What bright-eyed and bushy-tailed young Americans don't dream of a time when they can silently sneak up on an enemy of patriotism and silence him forever? It's almost a God-given right, though one that few, sadly, will ever get to exercise in real life. Virtually, though? That's another story: It's easy to live vicariously through James Bond or Jack Bauer, but pound for pound, neither of those fellas offers the tactile sensation that the quiet hero of the Splinter Cell franchise does. You are Sam Fisher, stealthily navigating the near future with a suit that renders you almost invisible, a multipurpose helmet/visor, and high-level skills in the deadly arts.
Who are "they"? They're terrorists of various nationalities—none with America's best interests at heart. The plot of Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (the series' third installment) doesn't matter much, but it involves a Japanese defense force, China, North Korea, some Peruvian gangsters, and lots of close-contact killing. Missions are clearly spelled out in advance, but unlike the previous SC games, you've got some leeway in deciding how to complete them: For instance, you can kill every single person that crosses your path, or you can sneak around most of them. Sneaking, strangely enough, is vital to Splinter Cell strategy: Monitors in your visor even keep tabs on the noise you make and the amount of light you're in. It's unusual for a video game to reward subtlety of movement and total silence, but with Tom Clancy's name attached, it's all about realism. Ahem.
With a little help from HQ, Sam (voiced with cheeky skill by character actor Michael Ironside) must figure out the most graceful, least-invasive way to recapture sensitive information and foil nefarious, fucking-with-America plots. To that end, he's got a small arsenal, featuring handy tools like night-vision goggles and a special pistol that can disable lights—good for sneaking by stupid enemies who don't notice a spy less than six inches away. If you're spotted, act quickly: It only takes five or six bullets to kill you, just like in real life. Get into Splinter Cell's rhythm, and you'll feel like the craftiest spy on the planet, able to move undetected through heavily fortified areas and kill with passionless precision. Regular reality breaks are recommended.
Beyond the gameplay: Dumb guards—sort of the zombies of this genre—have lots of silly dialogue: They'll swear at you or mumble to themselves, and one even quotes Scarface.
Worth playing for: Those delicate moments when you can find an unusual spot to attack from—a pool of water in a cave, say—and surprise a freedom-hater before breaking his neck.
Frustration sets in when: Checkpoints are few and far-between, and an hour's worth of sneaking and stabbing can be lost in an instant with one wrong move.
Final judgment: Not at all easy but not controller-smashingly difficult, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is ultimately playable, gripping, and thrilling, even as it inspires a less-than-healthy amount of bloodlust.