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> Results: Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
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Gamers bored with mindless 3D shooters should strap into the boots of Sam Fisher in Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, a deliciously tense stealth action sequel that stars a covert NSA (National Security Agency) spy out to squelch threats to world peace.
Not only is Chaos Theory the finest Splinter Cell game in the popular three-year-old series, but if the PC version is any indication, it may be one of the best games of the year. Rather than focus on clear-cut acts of terrorism, as was the case with the original Splinter Cell and its sequel, this new Montreal-made techno-thriller focuses on information warfare.  Without giving away too much of the story, the Tom Clancy-inspired tale involves rising tensions between Japan, China and North Korea. Devastating blasts to the Japanese stock market, city power grids and the country's defense systems are all caused by computer attacks. International intervention, including the dispatch of a U.S.-led investigation, brings the region to a boiling point. That's where you come in. Sam Fisherﾗa deadly field operative commissioned to infiltrate enemy ground, gather evidence, skillfully snuff out enemies and exit undetectedﾗbegins his mission in Asia. He must seek out a hostage and scan crates for important data related to his mission. He begins by creeping into an enemy fortress by scaling rocks near an ocean shoreline, tiptoeing across a bridge and hiding in the shadows to avoid the guards. More so than other Splinter Cell games, or any other third-person stealth action titles such as Metal Gear Solid, this game is refreshingly open-ended, so each gamer may complete the missions differently. For example, when you reach a torture room, you can pick up an object such as a pop can and throw it to distract the enemies or you can snipe a bad guy from afar. You can don your night-vision goggles and shoot out the lights or perhaps you'd like to sneak up from behind to slit an enemy's throat, and then hide his body behind a tree? It's entirely up to you. You can even tweak your load-out before each mission or go with the suggested default weapons and gadgets. Sneaking through, picking locks, shimmying across ledges and placing "sticky" surveillance cameras that can release poison gas all add to the wonderful tension and suspense that is synonymous with the Splinter Cell series. The stealthy action is complimented by graphics so real it looks like a Hollywood movie, from smart A.I.-controlled characters that move with lifelike animation to photo-realistic environments, lighting and shadows to weather effects such as pouring rain. Our über-spy must then travel the globe to complete nine other single-player espionage missions with his arsenal of high-tech gizmos and highly acrobatic maneuvers. The lengthy and increasingly challenging solo campaign is well worth the price of admission, but Ubisoft has also included a co-operative mode for two gamers on the same television (split-screen) or over the Internet (Xbox and PC versions only). Special maps let two spies tackle the missions together, including the ability to pull off special moves such as boosting your teammate onto ledges, standing on their shoulders or healing one another.  The online version lets gamers chat using the Xbox Communicator Headset. Versus modes are head-to-head missions divided into three game-play types: Story (plant bombs or extract data from computers), Disk Hunt (pursue data disks spread throughout the level) and Deathmatch (eliminate opposing characters). Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is a near-perfect adventure. The lack of a robust tutorial costs the game a couple of marks (note: some non-interactive video help is available) but at least gamers can save their progress at any time. Whether or not you've ever played one of these tense and mature Splinter Cell games in the past, Chaos Theory is an extraordinary title that is well worth your time and money. 
They upped the ante a bit on the violence and language in this one, which is why the series has gone from T-Teen to M-Mature in a single iteration. Fisher has a knife, garrote, and other weapons and he's not afraid to use them. His attacks are not honorable, usually from behind and with extreme prejudice. Again the series teaches strategy, stealth, planning, and carnage/violence is the last thing the game encourages, but this is one of those games to keep away from little kids and consider strongly before letting big kids play.
Kid Factor by Andrew Bub
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