Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

:"Your own little chaos theory; throw the whole world into war and hope that what comes out the other side is better?"
::— Sam Fisher
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is an action-adventure stealth game developed by Ubisoft Montreal. It is the third installment of the Splinter Cell series of games. It was developed for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Windows and released on March 23, 2005.
== Plot ==
Tensions are running high between China, South Korea, North Korea, and Japan, due to Japan's formation of an Information Self Defense Force. Considering this to be a violation of Article 9 of the Post-World War II Constitution, Chinese and North Korean forces establish a blockade in the Yellow Sea against Japanese shipping. The United States, being allies with the Information Self Defense Force and Japan, send in one of their most advanced warships. The United States think that this will cause China and North Korea to back down.
Meanwhile, Sam Fisher is dispatched to locate Bruce Morgenholt, a computer programmer who worked on deciphering Phillip Masse's algorithms as part of "Project Watson". He was captured by a Peruvian separatist group called "The People's Voice", led by Hugo Lacerda. Masse, whom Sam had assassinated in Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, was a genius far ahead of his time and his algorithms had caused the Georgian Information Crisis.
Morgenholt, Sam's objective, was killed by electroshock torture. Fisher is also unsuccessful in stopping the release of the Masse Kernels. Sam is told to go on board the Maria Narcissa to assassinate Hugo Lacerda and track the weapon deliveries so they can find out who they are dealing with.
Fisher eventually learns that the entire war had been orchestrated by Displace International, a company ran by Sam's longtime friend, Douglas Shetland. Displace used the Masse Kernels gained from Zherkhezi to hijack North Korea's missile systems and sink the USS Walsh, in order to draw the United States into a war. Third Echelon sends Fisher to spy on a meeting between Shetland and Shetland's unknown accomplices, who are shown to be the Information Self Defense Force. At the meeting, the Information Self Defense Force betray Shetland, causing a firefight to subsequently breaks out between Shetland's soldiers and the Information Self Defense Force's assault troops. Amidst the chaos, Fisher pursues Shetland to the roof, where Sam kills Shetland, after Shetland tests their friendship over the security of the United States.
Admiral Otomo of the Information Self Defense Force has acquired a copy of the Masse Kernels from Shetland and attempts to return Japan to Imperial rule by blackmailing the Japanese government officials and senior officers. He threatens to use the algorithms to launch a North Korean missile against a Japanese city. Fisher infiltrates the lowest levels of the headquarters of the Information Self Defense Force. Otomo attempts to commit seppuku, a form of suicide, but Sam captures him before he is able to.
== Gameplay ==
Chaos Theory refined the stealth mechanics that had been implemented before. Along with a light monitor that appeared in past installments, an aural monitor is added that tracks Fisher's sounds and the environment's sounds. The alarm system is also refined. Instead of a strike system, Fisher can sound as many alarms as he wants. It is still advised not to sound any alarms because the enemies begin to wear armor making it harder to take them out with bullets should the guards spot Fisher.
Fisher's arsenal is also expanded. The SC-20K M.A.W.S. can now be modified to have different attachments, such as a shotgun attachment and a sniper scope. A combat knife, called the SC Knife, allows Fisher to take out guards in a lethal manner. Fisher also has new acrobatic movements, such as taking out enemies while hanging from a ledge.
There is also an online multi-player mode, much like Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow's SHADOWNET agents versus ARGUS mercenaries. There is also a cooperative mode, which has two different agents from the National Security Agency. The cooperative mode has missions that are played parallel to the single-player's story mode. 
== Reception ==
Chaos Theory has enjoyed critical acclaim with an average score of 94% on Game Rankings, a MobyRank of 94, and rating of 94 at Metacritic. Due to the fact that this game depicts a war between North and South Korea, it was banned in South Korea until 2006.
Category:Games by Ubisoft
Category:Splinter Cell series
Category:Games released on the Xbox
Category:Games released on the PlayStation 2
Category:Games released on the Nintendo GameCube
Category:Games released for PC
Category:Games released in 2005
Category:Games that are rated M