They got it right!!!! Well, almost. Ubisoft just released the third installment of the Splinter Cell series, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. The game is leaps and bounds better than the first two. The story keeps with the Splinter Cell style as Sam Fisher once again saves the world from certain doom with a twist or two along the way.
The gameplay, however, is where this game really excels. Ubisoft Montreal did an amazing job of giving the fans what they wanted with levels that are extremely non-linear and the ability to save the game at any point. Not only that, but Sam has been given a knife this time around to aid in his close combat encounters. The graphics on the PC and XBOX versions are also much improved with the addition of normal mapping to all of the characters and surfaces. One notably cool effect is that whenever Sam or the NPCs go from indoors to outdoors when it is raining, the game dynamically increases the specular highlighting on the characters to create the illusion of them getting wet. It is an awesome thing to see.
Unfortunately, Ubisoft did not make a perfect game, however close they got. I only have one complaint, but it’s a big one. Ubisoft still insists on putting shootouts in the game. I understand how it fits into the game pretty well, but the shootouts are just too damn hard. I’m a pretty hardcore gamer and playing it on the easiest difficulty, I still had to play one of those sequences 7 or 8 times. That is just terrible game design. Ubisoft managed to create these awesome multiple path stealth missions, but when it comes to the shootouts, I have to kill three commandos, all equipped with thermal goggles, by moving through one door and simply out shooting them? That wouldn’t be a problem in a first person shooter, but in a game like Splinter Cell it’s just too damn hard. They either need to find a way around these segments (which is what I would prefer) or come up with a better way for the player to engage these enemies.
Aside from the 3 or 4 sequences that frustrated the hell out of me, the game is excellent. The voice acting is good, the story is good, and the stealth action is incredible. I highly recommend it to anyone. Just don’t get too angry about the gunfights, it is worth it to get through them.
