It's not that Sam doesn't care about Shetland's betrayal, it's just that the series is not interested in giving you sad melodramatic cinematics to show you that he cares. He first finds out Shetland's implicated in the Penthouse mission where he's willing to give him the benefit of the doubt despite Lambert suggesting he may be crooked. Then when he finds out Nedich is in charge of the Penthouse protection detail, he suggests that they tell Shetland about it but is shot down by Grimm and then follows up saying that he'll kill Nedich himself, bitter that his friend is apparently being played. He again brings up the idea of alerting Shetland in the Displace mission when he finds out Zherkezhi was relocated to Hokkaido under Nedich's orders. In the prelude to Hokkaido he basically does jeopardize opsec by telling Doug that he's after one of his men. It's not until he catches Doug red-handed that he actually resigns himself to the fact that he's a dangerous criminal who needs to be stopped. The original Splinter Gells were not interested in going down the route of your Metal Gears or even the other Splinter Cell installments post-Chaos Theory when it came to narrative. The Shetland saga is as close and personal as it gets. So I feel like it's a bit harsh to use the same metric that you'd use for those games. If it was any other game, Lambert bringing up how Shetland was a contender for the Splinter Cell program would have been clear foreshadowing that there would be a boss fight between him and Fisher but there isn't because the OG Splinter Cell was not interested in adhering to those rules. Chaos Theory and the previous games definitely could have benefited from better cutscene direction though, I'll give you that.
I’m a simple man I see someone doing a in-depth review/analysis of literally the Greatest stealth game ever created thank you No matter how many times the top is covered by so many people it’s still the best
Still is imo. There's a level of polish to this game that is just unseen nowadays. The fact it still holds up as the best stealth game ever is remarkable. Most 3D games age like milk!
Clint I hope you realise that you made my childhood with this game. I speak for everyone when I say that we need more Splinter Cell in the style of which Chaos Theory was made.
Hopefully you can provid some top tips and best ideas to people that make the new remake. Please ensure they dont fuck this up! We hope you will help them despite not being on the project! We need SC back in style!!!!
A little detail you missed when talking about choice in "Displace", is that if you're quick enough, you can actually hack the Briefcase from the vent above the conference room, so technically you can get the code before you even enter the building.
It says a lot about the game that there are so many little interactions like this that can go unnoticed even by players who know the game inside and out. There's an alternate path in the last level where you can climb the big statue in the lobby. I disnt discover it until my jillionth playthrough.
I loved the way you could knock people out but hold the knock out button and he would automatically swing the body straight on his shoulder, Quality of life.
I appreciate the actual attention to detail you gave in this. Lot of people don't notice these things, that "Closer Than Ever" section perfectly describes why CT's controls are so good, and how Blacklist's are so awful since it does the absolute opposite of what CT did, and no one seems to ever notice or care about that.
Probably the greatest soundtrack ever put to a game. Never in my life have I heard a soundtrack so fitting and tonally perfect in a game. That is exactly what stealth should sound like. I could talk for days about how much I love Chaos Theory.
Thank you so much Andrew! That is super kind of you. I had a ton of fun making this video and allowing myself to get obsessed (again) with one of my favorite stealth titles. It was rewarding to make but even more rewarding people like yourself enjoyed it so much. Thank you again for the donation and comments! It means a lot.
the sniper rifle is so damn powerful in this game that you can actually destroy UAV drones with a single shot in the Seoul mission. it is simply amazing. and the Seoul mission itself is pretty damn good. you can go full Rambo with it because this is a warzone afterall. kill some NKA soldiers. and destroy the two IFVs with frag grenades.
Same. It truly is the goat of the entire Splinter Cell series. Let's pray that the Splinter Cell Remake takes from it and NOT games like Conviction or Blacklist.
@@Xxandrew01 Absolutely. It's insane that the stealth mechanics and AI are still the best ever put into a third person videogame. To me it shows that modern games development has completely focused on the wrong things. More devs should have focused on what CT did right and improved it.
I like that unlike other youtubers, you take breaks in between talking about levels instead of stuffing all of them into one long level design section. it makes the audience less bored and makes the video more engaging.
As someone who's trying to make a stealth game inspired by Chaos Theory, hearing all the small details like with the camera is just blowing my mind and really makes me realise why the gameplay felt so smooth and satisfying.
Aye no lie I would most definitely play your stealth game ps you got to add an Easter egg to this review video maybe have like a guard watch it and say :wow dude could you imagine some guy sneaking through here man I would could only imagine and the main character says quietly yeah could only imagine
@@Luca_Talis Not going to lie, I've been trying to work with it for a while but it's been hard around work. I got the light-based detection system done, just need to tweak a few things with it because of some weird quirks with Unity itself. Things like shadows cast by a certain kind of light now affecting the light meter.
It definitely was made to show off all the new stuff they added You start off on a beach with water coming in and there is a random lamp post throwing an ominous shadow
This is the most in depth retrospective of Chaos Theory, which is one of my favorite (if not favorite) games of all time. An absolute masterpiece. Thank you! Quick note: In the Seoul mission, the UAVs can be destroyed by using the sniper attachment, but of course the noise...
I'm not really a stealth game kind of guy aaaand that stays true with splinter cell. That said, I put an UNGODLY amount of time into the multiplayer in this game. I miss mercs vs spies so much.
This game. Goddamn, lol. Hand on heart one of my favorite singleplayer games I've ever played. Everything about it is just so well done. The overall atmosphere, the story, ost (especially the song Battery) the gameplay, voice acting---bro even the game's color palette. I could go on all day about Chaos Theory lmao. While Double Agent and Conviction were ok, they're nowhere near this one. Im a bit worried about the new one in the works, as all recent Ubisoft games sorta just bleed into each other. I don't think ive loved one of their mainline releases since Assassin's Creed Brotherhood. Seeing Sam pop up in the last two Ghost Recon releases was nice, but when he got announced as a Siege operator i was like "oh...oh nooo, that's not good." Who's to say how it'll go. Will it simply be a re-skin of Watch Dogs Legion? God, i hope not. But with ubi prioritizing big open maps with a ton of collectables and towers to climb as the mainstay, im a lil worried
For all the reasons you mentioned, this game became a mainstay in the game rotation throughout my childhood. And now, more than a decade later, the mere mention of this game makes me smile ear to ear. Damn.
Dang shame Ubisoft and most AAA game devs no longer make excellent single player focused games like Chaos Theory today. Miss og Splinter Cell, Metal Gear Solid, and Syphon Filter.
Probably the most in-depth overview I've ever had the pleasure of watching on my favorite game. Thank you so much for this! Also so happy you mentioned the soundtrack...Amon Tobin did an excellent job (id say best videogame soundtrack to this date). Earned a very well-deserved sub from me!
Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the sub! Yeah I wanted to take the time to mention Amon Tobin because I do feel like this is one of the best gaming soundtracks that people don't talk about.
There's no way they could make a game this good again. It was lightning in a bottle, afforded by a remarkably talented dev team and a publisher that had a VERY different commercial vision then compared to now. A game like CT comes about once in a blue moon. I don't think the PS4/X1 era actually had anything like it.
I was one of those players that never noticed the camera, but now that it has been pointed out to me, it seems glaringly obvious. Your description of the closer than ever system is the exact reason why I love this game but could never put into words. This is easily the best Chaos Theory Review/Retrospective/Analysis/Video Essay that I have seen to date.
Metal Gear Solid 3, Hitman world of assassination Trilogy and Splinter Cell Chaos Theory are the peak of the stealth genre for me. I could honestly watch Splinter Cell series retrospectives forever. Especially going into why chaos theory is such a masterpiece of video game design. It's barely aged a day, visually it still looks pretty damn good and the gameplay is just about flawless
I still remember this being the first game I bought for the Xbox I got for Christmas in 2004. It came with Halo and Ninja Gaiden, so this being my first game outside those two was a completely different experience. I can't believe it's been 18 years since it came out. I still have my copy, but unfortunately it's scratched so I can't play it anymore.
i never knew amon tobin composed this games soundtrack but it makes complete sense. Bricolage is a fantastic album of his, check it out if you haven't listened to it before. He's definitely one of the masters of electronic music
I love that you highlighted the interplay with Sam’s support team - the tone they found for it was so perfect - they sound like people at work: casually asking for things, making light banter with each other, griping and complaining - it just so happens that their job is international espionage - that’s the level these people work at - where they can work calmly and enjoy their colleagues while navigating tense situations and making life and death decisions - compared to the cartoonish 24-lite stylings of Black List, Chaos Theory had a believable, relatable tone that just so happened to deal with impossible subjects
Was the first game I ever played online, spies vs mercs was insanely fun. I used to listen to the soundtrack when I would sneak out of my parents house and run around at night. It was also my burglar music when they kicked me out lol.
I'm SOOOO into Amon Tobin's soundtrack. It was somrthing I had never heard before in my life and since then I've ben a huuuuge fan of his music. Definetely that was a before and after. Also, the totally next gen graphics, the ambience, the mechanics... it's a masterpiece that still holds on till this date. I wish the remake has nothing of the games that came after Chaos Theory.
Quick information adjustment for Seoul. You can destroy the UAV's and APC's. The UAV's can be destroyed by shooting at the head (go figure for cleverness) above the propellers using the sniper attachment. The APC's can be destroyed by lobbing 1 frag grenade into the cabin or cockpit (there's usually an NK soldier standing in that spot so you know what to look for). I had a very assault play style playing the Splinter Cell games as a kid, which developed into more of a panther style at my current age. So I would always be experimental with how to kill, destroy, and clear paths the fastest and most straightforward ways possible, so that's how I figured this out Lol.
After discovering the rest of Amon Tobin's work (albeit after finding a single song of his on spotify... in like 2018...), it somehow led me down a rabbit hole of this game series that I knew minimalistic knowledge of, only to become infatuated with this specific game, solely for the soundtrack, and I wanted to thank you for using the CORRECT song to finish off this wonderful review! TLDR: Thank you for specifically using the objectively best song in the entire OST (Ruthless Reprise) for the end credits
There were actually a couple really funny glitches you could do in the coop that I discovered. If you're hacking or lock picking have your teammate sticky shocker you and you can literally ghost through the whole level, as in you separate your soul from your body and can now go about haunting all the guards with no consequences. Another glitch that combos hilariously well with the previous is the infamous "piggyback" from spies vs mercs, although you do it a little differently. If you grab a guard and have your coop partner jump on you it'll attach the guard to your body. You can run and perform actions freely as if you weren't holding anyone but the guard will be stuck to you and be stuck in the grab animation. Perform the piggyback, then get sticky shocked while hacking/picking and you can make it look like there's a rogue guard going around telepathically killing/KOing all his comrades. Dunno if anyone else has ever heard of this or not, as far as I know I'm the only one besides the friends I've shown.
For anyone who didn't know, you actually can destroy the UAVs with the sniper attachment. And since they don't count as kills, as long as no one's around to hear the gunshot and subsequent explosion, you can still maintain a 100% mission rating, if you're going for that. Edit: You can also destroy the tanks by lobbing a frag grenade down into the top hatch. That'll count against you though, since it kills the guy inside. It might be possible to knock out the soldier, drag him away from the tank, and then destroy it, but at that point, it's probably more trouble than it's worth. Destroying all the tanks in the Seoul mission does fulfill a bonus objective, though.
I might be wrong (been a while since I played the mission), but I think killing the soldier in the APC using the grenade method actually doesn´t count against 100% (as long as he dies specifically during the APC explosion)
Love the video. Glad you and Critical Nobody are showing this series some much needed love (fingers crossed Raycevick throws his hat in the ring as well). I have a different opinion on your "Act of defiance" section, specifically Lambert's response. You say the writing for Lamber wasn't good here and I would disagree. On face value it sounds shitty, for sure as you stated, but looking at it from Lambert's perspective it makes sense. At that point in the game Third Echelon has been on the back foot for this investigation and the world as at the brink of war. "Fisher, if I can't throw the joint chiefs a bone we'll be at war in the next 24." Per the cutscene before the Seoul mission nukes are on the table if the situation escalates. The tension has been rising to this moment. Sam has the data that could exonerate the both South and North Korea and he needs to get out of the area before it is recovered by NKA forces. All that is to say that from Lambert's point of view Fisher is the most important person in field in that moment. Commanding from the safety of an armchair 100's of miles away, Lambert can and always has been detached from the situations he's put Fisher in. He's playing 4D chess and is always looking at the bigger picture, and this situation is basically the Trolley Problem on a larger scale. NKA forces are closing in on the downed plane and its data. It needs to be destroyed yesterday. Fisher taking the time to move men, who might die anyway, is in effect using up valuable time to save billions from nuclear war to save 2 people, is giving Lambert a heart attack. "Fisher, if you compromise this mission for these men..." "You don't even exist Fisher... you can't get a medel for this." This line, for me, isn't so much about the medal. It's more of him attacking Fisher's human instinct to be the hero, when he needs cold rationalization. That line sounds more like it's stemming from smoldering anger, than pure calculation. He knows Sam doesn't give a shit about the medal, but it's a light jab to remind Sam what their purpose is in this fight. Another point is this isn't the first time this kind of interaction is seen in this game. In the Lighthouse mission, when Sam confirms Morganholt is dead the player has the option to cut him down. Again, a moral choice that has no affect on gameplay or the story. "Fisher, I said leave the body... We don't have the means to extract him." "Just because he's dead doesn't mean I have to leave him here, hanging like a piece of meat." "Don't get too connected Fisher. I need you to stay rational." "You can spare thirty seconds for some simple dignity." The rational choice was to airstrike the plane ASAP, with the pilots in the killzone. Sam spared time to move the pilots to safety to spare them the indignity of dying to friendly fire.
I wish I could experience this game for the first time again, the experience coupled with Amon Tobin's incredible dynamic soundtrack was seamless and near perfect. One of Ubisoft's best, without a doubt. It's been a long time they released a banger like this. Let's pray SC1 remake comes close to this level of detail and passion of developer involvment.
A suggestion: great idea having a flashing lights warning, but go the extra step and timestamp it so people with epilepsy know when it's coming and they can watch the rest of the video without worrying 👍
I’m typically not big into stealth games, and couldn’t get into the first couple games in the series. But even I loved and played the hell out of Chaos Theory. My roommate at the time and I even set up system link for our Xbox is and played through the co-op campaign that way. Such a great game. Open the gate. Close the gate. Open the gate. Now the gate is broken.
When I was a kid I had the original splinter cell and couldn't get past the first or second mission. It's amazing how much of an impact it had though, as with a lot of games I was too young and stupid to figure out, so I'd play the tutorial level and first mission repeatedly and have a blast 😂 few years ago got the legacy collection or whatever it was but unfortunately stopped due to a game breaking bug where I couldn't progress and had no save that wasn't bugged. In summary 10/10 would watch a video essay on again
Easily one of the best stealth games of ALL time, and a movie franchise for Splinter Cell really would go far I think... I... Just would want them to make it CGI/animated, so that Fisher can still be played by Michael Ironside, otherwise... We'd have another Blacklist situation where Ironside was replaced... Which... Would feel weird as hell...
played all of the splinter cell games and since i love blacklist i think chaos theory is just a gem.. you got that feel while playing it that i cant explain. (i dont count conviction as splinter cell game)
I loved Splinter Cell since I saw the first trailer for it. I have played every entry in the series. Chaos Theory will always be my favorite one. I loved the Bank level the most. I was able to 100% every level and felt like that was my greatest gaming achievement lol. I would watch Extended Play, and later X-Play every day after school. I loved the Bob and Steve skits. I was bummed, because I never had anyone in my friend group that liked Splinter Cell. So, I never got to play Co-Op with anyone. This was a great review and it urges me to go back to play the series again!
I would be way more surprised if such a remarkable stealth title dropped now that doesn't treat gamers like absolute babies. (Why else would we have wall hacks and forced waypoint markers on a damn stealth game?) It was the time where the industry was still invested in stealth titles. I mean, it was 2005 when this dropped, 2004 had MGS 3 & Hitman: Contracts, and 2006 had Hitman: Blood Money & Splinter Cell: Double Agent. As much as I like HITMAN: World of Assassination trilogy for being the only true stealth title available with sandbox game design, there is way too much handholding. Most of them you can turn off like wall hacks, but the NPCs and/or your handler: Diana outright informing you about certain kill opportunities when you are in a certain place can be a bit annoying. And yes, CT is still perfect to this day - I just completed my second playthrough this week! Final segments of the Bathhouse is a minor blemish, but still, it's as perfect as it gets as far as pure stealth goes...up there with Thief 2.
"Maria Narcissa." "You're not trying to set me up on another blind date, I hope." "The Maria Narcissa is a boat..." "So was the last girl you set me up with." Undefeated character banter.
this video finally made me realize why chaos theory is the goat. i love the entire series, theyre all 11/10, but CT was always my least played next to blacklist for some reason even tho i love them all. maybe overhyped ct fans?🤷♀️ when i want john wick i pick conviction. i love the options, and differences in both double agents. sc1 and pandora tomorrow i played together and introduced me to the series so i have a soft spot for the music, atmosphere and even the linear and jankage never paid much attention the nuances. i love them all. but they did so much in ct to make it the definitive game for splinter cell fans. 20 years later and im still learning and finding more things to appreciate about the series. never even noticed ct was 'frame by frame' or the camera tricks even tho its obvious it never registered cause nostalgia and im always content playing anything with Fisher in it
At the very beginning of the Displace mission, before even dropping down into the presentation room, shoot out the light behind you, then open the ceiling trap door, they will get slightly alarmed (at least on the highest difficulty), but they won't spot you because you shot out the light. And right then and there, you can remote hack the laptop briefcase on the ground, and finish that objective before even properly entering the office building.
The best stealth game to this day. I have owned the game in one form or another since it came out, I have no idea how many hours I've played, but it's a significant number. The game has huge replay value. It takes a consummate professional to ace Kokubo Sosho on Expert difficulty.
Sam’s lethal animation when approaching from behind is driving a knife into the targets back with his knee At least I think it is… you’re right to say it’s super confusing
I play every splinter cell as a ghost no knock outs unless it’s absolutely necessary. Leave no trace and not being perceived. Makes the game more fun and challenging.
What an absolutely fantastic review. It is clear that you spent a lot of time and effort to put this together and I hope that it was worth it because I enjoyed it very much. The credit given to the movement and camera mechanics especially stood out to me as the hidden element in the game that causes the game to endear itself to so many people yet nobody really realizes, and you absolutely nailed explaining why it's so special. Furthermore it's a credit to the level designers that even in the portions where you highlighted clever alternate paths to tackling environment navigation, I was sitting here saying things like, "there are other paths even yet!" - for instance in the Kokubo Sosho level there's a different hidden path that gets you in a completely different way hidden in the far back of the long red tunnel you begin at, letting you bypass the lobby entirely - or another in the Displace level where you don't even have to wirelessly hack the executive's briefcase, but can get that objective from a computer in the gym area, letting you bypass the executive altogether - the brilliance of this game still impresses me all these years and several dozen play-throughs later. A true masterpiece.
Still insane to me this is from 2005. Easily one of the best games of its era and a top tier stealth title. Got it for sale on Series X and it was like the best $10 I ever spent.
Ah I see you are a man of culture as well. One of my favorite games of all time. Somehow its always fun to see someone cover the classics. Great, now I feel like replaying it AGAIN.
I was a fan of the original splinter cell ever since it first came out when I was a kid.. hut I played the first one.. loved it.. played pandora tomorrow..And it was cool as hell.. but life happened and I kinda drifted away from splinter cell for many many years.. but recently.. like a week ago. I remembered that old beloved series.. and I decided to give it another try.. I bought chaos theory from steam.. and my god.. that was the most addicted to a game I've been.. since I was a kid.. but man.. the moment I realized that the game was over.. every day I'd get off work.. first thing I thought was man.. can't wait to get home and play chaos theory.. I can't wait to see the next level.. but then... it ended.. I haven't had this feeling of loss in awhile.. I'm about to start double agent.. I know it's not as good as chaos theory.. but I hope it helps dull the longing I have for more chaos theory levels..
Just started playing SC1 on ubisoft connect (75% discount now) and the gameplay really holds up well. Had this on xbox in the early 2000´s. I love the simplicity of it with only two guns and a couple of gadgets and the focus being all about stealth. Hopefully we get a remake eventually, though I don't hold my breath for that one.
"Um, hold on- did you just tell me I need to win one for The Gipper?" "Uh dude, what does that even mean!?" There's never not time I will make to listen to someone else glow about SSCT. Still gets an annual playthrough & will even throw on a Gamematics playthrough for some background noise when working from time to time. Also, what a legendary period of gaming... no wonder we have high expectations of modern games as a consumer base when we came up on games like this. Also, Amon Tobin has had a permanent residency on multiple playlists since around 2012 for me. What a soundtrack.
Warrior Within is a better game than The Two Thrones. It has the best combat system and puzzles in the series. There is a reason why WW is the most ported entry in the trilogy... there was even a decent port to iOS in the early 2010s.
31:34 actually the voice team who doubed the game for the Spanish version, did a pretty good job mimicking the Acent from Latinoamerica (in the Peru mission) al though they were from Spain
An excellent overview of an excellent game
Thank you so much! I'm really looking forward to your content on the future games!
Fellow splinter cell brotherly love.
Been enjoying both of y’all’s reviews on these games. Keep it up 👍
Thanks for the recommendation
We are a Splinter Cell. 😏
Fancy seeing you here Critical.
It's not that Sam doesn't care about Shetland's betrayal, it's just that the series is not interested in giving you sad melodramatic cinematics to show you that he cares.
He first finds out Shetland's implicated in the Penthouse mission where he's willing to give him the benefit of the doubt despite Lambert suggesting he may be crooked. Then when he finds out Nedich is in charge of the Penthouse protection detail, he suggests that they tell Shetland about it but is shot down by Grimm and then follows up saying that he'll kill Nedich himself, bitter that his friend is apparently being played.
He again brings up the idea of alerting Shetland in the Displace mission when he finds out Zherkezhi was relocated to Hokkaido under Nedich's orders. In the prelude to Hokkaido he basically does jeopardize opsec by telling Doug that he's after one of his men. It's not until he catches Doug red-handed that he actually resigns himself to the fact that he's a dangerous criminal who needs to be stopped.
The original Splinter Gells were not interested in going down the route of your Metal Gears or even the other Splinter Cell installments post-Chaos Theory when it came to narrative. The Shetland saga is as close and personal as it gets. So I feel like it's a bit harsh to use the same metric that you'd use for those games.
If it was any other game, Lambert bringing up how Shetland was a contender for the Splinter Cell program would have been clear foreshadowing that there would be a boss fight between him and Fisher but there isn't because the OG Splinter Cell was not interested in adhering to those rules.
Chaos Theory and the previous games definitely could have benefited from better cutscene direction though, I'll give you that.
This. Can' stand the 24 hamming the post chaos game's stories go through.
I’m a simple man I see someone doing a in-depth review/analysis of literally the Greatest stealth game ever created thank you
No matter how many times the top is covered by so many people it’s still the best
I'm the same way
Welllll....
If you're interested...I have one, as well 🤷
You didn't do the meme correctly
Back then, the simple fact that Sam slowly reaches for his knife when enemies got close was blowing my mind. Such a nice immersive detail.
Still is imo. There's a level of polish to this game that is just unseen nowadays. The fact it still holds up as the best stealth game ever is remarkable. Most 3D games age like milk!
@@xxczerxx im sorry mate, but it's definitely not the best stealth game to day.
@@uzacki I think so. Hitman for example still has a more simple stealth model.
@@uzacki stop hating Splinter cell you bum
i wonder how chaos theory would be with ray tracing today
The UAV in Seoul can be destroyed with the sniper-attachment. If you take the shot from the right spot, the guards won't even hear it.
They can also be destroyed by the shotgun attachment if you’re close enough
Also the apc can be destroyed with a grenade or two into the hatch.
Proud to see people still diving deep into this game over 15 years later. Thanks!
Clint I hope you realise that you made my childhood with this game. I speak for everyone when I say that we need more Splinter Cell in the style of which Chaos Theory was made.
Hopefully you can provid some top tips and best ideas to people that make the new remake. Please ensure they dont fuck this up! We hope you will help them despite not being on the project! We need SC back in style!!!!
Hey Clint, since it’s 20 years splinter cell anniversary, could you do a review of the game too? Would love to see your input on it.
You also designed this game?
I hope one day you return to the Splinter Cell series! We definitely need a new proper one made by the original fantastic developers.
A little detail you missed when talking about choice in "Displace", is that if you're quick enough, you can actually hack the Briefcase from the vent above the conference room, so technically you can get the code before you even enter the building.
It says a lot about the game that there are so many little interactions like this that can go unnoticed even by players who know the game inside and out.
There's an alternate path in the last level where you can climb the big statue in the lobby. I disnt discover it until my jillionth playthrough.
I literally played it today and if you angle it just right you can hack it without even opening the ceiling grate
I love the fact Sam "stabilises" Otomo by pulling out the thing that was keeping him from bleeding out. XD
I loved the way you could knock people out but hold the knock out button and he would automatically swing the body straight on his shoulder, Quality of life.
YOU CAN!?
Jesus, I've 100%ed this game and I didn't know that.
I’ve played the game so many times and never knew this
If you are from behind only
Just like that you can also kill and hold button and dead enemy will be carried by sam
I appreciate the actual attention to detail you gave in this. Lot of people don't notice these things, that "Closer Than Ever" section perfectly describes why CT's controls are so good, and how Blacklist's are so awful since it does the absolute opposite of what CT did, and no one seems to ever notice or care about that.
Probably the greatest soundtrack ever put to a game. Never in my life have I heard a soundtrack so fitting and tonally perfect in a game. That is exactly what stealth should sound like. I could talk for days about how much I love Chaos Theory.
I listen to the Chaos Theory OST whenever I play a match of Call of Duty Warzone
Amon Tobin!
yup, Amon Tobin really made this game unique
chaos theory is among the gaming goats, the ambassador for the stealth genre
Amon Tobin made one of the coolest soundtracks ever made. It's so perfect for the games atmosphere
The effort this video took to put together deserves something more than just a comment of praise. Thank you.
Thank you so much Andrew! That is super kind of you. I had a ton of fun making this video and allowing myself to get obsessed (again) with one of my favorite stealth titles. It was rewarding to make but even more rewarding people like yourself enjoyed it so much. Thank you again for the donation and comments! It means a lot.
23:42 This, this right here was my first ever out of the box AI manipulation in a stealth video game
I still catch myself humming that El Cargo guitar theme. Amon Tobin's ost made this game imo.
the sniper rifle is so damn powerful in this game that you can actually destroy UAV drones with a single shot in the Seoul mission.
it is simply amazing.
and the Seoul mission itself is pretty damn good. you can go full Rambo with it because this is a warzone afterall. kill some NKA soldiers. and destroy the two IFVs with frag grenades.
i comeback to CT every year. Its just a special game. True Masterpiece
Me too
Same
same
Same. It truly is the goat of the entire Splinter Cell series. Let's pray that the Splinter Cell Remake takes from it and NOT games like Conviction or Blacklist.
@@Xxandrew01 Absolutely. It's insane that the stealth mechanics and AI are still the best ever put into a third person videogame.
To me it shows that modern games development has completely focused on the wrong things. More devs should have focused on what CT did right and improved it.
I like that unlike other youtubers, you take breaks in between talking about levels instead of stuffing all of them into one long level design section. it makes the audience less bored and makes the video more engaging.
As someone who's trying to make a stealth game inspired by Chaos Theory, hearing all the small details like with the camera is just blowing my mind and really makes me realise why the gameplay felt so smooth and satisfying.
Definitely a good game to study!
Aye no lie I would most definitely play your stealth game ps you got to add an Easter egg to this review video maybe have like a guard watch it and say :wow dude could you imagine some guy sneaking through here man I would could only imagine and the main character says quietly yeah could only imagine
Update?
@@Luca_Talis Not going to lie, I've been trying to work with it for a while but it's been hard around work. I got the light-based detection system done, just need to tweak a few things with it because of some weird quirks with Unity itself. Things like shadows cast by a certain kind of light now affecting the light meter.
It's incredible how good that first level still looks all these years later. The whole game holds up remarkably well.
It's one of the best aging 3D games ever. Super Mario 64, Jet Set Radio, THPS 2/3/4 and Chaos Theory will always be timeless.
@@xxczerxxdoes it play well on the series x bro?
@@1andOnlyKB it doth play well, now make daddy happy and get playing.... naked!
Of course.
It definitely was made to show off all the new stuff they added
You start off on a beach with water coming in and there is a random lamp post throwing an ominous shadow
This is the most in depth retrospective of Chaos Theory, which is one of my favorite (if not favorite) games of all time. An absolute masterpiece. Thank you!
Quick note: In the Seoul mission, the UAVs can be destroyed by using the sniper attachment, but of course the noise...
they don't make games like that anymore....
I'm not really a stealth game kind of guy aaaand that stays true with splinter cell. That said, I put an UNGODLY amount of time into the multiplayer in this game. I miss mercs vs spies so much.
Combat system in warrior within was an improvement though.
The UAV's can be taken down with the 20mm sniper attachment. It's loud but saves a lot of headaches.
This game. Goddamn, lol.
Hand on heart one of my favorite singleplayer games I've ever played.
Everything about it is just so well done.
The overall atmosphere, the story, ost (especially the song Battery) the gameplay, voice acting---bro even the game's color palette.
I could go on all day about Chaos Theory lmao. While Double Agent and Conviction were ok, they're nowhere near this one.
Im a bit worried about the new one in the works, as all recent Ubisoft games sorta just bleed into each other. I don't think ive loved one of their mainline releases since Assassin's Creed Brotherhood.
Seeing Sam pop up in the last two Ghost Recon releases was nice, but when he got announced as a Siege operator i was like "oh...oh nooo, that's not good."
Who's to say how it'll go. Will it simply be a re-skin of Watch Dogs Legion? God, i hope not.
But with ubi prioritizing big open maps with a ton of collectables and towers to climb as the mainstay, im a lil worried
For all the reasons you mentioned, this game became a mainstay in the game rotation throughout my childhood.
And now, more than a decade later, the mere mention of this game makes me smile ear to ear. Damn.
Dang shame Ubisoft and most AAA game devs no longer make excellent single player focused games like Chaos Theory today.
Miss og Splinter Cell, Metal Gear Solid, and Syphon Filter.
Bc kids don't want it, they want something flashy, ez and fast...
Probably the most in-depth overview I've ever had the pleasure of watching on my favorite game. Thank you so much for this! Also so happy you mentioned the soundtrack...Amon Tobin did an excellent job (id say best videogame soundtrack to this date). Earned a very well-deserved sub from me!
Glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the sub! Yeah I wanted to take the time to mention Amon Tobin because I do feel like this is one of the best gaming soundtracks that people don't talk about.
Great job on this, man. Love these deep dive videos on great games like these!
There's no way they could make a game this good again. It was lightning in a bottle, afforded by a remarkably talented dev team and a publisher that had a VERY different commercial vision then compared to now.
A game like CT comes about once in a blue moon. I don't think the PS4/X1 era actually had anything like it.
I was one of those players that never noticed the camera, but now that it has been pointed out to me, it seems glaringly obvious. Your description of the closer than ever system is the exact reason why I love this game but could never put into words. This is easily the best Chaos Theory Review/Retrospective/Analysis/Video Essay that I have seen to date.
Metal Gear Solid 3, Hitman world of assassination Trilogy and Splinter Cell Chaos Theory are the peak of the stealth genre for me. I could honestly watch Splinter Cell series retrospectives forever. Especially going into why chaos theory is such a masterpiece of video game design. It's barely aged a day, visually it still looks pretty damn good and the gameplay is just about flawless
Try the 1st two thief games
@@bruhirl1023 I'd love to but I don't have a PC :(
I still remember this being the first game I bought for the Xbox I got for Christmas in 2004. It came with Halo and Ninja Gaiden, so this being my first game outside those two was a completely different experience. I can't believe it's been 18 years since it came out. I still have my copy, but unfortunately it's scratched so I can't play it anymore.
57:30 the drones can be destroyed with one bullet from the sniper rifle 😁
Actually, you can destroy those UAVs in the Seoul mission. You need to use the Sniper Rifle attachment though.
i never knew amon tobin composed this games soundtrack but it makes complete sense. Bricolage is a fantastic album of his, check it out if you haven't listened to it before. He's definitely one of the masters of electronic music
I love that you highlighted the interplay with Sam’s support team - the tone they found for it was so perfect - they sound like people at work: casually asking for things, making light banter with each other, griping and complaining - it just so happens that their job is international espionage - that’s the level these people work at - where they can work calmly and enjoy their colleagues while navigating tense situations and making life and death decisions - compared to the cartoonish 24-lite stylings of Black List, Chaos Theory had a believable, relatable tone that just so happened to deal with impossible subjects
I remember playing coop online with a regular on the Xbox 360, referencing Bob and Steve, and joking about guards looking at p*rn on the computer.
This game still has the best camera mechanics I've seen to date.
Was the first game I ever played online, spies vs mercs was insanely fun. I used to listen to the soundtrack when I would sneak out of my parents house and run around at night. It was also my burglar music when they kicked me out lol.
I'm SOOOO into Amon Tobin's soundtrack. It was somrthing I had never heard before in my life and since then I've ben a huuuuge fan of his music.
Definetely that was a before and after.
Also, the totally next gen graphics, the ambience, the mechanics... it's a masterpiece that still holds on till this date.
I wish the remake has nothing of the games that came after Chaos Theory.
Yep. Talented composer.
The worst part about Chaos Theory were the guard faces lol, they look demonic
OG Xbox did its best, give the old guy a break.
Quick information adjustment for Seoul. You can destroy the UAV's and APC's. The UAV's can be destroyed by shooting at the head (go figure for cleverness) above the propellers using the sniper attachment. The APC's can be destroyed by lobbing 1 frag grenade into the cabin or cockpit (there's usually an NK soldier standing in that spot so you know what to look for).
I had a very assault play style playing the Splinter Cell games as a kid, which developed into more of a panther style at my current age. So I would always be experimental with how to kill, destroy, and clear paths the fastest and most straightforward ways possible, so that's how I figured this out Lol.
One of the greatest video games ever made.
BOB AND STEVE REFERENCE?
subscribed. Unbelievable.
Damn. Over an hour of Kirk talking Splinter Cell? You spoil us
Masterpiece.
After discovering the rest of Amon Tobin's work (albeit after finding a single song of his on spotify... in like 2018...), it somehow led me down a rabbit hole of this game series that I knew minimalistic knowledge of, only to become infatuated with this specific game, solely for the soundtrack, and I wanted to thank you for using the CORRECT song to finish off this wonderful review!
TLDR: Thank you for specifically using the objectively best song in the entire OST (Ruthless Reprise) for the end credits
Im not super into stealth. But splinter cell is just that good. Chaos theory is absolutely the greatest stealth game in history
Thanks for reminding me of Bob and Steve, that was my first introduction to Splinter Cell as a kid
shut your mouth about Warrior Within... It's awesome. great video though
There were actually a couple really funny glitches you could do in the coop that I discovered. If you're hacking or lock picking have your teammate sticky shocker you and you can literally ghost through the whole level, as in you separate your soul from your body and can now go about haunting all the guards with no consequences. Another glitch that combos hilariously well with the previous is the infamous "piggyback" from spies vs mercs, although you do it a little differently. If you grab a guard and have your coop partner jump on you it'll attach the guard to your body. You can run and perform actions freely as if you weren't holding anyone but the guard will be stuck to you and be stuck in the grab animation. Perform the piggyback, then get sticky shocked while hacking/picking and you can make it look like there's a rogue guard going around telepathically killing/KOing all his comrades. Dunno if anyone else has ever heard of this or not, as far as I know I'm the only one besides the friends I've shown.
the drone can be destroyed in the seoul level just use the sniper attachment and shoot it.
Lambert did say Fifth Freedom so, lethal it is bois.
For anyone who didn't know, you actually can destroy the UAVs with the sniper attachment. And since they don't count as kills, as long as no one's around to hear the gunshot and subsequent explosion, you can still maintain a 100% mission rating, if you're going for that.
Edit: You can also destroy the tanks by lobbing a frag grenade down into the top hatch. That'll count against you though, since it kills the guy inside. It might be possible to knock out the soldier, drag him away from the tank, and then destroy it, but at that point, it's probably more trouble than it's worth. Destroying all the tanks in the Seoul mission does fulfill a bonus objective, though.
I might be wrong (been a while since I played the mission), but I think killing the soldier in the APC using the grenade method actually doesn´t count against 100% (as long as he dies specifically during the APC explosion)
Love the video. Glad you and Critical Nobody are showing this series some much needed love (fingers crossed Raycevick throws his hat in the ring as well).
I have a different opinion on your "Act of defiance" section, specifically Lambert's response. You say the writing for Lamber wasn't good here and I would disagree. On face value it sounds shitty, for sure as you stated, but looking at it from Lambert's perspective it makes sense. At that point in the game Third Echelon has been on the back foot for this investigation and the world as at the brink of war. "Fisher, if I can't throw the joint chiefs a bone we'll be at war in the next 24." Per the cutscene before the Seoul mission nukes are on the table if the situation escalates. The tension has been rising to this moment. Sam has the data that could exonerate the both South and North Korea and he needs to get out of the area before it is recovered by NKA forces. All that is to say that from Lambert's point of view Fisher is the most important person in field in that moment. Commanding from the safety of an armchair 100's of miles away, Lambert can and always has been detached from the situations he's put Fisher in. He's playing 4D chess and is always looking at the bigger picture, and this situation is basically the Trolley Problem on a larger scale. NKA forces are closing in on the downed plane and its data. It needs to be destroyed yesterday. Fisher taking the time to move men, who might die anyway, is in effect using up valuable time to save billions from nuclear war to save 2 people, is giving Lambert a heart attack. "Fisher, if you compromise this mission for these men..."
"You don't even exist Fisher... you can't get a medel for this." This line, for me, isn't so much about the medal. It's more of him attacking Fisher's human instinct to be the hero, when he needs cold rationalization. That line sounds more like it's stemming from smoldering anger, than pure calculation. He knows Sam doesn't give a shit about the medal, but it's a light jab to remind Sam what their purpose is in this fight.
Another point is this isn't the first time this kind of interaction is seen in this game. In the Lighthouse mission, when Sam confirms Morganholt is dead the player has the option to cut him down. Again, a moral choice that has no affect on gameplay or the story.
"Fisher, I said leave the body... We don't have the means to extract him."
"Just because he's dead doesn't mean I have to leave him here, hanging like a piece of meat."
"Don't get too connected Fisher. I need you to stay rational."
"You can spare thirty seconds for some simple dignity."
The rational choice was to airstrike the plane ASAP, with the pilots in the killzone. Sam spared time to move the pilots to safety to spare them the indignity of dying to friendly fire.
You didn't like Warrior Within? 🤔
I wish I could experience this game for the first time again, the experience coupled with Amon Tobin's incredible dynamic soundtrack was seamless and near perfect. One of Ubisoft's best, without a doubt. It's been a long time they released a banger like this. Let's pray SC1 remake comes close to this level of detail and passion of developer involvment.
A suggestion: great idea having a flashing lights warning, but go the extra step and timestamp it so people with epilepsy know when it's coming and they can watch the rest of the video without worrying 👍
That is great feedback. I’ll add it in now.
Oh god I’d forgotten this game has an Amon Tobin soundtrack 🫠
Fun fact, you can actually destroy the UAV drones with the sniper attachment in Seoul Pt2.
Shotgun too
@@totallynotabot6003 true, but it's a little tricky with the shotgun attachment.
I’m typically not big into stealth games, and couldn’t get into the first couple games in the series. But even I loved and played the hell out of Chaos Theory. My roommate at the time and I even set up system link for our Xbox is and played through the co-op campaign that way. Such a great game. Open the gate. Close the gate. Open the gate. Now the gate is broken.
When I was a kid I had the original splinter cell and couldn't get past the first or second mission. It's amazing how much of an impact it had though, as with a lot of games I was too young and stupid to figure out, so I'd play the tutorial level and first mission repeatedly and have a blast 😂 few years ago got the legacy collection or whatever it was but unfortunately stopped due to a game breaking bug where I couldn't progress and had no save that wasn't bugged. In summary 10/10 would watch a video essay on again
Easily one of the best stealth games of ALL time, and a movie franchise for Splinter Cell really would go far I think... I... Just would want them to make it CGI/animated, so that Fisher can still be played by Michael Ironside, otherwise... We'd have another Blacklist situation where Ironside was replaced... Which... Would feel weird as hell...
played all of the splinter cell games and since i love blacklist i think chaos theory is just a gem.. you got that feel while playing it that i cant explain. (i dont count conviction as splinter cell game)
I loved Splinter Cell since I saw the first trailer for it. I have played every entry in the series. Chaos Theory will always be my favorite one. I loved the Bank level the most. I was able to 100% every level and felt like that was my greatest gaming achievement lol. I would watch Extended Play, and later X-Play every day after school. I loved the Bob and Steve skits. I was bummed, because I never had anyone in my friend group that liked Splinter Cell. So, I never got to play Co-Op with anyone. This was a great review and it urges me to go back to play the series again!
The greatest stealth game ever. Can't believe it came out in the era it did, and so long ago. It's still perfect to this day
I would be way more surprised if such a remarkable stealth title dropped now that doesn't treat gamers like absolute babies. (Why else would we have wall hacks and forced waypoint markers on a damn stealth game?) It was the time where the industry was still invested in stealth titles. I mean, it was 2005 when this dropped, 2004 had MGS 3 & Hitman: Contracts, and 2006 had Hitman: Blood Money & Splinter Cell: Double Agent. As much as I like HITMAN: World of Assassination trilogy for being the only true stealth title available with sandbox game design, there is way too much handholding. Most of them you can turn off like wall hacks, but the NPCs and/or your handler: Diana outright informing you about certain kill opportunities when you are in a certain place can be a bit annoying.
And yes, CT is still perfect to this day - I just completed my second playthrough this week! Final segments of the Bathhouse is a minor blemish, but still, it's as perfect as it gets as far as pure stealth goes...up there with Thief 2.
My favorite video you've done so far Kirk. Excellent stuff as always, but this just has that.....something
"Maria Narcissa."
"You're not trying to set me up on another blind date, I hope."
"The Maria Narcissa is a boat..."
"So was the last girl you set me up with."
Undefeated character banter.
Nice deep dive. But eeeh, Seinfeld was not cringy and never ended on a shared character laugh, so kind of a weird choice to make that joke.
this video finally made me realize why chaos theory is the goat. i love the entire series, theyre all 11/10, but CT was always my least played next to blacklist for some reason even tho i love them all. maybe overhyped ct fans?🤷♀️
when i want john wick i pick conviction. i love the options, and differences in both double agents. sc1 and pandora tomorrow i played together and introduced me to the series so i have a soft spot for the music, atmosphere and even the linear and jankage
never paid much attention the nuances. i love them all. but they did so much in ct to make it the definitive game for splinter cell fans.
20 years later and im still learning and finding more things to appreciate about the series. never even noticed ct was 'frame by frame' or the camera tricks even tho its obvious it never registered cause nostalgia and im always content playing anything with Fisher in it
it's hard for me to replay the first 2 splinter cell games after playing chaos theory, it's hard to go back. we've been spoiled by ubisoft montreal.
Am I the only one who just likes every game in the series?
I like them all too, just some more than others 😉
I've watched through all your Splinter Cell retrospectives an embarrassing amount of times, you did a great job on them!
At the very beginning of the Displace mission, before even dropping down into the presentation room, shoot out the light behind you, then open the ceiling trap door, they will get slightly alarmed (at least on the highest difficulty), but they won't spot you because you shot out the light.
And right then and there, you can remote hack the laptop briefcase on the ground, and finish that objective before even properly entering the office building.
You dont have to open the vent
You can do it through the gaps of vent
@@mohsinabdulshukur Huh, thanks for the intel. lol
The best stealth game to this day. I have owned the game in one form or another since it came out, I have no idea how many hours I've played, but it's a significant number. The game has huge replay value.
It takes a consummate professional to ace Kokubo Sosho on Expert difficulty.
I love how dialoge cnage depending on level of alarm 😂
Chaos Theory is one of the best games I have ever played 👍Thanks for the review .Have a great day
Easily amongst my favorite games of all time, I remember being blown away by the animations, music, and how much fun stealthing around was.
Sam’s lethal animation when approaching from behind is driving a knife into the targets back with his knee
At least I think it is… you’re right to say it’s super confusing
I play every splinter cell as a ghost no knock outs unless it’s absolutely necessary. Leave no trace and not being perceived. Makes the game more fun and challenging.
What an absolutely fantastic review. It is clear that you spent a lot of time and effort to put this together and I hope that it was worth it because I enjoyed it very much. The credit given to the movement and camera mechanics especially stood out to me as the hidden element in the game that causes the game to endear itself to so many people yet nobody really realizes, and you absolutely nailed explaining why it's so special.
Furthermore it's a credit to the level designers that even in the portions where you highlighted clever alternate paths to tackling environment navigation, I was sitting here saying things like, "there are other paths even yet!" - for instance in the Kokubo Sosho level there's a different hidden path that gets you in a completely different way hidden in the far back of the long red tunnel you begin at, letting you bypass the lobby entirely - or another in the Displace level where you don't even have to wirelessly hack the executive's briefcase, but can get that objective from a computer in the gym area, letting you bypass the executive altogether - the brilliance of this game still impresses me all these years and several dozen play-throughs later. A true masterpiece.
Still insane to me this is from 2005. Easily one of the best games of its era and a top tier stealth title. Got it for sale on Series X and it was like the best $10 I ever spent.
Also wanted to comment as well that the soundtrack is absolutely killer.
Great Analysis, great game, I grew up with Chaos Theory man, great intro too, nice edits with the music bro, I digged that.
Ah I see you are a man of culture as well. One of my favorite games of all time. Somehow its always fun to see someone cover the classics. Great, now I feel like replaying it AGAIN.
7:30 omg. Wtf? How this technical masterpiece possible? Incredible movement system
The UAV’s on Seoul can be destroyed with the sniper attachment!
I LOVE the fact that Nicholas Cage gets a one line cameo in Chaos Theory. Thats right folks, Nic fkn Cage!
😨
I miss the old days when we got amazing AAA games from Western devs. CT is the best 3rd person stealth game ever made.
shouldve had scoring for ghost/assault/panther with the game adapting to your play style
I was a fan of the original splinter cell ever since it first came out when I was a kid.. hut I played the first one.. loved it.. played pandora tomorrow..And it was cool as hell.. but life happened and I kinda drifted away from splinter cell for many many years.. but recently.. like a week ago. I remembered that old beloved series.. and I decided to give it another try.. I bought chaos theory from steam.. and my god.. that was the most addicted to a game I've been.. since I was a kid.. but man.. the moment I realized that the game was over.. every day I'd get off work.. first thing I thought was man.. can't wait to get home and play chaos theory.. I can't wait to see the next level.. but then... it ended.. I haven't had this feeling of loss in awhile.. I'm about to start double agent.. I know it's not as good as chaos theory.. but I hope it helps dull the longing I have for more chaos theory levels..
Just started playing SC1 on ubisoft connect (75% discount now) and the gameplay really holds up well. Had this on xbox in the early 2000´s. I love the simplicity of it with only two guns and a couple of gadgets and the focus being all about stealth. Hopefully we get a remake eventually, though I don't hold my breath for that one.
Wow. What an amazing review - the segment on the camera alone was worth a watch. Every single edit and sound piece used was perfect here!
Anybody know the name of the track playing at 21:29? I'm always trying to find it on the Chaos Theory soundtrack but haven't had any luck.
Old comment but it's Kokubo Sosho Stealth. About 50 seconds in. ruclips.net/video/0C4Cn9X_w5c/видео.html
Kokubo Sosho Stealth. Around 0:45
I think you meant, take couch co-op WITH the beers and bowls
this was REALLY good. youre so damn funny!! liked
"Um, hold on- did you just tell me I need to win one for The Gipper?"
"Uh dude, what does that even mean!?"
There's never not time I will make to listen to someone else glow about SSCT. Still gets an annual playthrough & will even throw on a Gamematics playthrough for some background noise when working from time to time. Also, what a legendary period of gaming... no wonder we have high expectations of modern games as a consumer base when we came up on games like this.
Also, Amon Tobin has had a permanent residency on multiple playlists since around 2012 for me. What a soundtrack.
Warrior Within is a better game than The Two Thrones.
It has the best combat system and puzzles in the series.
There is a reason why WW is the most ported entry in the trilogy... there was even a decent port to iOS in the early 2010s.
Sands of Time >
31:34 actually the voice team who doubed the game for the Spanish version, did a pretty good job mimicking the Acent from Latinoamerica (in the Peru mission) al though they were from Spain