Speaking of gadgets, if you own a GBA and a link cable you can use it as your very own gadget. A linked GBA can be used to view in-game messages, access a level map, or even as the view screen for your sticky cams. Sure it’s a bit of a gimmick and does not add that much real value to the gameplay, but it’s a cool feature nonetheless.

They don't even know you're there.

The gameplay is not the only thing that went under a transition in Chaos Theory – the enemy AI has been reworked as well. It used to be that you could often shoot out a light, wait for a guard to wander into the darkness to investigate, and then get him from behind as he stood gaping at the broken light. Now the guards are smarter and more suspicious. Shoot out a light in Chaos Theory and the guard will cautiously approach, ready for an ambush. Or he may go and get some back-up. Or he may even wisely grab a flashlight before investigating. The reactions are more varied and more realistic, making things more challenging and interesting for you.

Overall the changes are very much for the positive, making Chaos Theory the best stealth-based game available for the GameCube. The single player campaign’s gameplay will suck you in and you’ll almost feel like you actually are Sam Fisher. His arsenal of acrobatic and deadly moves is fantastic and there is a wonderful feeling of satisfaction each time you use a new move to take out a completely unsuspecting enemy. The freedom to decide your own style of play in the missions is a welcome addition to the Splinter Cell series, and if you did not enjoy the restrictive and linear nature of the previous games it is worth your time to revisit the Splinter Cell games with Chaos Theory.

In addition to the single player campaign, Chaos Theory a co-op mode in which you and a friend work together to complete specially designed co-op missions. As an added bonus you’ll be able to work together to pull off new moves not available in the single player campaign, although these moves are only useful in certain situations such as when helping each other over a high wall. The experience in the co-op game can be quite different than that of the single player game depending on how you approach it. You can both stay in the shadows, take turns as the bait to lure guards into an ambush, or try to push your way through the level with guns blazing. On the down side the levels are broken up into short segments, making the play disjoint at times or feeling as if it is a series of puzzle challenges rather than an actual mission.

In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated: 84%.  Chaos Theory is as good a stealth game as you'll find on the GameCube.

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