Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory post-release

[Jacob Singer]

Figured we need a thread for this bad boy. Can't fucking wait myself. I'll take this multiplayer over Halo 2 any day of the week. The early reviews are really freakin' impressive, and the pc demo rocks (even though I'm unfamiliar with the pc controls).

I DEFINITELY want to play the co-op misssions with some Chewers. Oughta be a blast.

[Rob]

The PC demo was fucking awesome...I couldn't stand the first one, and was sorta won over by Pandora, but Chaos was fucking great...Can't wait to pick this up...

[Slestak]

OXM is hinting that it may be their highest-rated game ever. I've been playing the demo a lot, and I think this game is gonna rock. Multiplayer and co-op look awesome. I'll be pre-ordering this one (something I don't normally do).

[Embrodak]

I'm really exicted for this game. The videos I've seen of it look great. What's the offical release date? I know it's soon, but I can't remember the exact date.

(Side note: Jacob--I don't know where that sig came from, but it's just about the funniest damn thing I've ever read.)

[Jacob Singer]

(Side note: Jacob--I don't know where that sig came from, but it's just about the funniest damn thing I've ever read.)

It's from here, (http://www.pointlesswasteoftime.com/film/ep3spoilers.html)and there are some pretty funny captions there.

[Slestak]

What's the offical release date? I know it's soon, but I can't remember the exact date.

3/31/05, I believe.

[Fazer]

I am also very excited for this game. I like that they adopted the deathmatch as an option for competitive play. After a while, everyone just seemed to be playing deathmatch anyway, ditching the objectives.

Co-op sounds very very impressive. And Ubisoft was really good about timeley downloadable content keeping the game fresh (hint hint BUNGIE!!!).

I don't know if it will dethrone Halo 2 for me, but I will definitely put my money down for it.

[Gemini]

OXM is hinting that it may be their highest-rated game ever. I've been playing the demo a lot, and I think this game is gonna rock. Multiplayer and co-op look awesome. I'll be pre-ordering this one (something I don't normally do).

9.9

http://img236.exs.cx/img236/4343/scctroptimized9pw.jpg

[Malliabu: Honkin' On Bobo]

Holy Hell!!!! I feel like drinking something so i can spit it at my monitor in pure shock.

[Slater]

Fucking figures this game would come out on the day I move cross-country. By the time I get everything unpacked and get my cable service set up again, everybody is going to be an old pro at this game already. Gah.

[imported_T_M]

Of course, this is the same magazine that gave Rogue Agent and Tork "good" ratings but seeing as it's Splinter Cell, I'll take the bite. The demo was very addictive.

[Agent 86]

Fucking figures this game would come out on the day I move cross-country. By the time I get everything unpacked and get my cable service set up again, everybody is going to be an old pro at this game already. Gah.
Maybe until about three days after you play, then our necks will be snapped as you say those immortal words: "Hey there, Huckleberry."

[The Sphinx]

Fucking figures this game would come out on the day I move cross-country. By the time I get everything unpacked and get my cable service set up again, everybody is going to be an old pro at this game already. Gah.Well congrats Slater.

[mongycore]

Fucking figures this game would come out on the day I move cross-country. By the time I get everything unpacked and get my cable service set up again, everybody is going to be an old pro at this game already. Gah.

I'll be out of the country doing shit as well...you've always been a better spy...you can kill me lots the first/second week of april.

co-op is going to be awesome.

[Jacob Singer]

I was just playing this demo again, and a thought occurred to me (it's rare, but it does happen): why isn't anyone making a Batman game using this formula? The stealth, the gadgets, the reliance on non-lethal weapons, the darkness, the grim humor -- the Splinter Cell engine and game mechanics could be adapted into a killer Batman title so bloody easily.

On the pc demo, there are some nifty little tutorials with voice-overs in-character by Ironside, and they have a very comic-book tone to them.

Oh well. A guy can dream, can't he?

[Slater]

Yeah, I've been crossing my fingers for a stealth Batman game for years. Never gonna happen, though. For whatever reason, the Bat-license only seems to go to the worst, most uncreative developers on the planet.

I'd like to see Splinter Cell's gameplay used in a horror game as well. Honestly, I'm shocked that nobody has really tried stealth horror yet. It seems like such a no-brainer.

[imported_T_M]

I'd like to see Splinter Cell's gameplay used in a horror game as well. Honestly, I'm shocked that nobody has really tried stealth horror yet. It seems like such a no-brainer.

The stealth-horror idea was used a lot in Sony's Forbidden Siren. Of course, the amount of frustration that came with that title pretty much sunk it. Hopefully, SEGA and Monolith's The Condemned will do it better.

[Fazer]

I gotta say, I am very excited about Chaos Theory's release next week.

I got into Pandora Tomorrow's multiplayer late last time, and I sucked horribly at it, but it was very very fun once you figured out the levels.

I think the co-op mode looks fantastic though. Can't wait to try it out with you chud guys.

[Chest Rockwell]

I was just playing this demo again, and a thought occurred to me (it's rare, but it does happen): why isn't anyone making a Batman game using this formula? The stealth, the gadgets, the reliance on non-lethal weapons, the darkness, the grim humor -- the Splinter Cell engine and game mechanics could be adapted into a killer Batman title so bloody easily.

Actually, isn't the new Batman Begins video game being described as Splinter Cell-Lite? GameSpot just had a hands-on with it. Doesn't sound like anything great but not terrible like I was anticipating.

[Kyle Corkum]

OK, I'm pretty confused. What day is the game coming out? It's listed differently everywhere. The new Best Buy ad says it's available Wednesday, Circuit City says Thursday for the consoles and Friday for PC, Gamestops' website says Monday, which is listed most places as the official release date. I plan on picking up my copy at Meijer's (where I work) at midnight whenever it's available. Nobody there knows anything about anything, so I didn't even ask, and I just want to get it as soon as possible.

I think I'll just end up going there at midnight every night until I get it.

[Malliabu: Honkin' On Bobo]

I'm in the same boat as you, Mr. Corkum.
I've seen it being released for everyday this week except Friday.

As long as it IS this week, I'll be fine.

[Fazer]

Well, its usually the same case with all big releases, but it always comes down to this rough scenario:

Specialty stores (EB games, Gamestop, etc) get the game Tuesday...usually only enough copies for pre-orders for the bigger games

Chain Stores (best buy, target, CC, wal mart) all get the game at random times depending on the store's geographical location, but they most certainly won't be selling it on Tuesday just because they are dicks (save for a few stores here and there). On the west coast, you would be lucky to get a new game before Thursday from best buy or circuit city. They just dont put it out on the shelf till then.

[The Sphinx]

It. Is. Mine.

Impressions/ Fanboi babbling later.

[Jacob Singer]

BITCH! I won't be able to get this until tomorrow, assuming that Gamestop doesn't seel out (they did with God of War), or that my local Best Buys actually puts them on the shelf in time.

Looking forward to reading your impressions, Sphinx.

[Fazer]

Sphinx. pull yourself away from the damn game and give us some impressions!!!


The only bad thing about being on the west coast is that we are always getting the late shipment of games.

[E.C.]

Lowest review so far is the Gamespot one (not surprising).

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/splintercell3/review.html


Call me crazy, but the score does not correspond to the review at ALL. Most of the review is glowing praise, but it still scored lower than "In all, Chaos Theory holds onto the Splinter Cell mantle of being one of the best-looking games out there." And yet, a 9 in graphics? The game's the best in the series, but it got a lower score than SC:PT (and Republic Commando, for that matter). Hmmm....


Oh well. At least the review itself is overwhelmingly positive. I should be picking this up hopefully later this week (and get raped on Live 'cuz I never played SC:PT online 'cuz I got it too late).


So many games I want to play....

[Fazer]

Ya i find gamespot's review numbers to be totally random compared to what they actually write.

Their writeups are well thought out, and do a good job of pointing out what is WRONG with a game. All the other gaming sites just gush about the AAA titles of the year. But gamespot's actually scoring comes off very harsh and this one didnt seem to match up at all.

They are the only site to have said that the multiplayer co-op is not brilliantly done. which is interesting.

[The Sphinx]

OK, I've dutifully pried myself away from Live to file this report. The "game" is really three wholly independent games on one disc- the single-player campaign ("Solo" mode). The co-op game, which I experienced through XBox Live (but you can also play it split-screen or on system link). Finally, the multiplayer "Versus" mode, which can be experienced on Live or through system link (but you'll need four XBoxes and four televisions. And four friends.)

Single-player campaign- Well, I've just progressed twenty minutes or so into the first level, the "Lighthouse" level. The gameplay is realistic to a fault, just like the two previous installments. Graphics are even better this time on the Box, the first frames of the game showing off spectacular weather effects. They say this is a new engine but damn, it looks very much like the old engine with just a few tweaks and refinements. Perhaps the improvement is more pronounced on the PS2 or Cube editions. When Pandora Tomorrow was released this time last year I didn't own a digital sound system, so I can't fairly compare the old to the new... all I can say is, with Dolby Digital 5.1, the game is atmospheric as hell. Straight up some of the best use of sound-placement in a video game.

As far as gameplay changes... minimal. He has a knife. OK, fine, but that's nothing revolutionary. The other big change is the ability to customize (to some extent) your arsenal before each mission as either Stealth, Assault, or Redding's Recommendation (something in between fine-tuned for the particular mission at hand). Mostly the game seems to adjust to your desired mode of play, but Sam is still (realistically) fragile when bullets and grenades come in his direction. If you want to play Assault, be prepared to reload the game a lot.

There's a lot more humor and personality in the single-player game than I recall from Pandora Tomorrow. It's obvious that Ubisoft is building Fischer into a cinematic action hero- he's more sarcastic and world-weary than ever. And some of the in-game cutscenes look cut directly from The Hunt For Red October. All in all single-player looks to be more of the same, with signature Tom Clancy rah-rah Americentric plotlines fleshed out with a slightly exaggerated vision of real military capabilities and tactics. Whatever your opinion was of the first two game's single player mode, you'll feel the same way about Chaos Theory.

OK, onto the second mode (really, a whole second game). Co-op. I have to admit my experience in this was limited to one 10 minutes session, playing through the "Training" mission, and I was paired with some guy who had obviously completed the Training mission a couple dozen times. He would run forward to some objective and yell (through the Live Communicator headset) "Hey, get over here! Press the black button. No, stand in front of me and press the black button. Now press 'A' and take two steps left. Pull out your pistol and aim at the blinking thing. NO the other blinking thing..."

Yeah, ten minutes of that.

I obviously had no time to so much as read the descriptions of what I was doing, much less how and why we were doing it. I did pick up a few things... First, Co-op is very much about team work, as it should be. Certain moves can only be done by two spies working together, and that's critical for climbing certain walls, opening some doors, etc. The trick is to figure out where to apply these techniques, like a puzzle game... but the old Splinter Cell formula is still in play, so sometimes you're trying to find a way over a wall, and sometimes you're zapping cameras and strangling guards. The co-op game LOOKS very much like the single-player game and the controls are similar. The storyline, what little I saw of it, bears no relation to the single-player mode. As I say it's an entirely separate game. I believe Co-op could be very enjoyable... if you pick a good partner who can communicate and strategize. Also, Co-op games can be saved at the end of each mission, so you don't feel obligated to try to complete the game in one sitting.

More in the next post...

[The Sphinx]

Finally, "Versus" mode. It's the reason I shelled out $50. I played a couple hours of this, and also went through all the tutorials and the overviews of the new maps. Damn, it's better than ever. The core of the gameplay is still the same- Spies and Mercs, two on two. Mercs get all the firepower and spies get all the tech toys. Mercs play in first-person view and spies have the magical ability to watch their own backs. It's a great formula, and Ubisoft has made modifications that make the game fairer, more complex, and flat out more entertaining.

Here's a few of the better changes- Mercs are deadlier. Yeah, in principle they were already the killing squad and smart spies avoided head-on confrontation... But in reality the spies in PT could be every bit as deadly as the Mercs. Part of this was the HUGE advantage of being able to see your surroundings better, and having better vision modes. Also, mercs were too easy to stun, and once stunned the spy could take his time breaking his opponent's neck.

Those happy spying days are long past. Mercs have a couple of devastating close combat moves now, most impressive of which is a "spin" attack that will throw the spy to the ground, regardless of which side of you he's standing or crouching. It makes you a little dizzy, so "spinning" constantly is no strategy, but it does help even the odds at close range. Also, the merc has a couple extra guns to choose from. The fully automatic machine gun is very powerful at medium range, but even better is the shotgun- it will take down a spy in one shot at close range. So spin, and while they're on the ground one shot with the shotgun. Dead spy.

There's a bunch of new gadgets, some more useful than others... Mercs get a new kind of mine (a poison mine, which rapidly saps away the life of a spy but has no effect on mercs). They also get a 'Camera Net uplink', which is pretty nifty. Every map (including the older maps from Pandora Tomorrow) are outfitted with a handful of special indestructable cameras in strategic positions, and mercenaries can 'link' up to those cameras and look around at any time. They can turn them and zoom in and out and get a pretty good view of the main thoroughfares of each zone, and there's really nothing a spy can do to avoid it... other than knowing where the cameras are and keeping far out of their way.

On the other side, spies get an active camouflage, similar to the invisibility devices from Metal Gear Solid or Ghost in the Shell (how's that for realistic?) It's kinda crappy, though... it has only a short battery life, and it doesn't fool motion detectors, and if you move too fast you become visible. Better is the added functionality of the "Sticky Cam". In PT, you could toss a sticky cam on a wall and look around, and even set off a little booby trap... but once you needed to do something else, and you cancelled out of the camera mode, you lost that camera forever. It was pretty impractical. NOW spies can look back at their last sticky cam at any time... meaning you could be on the other side of the map looking at a critical spot, guiding your partner along. That's cool.

Other cool things include even better use of the Live Communicator and headset- Now, as a spy, you can shout into the headset and mercs will hear you. That's handy for creating distractions, and its fun taunting em. Too bad they hunt you down and kill you for it... mercs have no sense of humor. The heads-up displays for both sides are a little smarter... It's easier to see objectives, and the mercs have a much better reticule-sound sensor thingy. Other nice touches include a low hum when the mercs use their lasers, and that results in less sound sensitivity. And the new maps have opportunities for spies to use their snazzy dual moves from the co-op game (and mercs now have an opportunity to get easy double kills with one grenade).

About the maps- There are several popular maps brought over, almost unchanged, from Pandora Tomorrow. I played several rounds on the fantastic Riverside Mall stage and the ONLY changes I detected was the introduction of the armored cameras for the merc's Camera Net ability, and the floor in the Hi Fi area now creaks. That's it. I haven't tried the other maps (including the Bank, Warehouse, Museum, and Deftech Belew). I assume the changes to those maps have been minimal as well.

But the new maps... well, they're fantastic. You won't be spending much time in Riverside Mall after you get a chance to play in the Aquarius, the Club, or the Factory. They're all BIG... I think the biggest map from the first game was probably Deftech, and all these maps feel bigger. EAch map has its own personality, with one (Factory) feeling very much like Deftech, another (Aquarius) plays somewhat like the Museum, and so on. They all have unique touches that, in my opinion, inject a lot of life into the game.

Take Aquarius as one example. The spies must meet three out of five possible objectives on the map. Unlike Pandora Tomorrow several different kinds of objectives may be contained on one map at the same time. For instance, one objective in Aquarius is a retrieval mission- you must take a "hard drive" from one location to a safe spot elsewhere. There are also "neutralize" objectives (similar to the standard Pandora Tomorrow stand-at-the-objective-for-twelve-seconds missions). Finally, there are bombing objectives, in which you place a bomb and the mercs have about 25 seconds (that can be a loooong time) to destroy your bomb.

On top of having multiple objectives, completing any single objective has some effect on the map that makes life easier for the spies. The "retrieval" objective, for instance, is difficult to do... but if you accomplish it, all the laser traps on the stage are deactivated, and those are more or less the only traps on the map. Complete one of the neutralize missions and most of the lights go out. Successfully place a bomb and several rooms fill up with thick steam... which the spies can see through with their heat vision, but mercs are left virtually blind.

So the balance shifts as the game goes on- mercs start out with a well-defended fortress and the spies must gradually steal away their advantage. It's a hell of a lot of fun, and the strategy is quite a bit more complicated (and therefore less predictable) than the PT experience. And that's just ONE of the new maps. Some other maps have entirely different mechanics. One in particular, the Orphanage, is so radical that it will either be a titanic battle of skill or a spy-shooting gallery.

All in all I lost track of a couple hours playing Chaos Theory "Versus" mode. It's better than ever, in my opinion the best Live experience possible, as long as you can reliably find three people who can enjoy the give-and-take nature of the game. I can't wait to play a few rounds with other Chewers.

[Agent Back Smith]

Guys, don't worry about variations on numbers once ratings get that high on Gamespot reviews. They don't appear to feel any need to be specific about just HOW great a game is. When they rate a game a nine, they seem to deem that enough, lose focus and randomly pick the number following the decimal. Example: Half-Life 2 is rated a 9.2 while Halo 2 is a 9.4.

Edit- After watching the live review, I have a gripe with them saying shit like "Though the premise of the story is a techno-thriller that lives up to the Tom Clancy name, storytelling has never been Splinter Cell's strong suit, and Chaos Theory is no exception." (that was version from the written review) Maybe they should write Ubisoft and tell them that Splinter Cell needs more Russian pistol specialists with English sounding names, cowboy fetishes, and wonderful, teased contemporary Japanese hairstyles who, inexplicably, have managed to retain the attitude, characteristics, and world view of a spoiled 11 year old momma's boy even after enduring the extreme hardships required to not only gain an impossible level of skill with a pistol, but also become the leader of an elite Soviet paramilitary unit.

[Blunt]

They do have a point though. Splinter Cell's stories are boring and generic as shit. It's pretty much a series that's all about the gameplay (and well, when you're like me and find the gameplay as equally boring that doesn't leave much to cling onto).

[Fazer]

ya one thing that i never liked was that in the first two games, they ended so abruptly that I felt the game had screwed up or something.

The story just gets you from locale to locale.

Nice impressions Sphinx. Hopefully we will join you later tonight and get that training session out of the way quicly.

[Jacob Singer]

They do have a point though. Splinter Cell's stories are boring and generic as shit. It's pretty much a series that's all about the gameplay (and well, when you're like me and find the gameplay as equally boring that doesn't leave much to cling onto).

Yeah, stuff that might actually happen in the real world is just so damn boring. I want my techno-spy games to have more magical vampire fairies and possessed human extremities!


Maybe they should write Ubisoft and tell them that Splinter Cell needs more Russian pistol specialists with English sounding names, cowboy fetishes, and wonderful, teased contemporary Japanese hairstyles who, inexplicably, have managed to retain the attitude, characteristics, and world view of a spoiled 11 year old momma's boy even after enduring the extreme hardships required to not only gain an impossible level of skill with a pistol, but also become the leader of an elite Soviet paramilitary unit.

Brilliant!

[Blunt]

Yeah, stuff that might actually happen in the real world is just so damn boring

Realism is not an excuse for uninteresting storytelling. What's boring isn't stuff that could really happen, it's stuff that could really happen used within a story that's utterly generic, devoid of any personality, desperately straightforward and utterly lacking in memorable characters, turn of events or dialogue.

[Jacob Singer]

Says you. I've found both games to be very engaging, story-wise. It's not Shakespeare, but it's solid game storytelling, in my book. Hell, the banter you hear between guards alone is very entertaining writing.

[Rich Straceski]

Pardon my ignorance here... I'll be picking this one up soon. But, I was wondering, the whole Vs. mode, is it easy enough to get into if I spend some time with the manual or any tutorials? I just signed up for live recently and I have Pandora Tomorrow. I tried the Vs. mode (definitely need to get a headset... will soon) and didn't really know what to do and probably just ended up pissing people off. I tried on PS2 first before I set up Live and got banned from a game. D'oh! I can handle the Merc well enough, but I think I need some spy advice in order to be effective. Until I get the hang of it I'll keep myself busy with Rainbow Six 3 and Halo. Rainbow Six Terrorist Hunt online is awesome. But I REALLY want to enjoy some Splinter Cell...

[Jacob Singer]

Nano, don't sweat it too much. As long as you play with some cool people (like every match I ever played with fellow Chewers) no one will get upset with you. I'd have good nights and bad nights (usually related to the number of beers consumed), but I was definitely better as a Merc than a Spy. You do need the headset though, because communicating with your partner is of the utmost importance.

We also always switched up teams throughout the night, so no one ever had a huge advantage (or disadvantage) for more than a mission or two.

I'm not a big online gamer by ANY stretch, but the thing about our CHUD games was that everyone was just out to have a good time. No one is playing their like self-esteem or penis size is on the line.

[Rich Straceski]

Nano, don't sweat it too much. As long as you play with some cool people (like every match I ever played with fellow Chewers) no one will get upset with you. I'd have good nights and bad nights (usually related to the number of beers consumed), but I was definitely better as a Merc than a Spy. You do need the headset though, because communicating with your partner is of the utmost importance.

We also always switched up teams throughout the night, so no one ever had a huge advantage (or disadvantage) for more than a mission or two.

I'm not a big online gamer by ANY stretch, but the thing about our CHUD games was that everyone was just out to have a good time. No one is playing their like self-esteem or penis size is on the line.


Cool, thanks Mr Singer. I'll have to wait until I get the headset, then hopefully I can get my feet wet and hook up with some of you guys sometime. Might be hard to coordinate though. I still need to figure out the inner workings of Live... buddy lists and all that. I have nothing as of yet. With all luck, I'll see you guys online sometime.

[Jacob Singer]

Just called Gamestop, I'm on my way to pick up my copy. See you guys later!

[Kyle Corkum]

I just got back with my copy. I'm, a complete Splinter Cell noob and am trying not to be overwhelmed. I am enjoying it so far.

[Fazer]

about to hit up live, but as far asi single player.

The light house stage is really a great graphical showcase and it showcases a lot of the open ended approach that they are trying to imbue this game with.

I for one was sorely longing for something like this. no longer do i have to care if i actually get seen by someone. I can actually have a shoot out and not lose the mission.

I seriously can't get enough of the knife. I love the gurgling gasps that the guards make when you slit their throats, as sadistic as that sounds. I would have enjoyed some blood, which could have been a negative of going for a knife kill (leaving blood stains would raise some eyebrows for the rest of the AI), but hey im impressed so far.

ADDENDUM

Jesus christ. The multiplayer maps are GIANT. I was playing with Corkum tonight and we had no fucking clue what was going on. But near the end of the night I slowly started to understand the dynamic nature of the levels in "story mode". The makeup of the maps actually change as the spies complete objectives.

Also, once I came to the realization that co-op moves are neccessary in Vs. Mode for the spies to get to certain objectives my outlook on the maps became a bit clearer.

I gotta say that the Mercs are no longer helpless spy fodder. Their spin move and charge move, and finishing move are actually quite powerful and makes the mercs quite formidable. The shotgun is fun to use . But this is going to seriously take some walk throughs to get used to all the maps. We need to set up a CHUD time so we can all just figure out the maps.

Haven't done co-op yet, but I am extremeley pleased with vs. right now and its ginormous options.

[Rich Straceski]

Just picked up my copy after some trade ins. I'll probably get my hands on a headset any day now. When I do I'll do my best to at least be competent in the Vs. mode. Besides that, the headset will enhance some of the other stuff I already play from time to time. I idn't get the fancy collectors edition, although it does look really nice.

[Jacob Singer]

I played the single-player campaign until about 1:30 in the morning, up to the massive blackout cutscene. An absolute blast. I only got 100% on one level though. Now that I've warmed up a bit I might just restart it and see if I can top my previous scores. I never kill anyone unless I have to, but of course I had to "experiment" with the knife a few times...

Haven't touched on the multiplayer yet, I'll wait until the CHUD crew is a little more synchronized.

[Rich Straceski]

Sounds good. I have the others but never played them much. It's a problem I have with most games. Lack of focus. This one sounds a bit more forgiving in the single player game, no instant failures, so I should be able to get more into it. I have to find free time here and there to play.... usually when my finace is away. No late gaming nights for me dangit!

[billylove]

I for one was sorely longing for something like this. no longer do i have to care if i actually get seen by someone. I can actually have a shoot out and not lose the mission.


Thank God, because I'm not really a stealth kind of person and didn't want to have to sneak all over the place, brute force is a option I use often. It's one reason I didn't ever pick up the first two.

[Embrodak]

We need to set up a CHUD time so we can all just figure out the maps.

I'm up for some of this tonight. I'll be getting on about 11pm or so, Eastern time.

[Brian Wehman]

Went and got my copy today at lunch (it's sitting in my trunk, taunting me..). Gonna play through some single player this evening to get re-introduced to the SC world.. (played orginal but only rented PT). Maybe I'll see some of you on Live soon..

[Kyle Corkum]

Thank God, because I'm not really a stealth kind of person and didn't want to have to sneak all over the place, brute force is a option I use often. It's one reason I didn't ever pick up the first two.It's the same thing for me. So far in single player I've been trying to sneak around, but I pretty much always end up fighting. I think I just need a bit more practice to get out of Halo mode, which I'm still stuck in. Because of that I'm definitely better as a Merc in multiplayer than a spy.We need to set up a CHUD time so we can all just figure out the maps.I won't be on tonight, but I will definitely be on all night Thursday.

[Embrodak]

I played the single player for a little bit last night. Not enough to get a real impression of the game, but I can at least tell that it's pretty. One question though: Is Dennis Haysbert not the voice of Lambert anymore? The voice I heard sounds close to Haysbert, but not quite. I could be wrong, but it just didn't sound like him. Anyone know?

[Jacob Singer]

I can't seem to find a comprehensive cast list anywhere (there aren't any credits at all in the manual), but IMDB does list Haysbert for Chaos Theory. So I guess it's him. I thought he sounded a little different too.

[Rich Straceski]

I didn't really think it sounded like him either, but oh well. I haven't played any of the games very much , but I played a little bit of Pandora Tomorrow last week from the beginning and it was unmistakably Haysbert there. For Chaos Theory there was some stuff in the beginning where I tried convincing myself it was him, and it almost fit sometimes, but not enough... I haven't got a clue. I looked for a cast list as well.

We need Scooby Doo and his gang to solve this one.

I should have some time tonight so I'll tinker some more with Chaos Theory.

[Fazer]

Co-op = SUBLIME

I just spent about 2 and a half hours today (originally thinking 20-30 minutes) playing co-op with a LIVE friend. If you play the single player campaign, the co-op missions translate beautifully. I was just SUCKED into the whole experience. The way Ubisoft designed the level (i only played the missile silo one so far) is so ingenious. You can literally go gung ho and shoot everyone up, or you can take out cameras and cover each other with the OCP jammer while some throats are slit. The way of playing each map truly is endless. I didn't even finish the map, but it was one of the funnest gaming experiences I have had in a looooong time.

It all jsut felt so natural. nothing felt forced, and there were very few times where I felt that the designers pigeonholed you into a scenario. It is so satisfying to stand behind a wall, while your partner lures a guard out only to have his throat run into my knife. Fantastic stuff here.

[thecallahan]

I'll definitely be picking this thing up today. I'll have to practice first but I'm sure DJDylan and I can manage not to shoot each other while doing co-op. There might be a few "accidents" at first but I'm sure we'll get past that. hehehe.

[Rumteldat]

I picked it up but it's going to have to wait until I finish God of War.

[Lys]

I picked this up, newbie to Splinter Cell that I am, and am still learning the ropes. I intend to play Lighthouse over and over until I can get through it without using billions of Quicksaves. Sam's array of technological gadgets and moves has me sort of bewildered at the moment; I can't wait until I know how and when to use each one.

Seems like a fantastic game, though - very, very slick. :)

Lys

[thecallahan]

Hah. Let one guy get injured and one killed (guess they fell farther than I thought!) and I got a 97% from it.

[otisthecat]

Man, this game would be a lot more fun if it wasn't for all the sneaking around.

[Andrew Joe]

I think it's about time i've finally played a Splinter Cell game, because i'm a huge Metal Gear Solid fan who would get a real kick out of it, what's online multiplayer Stealth like?

Off topic: I randomly got a free 1 year Subscription to Xbox live so that about covers Septembers renewal. Wooo. If you wonder why, I filled out their online survey and was supposed to get a MechAssault 2 demo, but they ran out or something and gave me a subscription card instead, so if you happened to fill that out and wondering what the fuck happened, relax.

It's still that guy from Total Recall doing Sams voice right?

[Fazer]

See you at the party richta!

[Andrew Joe]

See you at the party richta!

The online party ;)

http://www.hiredgoons.net/seeyouattheparty.jpg

[Jacob Singer]

Man, this game would be a lot more fun if it wasn't for all the sneaking around.

Don't make me come to Topeka, boy.

[Angles]

I think it's about time i've finally played a Splinter Cell game, because i'm a huge Metal Gear Solid fan who would get a real kick out of it, what's online multiplayer Stealth like?




How's multiplayer like? Put it this way - I played Pandora Tommorow non-stop for at least 4-5 months last summer/fall, and I didn't play a single minute of the single player campaign. ZERO. I don't care how good it apparently was, I had NO INTEREST in it after getting sucked into the multiplayer game from Day One. As great as Halo 2 was on Live, it was a lot easier to shake off than Pandora Tommorow. The CHUD games in particular were fantastic, so this new clan-thing is a great improvement.

The icing on the cake is that based on the list of changes that I've read, Chaos Theory improves on the Vs. mode from Pandora.

[imported_T_M]

Lowest review so far is the Gamespot one (not surprising).

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/splintercell3/review.html


It's a bit weird but still, I find it funny that people on both the Gamespot and GameFAQs boards have some grudge against Greg Kasavin for giving the game that. He still liked it, and really, what does it matter if it is an 8.6? I'd probably rate it around the 8 - 9 area.

The game is great, of course. I haven't toyed around with multiplayer yet but the singleplayer is wonderfully taut. It's still a bit "on-rails" with the levels (even though it does give you some leeway on the approach), the new moves are nice although I wish there was more use of some of them, and the graphics are stunning. I like the in-game dialogue as well; very funny. The game's a good step forward but I'm hoping the next Splinter Cell really shakes up the formula a bit.

[otisthecat]

They should have really jazzed up the main character for the third game. The whole time I was playing I kept thinking how much cooler it would be if he was a younger (late teens maybe), more exciting guy, with a fun backstory (plays keytar in a techno band when he isn't spying). Maybe even give him a cute sidekick, perky pre-teen with a wise crack for every occasion. Ubi Soft dropped the ball.

[Jacob Singer]

Topeka, here I come.

[Justin Kelly]

I'm loving this game, it came at a perfect time with the Halo cheating at a peak and new maps still a few weeks away. This would be my first Splinter Cell experience. I haven't even tried single player yet, but I've sunk a ton of time into the Xbox Live modes.

Vs.- It may be because everyone I'm playing with is just as bad (I'm talkin to you Kyle and Fazer) as I am at the game, but it seems that most of the levels are biased to the mercs. Thats not to say that it isn't fun, I've spent more time in this mode than any other. I'm sure there are technical reasons for this, but I do wish that more than four people could do this.

Coop- Finally a game that took this mode seriously and didn't just rehash single player. It's short, but sweet. With the varied paths to victory, this one will have quite a bit more replay value than you may think.

My biggest problem with the game is the somewhat odd menu system. Compared to Halo, it is crazy to even get to your friends list, and even crazier what to do from there. Squads? I can't figure them out. I wish everyone would just give in and ape Bungie's live interface. Another gripe, though small, is that the three different gametypes don't seem to have any synergy. Choosing Versus mode, for example, takes you to another loading screen and completely different menu style, as well as signs you out of live. Host of a party and want to leave? The entire party is disbanded. Got an invite? You probably missed that message.

I wish I was a lot better at the game, but the fact that I haven't given up says a lot about the game's appeal. I'll be playing this right up until Bungie makes a move, maybe even after. Add me to your friends list if you want to play, i'm on mostly late at night.

[Andrew Joe]

I'm tired of seeing Fazer and Kyle on Splinter Cell taunting me with their spy endeavors, so I guess I must do the obvious..........

KILL THEM.


........or buy Splinter Cell: Chaos theory.

[Kyle Corkum]

I'm tired of seeing Fazer and Kyle on Splinter Cell taunting me with their spy endeavors, so I guess I must do the obvious..........

KILL THEM.Yeah, good luck buddy.


I think I played Chaos Theory for like 10 hours yesterday. I'm really lovin the hell out of it, especially the single player mode. Having little experience with stealth games almost all of this is pretty new to me and I'm quite sorry I missed out on it before.

One thing I don't get is the Co-op. It's pretty cool, but those disconnections really piss me off. I haven't been able to finish a level besides Training yet. Everytime I get near the end of a level I get disconnected. It's incredibly annoying. Besides that the only thing I really don't like are the confusing and inefficient menus. I must have been spoiled by Halo, but the way they are set up is so weird. I'd like to be able to see who is in a game before I join, or be able to send people messages from any menu. I'd like to able to join a game in less than 10 minutes and when I join a game after it starts I'd like to able to actually join the game without the party leader having to end it and start a new game. I wish I could do anything with the people from the squad who aren't on my friends list. As it is the only thing the squad tells me is if other members are online. Annoying.

All in all these are relatively minor complaints about a game I'm really enjoying, but I like to complain.

[Kyle Corkum]

I just interogated the first guy on the fifth mission, Displace, and our exchange went something like this:

Guy: Who are you?
Fischer: Pretend I'm Harry Tuttle.

Brazil references? Awesome!

[Jacob Singer]

I just interogated the first guy on the fifth mission, Displace, and our exchange went something like this:

Guy: Who are you?
Fischer: Pretend I'm Harry Tuttle.

Brazil references? Awesome!

Yeah, I was loving that little bit. He describes the Tuttle character perfectly as I recall.

I haven't even attempted the multiplayer yet, but I'm surprised to hear these problems concerning the menus and whatnot. I don't remember having any difficulty setting up games with Chewers in the previous SP game. I hope they haven't made it unneccesarily difficult.

[Andrew Joe]

Yeah, good luck buddy.


None needed.
Buying Splinter Cell Thursday/Friday, renting it for now so i'll see you all online.

[DJ HiPPiE]

I rented splinter cell chaos theory even though I'm not a huge fan of the series.

As usual this game is top notch in almost every department....by in far the best game on the xbox.

Started playing Co-op today and had a pretty good time....I had connection problems in the versus mode but the co-op ok....some lag but nothing to major.

I picked up Phantom Dust this evening so i'm not sure how much Splinter cell i'll be playing now.

[mongycore]

still debating whether or not to go for the pc version of the game or the x-box. a big fucking obvious point or two goes in favor of fun that could be had on live, but I don't really remember playing all that much last year with pandora tomorrow. if I could just find a way to track down some friends gamertags back up in canada who finally got dsl (grave - there's no excuse for you to still not be connected on broadband if those chumps up there in the boonies are now online) they got mine but I'm thinking they're mispelling my tag when doing invites.

pc version demo is fairly intuitive - akin to playing Riddick - so playing the game isn't as nightmarish as it was when I jumped the clancy boat to x-box's friendlier control schemes. looks absolutely beautiful with all the settings cranked up (but sams eyes are a little too freakishly buggy). always dug these games for the singleplay aspect really; some of you fucks are just way too good...

could just buy both. but jade empire is coming out next week.

[otisthecat]

they got mine but I'm thinking they're mispelling my tag when doing invites.You keep tellin' yourself that mongy.

[Andrew Joe]

I still don't get why Spies don't have a normal handgun, these electro shock things have very little stopping power.

Still learning in multiplayer, have no idea about the maps and stuff yet.

[mongycore]

...in response to otis...

i do.

being invisible in video games - cool.
being invisible in real life - liquor helps.

got that shit sorted out with a couple of phone calls back home. after playing through the oxm disc again...not having my hands feel like mangled twigs afterwards is a huge plus...now I need to haul the surround sound back into the office this weekend.

[billylove]

Coop play is absolutely kick ass. You do totally different missions than you do on single player. There are several areas where you have to rely on your teammate. Also, the second mission you get a call from Sam, of course the two guys you and your buddy are playing don't really know if it's him or not.

This game is the shit.

[Justin Kelly]

I still don't get why Spies don't have a normal handgun, these electro shock things have very little stopping power.



I think its a balancing thing, if the spies had a weapon that was capable of killing (other than the choke), it would throw every game to the spies. Compared to mercs, spies have an increased field of vision, and many areas of the maps that are not accessible to mercs. I thought the same way you do when I started, but trust me, once you start choking fools out, spies rule.

[Embrodak]

I've played through the first two levels now, and I have to say that CT is so much better than PT. That's not to say that PT was a bad game, but man, there's so much you can do in CT. It's just amazing. Pushing baddies over the rails on the cargo boat level?! How f'n cool is that?! The simple addition of a knife alone made this the best SC so far, and they go way above and beyond just that. And I'm sure I haven't seen all there is either. This may be the first SC game I'll start over immediately after I finish it. I love this game.

[Fazer]

ya i have started getting the hang of the neck snap, which initially felt impossible to do, but now with a little fine tuning I can grab some neck pretty easily.

Knowing the maps is the best weapon for either side though. If you know the maps, you know the best ambush spots as a merc, and as a spy neck breaking becomes much easier if you know a merc just walked down a narrow hallway or how you can get the drop on him by going through the vents.

I enjoy the game more and more as I learn the maps.

[PhishMan]

I humbly come forward as a new fan of this series. Generally I'm not a fan of stealth games. I was incredibly let down by Metal Gear Solid 3, and went ahead and bought this out of shear peer pressure. I couldn't be happier. This game is NOT MGS...it is leaps and bounds better.

I've even been having a blast playing the co-op with my roommate. Other than Halo, this might be the smoothest co-op I've ever seen. It's truly awesome. The single-player is just a blast. After the previous Splinter Cell which I didn't particularly care for, this is a pleasant surprise. So I'll have this for the next few weeks and then I'll be picking up Area 51, and then finally Pariah. That will make my FPS stint complete. Oh sweet sweet gaming bliss.

woot.

[Chest Rockwell]

Little late to the party.

Got this yesterday and have only had a chance to play a little bit of the first level but already I can tell that this thing is absolute greatness. Haven't tried Live play as I never owned Pandora Tomorrow (though, I do have the first SC) but I am definitely looking forward to trying it out nonetheless.

[Anyawatchin Angel]

Love the game but I'm stumped on the 3rd level. I got down the rope in the bank and cannot hack into the computer. What weapon do you use and how? It should be easy but I'm clueless.

[Kyle Corkum]

You need to use your EEV. Click on the right thumbstick (or the equivalent if you aren't playing the XBox version) to zoom in and then look at the computer. It will scan and then you can hack it from long distance.

[Anyawatchin Angel]

thank you. I knew it was easy but with no instruction book(rented) I miss a few things.