Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is the third game in the Splinter Cell series. Once again, the player takes control of American spy Sam Fisher in an attempt to avert global catastrophe. Chaos Theory is a stealth game, which makes it very different from most action-based games. Now let's see just what Chaos Theory has to offer as both a stealth game and a video game in general.

Graphics: 10
For a game on the original Xbox, Chaos Theory has exceptional graphics. The graphics in this game can easily compete with many of the titles on the Xbox 360. There is immense detail involved, especially for its time. All of the characters are realistic and all of the settings are well designed. The lighting system in this game is of particular interest as well. As the goal of the game is to stay in the shadows, emphasis has been put on the lighting system. When it comes down to it, the graphics in this game are flawless.

Sound: 10
The sound from Chaos Theory does not fall short of excellence. All of the ambient sounds and sound effects fall into line perfectly. The soundtrack is one of the best. The voice acting is just right. There really aren't any major problems with the sound in Chaos Theory. It's about as good as they get on an original Xbox game.

Addictiveness: 8
In Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, you do not directly attack the enemy (usually). Instead, you work around them and take them out silently. This makes for surprisingly addictive game play. The ability to decide just how you're going to get past the guards, and then putting your plan into action, is very satisfying. The problem with Chaos Theory is the fact that it's a stealth game. This, by its very nature, means that it is going to be a very slow-paced game. This will make it much more difficult for less patient people to play.

Story: 8
The story in Chaos Theory is very well developed. A crisis begins to develop when Japan creates a defense force that threatens North Korea and China. Meanwhile, a separatist group has gained access to weaponized algorithms that could potentially make the situation much, much worse. Fisher follows the trail and finds out that things only become more serious as time goes on. Though I'm not going to give anything away, the plot continues to progress with the game, with a plot twist or two thrown in for extra fun. The story is somewhat linear, however. But beside that, the story was done pretty well.

Depth: 9
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory has much more to offer than its predecessors. Game play is very flexible in Chaos Theory. Not only does the player have several different gadgets and moves, but the player can choose how the game is to be played. You want to be a total ghost and have nobody ever know you were there? Go ahead. You want to shoot everyone in sight? Have fun. There are also numerous side missions throughout the game, as well as a percentage at the end of each mission based on how well you did. On top of everything else, this game offers three different difficulty levels. Once you've played your heart out on the single player, there are four co-op missions that you can play with a friend.

Difficulty: 4
Chaos Theory is a fairly easy game. Alarms are nearly meaningless if you aren't going for 100% completion, the side-objectives are very simple, and the enemies are easy to defeat. The only real challenge is if you get caught. If you're surrounded, you're going to die. But it's difficult to get caught if you're not trying to. And even if you do, you can usually defeat enemies nearly instantly. Even on the hardest difficulty, the game isn't too hard to beat. And with all of this considered, it only gets easier once you've already played it.

Overall: 9.6
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory really defines what a stealth game should be like. It is an amazing game for anyone who might be interested in stealth game play. Even if you're not a stealth fan, this is a great game that is definitely worth checking out. It has many strengths and very few weaknesses, and might just be the best stealth game there is.