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This thread has been linked to the game 'Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory'.
The first one redefined the stealth genre. The second one set graphical benchmarks and included the excellently designed 'SvM' multi-player. And now? The third. Chaos Theory and what a game this is going to be.
Of course, like everyone else i'm yet to experience the whole shebang, although from the demo it's quite clear that Ubisoft Montreal are aiming higher than ever before.
With regards to the single player, there are about 10 levels. And a Notable-esque guy on the Ubi forums, who was credited with a copy of the game yesterday - thanks to his forum-loving dedication, said that the second level took a good 1hr 30mins. Should this be a sign of things to come, then we can look forward to putting a good 20 hours into Chaos Theory the first time round.
Graphically I don't need to say a thing. Even those of you who hate Ubisoft and the Splinter Cell games enough to try and sabotage the website will no doubt have stumbled upon the awe-inspiring graphics that accoring to the US OXM "shouldn't be available for this generation." I was also quite pleased with IGN's comment on the graphics of the SvM and Co-Op gameplay. While Co-Op is new and should sport graphics befitting a recently developed game, the SvM gameplay mode (and engine, I believe) along with 6 old maps have been taken straight from Pandora Tomorrow (Splinter Cell 2). To have bumped up the graphics, although somewhat expected, certainly wasn't something Ubi would have been obliged to do, especially given the level of graphical quality the game sported when it was released - It looks better than a lot of games being released now!
Audio is also quite important in my opinion. And Ubisoft seem to agree - or vice-versa. The new noise meter is a reflection of this. Measuring Sam's level of noise to that of the surroundings, the noise meter is a very valuable asset. The second worst thing for a spy, after being seen, is being heard! 5.1 naturally returns and the soundtrack, from Amon Tobin ([URL]http://www.amontobin.com[/URL]), is a perfect fit blending ambient sounds with fast-paced beats. The music also becomes more prominent when the beef kicks in, so you can expect gameplay-sensitive changes to the tempo and volume if you're seen or a certain high-octane point in the story is reached.
The multi-player modes in Pandora Tomorrow were critically acclaimed. And rightly so. If played well by patient Spies and assertive Mercenaries you could have a great game. Eventually Extraction, Neutralisation and Sabotage wore thin for the masses, and games of Tag, Deathmatch and 'Messing About' ensued. However, the above (Ext., Neu., Sab.) return in full force, this time complimented by my most anticipated, Disc Hunt - Spies collect all the Discs and Mercs Protect them (Think Neutralisation but none of the hacking and wetting yourself while you're doing it - Just grab the disk (as you'd pick up ammo) - and go! The good news is that A) there are quite a number of discs to find and B) they're placed randomly throughout each map each time you play - So to effectively protect them, the Mercs need to find out where they are, too! I think this mode of gameplay will be ideal for newcomers to the franchise (specifically the MP modes) as they can learn the maps and get a feel for the maneuverability of both the Spies and the Mercs.
Another, albeit quite expected gameplay mode, is Deathmatch. Self-Explanitory, save for a few tweaks. There are two objectives this time around. Kill each other by any means possible until one teams lives are gone, or Neutralise (Spies) some objectives. The way 'Tag' or Deathmatch are played today means the Spies tend to go for the Mercs. With the Mercs, natrually, being on the defense, to a degree.) But with neutralising an object being (a strangely) acceptable way of winning a Deathmatch for the spies, the Mercs will have to take it to them. It's also interesting to note that Visions Modes and gadgets for both sides have been trimmed down. What I DO know is that Spies now have only Flashbang Grenades and the Mercenaries have lost both of their Vision Modes - so no running round with your Motion-Detection screen on, Mercie! This is quite a shock, but at the same time a great way to enhance the gameplay. Spies are supposed to be sneaky, so the 'Triple-Banging' (Firing three different types of grenades in quick succession) is now a thing of the past. You have to be a swift, sneaky shadow to capture the Mercs. And the Mercs, in turn, have to rely on their normal vision! It's also interesting to note that, as the ND133 were specific to Pandora Tomorrow's story, Neutralisation targets now consist of Computer Mainframes, Laptops and the like. This should mean that, to a degree, Ubisoft can randomly alternate the placement of the targets to force players to re-think their strategy to get to the different locations.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of Chaos Theory is the new Co-Op mode. This mode allows you and a buddy to team up via Split Screen, System Link or over LIVE and take it to the enemy. The 4 initial Co-Op maps (more are promised as DLC through XBOX LIVE) are each roughly twice the length of a normal Single Player map and are structured so that you can't progress without the help of your co-Splinter-Cell training partener. Utilising a set of specially created Co-Op moves, you'll give each other bunk-ups to otherwise unreachable ledges, shut down camera systems with your EMP-Beam (Your Pistols new Secondary firing mode) while your buddy sneaks through and, reminiscent of Ryu / Ken's Street Fighter kick-roll, launch buddies through the air either at Guards, across voids or... wait for it - THROUGH an arrangement of lasers! The levels are strictly Co-Op, so if your LIVE buddy leaves, or your System Link is disconnected, you'll return to the lobby. The Co-Op mode also implements a Voice Proximity feature not disimilar to that found in HALO 2. This Means that if you get cocky and start mouthing of about how you just owned the guard in the last room, the guard in this room, or more mission-critically, you target/objective (if they're a person) might hear you and cause you all sorts of headaches! I'm most looking forward to the Co-Op gameplay. Too many times have me and a friend gone into a decent room only to be kicked/forced to play tag/'used' as temporary Mercs, then booted. Co-Op, an ideal way to chill out with a mate and have a lengthy chat without staring at the XBOX Dashboard, will hopefully encourage developers to include online Co-Op in their future games. Accouding to reviewers, it's been implemented excellently and its a credit to the franchise and Ubi themselves. With all XBOX 2 games being on LIVE, and the public in general increasing connection speeds, even games on PS3 / Revolution / future PC's could see more online Co-Op modes included. If this is anything to go by, let's just hope so!
In all, Chaos Theory should be amazing. The Single Player storyline will undoubtedly be Hollywood-like in it's drama and execution. The graphics on XBOX and PC, as you'll know if you've played the demo, are outstanding and even on the GC and PS2 they're amongst some of the best. There's nothing about Chaos Theory that disappoints me from a preview standpoint. The limited number of Out-The-Box Co-Op levels is a slight shame, but, in my humble opinion, Ubi deserve to be able to charge a fiver for another 4 maps through XBOX LIVE for creating such genius. Not even HALO 2 does online Co-Op, and it's something that Ubi (Since the Rainbow Six 3 days) have supported well.
Come friday, I sincerely hope those of you old enough, and with the opportunity to purchase Splinter Cell : Chaos Theory do just that. Heck, why wait - [URL] http://srdn.co.uk/Splinter_Cell_3_5934_r.html?nocode=1 [/URL] - beat the inevitable rush! Chaos Theory has set new benchmarks - Graphically, Audiably and from a Multi-Player standpoint. If the first one redefined the stealth genre and the second one set graphical benchmarks, then how on Earth do you introduce this Masterpiece? The U.S Official XBOX Magazine's "9.9 - Best XBOX Game Ever" is a pretty good start!
Congratulations Ubisoft, on your impending success!!
Of course, like everyone else i'm yet to experience the whole shebang, although from the demo it's quite clear that Ubisoft Montreal are aiming higher than ever before.
With regards to the single player, there are about 10 levels. And a Notable-esque guy on the Ubi forums, who was credited with a copy of the game yesterday - thanks to his forum-loving dedication, said that the second level took a good 1hr 30mins. Should this be a sign of things to come, then we can look forward to putting a good 20 hours into Chaos Theory the first time round.
Graphically I don't need to say a thing. Even those of you who hate Ubisoft and the Splinter Cell games enough to try and sabotage the website will no doubt have stumbled upon the awe-inspiring graphics that accoring to the US OXM "shouldn't be available for this generation." I was also quite pleased with IGN's comment on the graphics of the SvM and Co-Op gameplay. While Co-Op is new and should sport graphics befitting a recently developed game, the SvM gameplay mode (and engine, I believe) along with 6 old maps have been taken straight from Pandora Tomorrow (Splinter Cell 2). To have bumped up the graphics, although somewhat expected, certainly wasn't something Ubi would have been obliged to do, especially given the level of graphical quality the game sported when it was released - It looks better than a lot of games being released now!
Audio is also quite important in my opinion. And Ubisoft seem to agree - or vice-versa. The new noise meter is a reflection of this. Measuring Sam's level of noise to that of the surroundings, the noise meter is a very valuable asset. The second worst thing for a spy, after being seen, is being heard! 5.1 naturally returns and the soundtrack, from Amon Tobin ([URL]http://www.amontobin.com[/URL]), is a perfect fit blending ambient sounds with fast-paced beats. The music also becomes more prominent when the beef kicks in, so you can expect gameplay-sensitive changes to the tempo and volume if you're seen or a certain high-octane point in the story is reached.
The multi-player modes in Pandora Tomorrow were critically acclaimed. And rightly so. If played well by patient Spies and assertive Mercenaries you could have a great game. Eventually Extraction, Neutralisation and Sabotage wore thin for the masses, and games of Tag, Deathmatch and 'Messing About' ensued. However, the above (Ext., Neu., Sab.) return in full force, this time complimented by my most anticipated, Disc Hunt - Spies collect all the Discs and Mercs Protect them (Think Neutralisation but none of the hacking and wetting yourself while you're doing it - Just grab the disk (as you'd pick up ammo) - and go! The good news is that A) there are quite a number of discs to find and B) they're placed randomly throughout each map each time you play - So to effectively protect them, the Mercs need to find out where they are, too! I think this mode of gameplay will be ideal for newcomers to the franchise (specifically the MP modes) as they can learn the maps and get a feel for the maneuverability of both the Spies and the Mercs.
Another, albeit quite expected gameplay mode, is Deathmatch. Self-Explanitory, save for a few tweaks. There are two objectives this time around. Kill each other by any means possible until one teams lives are gone, or Neutralise (Spies) some objectives. The way 'Tag' or Deathmatch are played today means the Spies tend to go for the Mercs. With the Mercs, natrually, being on the defense, to a degree.) But with neutralising an object being (a strangely) acceptable way of winning a Deathmatch for the spies, the Mercs will have to take it to them. It's also interesting to note that Visions Modes and gadgets for both sides have been trimmed down. What I DO know is that Spies now have only Flashbang Grenades and the Mercenaries have lost both of their Vision Modes - so no running round with your Motion-Detection screen on, Mercie! This is quite a shock, but at the same time a great way to enhance the gameplay. Spies are supposed to be sneaky, so the 'Triple-Banging' (Firing three different types of grenades in quick succession) is now a thing of the past. You have to be a swift, sneaky shadow to capture the Mercs. And the Mercs, in turn, have to rely on their normal vision! It's also interesting to note that, as the ND133 were specific to Pandora Tomorrow's story, Neutralisation targets now consist of Computer Mainframes, Laptops and the like. This should mean that, to a degree, Ubisoft can randomly alternate the placement of the targets to force players to re-think their strategy to get to the different locations.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of Chaos Theory is the new Co-Op mode. This mode allows you and a buddy to team up via Split Screen, System Link or over LIVE and take it to the enemy. The 4 initial Co-Op maps (more are promised as DLC through XBOX LIVE) are each roughly twice the length of a normal Single Player map and are structured so that you can't progress without the help of your co-Splinter-Cell training partener. Utilising a set of specially created Co-Op moves, you'll give each other bunk-ups to otherwise unreachable ledges, shut down camera systems with your EMP-Beam (Your Pistols new Secondary firing mode) while your buddy sneaks through and, reminiscent of Ryu / Ken's Street Fighter kick-roll, launch buddies through the air either at Guards, across voids or... wait for it - THROUGH an arrangement of lasers! The levels are strictly Co-Op, so if your LIVE buddy leaves, or your System Link is disconnected, you'll return to the lobby. The Co-Op mode also implements a Voice Proximity feature not disimilar to that found in HALO 2. This Means that if you get cocky and start mouthing of about how you just owned the guard in the last room, the guard in this room, or more mission-critically, you target/objective (if they're a person) might hear you and cause you all sorts of headaches! I'm most looking forward to the Co-Op gameplay. Too many times have me and a friend gone into a decent room only to be kicked/forced to play tag/'used' as temporary Mercs, then booted. Co-Op, an ideal way to chill out with a mate and have a lengthy chat without staring at the XBOX Dashboard, will hopefully encourage developers to include online Co-Op in their future games. Accouding to reviewers, it's been implemented excellently and its a credit to the franchise and Ubi themselves. With all XBOX 2 games being on LIVE, and the public in general increasing connection speeds, even games on PS3 / Revolution / future PC's could see more online Co-Op modes included. If this is anything to go by, let's just hope so!
In all, Chaos Theory should be amazing. The Single Player storyline will undoubtedly be Hollywood-like in it's drama and execution. The graphics on XBOX and PC, as you'll know if you've played the demo, are outstanding and even on the GC and PS2 they're amongst some of the best. There's nothing about Chaos Theory that disappoints me from a preview standpoint. The limited number of Out-The-Box Co-Op levels is a slight shame, but, in my humble opinion, Ubi deserve to be able to charge a fiver for another 4 maps through XBOX LIVE for creating such genius. Not even HALO 2 does online Co-Op, and it's something that Ubi (Since the Rainbow Six 3 days) have supported well.
Come friday, I sincerely hope those of you old enough, and with the opportunity to purchase Splinter Cell : Chaos Theory do just that. Heck, why wait - [URL] http://srdn.co.uk/Splinter_Cell_3_5934_r.html?nocode=1 [/URL] - beat the inevitable rush! Chaos Theory has set new benchmarks - Graphically, Audiably and from a Multi-Player standpoint. If the first one redefined the stealth genre and the second one set graphical benchmarks, then how on Earth do you introduce this Masterpiece? The U.S Official XBOX Magazine's "9.9 - Best XBOX Game Ever" is a pretty good start!
Congratulations Ubisoft, on your impending success!!
My personal thought=Chaos Theory is the best game in the world.You gots good taste, man.
The first one redefined the stealth genre. The second one set graphical benchmarks and included the excellently designed 'SvM' multi-player. And now? The third. Chaos Theory and what a game this is going to be.
Of course, like everyone else i'm yet to experience the whole shebang, although from the demo it's quite clear that Ubisoft Montreal are aiming higher than ever before.
With regards to the single player, there are about 10 levels. And a Notable-esque guy on the Ubi forums, who was credited with a copy of the game yesterday - thanks to his forum-loving dedication, said that the second level took a good 1hr 30mins. Should this be a sign of things to come, then we can look forward to putting a good 20 hours into Chaos Theory the first time round.
Graphically I don't need to say a thing. Even those of you who hate Ubisoft and the Splinter Cell games enough to try and sabotage the website will no doubt have stumbled upon the awe-inspiring graphics that accoring to the US OXM "shouldn't be available for this generation." I was also quite pleased with IGN's comment on the graphics of the SvM and Co-Op gameplay. While Co-Op is new and should sport graphics befitting a recently developed game, the SvM gameplay mode (and engine, I believe) along with 6 old maps have been taken straight from Pandora Tomorrow (Splinter Cell 2). To have bumped up the graphics, although somewhat expected, certainly wasn't something Ubi would have been obliged to do, especially given the level of graphical quality the game sported when it was released - It looks better than a lot of games being released now!
Audio is also quite important in my opinion. And Ubisoft seem to agree - or vice-versa. The new noise meter is a reflection of this. Measuring Sam's level of noise to that of the surroundings, the noise meter is a very valuable asset. The second worst thing for a spy, after being seen, is being heard! 5.1 naturally returns and the soundtrack, from Amon Tobin ([URL]http://www.amontobin.com[/URL]), is a perfect fit blending ambient sounds with fast-paced beats. The music also becomes more prominent when the beef kicks in, so you can expect gameplay-sensitive changes to the tempo and volume if you're seen or a certain high-octane point in the story is reached.
The multi-player modes in Pandora Tomorrow were critically acclaimed. And rightly so. If played well by patient Spies and assertive Mercenaries you could have a great game. Eventually Extraction, Neutralisation and Sabotage wore thin for the masses, and games of Tag, Deathmatch and 'Messing About' ensued. However, the above (Ext., Neu., Sab.) return in full force, this time complimented by my most anticipated, Disc Hunt - Spies collect all the Discs and Mercs Protect them (Think Neutralisation but none of the hacking and wetting yourself while you're doing it - Just grab the disk (as you'd pick up ammo) - and go! The good news is that A) there are quite a number of discs to find and B) they're placed randomly throughout each map each time you play - So to effectively protect them, the Mercs need to find out where they are, too! I think this mode of gameplay will be ideal for newcomers to the franchise (specifically the MP modes) as they can learn the maps and get a feel for the maneuverability of both the Spies and the Mercs.
Another, albeit quite expected gameplay mode, is Deathmatch. Self-Explanitory, save for a few tweaks. There are two objectives this time around. Kill each other by any means possible until one teams lives are gone, or Neutralise (Spies) some objectives. The way 'Tag' or Deathmatch are played today means the Spies tend to go for the Mercs. With the Mercs, natrually, being on the defense, to a degree.) But with neutralising an object being (a strangely) acceptable way of winning a Deathmatch for the spies, the Mercs will have to take it to them. It's also interesting to note that Visions Modes and gadgets for both sides have been trimmed down. What I DO know is that Spies now have only Flashbang Grenades and the Mercenaries have lost both of their Vision Modes - so no running round with your Motion-Detection screen on, Mercie! This is quite a shock, but at the same time a great way to enhance the gameplay. Spies are supposed to be sneaky, so the 'Triple-Banging' (Firing three different types of grenades in quick succession) is now a thing of the past. You have to be a swift, sneaky shadow to capture the Mercs. And the Mercs, in turn, have to rely on their normal vision! It's also interesting to note that, as the ND133 were specific to Pandora Tomorrow's story, Neutralisation targets now consist of Computer Mainframes, Laptops and the like. This should mean that, to a degree, Ubisoft can randomly alternate the placement of the targets to force players to re-think their strategy to get to the different locations.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of Chaos Theory is the new Co-Op mode. This mode allows you and a buddy to team up via Split Screen, System Link or over LIVE and take it to the enemy. The 4 initial Co-Op maps (more are promised as DLC through XBOX LIVE) are each roughly twice the length of a normal Single Player map and are structured so that you can't progress without the help of your co-Splinter-Cell training partener. Utilising a set of specially created Co-Op moves, you'll give each other bunk-ups to otherwise unreachable ledges, shut down camera systems with your EMP-Beam (Your Pistols new Secondary firing mode) while your buddy sneaks through and, reminiscent of Ryu / Ken's Street Fighter kick-roll, launch buddies through the air either at Guards, across voids or... wait for it - THROUGH an arrangement of lasers! The levels are strictly Co-Op, so if your LIVE buddy leaves, or your System Link is disconnected, you'll return to the lobby. The Co-Op mode also implements a Voice Proximity feature not disimilar to that found in HALO 2. This Means that if you get cocky and start mouthing of about how you just owned the guard in the last room, the guard in this room, or more mission-critically, you target/objective (if they're a person) might hear you and cause you all sorts of headaches! I'm most looking forward to the Co-Op gameplay. Too many times have me and a friend gone into a decent room only to be kicked/forced to play tag/'used' as temporary Mercs, then booted. Co-Op, an ideal way to chill out with a mate and have a lengthy chat without staring at the XBOX Dashboard, will hopefully encourage developers to include online Co-Op in their future games. Accouding to reviewers, it's been implemented excellently and its a credit to the franchise and Ubi themselves. With all XBOX 2 games being on LIVE, and the public in general increasing connection speeds, even games on PS3 / Revolution / future PC's could see more online Co-Op modes included. If this is anything to go by, let's just hope so!
In all, Chaos Theory should be amazing. The Single Player storyline will undoubtedly be Hollywood-like in it's drama and execution. The graphics on XBOX and PC, as you'll know if you've played the demo, are outstanding and even on the GC and PS2 they're amongst some of the best. There's nothing about Chaos Theory that disappoints me from a preview standpoint. The limited number of Out-The-Box Co-Op levels is a slight shame, but, in my humble opinion, Ubi deserve to be able to charge a fiver for another 4 maps through XBOX LIVE for creating such genius. Not even HALO 2 does online Co-Op, and it's something that Ubi (Since the Rainbow Six 3 days) have supported well.
Come friday, I sincerely hope those of you old enough, and with the opportunity to purchase Splinter Cell : Chaos Theory do just that. Heck, why wait - [URL] http://srdn.co.uk/Splinter_Cell_3_5934_r.html?nocode=1 [/URL] - beat the inevitable rush! Chaos Theory has set new benchmarks - Graphically, Audiably and from a Multi-Player standpoint. If the first one redefined the stealth genre and the second one set graphical benchmarks, then how on Earth do you introduce this Masterpiece? The U.S Official XBOX Magazine's "9.9 - Best XBOX Game Ever" is a pretty good start!
Congratulations Ubisoft, on your impending success!!
Of course, like everyone else i'm yet to experience the whole shebang, although from the demo it's quite clear that Ubisoft Montreal are aiming higher than ever before.
With regards to the single player, there are about 10 levels. And a Notable-esque guy on the Ubi forums, who was credited with a copy of the game yesterday - thanks to his forum-loving dedication, said that the second level took a good 1hr 30mins. Should this be a sign of things to come, then we can look forward to putting a good 20 hours into Chaos Theory the first time round.
Graphically I don't need to say a thing. Even those of you who hate Ubisoft and the Splinter Cell games enough to try and sabotage the website will no doubt have stumbled upon the awe-inspiring graphics that accoring to the US OXM "shouldn't be available for this generation." I was also quite pleased with IGN's comment on the graphics of the SvM and Co-Op gameplay. While Co-Op is new and should sport graphics befitting a recently developed game, the SvM gameplay mode (and engine, I believe) along with 6 old maps have been taken straight from Pandora Tomorrow (Splinter Cell 2). To have bumped up the graphics, although somewhat expected, certainly wasn't something Ubi would have been obliged to do, especially given the level of graphical quality the game sported when it was released - It looks better than a lot of games being released now!
Audio is also quite important in my opinion. And Ubisoft seem to agree - or vice-versa. The new noise meter is a reflection of this. Measuring Sam's level of noise to that of the surroundings, the noise meter is a very valuable asset. The second worst thing for a spy, after being seen, is being heard! 5.1 naturally returns and the soundtrack, from Amon Tobin ([URL]http://www.amontobin.com[/URL]), is a perfect fit blending ambient sounds with fast-paced beats. The music also becomes more prominent when the beef kicks in, so you can expect gameplay-sensitive changes to the tempo and volume if you're seen or a certain high-octane point in the story is reached.
The multi-player modes in Pandora Tomorrow were critically acclaimed. And rightly so. If played well by patient Spies and assertive Mercenaries you could have a great game. Eventually Extraction, Neutralisation and Sabotage wore thin for the masses, and games of Tag, Deathmatch and 'Messing About' ensued. However, the above (Ext., Neu., Sab.) return in full force, this time complimented by my most anticipated, Disc Hunt - Spies collect all the Discs and Mercs Protect them (Think Neutralisation but none of the hacking and wetting yourself while you're doing it - Just grab the disk (as you'd pick up ammo) - and go! The good news is that A) there are quite a number of discs to find and B) they're placed randomly throughout each map each time you play - So to effectively protect them, the Mercs need to find out where they are, too! I think this mode of gameplay will be ideal for newcomers to the franchise (specifically the MP modes) as they can learn the maps and get a feel for the maneuverability of both the Spies and the Mercs.
Another, albeit quite expected gameplay mode, is Deathmatch. Self-Explanitory, save for a few tweaks. There are two objectives this time around. Kill each other by any means possible until one teams lives are gone, or Neutralise (Spies) some objectives. The way 'Tag' or Deathmatch are played today means the Spies tend to go for the Mercs. With the Mercs, natrually, being on the defense, to a degree.) But with neutralising an object being (a strangely) acceptable way of winning a Deathmatch for the spies, the Mercs will have to take it to them. It's also interesting to note that Visions Modes and gadgets for both sides have been trimmed down. What I DO know is that Spies now have only Flashbang Grenades and the Mercenaries have lost both of their Vision Modes - so no running round with your Motion-Detection screen on, Mercie! This is quite a shock, but at the same time a great way to enhance the gameplay. Spies are supposed to be sneaky, so the 'Triple-Banging' (Firing three different types of grenades in quick succession) is now a thing of the past. You have to be a swift, sneaky shadow to capture the Mercs. And the Mercs, in turn, have to rely on their normal vision! It's also interesting to note that, as the ND133 were specific to Pandora Tomorrow's story, Neutralisation targets now consist of Computer Mainframes, Laptops and the like. This should mean that, to a degree, Ubisoft can randomly alternate the placement of the targets to force players to re-think their strategy to get to the different locations.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of Chaos Theory is the new Co-Op mode. This mode allows you and a buddy to team up via Split Screen, System Link or over LIVE and take it to the enemy. The 4 initial Co-Op maps (more are promised as DLC through XBOX LIVE) are each roughly twice the length of a normal Single Player map and are structured so that you can't progress without the help of your co-Splinter-Cell training partener. Utilising a set of specially created Co-Op moves, you'll give each other bunk-ups to otherwise unreachable ledges, shut down camera systems with your EMP-Beam (Your Pistols new Secondary firing mode) while your buddy sneaks through and, reminiscent of Ryu / Ken's Street Fighter kick-roll, launch buddies through the air either at Guards, across voids or... wait for it - THROUGH an arrangement of lasers! The levels are strictly Co-Op, so if your LIVE buddy leaves, or your System Link is disconnected, you'll return to the lobby. The Co-Op mode also implements a Voice Proximity feature not disimilar to that found in HALO 2. This Means that if you get cocky and start mouthing of about how you just owned the guard in the last room, the guard in this room, or more mission-critically, you target/objective (if they're a person) might hear you and cause you all sorts of headaches! I'm most looking forward to the Co-Op gameplay. Too many times have me and a friend gone into a decent room only to be kicked/forced to play tag/'used' as temporary Mercs, then booted. Co-Op, an ideal way to chill out with a mate and have a lengthy chat without staring at the XBOX Dashboard, will hopefully encourage developers to include online Co-Op in their future games. Accouding to reviewers, it's been implemented excellently and its a credit to the franchise and Ubi themselves. With all XBOX 2 games being on LIVE, and the public in general increasing connection speeds, even games on PS3 / Revolution / future PC's could see more online Co-Op modes included. If this is anything to go by, let's just hope so!
In all, Chaos Theory should be amazing. The Single Player storyline will undoubtedly be Hollywood-like in it's drama and execution. The graphics on XBOX and PC, as you'll know if you've played the demo, are outstanding and even on the GC and PS2 they're amongst some of the best. There's nothing about Chaos Theory that disappoints me from a preview standpoint. The limited number of Out-The-Box Co-Op levels is a slight shame, but, in my humble opinion, Ubi deserve to be able to charge a fiver for another 4 maps through XBOX LIVE for creating such genius. Not even HALO 2 does online Co-Op, and it's something that Ubi (Since the Rainbow Six 3 days) have supported well.
Come friday, I sincerely hope those of you old enough, and with the opportunity to purchase Splinter Cell : Chaos Theory do just that. Heck, why wait - [URL] http://srdn.co.uk/Splinter_Cell_3_5934_r.html?nocode=1 [/URL] - beat the inevitable rush! Chaos Theory has set new benchmarks - Graphically, Audiably and from a Multi-Player standpoint. If the first one redefined the stealth genre and the second one set graphical benchmarks, then how on Earth do you introduce this Masterpiece? The U.S Official XBOX Magazine's "9.9 - Best XBOX Game Ever" is a pretty good start!
Congratulations Ubisoft, on your impending success!!