A combination of cool gadgets, stylish gameplay and amazing visuals set Sam Fisher and the Splinter Cell franchise on the gaming map; regardless of its flaws the series quickly became a favourite amongst gamers and established itself as a worthy contender in the stealth genre.

Despite its popularity many were quick to condemn Ubisoft when it confirmed development had begun on the third title in the series soon after the release of Pandora Tomorrow. However having found myself completely consumed by Chaos Theory I can honestly say not only is it the best title in the series to date but also the best that the genre has to offer and quite possibly the finest you’ll see on the current generation. Having never been a massive fan of Tom Clancy or titles that are too heavily grounded in realism, this is a comment that isn’t made lightly and only comes because Chaos Theory has a nasty habit of turning night into day while you sit in front of the TV screen for hours upon end.

Chaos Theory finds the series back under the control of Ubisoft's celebrated Montreal studio, having taken time off during the development of Pandora Tomorrow. Once again Sam Fisher is called into action to calm an escalating crisis over Japan’s creation of an International Self Defence Force, deemed to be a violation of international law, of their own constitution and threatening to ignite rising tensions between Japan, China and North Korea. With North Korean and Chinese blockades forming across the Korea Straight, Japan requests the assistance of the United States who are quick to mobilize the USS Clarence E Walsh; but at the same time Third Echelon gets wind of a seemingly unrelated incident that may have global repercussions...

Although previous titles in the series have got a lot of things right, their insistence on sticking to a rigid structure and receiving "Mission Over" for raising too many alarms or leaving behind too many corpses, resulted in a Trial-and-Error gameplay experience that frustrated many. Thankfully Chaos Theory rips open the rule-book and presents a less linear experience then before, helping to eradicate the biggest gripe to be had with the series so far and creating an overall experience that will suit a larger audience.

The game has been designed to cater to both those who like to take their time and sneak their way though the stage and those who like whipping out the SC-20K and blasting through a few rounds. To this effect before each mission you can choose between an "Assault" or "Stealth" configuration that will adjust your inventory accordingly, amusingly highlighted during an exchange between Fisher and Lambert with quips of "three alarms isn’t mission over" and "this isn't a videogame"! There may be some concerns that the game is a little too action orientated, however there’s little doubt in our opinion that the balance eases the frustrations of previous titles.

The levels as well will strike you as being far less linear then before in structure, with a wider choice of paths available to the player and a variety of primary and secondary objectives that do not necessarily need to be completed successfully to progress through the mission. As such Chaos Theory feels a lot less restrictive then its predecessors, creating a sense that you’re in total charge and offering a greater sense of replay when it comes to playing over – unlike previous versions, when you forget to save you won’t find yourself reaching for the Off button when you realise you’re right back at the start.

So from the start it’s immediately evident that the overall experience has been improved immeasurably thanks largely to the change in design, however to counter this and prevent the game from degenerating into a run-and-gun yawn Ubisoft Montreal have worked their magic in both design and the level of AI to be found within the game. Not only is the AI utilised to provide varying degrees of difficulty within the game based on what “Alarm Level” you’re currently on, but also creates an overall atmosphere that is highly believable, opens up possibilities that are straight from the movies and creates an experience that is on a different level compared to virtually everything else on the market.

The AI throughout Chaos Theory is nothing short of exceptional and ensures that the game is always tense; sure you can eliminate every guard you come across, however leave a body in the view of a camera and you’ll hear the operative from a walkie-talkie commanding a patrol group to investigate the area. It constantly feels dynamic and as such the experience borders on worrying levels of immersion, striking a perfect chord between suspense building tranquility and trigger-relieving action.

It’s very easy to be impressed by the technology behind Chaos Theory, with its stunning visuals largely being the first thing to strike you, however it’s the actual design of the game and the resulting gameplay that is without doubt Chaos Theory’s most impressive feat. We’re getting to a stage within videogames where the cool aspects are actually played out within the game rather then being relegated to cut-scenes, and in this area Chaos Theory excels allowing you to pull off feats that wouldn’t look out of place in one of Tom Clancy’s movies.

Naturally it wouldn’t be a Splinter Cell game without an arsenal of cool weapons and even more impressive gadgets. Unlike previous games in the series, you begin with virtually everything so there’s a greater sense of urgency and less of the slow progression that saw you gradually getting hold of the cool stuff as you progressed through the game. Sam’s trusty SC-20K returns in similarly effective proportions, providing you immediately with the much-loved Sticky-Shocker and Sticky-Cam alternatives along with Sniper and Shotgun attachments. One of the most effective yet simple introductions is the ability to shift hands when in the over-shoulder camera perspective; it’s hard to describe just how useful this is as you subtly change your perspective, allowing you to have a greater view while moving around corners and lining up the perfect shot. When the ammo fails (and it often will), Sam has to resort to his 5.7 Pistol, which features a new alternative-firing mode allowing you to take down electronic surveillance for a short period. Finally Sam now has a new scope which can be accessed by clicking the right thumbstick; not only does this allow you to zoom into areas before you jump in, but will also scan interactive objects identifying whether you can hack them, destroy them or a variety of other interactions.

Despite his age it also appears that Sam has been down to the gym with a repertoire of new moves. The synonymous Split Jump returns and thankfully it’s a lot easier to perform, while Sam can also pull off a Half Split Jump for smaller corridors. There’s a far greater emphasis placed on melee attacks with a variety of manoeuvres accessed by the left and right shoulder buttons, from throwing a guard overboard or snapping his neck while hanging from a pole above – but perhaps the most satisfying is the ability to throw yourself over a railing, grab hold of an unsuspecting guard and throw him to his doom. Finally Sam’s new combat knife opens up the possibilities for some deadly attacks, along with new techniques such as the Omega Punch Strike or the Shadow Backstab.

The Single-Player campaign takes place across 10 different stages and will sadly eventually come to an end; however the fun doesn’t stop as Chaos Theory features a selection of highly unique and intensely enjoyable multiplayer modes that can be played via Splitscreen, System-Link or Xbox Live! (BAM take that Bungie).

Splitting them up into “Co-Op” and “Vs”, both modes present a contrasting experience that should ensure they quickly become an online favourite. The Co-Op mode pits two players as Third Echelon rookies and takes place across four different stages. Although you have access to the vast majority of weapons, gadgets and techniques from the Single-Player game, the levels within this mode have been designed to place emphasis on co-operation and communication – essentially making this one of the most worthwhile online offerings in a long while and providing some respite from the traditional variation on the Deathmatch shooter.

To take advantage of this there are a variety of moves that require you to work together and perform various moves, such as boosting each other over walls, climbing up using your partner as a ladder, a cool throwing technique that uses the other guy as a projectile weapon to knock out guards and various rappel techniques that look as though they’ve been taken straight from Mission Impossible. Thankfully carrying out these complicated manoeuvres is handled with ease, with each player using a single button to set-up and perform the move in question.

The levels have been brilliantly designed in much the same manner as those in the Single-Player campaign, however naturally to take advantage of the various co-operative moves at your dispersal. While the game is enjoyable in Split-Screen, this mode truly excels online or via System-Link with vocal communication via the Headset of crucial importance, however be warned as nearby guards will hear you talking, so it’s a necessity to talk quietly during certain moments – a touch that only heightens the overall atmosphere and immersion. Perhaps the only complaint that we have with the entire game is the lack of stages for this mode, it’s so brilliantly conceived that we simply want more and hope that new DLC will be forthcoming.

The “Vs” mode has been lifted directly from that of Pandora Tomorrow and once again pits the Mercs against the Spies, combining first-person and third-person gameplay into a thoroughly innovative and clever take on multiplayer gaming. The “Vs” mode comes off slightly better then the “Co-Op” with 11 original stages, featuring far more sophistication, depth and interaction then those witnessed in its predecessor.

Coming on top of the absorbing gameplay, sophisticated AI and neat gadgets is the final cherry on the cake, the sublime presentation of Chaos Theory; again making no light comment, Chaos Theory is perhaps the most visually impressive title we’ve seen on this generation of consoles and its highly likely to remain that way. Virtually every graphic technique you can think of has been implemented, with an over-abundance of bump and specular mapping to create a highly distinctive look. Naturally it’s the lighting effects that have become synonymous with the series and in this aspect Chaos Theory excels, soft shadows help to create an understated and much more believable game world and as you all know plays a crucial role within the game – as Sam puts it “lights are the real enemy”. Chuck in some wonderfully graceful animation (particularly for the main character), a plethora of special effects and you have a game that will keep you drooling for months to come – well at least until the Next Generation arrives.

Music is often still a hindsight in videogame development, although a handful of titles have recognised the need for dynamic, rousing scores and in this regards Chaos Theory sits close to the top. Ninja Tunes Amon Tobin has created a score that not only sounds damn cool but actually adds to the overall experience immeasurably, helping to build up suspense, dramatise the action and ease the relief at all the right moments and touches all the spots for the player. There’s not more that I could possibly say, except to say it sets a new benchmark for videogame soundtracks.

Perhaps the only real disappointment, and this really stems from a personal opinion, is that the storyline fails once again to truly capture your imagination. Given its realistic stance, comparisons with the Metal Gear Solid series are becoming harder and harder to justify, but in this area the tangled, intriguing events of MGS many plotlines completely overpowers the accounts of information terrorism and eastern conflicts that Splinter Cell depicts. As I’ve said it’s a personal opinion, but one that I know many share, fortunately this time around the actual game keeps you completely hooked and able to easily overlook such matters – Tom Clancy fans can rest easy however as I’m reliably informed by our resident fan that the entire plot is “awesome”.