loose end remains. Admiral Otomo of the I-SDF has acquired a copy of the Masse Kernels from Shetland, and attempts to return Japan to Imperial rule by blackmailing the Japanese government. He threatens to use the algorithms to launch a North Korean missile against a Japanese city. Because North Korea would be supported by China, and Japan would be backed by the U.S, the incident would spark World War III. Although Otomo's I-SDF Black Operatives manage to fight off the G-SDF troops sent to stop him, Sam infiltrates the I-SDF's secret underwater base and manages to put an end to Otomo's plans. Otomo attempts to commit seppuku (suicide), but Sam saves his life and captures him. Otomo stands trial at the UN and takes full responsibility for the entire Korean crisis, returning stability to the Far East.

Multiplayer

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European box art.

Like its predecessor Pandora Tomorrow, Chaos Theory includes a competitive multiplayer component. Chaos Theory expands its multiplayer by including cooperative play allowing for two agents to play through a unique 5 mission story mode which parallels the single player campaign. It is playable via split screen, system link play, or over Xbox Live.

The cooperative campaign follows the story of two Splinter Cells in training, merely known as Agent One and Agent Two. Their training is interrupted when a world crisis occurs that requires the Shadownet division of NSA to deploy additional resources, even including agents not fully trained. The missions become a trial by fire for the two new agents.

The gameplay is built on the same design as the single player campaign. It introduces new techniques for the two-player gameplay, such as one spy kneeling down to give the second spy a boost over a wall.

Though players can operate alone, the level design is such that it encourages teamwork. For example, there may be a switch down a long shaft that will unlock a door. One player will stand atop the shaft and extend a rope down the length of it while the second player will descend the shaft, hit the switch, and then return up the rope.

The cooperative campaign was popular enough that Ubisoft developed two additional levels for download for the PC and Xbox versions. The Nuclear Plant and UN Headquarters missions are meant to end the story for the cooperative component.

The popular Spy vs. Merc game mode returns from Pandora Tomorrow with many improvements. These include new gadgets for both teams, cooperative moves for the spy team, and improved close quarters combat for the mercenaries.

Awards

• E3 2004 Game Critics Awards: Best PC Game, Best Action/Adventure Game, Special Commendation for Graphics
• Included on Game Informer's "Top 50 Games of 2005" list
• Official Xbox Magazine's "#1 Xbox game of the year, 2005"

Protection and Other Hidden Software

The game is protected with StarForce protection and as of the 17th of January 2006 doesn't work with Windows XP 64-bit Edition and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition though it can be circumvented using third party tools.

The game features Massive Streaming Ad Support for the PC version which creates ads at certain locations and counts how many seconds the player looks at them. The ads can be placed anywhere as posters or on the back of trucks. This has drawn some criticism as some ads are placed in strange locations such as a North Korean missile battery where advertisements for American movies and products would be highly unlikely. These ads can be disabled by not allowing internet access to the ad streaming server.

Trivia

• During a conversation between guards (just before the entering the room depicted in the screenshot above), they coverse about a guard taking a vacation. However, they note that he's lucky because he has the new Prince of Persia game, which at the time was developed by Ubisoft.

• When Fisher is told to crack open a missile case panel, he states that he "forgot his crowbar". Grimsdottir replies by saying "Whatever, crowbars are for geeky video game characters." This is a reference to Half-Life 2, specifically the character Gordon Freeman.

• Sam is interrogating a guard: "It's not like you can shake me, and make my ammo drop on the floor". This is a reference to the famous Metal Gear Solid series where items and ammo can be obtained by shaking the body of the enemy.

• The original working title for the game was, "Splinter Cell: Butterfly Effect." However, the movie The Butterfly Effect came out at the same time as development and Ubisoft had to change the title. The Butterfly Effect is a phrase that encapsulates the more technical notion of sensitive dependence on initial conditions in Chaos Theory.

• In the Bathhouse level there are various scrolls with inspirational phrases written on them in Japanese hanging on the walls. The scroll for "heiwa" (peace) is always upside down (it is seen in several places throughout the level).

• At two points throughout the single player missions -- on the Maria Narcissa and in The Penthouse -- guards are seen listening to music. The band playing is the French group, Kesshin, and the songs performed are 'One More Regret' and 'Resonance.'

• On the Hokkaido mission, Sam hears a guard making a reference to the first Splinter Cell when Sam infiltrated an oil rig. The guard refers to Sam as a ninja, because Sam, quietly takes out his enemies from the shadows, just like a ninja.

• Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory was banned in South Korea, because the capital of South Korea was destroyed in a sea of fire.

External links

• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (2005) at IMDb
• Chaos Theory Official Website
• Interview with producer Mathieu Ferland at FileFront.com