Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

 PC
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 607 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 527 out of 607
  2. Mixed: 60 out of 607
  3. Negative: 20 out of 607
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  1. MikeIm
    Apr 2, 2005
    10
    The best of the series so far. All three parts (Single Player, Cooperative, Spies vs Mercenaries) could have been their own game - they are all that good. This is a MUST HAVE game.
  2. Chimp
    Jun 7, 2005
    10
    Simply amazing. the single player graphics are incredible, and the loading times are about 5 seconds. the single player is better too, not just because of the graphics, it has been improved in almost every way, definitely gameplay wise too. one particular feature i like is the native tongue voices. in pandora tomorrow every guard has the same exact voice(i think, there may be one or twoSimply amazing. the single player graphics are incredible, and the loading times are about 5 seconds. the single player is better too, not just because of the graphics, it has been improved in almost every way, definitely gameplay wise too. one particular feature i like is the native tongue voices. in pandora tomorrow every guard has the same exact voice(i think, there may be one or two variations but its all basically the same), in this thehy speak their real language and when its in english they say more realistic things too. there are some new moves, and multiple paths through levels. the dialogue is better, and they have removed the most annoying thing about the previous SC games..the 3 alarm game over system! also i get an amazing framerate with everything maxed except shader on 1.1(everything else maxed, 4xAA). the multiplayer is really good too, even though it is very similar to pandora tomorrows(in case you didnt know the graphics in multiplayer are much worse than the single player graphics, but the games are usually lag free and never have framerate issues). my only complaint is that i havent been able to play co-op yet, i cant join any games but i havent really looked into this and im sure i can figure it out. also the in game advertising......wtf? it was pretty ridiculous with the sony erricson phones in pandora but every computers screensaver is for the movie war of the worlds(sigh.....) but that is very minor and doesnt get in the way of anything. the best game so far this year.… Expand
  3. KarlD.
    Mar 30, 2005
    10
    Absolutely brilliant! The best of the series yet. Great solo mode and multiplayer is simply awesomeand addictive. This game looks just great and the new gameplay tweaks makes it a lot more fun to play. Full marks!
  4. VoidMain
    Apr 2, 2005
    10
    This game is the best game I have ever played. I know it's sounds cliched but it's true, although I don't have a good enoug internet connection for the multiplayer :( the single player is enough to keep a player going. I give it 1000/10
  5. MattW
    Sep 5, 2009
    10
    This is one of the few games that makes you say wow that was awsome.
  6. ChrisS
    Jan 4, 2010
    10
    Truly one of the greatest games ever made. Six years after its release, people are still spy vs. merc'ing!
  7. PatrickO.
    Mar 29, 2005
    10
    This game rocks!!!! Something for everyone!
  8. JacobH.
    May 9, 2005
    10
    It is a very good game
  9. JosephP.
    Oct 27, 2009
    10
    One of the best Splinter Cell games in the franchise. The graphics are unbelievable, the voice acting is quite good and humorous, and the gameplay is flawless. Overall, due to the game being on Steam without having to worry about a scratched a corrupt disc, makes this game the best of all.
  10. MatthieuR.
    Apr 24, 2005
    10
    Hey whoever is writing the reviews as Ryan J. and Nate B.: you are entitled to voice your opinion, but only once, so enough of the double posting. [Ed: 2nd post deleted....] This game is phenomenal. I can see why the attention deficit crowd would call this boring, since this game requires patience and skill. Well worth your money.
  11. PrestonJ.
    Feb 12, 2007
    10
    Stellar graphics, amazing coop, fun and replayable single player, spy vs merc online great with a good team, great gameplay mechanics.
  12. [anonymous]
    Aug 29, 2009
    10
    one of the best games :-). you can play in so many ways and i played them all and i loved it.
  13. BFH
    Dec 23, 2009
    10
    Gameplay was solid and AI was nice but somewhat predictable. I must say though the multiplayer is AMAZING, though sadly it is only limited to 4 players max. But the fact that you can pit 2 spies (3rd person) against 2 mercenaries (1st person) yet have it balance out very evenly is facinating and fun :D Hope Conviction brings the same multiplayer.
  14. MKokkalis
    Dec 26, 2009
    10
    WoW ! For a game that came out in 2005, it beats the hell out of some new ones in 2009. The graphics are awesome, same with the animation. The environment is awesome ! You can shoot out any light you please, making the stealth factor go way up. The ability to use your knife to cut a hole in a tent and enter through it so you can sneak up on someone is amazing. You use your mouse wheel to WoW ! For a game that came out in 2005, it beats the hell out of some new ones in 2009. The graphics are awesome, same with the animation. The environment is awesome ! You can shoot out any light you please, making the stealth factor go way up. The ability to use your knife to cut a hole in a tent and enter through it so you can sneak up on someone is amazing. You use your mouse wheel to increase or decrease your movement speed, which results in quieter or louder movement noise. All in all i'm very pleased with the game, and especially at such a cheat price of $5.00 !… Expand
  15. Higher_Standard
    Aug 17, 2010
    10
    I own this game for both pc and xbox. The multilayer concept and style of gameplay will keep this game among my few favorites. Sadly conviction was overseen by a baboon and the series has ended with a big fat epic fail. There will never be another game like this.
  16. KhorneFlakes
    Apr 13, 2011
    10
    Easily the best installment of the Splinter Cell series, the game play is stealthy, tactical, and just plain satisfying. This isn't a mindless, fast paced stealth action game like Conviction, Chaos Theory is the very essence of the Splinter Cell franchise. Even if your having problems with multiplayer, the single player experience is still easily worth the money, which currently costs $10Easily the best installment of the Splinter Cell series, the game play is stealthy, tactical, and just plain satisfying. This isn't a mindless, fast paced stealth action game like Conviction, Chaos Theory is the very essence of the Splinter Cell franchise. Even if your having problems with multiplayer, the single player experience is still easily worth the money, which currently costs $10 on Steam. Easily the greatest stealth game ever created!… Expand
  17. DGDrocks7
    Feb 17, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When this game first came out, I was in 6th grade. And almost all of my friends had Splinter Cell. They kept pressuring me to play them, yet for some reason I didn’t want to. Almost 10 years later, I decided to play them in order and now I’ve finished this game. As I type this, I’m beating myself up for being late to the party. If I see my 6th grade friends again, the first thing I’ll tell them, “I wish I played this when you told me to.”

    This is most definitely better that the first and second SC. For one thing, it’s less frustrating. No longer will the level fail if you raise the alarm 3 times (though the enemy will still wear vests and helmets). And you can melee enemies from the front easier (in the previous two, you had to creep behind). Now a lot of people will compare this to Metal Gear Solid. So how does Chaos Theory compare to the MGS game at that time (i.e. MGS3 Snake Eater)? Chaos Theory is better. And this is coming from a hardcore MGS fan. Controls are better, especially when the bullets start flying. If you want to play this game gun-blazing, you can do that (in MGS you would have to wait for the 4th game to do that). Plus, there are hidden objectives to complete and more than one ways to complete a level. While there is no reward for doing the hidden objectives, the gameplay is so fun that it’s worth a 2nd playthrough just to do them.

    As for the story, well, this is where Snake Eater blows Chaos Theory out of the water. That’s not to say the story is bad (quite the contrary). But it’s your typical Tom Clancy plot. Will you see the twist coming from a mile away? Yes. Will you still act surprised? YES. Minor spoiler though: this is set in the same year as Ghost Recon 2 so if you played that first, then you know that war has to break out on the Korean Peninsula.

    And the graphics: are phenomenal. Yes, it shows its age now, but while this game is from 2005, it looks like it’s from 2009-2010. It’s on a modified Unreal Engine 2, but it can pass for an early UE3 game. In fact, I compared this to Rainbow 6 Vegas (an UE3 game), and Chaos Theory looks just as good, if not better than, R6 Vegas (and probably 75% of UE3 games).

    As for the multiplayer, you can’t play it anymore, but there is a way to – that’s your job, however     … Expand
  18. Delta_Assault
    Sep 22, 2011
    10
    What can I say, I've got a hardon for this particular brand of realistic gameplay. Also why I find Counter-Strike such a disappointing and disgusting phenomenon. Ah well, back to Sam Fisher. Splinter Cell was one of the greats, and Chaos Theory, the third one in the series, just takes everything from Splinter Cell and makes it better. Better weapon mechanics, better graphics, betterWhat can I say, I've got a hardon for this particular brand of realistic gameplay. Also why I find Counter-Strike such a disappointing and disgusting phenomenon. Ah well, back to Sam Fisher. Splinter Cell was one of the greats, and Chaos Theory, the third one in the series, just takes everything from Splinter Cell and makes it better. Better weapon mechanics, better graphics, better lighting, better enemy AI, better level design, and holy **** they added a knife for Sam! Truly, the most important addition to any series, ever. Slicing someone's throat open from the side with it is one of the most satisfying moves in gaming. Chaos Theory is also superior in its addition of a fantastic co-op mode online. Instead of sneaking around by yourself, you could actually sneak around and perform stealth knockouts with a teammate. While limited to four levels, it was not a thoughtless addition and provided some genuinely exciting and tense action. While not anywhere near as cinematic or annoyingly labored with its storytelling as the Metal Gear Series, Splinter Cell is the superior stealth genre series in my humble opinion. PS: don't get SC Double Agent, it's a buggy mess on the PC.… Expand
  19. wowtgp
    Mar 12, 2012
    10
    an absolutely fantastic game.levels are well designed.i have played this game thrice and havent got bored of it.this game is best of the series.if you like stealth game then try this and thief series.both are epic.
  20. BoozerReviews
    Jun 23, 2012
    10
    absolutley wonderful

    a+ for graphical settings

    still pretty +shadows work at the bat, no tweaking needed

    fun fun fun fun funfun best best best splinter cell
  21. Mike_Morhaime
    Jul 30, 2012
    10
    Great Game, great story and great graphics. This game together with Hitman is one of the BEST single player games of its Era. Much like Half life, it changed alot of things on the Market, a Modern Tomb Raider if you will. +10!
  22. zto101
    Sep 20, 2012
    10
    First, straight off the bat, I'd like to say, GREATEST Splinter Cell game in the entire series. I mean, bravo, 2 thumbs up. Gameplay is very organized and not too tweaked around like the later games. Story line was exceptional. Running on a very good computer, this game rarely has any glitches or bugs, so, good job Ubisoft. The co-op portion is possibly the best part about Chaos Theory.First, straight off the bat, I'd like to say, GREATEST Splinter Cell game in the entire series. I mean, bravo, 2 thumbs up. Gameplay is very organized and not too tweaked around like the later games. Story line was exceptional. Running on a very good computer, this game rarely has any glitches or bugs, so, good job Ubisoft. The co-op portion is possibly the best part about Chaos Theory. If you love taking out bad guys in stealth over lan or online, this is probably the best game to do it in. Very, very fun game. I prefer it highly over Double Agent in my opinion. 10/10… Expand
  23. Styke
    Jul 20, 2016
    10
    Without a doubt the greatest Splinter Cell title and perhaps one of the greatest PC games of all time. Launched on the classic Xbox, the amount of quality and polish is remarkable even to this day. If it wasn't for a low resolution textures (A requirement to run on the 64mb 200hz ram Xbox) this game would be on par with modern 2016 titles. Shadows, lighting and absolute use of minimalismWithout a doubt the greatest Splinter Cell title and perhaps one of the greatest PC games of all time. Launched on the classic Xbox, the amount of quality and polish is remarkable even to this day. If it wasn't for a low resolution textures (A requirement to run on the 64mb 200hz ram Xbox) this game would be on par with modern 2016 titles. Shadows, lighting and absolute use of minimalism make such a simple platform come alive in vibrant locations - the bath house level has been talked about for over a decade now.

    Chaos Theory is cited often as an example of what raised the bar and set expectations so high that everything after it with "multiple ways to complete each mission" came as a disappointment - things like Hitman games, even Crysis, reference it as the source of "non linear" gameplay when it comes to stealth or action.

    The multiplayer aspect thrived for half a decade alone, none of the sequels even came close to matching it. Eventually, Ubisoft stopped trying to copy the multiplayer and just left the servers running (until Gamespy's closure) as to not compete with the fanbase that still played Chaos Theory online. Asymetrical first-person-vs-third-person hasn't been the same since and I honestly expect kickstarters to start popping up in a few years to bring back the thrill of spies vs mercs in the same way Tribes is making a resurgence.

    Everything else that can be said of this game has already been said over the last ten years or so, but I'll explain why the reviews aren't perfect, when the game came out it was very jarring to see a stealth game offer "loud" loudouts for each mission. Splinter Cell up to Chaos Theory had been a one-alarm-and-it's-over-fisher affair, giving Sam (and the player) the ability to start a mission with a dozen HAND GRENADES did not fit the theme at all, but was part of Ubisoft's push to take on Halo in the mindless action game department. Ubisoft would go on to make poor decisions like this for the next two decades, see also: The Division, Any Assassin's Creed after 2 (there's a new one every three months), Any Rainbow Six after Raven's Shield, The Division, etc.

    The other thing reviews cited in 2005 to take points off a perfect score was simply the fact the opening cutscenes where dumbed down and "futurized" for ease of access to action gamers. Again an attempt at catering to the then-massive Halo crowd (Halo 2 was the biggest game of all time during these years, everyone wanted a piece of that pie.) which made the intriguing world of Tom Clancy look more like some sort of NCIS/Matrix spoof.

    Once you start the actual game, it's golden, but the scars of the publisher attempting to guide development towards non-stealth gamers linger as a warning of things to come.    … Expand
  24. jeffcloudy
    Mar 3, 2014
    10
    Splinter Chaos Theory, has been mentioned as the best of it's series. If you do not believe this claim, then you better believe it! I played this game on March 2nd, of 2014; and by the gods it was still able to give me (a modern day gamer) a fun ride.

    My final thoughts, Splinter Cell Chaos Theory is way better than the first Splinter Cell. The first game had an extremely weaker version    Splinter Chaos Theory, has been mentioned as the best of it's series. If you do not believe this claim, then you better believe it! I played this game on March 2nd, of 2014; and by the gods it was still able to give me (a modern day gamer) a fun ride.

    My final thoughts, Splinter Cell Chaos Theory is way better than the first Splinter Cell. The first game had an extremely weaker version of Sam. Sneaking and taking down enemies was an experience which i didn't enjoy. So if you've played the first game, and hated it, play this game. Its much better! But, please note, you still have to be patient. One of the missions actually took me 1 Hour and 20 minutes to complete! Lol, im a noob, but I was playing it on Hard.... :l    … Expand
  25. ArcticChod
    Jun 23, 2014
    10
    Best game in the whole franchise. Woe to those who bought anything after Double Agent. Its stealth mechanics are great, the lighting isn't glitchy (cough cough Pandora Tomorrow), and it's overall freakin' sweet. I've logged over 40 hours just playing and replaying this game on all difficulties. Holy sweet jesus this game is good.
  26. Aeolian
    Apr 19, 2020
    10
    I finished this game too many times, like most old games, and even though i know everything there is to know in the game and can finish it on expert going through it like knife through butter, i still enjoy the feeling it gave me 12 years ago, which is more than i can say for today's games. I still recommend this game for those who missed the crème de la crème. This is a game withI finished this game too many times, like most old games, and even though i know everything there is to know in the game and can finish it on expert going through it like knife through butter, i still enjoy the feeling it gave me 12 years ago, which is more than i can say for today's games. I still recommend this game for those who missed the crème de la crème. This is a game with memorable characters, interesting plot, excellent soundtrack, really funny dialogs, the mother of all Splinter Cell's. Go full "Darkness" and start making fun of the AI.… Expand
  27. CloudOJD
    Dec 25, 2014
    10
    A masterpiece of a game that stands as the peak of the series. Wonderfully atmospheric, beautifully immersive and powered by an engine that not only stands the test of time, but surpasses it in many ways.

    Insanely deep and rich in every aspect, this, next to Thief 2, is the greatest stealth game I have ever played.
  28. Darillone
    Jun 4, 2015
    10
    Best Splinter Cell ever made. Great Graphics and Art Direction, awesome gameplay, soundtrack by Amon Tobin (sounds great). Ubisoft, WHY DON'T YOU MAKE ANY GAMES LIKE THIS ONE? :(
  29. Gehenn666
    Oct 28, 2015
    10
    Probably the best game in the series. i can't really find any flaw on this masterpiece of a stealth game.
    First off the level design is great, the gameplay is without a doubt the best one on the franchise and that soundtrack....oh that soundtrack.
    This is a must have for any stealth enthusiast.
  30. Mats2468
    Aug 10, 2019
    10
    This game still to this date remains to be one of the best stealth games ever. The third instalment of the series gives you an abselute epic journey with really immersive level design with a badass soundtrack. Everything great from prevoius game when it comes to gameplay is even greater here, and with some new type of graphics this game holds up really great even today. It's surely theThis game still to this date remains to be one of the best stealth games ever. The third instalment of the series gives you an abselute epic journey with really immersive level design with a badass soundtrack. Everything great from prevoius game when it comes to gameplay is even greater here, and with some new type of graphics this game holds up really great even today. It's surely the best in the series, I give it a 9/10 but into the series overall 10/10.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best PC Game of 2005
17
#17 Most Discussed PC Game of 2005
14
#14 Most Shared PC Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. Game Informer
    98
    Writing in video games is a subject that doesn't get a lot of attention, but Chaos Theory features a simply great script. Not only is it complex and deep, it's also surprisingly funny. [Apr 2005, p.112]
  2. IGN
    96
    When combined with the excellent animations, the game feels incredibly cinematic, and on a high-end graphics card the game is stunning. Each level is a grand set piece in which players stylishly accomplish their goals.
    Read full review
  3. Worth Playing
    96
    A serious improvement in any way you care to name, from gameplay to its newly, eerily realistic graphics.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »