A classic? But it's not even 10 years old! ...That's how classic it is.
Sadly, gaming is a dying art form, assuming it isn't dead already. If you want to play games that are actually WORTH your time and attention then you'll have no choice but to take a look back at the classics. There's a lot to choose from and Chaos Theory just happens to be one of those classics. While it's not exactly that old of a game and it may not have been a massive hit or have been as groundbreaking as so many other games in history it is nevertheless an example of gaming done right.
So here's a "kinda" oldie but a "definite" goodie. It's also for my money the last of the Splinter Cell games that actually focused so much of it's energy on that whole crazy "stealth" thing.
I won't go into the story or the main campaign with this review (though it's still very good and you should definitely see it through). Instead I'm just choosing to focus on what I consider to be the real meat and potatoes of Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, the game's multiplayer modes, of which there are two.
Now I'm the kind of guy who usually hates multiplayer and co-op games with a fervent passion. For a couple of reasons, one being that I'm an anti-social loner/sociopath who can barely stomach the thought of sharing my game with someone who isn't me. and two, after about an hour or so they just aren't that much fun anymore.
The novelty with most MP games wears off extremely fast. You can have a hundred different game modes it seems yet you'll still be doing the exact same thing over and over and over again. Capture the flag, death-match, team death-match, blah. MP games are designed around the basis that it will be the players you play with that provide the variety and the replay value, a pretty cheap cop-out if you ask me. This gives developers the freedom to say "eff it" to the actual game-play. Take away the players and what do you have? A contrived, bland and completely uninteresting game world that's only worth being in if the players you're playing with aren't complete morons. Well how often does that happen? Exactly. There are of course exceptions to the rule but they're just too few and far between.
Personally I find it stunning that MP games have actually thrived on the same tired and rehashed game modes for so long. Even more so that people continue to not only play but buy this sh*t. I've always held onto the belief that without a solid and involving single player experience to backup the multiplayer then you're game is only about ¼ done.
It's in this instance that Chaos Theory stands alone. Even if you threw out the entire single player campaign you're still left with an incredibly detailed, varied and admittedly unusual multiplayer component. There's really nothing quite like it, even in the rest of the series.
Chaos Theory's co-op mode throws you and one other buddy into the role of two "spies" who are tasked with completing a variety of objectives. These can range from hacking into a computer, interrogating a guard, stealing an important file, disabling a...thing etc. Ya know, spy sh*t.
Don't make the mistake of assuming that "co-op" means you're just playing through the single player story with another player though, far from it. You're playing through an entirely NEW story as two NEW characters with entirely NEW levels. What's this? A story in a multiplayer game? New levels too? You mean actual effort was put into the multiplayer? Well now I've seen everything.
You and your fellow spy start out each mission a fair distance away from the building or compound that you're supposed to infiltrate and it's up to you and your buddy to plan and coordinate on how exactly you're going to f*****g do it without getting your a**es shot to sh*t.
Going in running and gunning will get you nothing but a quick death and being detected is also a recipe for disaster as you'll permanently lose the element of surprise. Strategy is key to getting very far and thanks to a pretty much non-existent health bar a couple of bullets into your partners' chest is all it will take to grind the mission to a halt. It also gives you just a few precious seconds to revive him or it's game over. Not as easy as it might sound either as your weapons and armor are generally considered a**, and if you try to swoop in and save the day you'll more than likely be lying on the floor next to your friend's corpse fairly soon.
The levels usually give you several paths you can take as well as forcing you into big decisions early on. Do you split up and tackle the different objectives separately? Or do you go in together and back each other up? Generally it's a good idea to stick fairly close to each other, as certain obstacles are a lot easier to overcome with your partner. For instance you might need your buddy to give you a quick boost to reach that just out of reach ledge or window, or you might need to hold onto his rope as he scales down a high wall, or you might even need him to keep an eye on a door as you hack into a computer. You'll be relying on each other constantly if you let yourselves, which you should feel free to do as the element of relying on and trusting in your virtual spy buddy gives the game a lot of its heart. A lot of the co-op moves such as the ones mentioned (there are more) are a lot fun to use. My first time through I wasn't even expecting any additional features like these that weren't present in the single player game. In case you haven't figured it out, co-op alone is like an entirely different game.
Good and clear communication with each other is also essential. You and your partner should always be aware of what each of you are intending to do. Trying to play the hero and showing off to your friend with some "Look what I can do!" bullsh*t will just get you killed (believe me I tried). There's a simple chat interface available you can use to quickly type messages to each other but it's generally dangerous to use it as a guard can and most likely will walk in on you while you're banging away on your keyboard. Instead you'll definitely want to give the in-game voice chat a try. Ugh, I know...voice chat. But have faith in the classics my friend. Voice chat in Chaos Theory is well, exactly what it sounds like, but with a twist.
Example: A pal and I were attempting a half a**ed and poorly planned divide and conquer strategy in an office building. I was slowly sneaking up behind a guard getting ready to choke-hold his a** while my co-op buddy who was in another room and tasked with luring a few guards away from a certain location told me he was blocked by a code locked door.
"Crap, we'll have to find the code first" I said into my microphone only mere inches from the guard. This prompted the guard to whirl around, freak out and unload his entire clip of ammo into my face.
That was how I learned that guards can actually hear you if you talk too loud...into your microphone...on your computer.
Mind...blown.
I probably should have paid more attention during the training mission as my partner said they explained that pretty well. Well excuse me a**hole for being cool and ignoring training.
I was already generally impressed with the co-op in the game up to that point but that little touch with the microphone put me over the edge. Now not only were me and my partner forced to plan in advance outside in the sound cover of rain, but inside we couldn't even talk in anything above a whisper for fear of being overheard by patrolling guards.
Sorry, but holy !@#$ that is cool, god@#$%!!
Even after you beat a mission in co-op the temptation to go back and try an alternate route or a different way of doing it will be nipping at your ankles. You might even want to try it with a different partner from time to time and wait for the hilarity to ensue.
Versus is the second MP mode in Chaos Theory, a competitive multiplayer mode and it's even crazier than the co-op.
Versus once again pits you and a fellow spy against another two man team of human players. The difference is that the other team aren't playing spies, they're playing as the guards. Guards don't play like spies at all, for starters their played in a first person perspective and are loaded to the teeth with weapons and armor. They have gadgets like flashlights for ruining the spies love of shadows and motion trackers built into their helmets which forces the spy team to move very slowly and cautiously.
The guards are tasked with hunting down the spy team while the spy team is tasked with completing misc objectives while at the same time evading the guards. Unfortunately I've never been able to get into a full Versus match. Usually just one on one they never lasted very long. Plus, I always end up being forced into the guard role. It's still fun, but It's a jarring transition to play 2/3's of the game as a 3rd person sneaky a** spy only to be shoved into an FPS game.
Co-op was my first love with Chaos Theory so I can't talk too much about Versus, though I plan on giving it a fair shake soon. I can tell you though that it's every bit as worthwhile as the rest of the game and it's something you can blow weeks of your time on if you get into it. The community for CT is still a fairly active one for such an old game. Though don't be surprised if you log on and find nothing but crickets chirping in the MP lobby. You're best off bringing a few friends if you want some instant action. For co-op it's almost a requirement.
Chaos Theory, while still a great game does have it's share of buzz killing glitches. Most of them related to the age of the game. For one, server lag. Oh you're gonna run into server lag rest assured. Sometimes you'll even be kicked out of the game because of it. Second is the infamous flashlight glitch. Due to the advances in graphic card technology some of the graphical effects in CT are non-existent. Not a big deal usually...except when you can't see the flashlights from patrolling guards bearing down on you, or infra-red laser tripwires. Thankfully there are fixes available but a first time player would have no clue why they set off an alarm or how that guard managed to see them in what they thought was complete darkness.
Minor annoyances aside, with both co-op and Versus on the table in addition to the excellent single player, Chaos Theory is pretty much a must have title. If you're ever in the mood for some "classic" gaming then I highly recommend you give it a look. Fans have kept this game going for years past it's prime, it's one that just won't die. I think that says a lot about the quality of what was once a great series...and what was once a great developer.
Favorite moment in Chaos Theory? I have many but the one that sticks out most is the image of my character reaching out his hand to my partner in an effort to pull him up to the ledge I was standing on.
"Thanks, man" was the reply I got via the in-game voice chat.
...wow.