Now that Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory has hit both PC and Xbox markets amongst huge applause, many players originally on the fence about the game’s overall quality will now find themselves interested in picking it up. Many players will also find themselves choosing between the Xbox and PC version of the game (having the necessary hardware to play both effectively), and will probably end up spending hours standing in their local game store scratching their heads and wondering which version they should pick up, and more importantly: why. Either version of the game is effectively similar in terms of content, but there are numerous control differences and even some subtle gameplay changes which can make the platform choice a bit of a crucial one based on your personal preferences for how you prefer to enjoy your game.

Impartial players like myself who aren’t rigidly stuck to the stupendous levels of platform-related bias many people exhibit these days may especially find themselves a bit confused over which version would be best to buy, but have no fear: Dave is here, with far too much free time on his hands once again! The following is a quick-n-dirty article addressing the major points one may want to take into consideration when deciding which version of the game they should buy (tossed up between Xbox and PC – PS2 and GC versions of the game exist too of course, but the Xbox and PC releases are the most significant in terms of playability and multiplayer features) based on my own opinions after screwing around with the game’s most significant aspect on both platforms: multiplayer. Read on to find out which version ultimately takes the cake for offering the best overall gaming experience.

Graphics Engine



PC – Pros: Graphically, the benefits to the PC version of Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory should be obvious. Higher resolutions are available, as are an assortment of anti-aliasing and anisotropic-filtering options, and the entire game looks many times crisper than trying to view it over a blurry television. This can even sometimes lead to a slight edge, as observant players will have an easier time making out fine details in dark environments. Patches and updates are also available to PC users on a more common basis and are much easier to access – and who could forget the third-party content that’s available thanks to the inclusion of a map editor?



PC – Cons: As is typical for many PC titles, players may find themselves facing the gamut of technical problems plaguing the average release. In the specific case of Chaos Theory, the game’s co-op mode is notoriously unstable, and the overbearing Starforce protection is much more than a simple inconvenience for many, resulting in a number of people finding themselves unable to even boot up the game – Windows XP 64-bit users in particular are up the creek until some kind of update is released.



Xbox – Pros: Gamers worried about their systems meeting the necessary requirements of the PC version can rest at ease with the Xbox version of the game, and can be confident of consistent, playable framerates. There is also no worry of massive stability or copy-protection problems, and the game still looks amazing enough to satisfy anyone’s craving for flashy graphical goodness.



Xbox – Cons: The obvious problem here is that the graphics are ultimately inferior to the PC version, and the game has no capacity to scale itself up or down in terms of overall beauty. This might be a problem for some because Chaos Theory is such a dark game, which might make it tricky to play on certain fuzzier televisions versus a high-resolution computer monitor. And while the game still has the capacity to update itself via Xbox Live, Microsoft’s certification process means that the chance for updates being released to fix minor problems (and there are actually quite a few in the Xbox version) is incredibly miniscule. The same goes for new content too – new official maps might be released online in the future, but there is absolutely no capacity for unofficial third-party content to be release and played.

Controls



PC – Pros: The topic of most controversy between typical PC/console titles, a game’s control scheme is one of the biggest considerations for me when I’m trying to decide which version of a multi-platform title to pick up. The PC version of Chaos Theory offers a surprisingly solid control system (as has been the case for the previous two games in the series) that nicely translates the analogue inputs required for proper speed control in the Xbox version into simple mousewheel binds. The control system in general is also just a lot more responsive and “twitch-based”, something mercenary players in Versus mode will enjoy in particular.



PC – Cons: The mouse-wheel system can be a little clumsy at times in comparison to the Xbox controller, because there is no on-screen indicator to show what speed the player is currently “set” to (opposingly, Xbox players base their speed on how much pressure is put on the analogue stick), and because of the game’s heavy reliance on silent, stealthy maneuvering this can sometimes make things a bit confusing. Spy players in Versus mode will also have a bit of a harder time over the Xbox version due to mercenaries having vastly improved accuracy.



Xbox – Pros: Maybe it’s just me, but playing Chaos Theory on my Xbox just feels like a “smoother” experience somehow. The tighter “pick-up-and-play” control scheme perfectly accommodates the Xbox controller, and running around as a mercenary with the crosshairs swinging around and the general smooth form of motion just made for a much more fluid, immersive experience.



Xbox – Cons: It’s not mouse and keyboard. What more needs to be said? For many people, this is sadly more than enough of a reason to stick with PC gaming.

Communication



PC – Pros: There aren’t many that I can think of, sadly. One major advantage is that the PC version of Chaos Theory allows for text-messaging between team and global servers at any time during a match, whereas Xbox players are restricted to only communicating with their buddy (except under very specific circumstances) until the match is over.



PC – Cons: The downside to text-messaging is that the game is very much oriented around using voice communication exclusively, and trying to tell your friend “OH NO THERE IS A SPY BEHIND YOU LOOK OUT” through a text message can be… impractical at times, to say the least. As for voice comms, trying to find players online at random who actually own microphones can (surprisingly) be a pain, and players can expect the sound quality from those who do to differ drastically from person to person. Had Chaos Theory shipped with a cheapo microphone of its own, this whole thing might be less of an issue.



Xbox – Pros: Here’s where the Xbox version pulls ahead. Thanks to the near-mandatory requirement that players on Xbox Live own a headset (it’s included with the freaking starter kit), the game can truly be enjoyed to its fullest when playing it online over XBL. From coordinating simultaneous assaults on an objective to hacking enemy communications or simply taunting whatever poor bastard you have in a chokehold, voice communication is an absolute must to ensure the most enjoyable online experience with Chaos Theory.



Xbox – Cons: There’s no text-messaging, which can make it difficult to communicate with enemy players (which could be handy on certain occasions).

Overall Experience



The PC version of Chaos Theory has some rather strong advantages to it, particularly with the ultimately superior input system and improved graphical quality. The potential for third-party content is also a big allure, but the number of gameplay bugs and just the general finicky nature of the game engine can make the average user’s experience a bumpy one – having to deal with the hassles of Ubi.com’s matchmaking system can also be annoying too. But probably the biggest penalty for me is the lack of guaranteed voice communication, and trying to team up with players who can’t communicate back properly becomes incredibly tiresome, neutering the game’s otherwise addictive online-play experience somewhat.



The Xbox version on the other hand seems to offer a much more fulfilling multiplayer experience. In spite of the absence of any map-making utilities, I’ve ultimately had much more fun playing the Xbox version online simply due to the superior “Friends List” functionality (even if it could still use a bit of improving) and the tighter-feeling community – it’s just a lot easier to find players I can have fun with while playing over Xbox Live. Voice communication really is an important aspect to the gameplay experience, and even if the control system and (slightly) reduced graphical quality takes some getting used to, my experience is ultimately a hell of a lot better with the Xbox version of the game. It’s just that much easier to get a game going, hook up with friends, and get right into the action without having to deal with technical hassles or the shortcomings of other players’ setups. The capacity for map-making does give the PC version quite the edge in replayability, but I haven’t seen this aspect take off sufficiently yet to make it that huge of a difference, and for the time being I’m personally quite satisfied with exploring all the secrets and tricks in the existing levels.



Final Verdict:



So my ultimate conclusion for those confounded about which version to buy? Go Xbox – you’ll be happier in the end. - Dave 'Parias' VanDyk .