DS review: Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
When Splinter Cell: Chaos theory was announced for the N-gage and the Nintendo DS, we all thought that it would have been much like the side-scrolling 2D platformer version of Splinter Cell we got on both the GBA, and the N-gage, But when screens were released of game on Nokia's handheld, we were surprised to learn that this time around, it would be in full 3D.
Our prayers of the same treatment for the DS version were answered, when screens were released of the dual-screened version. It looked marvelous.
Quite possibly the best looking DS game yet, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory for the Nintendo DS has finaly been released, but does the game play as good as it looks? I am here to say that yes, it does.
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Ubisoft/Gameloft
Rated T for blood, mild language and violence.
Graphics
Let's get down to buisness. This is the best looking 3D game the DS has to offer as of yet. I was very impressed at the 3D models and textures they were able to pull on the DS hardware. The lighting isnt as detailed as the console versions, but its good enough that it serves its purpose.
There is a lesser framerate than most other games on the DS, but it isn't too drastic. Its completely playable, and since its a stealth game, the pace isn't so fast, letting you take your time. About 80% of the time you play, you won't notice it. It doesn't affect gameplay.
Going into special vision modes such as nightvision and thermal does drop the framerate a little, especially noticeable with the thermal vision on.
Despite it's framerate issues, the game looks nice. You can tell what everything is perfectly fine.
The indoor enviroments look nicer than the outside enviroments, though.
Graphics: 8.5/10
The graphics are simply amazing for the DS.
Controls
The game uses all of the buttons and touchscreen to control Sam and browse through the manus and inventory. Control feels good, as responsive as I would expect it to be.
Aiming and shooting, and bringing out your weapon in drastic sittuations are a bit clumsy, however. As a left-handed person, I am a bit dissapointed with no left-hand support, but I can manage.
Sam controls just as well as any 3rd person control would fair on a d-pad, and does a pretty good job at it (usually my hand would cramp up when playing games like Metroid Prime: Hunters and Super Mario 64 DS, but has yet to in Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory).
Again, stealth games tend to have a slower pace than other action games, so you normally have plenty of time to prepare yourself, unless you get caught. Switching from button to touchscreen gets clumsy.
Speaking of the touch screen, Unisoft actually put it to good use, showing that 3rd parties know how to use it. It doesn't use it innovatively, nor does it focus on touch-based controls or minigames, it simply impliments it with the rest of the control scheme. It used for aiming, moving the camera, picking locks, inputting codes and there is obviously a touch-based menu (although you can use the d-pad for most of it).
Despite being clumsy, it does what it does, and I rarely encountered any problems with the controls, although I am dissapointed in the fact that it has no left-hand support and only one control scheme.
Controls: 6.5/10
Lockpicking is much more fun with the touch screen.
Gameplay
Now here is where the game really begins. Past the graphics and controls, this is a solid stealth game. If you have played any of the previous Splinter Cell games on a console, you know what to expect. The name of the game is to not be seen, while taking out gaurds and interrogating them for useful information. Some of the features from the console version of Chaos theory have been taken out, such as knife-melee combat, though we gain the exclusive swat-turn, its not a very fair trade. But this influences you even more to remain in the shadows, indetected.
Creeping up on enemies and grabbing them is as fun as ever, and from there you get the choice to either slit their throat, or knock them out. Most of the moves are in, like the split-wall jump, dropping on enemies from above, or knocking them out while hanging from above.
The AI isnt too independant, patroling their stations and checking out an area if a disturbance is heard.
Level design is great too, never does it feel like you've entered the same room twice, and enemies and triggers are layed out at a pretty good pace.
At its core is a really solid game, thats fun to play as well as being challenging at the same time.
Gameplay: 8/10
Nightvision helps see in darker areas.
Sound
The music in this game is of a pretty good quality, and each level has its own track. As the track plays over and over though, (especially at the length of some of the missions) they may seem repetetive and bothersome. I had to turn my music off during most of gameplay, but I think silence suits the stealth genre best.
The sound effects are good as well, footprints and creaking doors are clear, and while all of the dialog is in text, the gaurds have number of phrases they will say when they are alerted by something.
Sound: 6/10
Replay value?
Yes, there is deffinately replay value in this game. Each level has a bonus costum for you to search out and collect, and we deffinitely can't forget multiplayer.
Chaos theory on consoles kept the VS multiplayer mode, but added a new multiplayer feature: Co-op. Thankfully, Co-op has stayed in the games transition to DS, with 5 levels for you and a friend to tackle, along with the VS mode, in which up to 4 players can play together wirelessly.
I havent tried out multiplayer yet because I havent had a chance to, but I hope to soon.
Replay value? YES
Overall: 7.5
It is a great game, and I deffinitely reccomend you try it out.
Our prayers of the same treatment for the DS version were answered, when screens were released of the dual-screened version. It looked marvelous.
Quite possibly the best looking DS game yet, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory for the Nintendo DS has finaly been released, but does the game play as good as it looks? I am here to say that yes, it does.
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Ubisoft/Gameloft
Rated T for blood, mild language and violence.
Graphics
Let's get down to buisness. This is the best looking 3D game the DS has to offer as of yet. I was very impressed at the 3D models and textures they were able to pull on the DS hardware. The lighting isnt as detailed as the console versions, but its good enough that it serves its purpose.
There is a lesser framerate than most other games on the DS, but it isn't too drastic. Its completely playable, and since its a stealth game, the pace isn't so fast, letting you take your time. About 80% of the time you play, you won't notice it. It doesn't affect gameplay.
Going into special vision modes such as nightvision and thermal does drop the framerate a little, especially noticeable with the thermal vision on.
Despite it's framerate issues, the game looks nice. You can tell what everything is perfectly fine.
The indoor enviroments look nicer than the outside enviroments, though.
Graphics: 8.5/10
The graphics are simply amazing for the DS.
Controls
The game uses all of the buttons and touchscreen to control Sam and browse through the manus and inventory. Control feels good, as responsive as I would expect it to be.
Aiming and shooting, and bringing out your weapon in drastic sittuations are a bit clumsy, however. As a left-handed person, I am a bit dissapointed with no left-hand support, but I can manage.
Sam controls just as well as any 3rd person control would fair on a d-pad, and does a pretty good job at it (usually my hand would cramp up when playing games like Metroid Prime: Hunters and Super Mario 64 DS, but has yet to in Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory).
Again, stealth games tend to have a slower pace than other action games, so you normally have plenty of time to prepare yourself, unless you get caught. Switching from button to touchscreen gets clumsy.
Speaking of the touch screen, Unisoft actually put it to good use, showing that 3rd parties know how to use it. It doesn't use it innovatively, nor does it focus on touch-based controls or minigames, it simply impliments it with the rest of the control scheme. It used for aiming, moving the camera, picking locks, inputting codes and there is obviously a touch-based menu (although you can use the d-pad for most of it).
Despite being clumsy, it does what it does, and I rarely encountered any problems with the controls, although I am dissapointed in the fact that it has no left-hand support and only one control scheme.
Controls: 6.5/10
Lockpicking is much more fun with the touch screen.
Gameplay
Now here is where the game really begins. Past the graphics and controls, this is a solid stealth game. If you have played any of the previous Splinter Cell games on a console, you know what to expect. The name of the game is to not be seen, while taking out gaurds and interrogating them for useful information. Some of the features from the console version of Chaos theory have been taken out, such as knife-melee combat, though we gain the exclusive swat-turn, its not a very fair trade. But this influences you even more to remain in the shadows, indetected.
Creeping up on enemies and grabbing them is as fun as ever, and from there you get the choice to either slit their throat, or knock them out. Most of the moves are in, like the split-wall jump, dropping on enemies from above, or knocking them out while hanging from above.
The AI isnt too independant, patroling their stations and checking out an area if a disturbance is heard.
Level design is great too, never does it feel like you've entered the same room twice, and enemies and triggers are layed out at a pretty good pace.
At its core is a really solid game, thats fun to play as well as being challenging at the same time.
Gameplay: 8/10
Nightvision helps see in darker areas.
Sound
The music in this game is of a pretty good quality, and each level has its own track. As the track plays over and over though, (especially at the length of some of the missions) they may seem repetetive and bothersome. I had to turn my music off during most of gameplay, but I think silence suits the stealth genre best.
The sound effects are good as well, footprints and creaking doors are clear, and while all of the dialog is in text, the gaurds have number of phrases they will say when they are alerted by something.
Sound: 6/10
Replay value?
Yes, there is deffinately replay value in this game. Each level has a bonus costum for you to search out and collect, and we deffinitely can't forget multiplayer.
Chaos theory on consoles kept the VS multiplayer mode, but added a new multiplayer feature: Co-op. Thankfully, Co-op has stayed in the games transition to DS, with 5 levels for you and a friend to tackle, along with the VS mode, in which up to 4 players can play together wirelessly.
I havent tried out multiplayer yet because I havent had a chance to, but I hope to soon.
Replay value? YES
Overall: 7.5
It is a great game, and I deffinitely reccomend you try it out.
