Metacritic Games

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (GameCube)

The year is 2008. Information Warfare has evolved into the most dangerous threat to global stability. You are Sam Fisher, Third Echelon's most skilled Splinter Cell operative. You are assigned to execute a hazardous series of operations to investigate and eliminate a new source of information attacks, originating in North Korea. To succeed, you will employ a host of unconventional counterintelligence activities to gather intel, disrupt enemy operations and neutralize adversary targets. As Information Warfare evolves, so must the Splinter Cell. You must penetrate deeper into hostile territory and operate undetected, closer to the enemy than ever before. At your disposal is a lethal array of tactics ranging from Combat Knife techniques, experimental prototype weapons skills, and more radical hand-to-hand techniques such as the Inverted Chokehold. Experience the thrill of acting as a lone operative fighting tomorrow's threats in the field, and of cooperating online with a partner to accomplish crucial missions. Die in action, and the free world dies with you. Never-before-seen graphics technology offers the best visuals ever to appear on any platform. Advanced physics engine allows rag doll physics, particle effects and perfect interaction with the environment. The most complete arsenal of weapons and gadgets, from the combat knife to experimental prototype combat systems. Totally open level design with multipaths and optional secondary objectives. [Ubisoft]

Ubisoft
Action, Adventure
Players: 2
M (Mature)
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Released March 29, 2005

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

81 / 100

Critic Reviews

100 Maxim Online
No longer is there just one way to solve a treacherous night mission before the enemy picks up your audio signature: stealth will pay off just as well as good old-fashioned ultraviolence.
100 G4 TV
Nearly every game area we encountered was more realistically lit, which often meant fewer places to hide. New motion-captured moves supplement Fisher's already impressive range of actions, and watching him clamber over a railing is simply one of the best animations in gaming.
100 Gaming Age
Without a doubt the best the stealth genre can offer... One of the best games I have ever played.
95 Play Magazine
In all things small and epic, from the palpable graininess of the game's predominantly poorly lit environments, to the endlessly thrilling second installment of the spies vs. mercenaries online competitions, Theory does not disappoint. [May 2005, p.44]
90 Kombo
Ubisoft knows what it’s doing.
90 Game Chronicles
It's involving, at times surprising, and vastly entertaining throughout. The tight controls, the amazingly large skill set that Sam has, and the carefully woven tale of double-crossing and high-tech terrorism all combine to make this game one of the best spy-fiction titles available anywhere.
88 TotalGames.net
For all the new moves and multiplayer modes, it's still the same old Splinter Cell it's always been. Still tense, still frustrating, still endearing, still maddening.
87 GameZone
While the GameCube version isn’t as complete as the Xbox version, the overall quality of the gameplay is intact and the Cube exclusives are an excellent touch and worth the price of admission.
85 1UP
The GameCube version adds yet another setback on top of what's in the PS2 version: no versus mode altogether. This wasn't unexpected given that the GameCube isn't an online-friendly console, but this missing feature limits the overall package a bit.
85 IGN
GameCube owners are still missing out on the joy of adversarial, but they can still enjoy the best single player stealth-action experience on the system to date.
84 The New York Times
Perhaps Sam is just getting older, perfecting his skills while losing some feistiness. His games are following the same path, with increasingly sophisticated, deep gameplay but a little less flair.
84 My Gamer
Chaos Theory can be defined as mild revolution. It brings freshness to the series without alienating what made it good in the first place. Only calculated risks were taken here.
84 PGNx Media
The game’s tweaks, graphics update, and gameplay mode additions make it one of the better games in the “bang for your buck” category. The Gamecube version is noticeable inferior to the other versions of the game, however, so those versions are recommended.
84 Gamers' Temple
As good a stealth game as you'll find on the GameCube.
82 Nintendo Power
Yes, it is a well-designed, immersive game, but there's no reason the graphics shouldn't be better. [June 2005, p.94]
80 N-Insanity
As soon as you can get the hang of grabbing guards and completing the objectives, the game will fly by in a whirl of fun.
80 Four Fat Chicks
Chaos Theory gives a compelling gameplay experience that suffers a bit from a weak narrative and a failure to make consistent use of the graphical power of the Gamecube. Even with its flaws, it's one of the best games available for the Gamecube.
80 games(TM)
Despite the inclusion of new gadgets and stunning visuals, the series is starting to decompose; playing the same thing over and over is beginning to wear a little thin. It’s a good job the multiplayer experience continues to blossom. [Apr 2005, p.90]
80 Nintendojo
The entire time I played the game, I wondered why it didn’t compel me as much as I knew such a well-designed game should. I have come to the conclusion that it is because I’ve seen three of these games in the last couple of years.
80 Edge Magazine
Chaos Theory is the game that the original Splinter Cell was meant to deliver: a tight play experience within a trusty framework, one more of enjoyment than irritation, and a game that’s no longer exclusively for fans of repeated reloading. [Apr 2005, p.97]
78 Worth Playing
If you can't play the game on another console, it's still a great buy.
75 NintendoWorldReport
The final difference between the Xbox and GameCube versions that I’ll mention is a horrible oversight in the Displace level.
75 Game Revolution
Though the Gamecube version of Chaos Theory suffers from tricky control and is missing online play, it's still an involved, mature game.
70 Console Gameworld
The newest in the Splinter Cell series is a fairly solid game, but lacks a bit of polish, and won’t appeal to everyone.
70 GameSpy
The attention to detail (such as when Sam slowly reaches for his knife while approaching a foe) makes you forget that you're playing a game at times. It may not look quite as good as the Xbox, but it's still one of the prettiest GameCube games you'll see.
70 GameCube Europe
Credible, honest stealth; but imperfect, limited stealth too. The Xbox version is, again, vastly superior, but the GC game’s Co-op still throws up a memorable experience.
67 GameSpot
Strictly on its own merits, this version is an altogether unimpressive action adventure that still smacks of being a watered-down port of a technically superior game. In other words, both GameCube owners and Splinter Cell fans deserve better than this.
62 Inside Gamer Online
The single-player campaign holds its own, no doubt, but once those short ten hours or so are up, there’s nothing left for GameCube owners to do -- except to sit back and wait for another Splinter Cell game.

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