Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is a video game that consists of 21 releases
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Mounting evidence gathered by the I-SDF indicates that the devastation of the Japanese economy on the now infamous "Black Gold Day" may have been caused by international information warfare tactics.
As nation's begin to mobilize and the United States activates the USS Clarence E. Walsh - the world's premiere electronic and information warfare platform - and dispatches her to the region, Third Echelon gets wind of a small and seemingly unrelated incident that may end up having global repercussions...
Plot Summary
The game starts out with growing tensions between Japan , Korea, and China over Japan's decision to create the Information Self Defense force (I-SDF). This decision goes against the constitution of Japan written after World War II. China and Korea send ships to set up a blockade in the Yellow Sea. To try to calm the situation and push back the Korean ships, the USA sends in the USS Clarence E. Walsh (which in 2007 is the most advanced naval military ship in the world).
Sam Fisher is dispatched to a lighthouse in Peru following the disappearance of a genius computer programmer named Bruce Morgenholt. It turns out that Morgenholt was kidnapped by a guerrilla terrorist group known as "The People's Voice". Hugo Lacerda, the leader of this group, took Morgenholt because he was one of few who knew about the Masse algorithms. The Masse Kernels, created by Philip Masse, can be used to launch nuclear attacks anywhere in the world. It is Fisher's job to ensure the safety of these codes. When Fisher arrives at the makeshift camp for The People's Voice, Morgenholt dies after interrogation. The information is released and Lacerda flees via cargo ship (the Maria Narcissa).
Sam is immediately sent onboard the Maria Narcissa to take out Lacerda and to find out who he is dealing with. Sam traces weapons on the boat to a Panamanian bank. Before assassinating Lacerda, he notes the presence of European mercenaries onboard (likely hired from a PMC organization). Fisher then goes to Panama to find more intel about the deal, and to steal $50,000,000. Here Sam learns about Abrahim Zherkhezi, another genius computer programmer who worked with Bruce Morgenholt. Before leaving the bank, the weapon shipments are revealed to be coming from someone known simply as "Dvorak". Fisher is sent to New York to investigate.
Meanwhile, simultaneous blackouts occur in Tokyo and New York, caused by an unknown party. Sam breaks into Zherkhezi's Manhattan apartment to figure out his involvement with the scheme. Fisher sees mercenaries similar to those on the Maria Narcissa guarding Zherkhezi's penthouse apartment. It turns out these mercs are working for Displace International ( Doug Shetland's PMC company). Dvorak ends up being an "infinite state machine" and not a person. Through interrogation, Sam finds out the mercenaries sent to protect Zherkhezi were hired by a man named Milan Nedich. After this mission, Sam is sent to the headquarters of Displace.
In the headquarters of Displace, Sam finds out that Displace and Zherkhezi were working together, most likely to secure the Masse Kernels. He also discovers that Milan Nedich is really just a pseudonym for Milos Nowak, a Bosnian war criminal. It turns out that Milan relocated Zherkhezi to a teahouse in Hokkaido where Shetland is also staying. Fisher becomes worried about Doug Shetland's involvement in all of this. Prior to Fisher's infiltration of the teahouse, the USS Clarence E. Walsh is sunk by a missile that originated in North Korea. It is peculiar because the ship's defense system normally protects it from missile attacks and the security is almost impossible to breach. This causes the US to send in troops immediately to invade North Korea and also starts a war between North and South Korea.
Sam arrives at Hokkaido to kill Nedich and take in Zherkhezi alive. He is able to kill Nedich and take care of that issue. However, Doug Shetland appears and murders Zherkhezi (Sam witnesses all of this). Now, presumably only Shetland knows about the Masse Kernels. Sam goes to a missile battery in North Korea to figure out if they really launched the missile that sank the Walsh or if there was any other involvement. He confirms Third Echelon's suspicions; Shetland used Masse's algorithms to launch the missile and instigate the war. The military officers in command at the base grow paranoid and launch another missile (intentionally). Fisher immediately disables it. Fisher also goes on a mission to Seoul to find the true origins of the missile launch.
Shetland is now in a bath house in Tokyo and Sam soon follows. Douglas is at the bath house to meet with a contact. Shetland's allies surprisingly end up being I-SDF forces (Toshiro Otomo, leader of the I-SDF was allied with Third Echelon to this point). At this point, all speculation is confirmed: Shetland wanted to start the war so he could make profit on the use of Displace as mercenaries. Somehow, a deal between Displace and the I-SDF goes bad which causes the sides to attack each other. Doug tries to get away and rigs the place to blow with bombs. Sam and Doug meet on the roof of the bath house in a dramatic showdown. Here, Sam finally kills Shetland.
The conflict is not over, however, as Toshiro Otomo now has a copy of the Masse Kernels. He attempts to make Japan Imperialist again by blackmailing the government. He threatens to launch a missile (using the Masse Kernals) to destroy a Japanese city. Sam heads down to the headquarters of the I-SDF (an underwater facility known as Kokubo Sosho) in Tokyo to confront Otomo. Attempting to die with honor, Otomo tries committing seppuku and fails. Sam saves him and stability is restored in Asia.
A field operative for "Third Echelon" and the protagonist of the game. Sam is equipped with the finest equipment available from omni-visual goggles to an internally silenced prototype assault rifle to launchable sticky cameras. An OPSAT built into his headgear and suit gives him constant access to maps, data, and his analyst team back at Third Echelon HQ, who frequently give him hints and objectives during gameplay as well as occasional nearly off-topic conversations. He is not simply a holster for all these items as Sam himself is a very capable stealth artist and combatant, using any number of sneaky tactics and techniques to get the greatest edge out of any situation. Sam, at the time of this game, is 50 years old and he begins to feel his years as the game progresses. Though it has little to no effect on his physical strength or mental acuity in the game, his age is the subject of many dialogues in the game and ties into the plot several times for a point of reference or explanation; in one mission, Fisher breaks into an off-shore bank and has access to very detailed floorplans because he actually invaded the same place several years ago, providing this information for himself now.
Third Echelon's director of operations. He is only one step below director of the whole shebang but as far as Sam is concerned, Lambert is the top of the food chain. He gives operatives their objectives both in and out of the field (the primary ones at least). If he doesn't like something you do or you go against his orders, Lambert has the authority to pull the plug and consider the mission a failure at any time, so listen to him. He has a serious attitude most of the time but he will occasionally indulge Sam's slightly dark sense of humor if he feels that the pressure is off.
The information analyst. Grim can do anything pertaining to computer systems and frequently helps Sam out by providing him with programs to use on PC's in the field as well as dispersing generally plot-related information. Because of the nature of the single-player's story, Grim is occasionally deadlocked by program security beyond her prowess, but these occasions are infrequent. She gives Sam bonus objectives every once in a while, generally involving the perusal of on-site computers for information or downloading spybots for surveillance.
Will belongs in the Metal Gear universe as much as he does in Third Echelon. He is a military nerd, his knowledge of guns and tanks and aircraft extending boundlessly. In mission briefings, he gives you the technical details of the environments Sam will be working in--things like the kinds of security a place will be running or potential routes of ingress--as well as your equpiment loadout. Once in the field, Will lays down a multitude of useful facts and pointer about obstacles in the field, particularly involving technologies Sam might not be familiar with. If Redding gives Sam a bonus objective, it will involve physical reconnaissance or action.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory builds upon the foundations of the first two entries in the series. Mechanically, it is a third person stealth/action game, with a heavy focus on stealth. The player begins each mission at an infiltration point in the level, and must proceed through the level (for the first time, given the option of non-linear progression, and completing mission objectives in any order they wish) completing their primary objectives. Secondary objectives are optional, however if you fail to complete them in one mission, you must complete them on later missions, although usually in a different form. Opportunity objectives, however, are completely optional, and should you not wish to complete them, or are unable for some reason, you are not punished for leaving them uncompleted (save a slightly lower mission rating). In terms of interface, as well as a standard "light meter", a "sound meter" is added to help players monitor both their own noise, and background noise (if your noise > background noise, enemies nearby can hear you).
Chaos Theory adds several new gadgets (for example, the "OCP" providing alternate fire for the pistol, allowing players to disable electronic objects from a distance), however the largest addition is the knife. The knife allows for instant, silent kills as long as you are within striking distance of an enemy, allows you to perform various tasks (ie. cutting a hole in a tent to provide a back entrance), and replaced the pistol when you take an enemy hostage (threatining htem with a blade against their throat rather than a gun against their head). Knife kills are performed by pressing the "primary fire" (left click/right shoulder button) button when you are close to an enemy (indicated by sam reaching for his knife).
The game is, in some ways, easier than previous isntallments. In addition to instant knife-kills, instant non-lethal takedowns may be performed by pressing alternate fire (right click/left shoulder button). No distinction is made between the two other than in your mission rankings, wherein you score higher for non-lethal kills. In addition, for the first time in the series, you can sneak without making noise at a speed greater than most enemy's patrolling speeds, allowing for you to gain ground and eliminate them more swiftly.
It is possible to play through most of the game gunning down your opponents, but Chaos Theory deters this behavior in many ways if you do not do so intelligently. Sam Fisher is an absolutely horrible shot when he isn't looking down a scope and holding his breath, making live combat nearly impossible against more than two opponents. The assault rifle will kill in two or three shots to the body or one to the head. Unfortunately, if you don't hit them in the head (or just miss because Sam has such terrible aim) they will automatically yell and start firing, alerting others to your presence at which point you will be overwhelmed or simply die from the first guy's spray of bullets. Shooting also instantly gives away your position to anyone nearby even when using the silencer, so you must relocate immediately to avoid getting aerated with AK-47 rounds when you do. You also get a small penalty for every kill in the mission rating.
That said, lethal force should not be ruled out as a viable option during several missions. If there is only one guard in a room and sneaking around him seems like it might cause problems, don't hesitate to shoot him; the silencer on the rifle might not be great but the sound will not travel through walls or doors. Redding also occasionally gives you powerful anti-personnel tools including under-rifle options like a shotgun and even frag grenades. When you are given these, the mission in question will cater to their usage.
Chaos Theory also adds on the previous game's "spy vs mercenary" multiplayer mode, and for the first time, co-operative play. The Spies vs Mercenary mode is largely similar to the previous game, bar the addition of some new gadgets and cooperative manuevers for the Shadownet spies, and enhanced close quater combat moves for the ARGUS mercenaries. Cooperative play consists of seven, self contained cooperative missions that tie into the story of the single-player campaign.
The third outing for Sam Fisher finds him battling against terrorists who want to take control of the world using a simple algorithmic code.
Overview
Japan's creation of an Information Self-Defense Force (I-SDF) - deemed a violation of international law and Japan's own constitution - ignites rising tensions between Japan, China, and North Korea. Facing North Korean and Chinese blockades of shipping across the Korea Strait, Japan requests U.S. assistance in accordance with American obligations under Article 9 of the Postwar Constitution.Mounting evidence gathered by the I-SDF indicates that the devastation of the Japanese economy on the now infamous "Black Gold Day" may have been caused by international information warfare tactics.
As nation's begin to mobilize and the United States activates the USS Clarence E. Walsh - the world's premiere electronic and information warfare platform - and dispatches her to the region, Third Echelon gets wind of a small and seemingly unrelated incident that may end up having global repercussions...
Plot Summary
The game starts out with growing tensions between Japan , Korea, and China over Japan's decision to create the Information Self Defense force (I-SDF). This decision goes against the constitution of Japan written after World War II. China and Korea send ships to set up a blockade in the Yellow Sea. To try to calm the situation and push back the Korean ships, the USA sends in the USS Clarence E. Walsh (which in 2007 is the most advanced naval military ship in the world). Sam Fisher is dispatched to a lighthouse in Peru following the disappearance of a genius computer programmer named Bruce Morgenholt. It turns out that Morgenholt was kidnapped by a guerrilla terrorist group known as "The People's Voice". Hugo Lacerda, the leader of this group, took Morgenholt because he was one of few who knew about the Masse algorithms. The Masse Kernels, created by Philip Masse, can be used to launch nuclear attacks anywhere in the world. It is Fisher's job to ensure the safety of these codes. When Fisher arrives at the makeshift camp for The People's Voice, Morgenholt dies after interrogation. The information is released and Lacerda flees via cargo ship (the Maria Narcissa).
Fisher interrogating an enemy
Meanwhile, simultaneous blackouts occur in Tokyo and New York, caused by an unknown party. Sam breaks into Zherkhezi's Manhattan apartment to figure out his involvement with the scheme. Fisher sees mercenaries similar to those on the Maria Narcissa guarding Zherkhezi's penthouse apartment. It turns out these mercs are working for Displace International ( Doug Shetland's PMC company). Dvorak ends up being an "infinite state machine" and not a person. Through interrogation, Sam finds out the mercenaries sent to protect Zherkhezi were hired by a man named Milan Nedich. After this mission, Sam is sent to the headquarters of Displace.
In the headquarters of Displace, Sam finds out that Displace and Zherkhezi were working together, most likely to secure the Masse Kernels. He also discovers that Milan Nedich is really just a pseudonym for Milos Nowak, a Bosnian war criminal. It turns out that Milan relocated Zherkhezi to a teahouse in Hokkaido where Shetland is also staying. Fisher becomes worried about Doug Shetland's involvement in all of this. Prior to Fisher's infiltration of the teahouse, the USS Clarence E. Walsh is sunk by a missile that originated in North Korea. It is peculiar because the ship's defense system normally protects it from missile attacks and the security is almost impossible to breach. This causes the US to send in troops immediately to invade North Korea and also starts a war between North and South Korea.
Sam arrives at Hokkaido to kill Nedich and take in Zherkhezi alive. He is able to kill Nedich and take care of that issue. However, Doug Shetland appears and murders Zherkhezi (Sam witnesses all of this). Now, presumably only Shetland knows about the Masse Kernels. Sam goes to a missile battery in North Korea to figure out if they really launched the missile that sank the Walsh or if there was any other involvement. He confirms Third Echelon's suspicions; Shetland used Masse's algorithms to launch the missile and instigate the war. The military officers in command at the base grow paranoid and launch another missile (intentionally). Fisher immediately disables it. Fisher also goes on a mission to Seoul to find the true origins of the missile launch.
Shetland is now in a bath house in Tokyo and Sam soon follows. Douglas is at the bath house to meet with a contact. Shetland's allies surprisingly end up being I-SDF forces (Toshiro Otomo, leader of the I-SDF was allied with Third Echelon to this point). At this point, all speculation is confirmed: Shetland wanted to start the war so he could make profit on the use of Displace as mercenaries. Somehow, a deal between Displace and the I-SDF goes bad which causes the sides to attack each other. Doug tries to get away and rigs the place to blow with bombs. Sam and Doug meet on the roof of the bath house in a dramatic showdown. Here, Sam finally kills Shetland.
The conflict is not over, however, as Toshiro Otomo now has a copy of the Masse Kernels. He attempts to make Japan Imperialist again by blackmailing the government. He threatens to launch a missile (using the Masse Kernals) to destroy a Japanese city. Sam heads down to the headquarters of the I-SDF (an underwater facility known as Kokubo Sosho) in Tokyo to confront Otomo. Attempting to die with honor, Otomo tries committing seppuku and fails. Sam saves him and stability is restored in Asia.
Third Echelon
The counterterrorism branch Sam Fisher works for is named "Third Echelon." It is a small team of elite members and is comprised of Sam, Lambert, Grim, and Redding. Other field operatives in the same vein as Sam are alluded during the game, but their names and specific roles are never mentioned.
Sam Fisher Sam Fisher
A field operative for "Third Echelon" and the protagonist of the game. Sam is equipped with the finest equipment available from omni-visual goggles to an internally silenced prototype assault rifle to launchable sticky cameras. An OPSAT built into his headgear and suit gives him constant access to maps, data, and his analyst team back at Third Echelon HQ, who frequently give him hints and objectives during gameplay as well as occasional nearly off-topic conversations. He is not simply a holster for all these items as Sam himself is a very capable stealth artist and combatant, using any number of sneaky tactics and techniques to get the greatest edge out of any situation. Sam, at the time of this game, is 50 years old and he begins to feel his years as the game progresses. Though it has little to no effect on his physical strength or mental acuity in the game, his age is the subject of many dialogues in the game and ties into the plot several times for a point of reference or explanation; in one mission, Fisher breaks into an off-shore bank and has access to very detailed floorplans because he actually invaded the same place several years ago, providing this information for himself now.
Sam Fisher
Lambert Colonel Irving Lambert
Third Echelon's director of operations. He is only one step below director of the whole shebang but as far as Sam is concerned, Lambert is the top of the food chain. He gives operatives their objectives both in and out of the field (the primary ones at least). If he doesn't like something you do or you go against his orders, Lambert has the authority to pull the plug and consider the mission a failure at any time, so listen to him. He has a serious attitude most of the time but he will occasionally indulge Sam's slightly dark sense of humor if he feels that the pressure is off.
Lambert
Grim Anna Grimsdottir
The information analyst. Grim can do anything pertaining to computer systems and frequently helps Sam out by providing him with programs to use on PC's in the field as well as dispersing generally plot-related information. Because of the nature of the single-player's story, Grim is occasionally deadlocked by program security beyond her prowess, but these occasions are infrequent. She gives Sam bonus objectives every once in a while, generally involving the perusal of on-site computers for information or downloading spybots for surveillance.
Grim
Will William Redding
Will belongs in the Metal Gear universe as much as he does in Third Echelon. He is a military nerd, his knowledge of guns and tanks and aircraft extending boundlessly. In mission briefings, he gives you the technical details of the environments Sam will be working in--things like the kinds of security a place will be running or potential routes of ingress--as well as your equpiment loadout. Once in the field, Will lays down a multitude of useful facts and pointer about obstacles in the field, particularly involving technologies Sam might not be familiar with. If Redding gives Sam a bonus objective, it will involve physical reconnaissance or action.
Will
Gameplay
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory builds upon the foundations of the first two entries in the series. Mechanically, it is a third person stealth/action game, with a heavy focus on stealth. The player begins each mission at an infiltration point in the level, and must proceed through the level (for the first time, given the option of non-linear progression, and completing mission objectives in any order they wish) completing their primary objectives. Secondary objectives are optional, however if you fail to complete them in one mission, you must complete them on later missions, although usually in a different form. Opportunity objectives, however, are completely optional, and should you not wish to complete them, or are unable for some reason, you are not punished for leaving them uncompleted (save a slightly lower mission rating). In terms of interface, as well as a standard "light meter", a "sound meter" is added to help players monitor both their own noise, and background noise (if your noise > background noise, enemies nearby can hear you).
Chaos Theory adds several new gadgets (for example, the "OCP" providing alternate fire for the pistol, allowing players to disable electronic objects from a distance), however the largest addition is the knife. The knife allows for instant, silent kills as long as you are within striking distance of an enemy, allows you to perform various tasks (ie. cutting a hole in a tent to provide a back entrance), and replaced the pistol when you take an enemy hostage (threatining htem with a blade against their throat rather than a gun against their head). Knife kills are performed by pressing the "primary fire" (left click/right shoulder button) button when you are close to an enemy (indicated by sam reaching for his knife).
The game is, in some ways, easier than previous isntallments. In addition to instant knife-kills, instant non-lethal takedowns may be performed by pressing alternate fire (right click/left shoulder button). No distinction is made between the two other than in your mission rankings, wherein you score higher for non-lethal kills. In addition, for the first time in the series, you can sneak without making noise at a speed greater than most enemy's patrolling speeds, allowing for you to gain ground and eliminate them more swiftly.
The Sniper attachment may be loud, but it works.Combat
It is possible to play through most of the game gunning down your opponents, but Chaos Theory deters this behavior in many ways if you do not do so intelligently. Sam Fisher is an absolutely horrible shot when he isn't looking down a scope and holding his breath, making live combat nearly impossible against more than two opponents. The assault rifle will kill in two or three shots to the body or one to the head. Unfortunately, if you don't hit them in the head (or just miss because Sam has such terrible aim) they will automatically yell and start firing, alerting others to your presence at which point you will be overwhelmed or simply die from the first guy's spray of bullets. Shooting also instantly gives away your position to anyone nearby even when using the silencer, so you must relocate immediately to avoid getting aerated with AK-47 rounds when you do. You also get a small penalty for every kill in the mission rating.
The Sniper attachment may be loud, but it works.
That said, lethal force should not be ruled out as a viable option during several missions. If there is only one guard in a room and sneaking around him seems like it might cause problems, don't hesitate to shoot him; the silencer on the rifle might not be great but the sound will not travel through walls or doors. Redding also occasionally gives you powerful anti-personnel tools including under-rifle options like a shotgun and even frag grenades. When you are given these, the mission in question will cater to their usage.
Multiplayer
Soundtrack
The in-game soundtrack was composed by Amon Tobin. Each "song" serves as an important gameplay element by changing dynamically after how alert the enemy is. For example, the intensity of the music will increase if you are discovered by an enemy. The score featured in the pre-rendered cutscenes are composed by Jesper Kyd.
| Game Name | Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory |
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| Original US Release |
March 23, 2005
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| Original US Release |
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| Aliases | SPC:CT |
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