Ubisoft today blew open the details regarding the Co-Op and VS multiplayer modes within the eagerly awaited Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory…

Having created a radical departure in the shape of multiplayer for Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, the expectation for Chaos Theory to deliver an equally impressive experience is certainly high. However not content with including a multiplayer mode, the talented teams have come up with two distinct multiplayer game modes within Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory.

Making its debut at E3’04, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory includes an innovative co-operative multiplayer mode currently in development alongside the single-player mode at Ubisoft Montreal, whilst Ubisoft’s Annecy studio is hard at work developing the adversarial style first introduced within Pandora Tomorrow.

Co-Op Multiplayer

The Co-Op multiplayer maps within Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory have been designed to require players to work together in order to accomplish crucial intelligence-gathering objectives, which are directly related to events found within the single-player mode. Players must develop a trust and depend on each other, as they use a host of new gadgets such as the ThermOptic Camo-Suit and team-based techniques to infiltrate enemy strongholds and help Sam Fisher in his mission to defuse escalating conflicts around the world.

As a result the game includes a variety of tasks whose successful conclusion require players to work in tandem, such as scaling walls too high to climb and keeping watch whilst hacking into enemy computers.

The Co-Op mode has been developed to support Online, System-Link or Split-Screen, with the game focussing on stealth and the AI of the guards on patrol. In addition we’re told that the mode will feature a special Co-Op Knife Challenge mode, offering additional ways for players to collaborate; we’ll hopefully have more information on this one soon.

VS Multiplayer

With the multiplayer mode within Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow proving to be such a success, there was no doubt that it would return within Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, however Ubisoft assure us that the competitive, addictive experience has evolved.

Once again players will work as teams to compete against each other, either via the stealthy, third-person ShadowNet spies or the heavily armed, first-person Argus Mercenaries.

The mode features several new maps, with the Co-Operative manoeuvres from the Co-Op mode making an appearance, along with new gadgets and weapons, hand-to-hand combat techniques and additional ways to taunt your adversaries.

We’re informed that the mode will include two different game types (Scenario & Disk Hunt); whilst such touches as destructible items and integrated climate effects that have an impact on the gameplay, should ensure Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory quickly becomes a popular online title.

Originally scheduled for release this Christmas on Xbox and PC, Ubisoft recently confirmed that all versions would now be released in March 2005; we’ll have more information on Sam Fisher’s return soon.