Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

People call the Splinter Cell games "clunky" while fucking MGS are supposedly some of the greatest games of all time. Whatever lol

Huge leap in quality from the last two. Also probably my favourite soundtrack in any game.

Co-Op and multiplayer makes this one even more legendary. When it comes to the latter there is no other stealth online like that. I still feel like only Spies vs Mercs nailed the asymmetrical multiplayer.

Also i wish they'd stuck to the modular SC-20K mechanics. That's the only game in existence with a brilliant idea like this; you can replace your grenade launcher with tactical foregrip just to shoot accurately or assemble an absolutely devastating sniper rifle out of it capable of piercing through thick cover - which reinforces the idea that you are a versitale spy.

Besides, when it comes to perfecting the genre's game design Chaos Theory nailed it to a tee - from pointy and smooth crouching animations with various speeds to well thought-out features like making a local survilliance system out of multiple sticky cams which you can switch in-between at any time. Yeah, it lacks the incredible level design of Thief 1-2 and highly elastic gameplay of Hitman/Tenchu, but it's not as clunky as MGS and among all these titles plays as smooth as you can ask for a stealth game.

Clandestine and Intravenous are pretty much the closest successors of Splinter Cell at it's peak.

If Splinter Cell fans were 1% less edgy, their favourite game would probably get more recognition, just saying.

Currently not playing the game, but i have to say this is really fun. The controls feels dated, but thats pretty much my only problem here.

Just a small thing, but I still very vividly remember that scene where you find the guy you're looking for, and then Sam and the guy just stare each other off holding their weapons straight to each other's face. The thing that always stuck with me is that it's a "hidden" prompt - If you let the scene play out, they will talk for a very long time concluding with Sam shooting him, but you can shoot him at any time and cut the conversation short. Or alternatively, you can lower your weapon, and then stab him. This realization back in 2005 was so incredible to me, one of the few examples where it genuinely felt like controlling a dope spy thriller film. The line that up-ends it all makes it even better. "I wouldn't shoot a friend, but I didn't say I wouldn't stab you" vs "You never were my friend". Genius.