• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Splinter Cell, Pandora Tomorrow or Chaos Theory?

D

Dibbz

Member
New HD collection is out on PSN and I'm in the mood for some stealth killing so which should I get. Should I get the first SC then buy the other two? Should I just go straight for Chaos Theory?
I've played them all on PS2 but only partially and it was long ago so I don't remember much.

They're all like £7.99 so it's not really a money issue, I just want to know if I should steer clear of any of them.
 
Chaos Theory by a mile, if you only played one

fwiw, I'd rank the three in the HD collection: Chaos Theory > Original > Pandora Tomorrow
 
They're all classics and all worth the money

Chaos Theory is the best but I have a soft spot for the first one, I love the atmosphere. Nothing beats breaking into the CIA HQ on a rainy night
 
I like the first two more than Chaos. I found Chaos to fly in the face of stealth
Stand near a door. STABBY STABBY. Alert? STABBY STABBY a guard after they are alerted. There is no punishment for going gung-ho and stabby stabby people in Chaos Theory
too much for my liking.

The first two are a lot more stricter and more a "puzzle stealth" game, but yeah...
 
TheSeks said:
I like the first two more than Chaos. I found Chaos to fly in the face of stealth
Stand near a door. STABBY STABBY. Alert? STABBY STABBY a guard after they are alerted. There is no punishment for going gung-ho and stabby stabby people in Chaos Theory
too much for my liking.

The first two are a lot more stricter and more a "puzzle stealth" game, but yeah...
Click to expand...

To experience Chaos Theory in it's full glory you have to go for 100% stealth. Then the genius of the game really becomes apparent.
 
Chaos theory has better level designe and mechanics but Pandora Tomorrow has better story and more memorable levels imo
 
Is story not a big part of SC in general? So I could just pick up CT and still enjoy the game?

A lot of people saying CT so far but I'm tempted to try SC1 because someone mentioned it's more stealth puzzles which sounds great.

Also quick question, do the graphics vary from game to game or are they all on the same "level" so to say?
 
Chaos Theory gives you more freedom with how stealthy you want to be, but that doesn't make it have less stealth puzzles as you put it than the others. It is also noticeably better graphically and has certain gameplay mechanics that may make the previous two less fun if you play them afterwards.

So if you are only playing one, CT is the clear and definite choice. If you are playing all three, play them in order.
 
soldat7 said:
Play all of them in order. They're all worth it.

BTW, does the original SC HD come with the extra DLC missions?
Click to expand...

Aren't those X-box only? I thought the PC version didn't get them?

Which reminds me, I should get around to playing those on the X-box...
 
TheSeks said:
Aren't those X-box only? I thought the PC version didn't get them?

Which reminds me, I should get around to playing those on the X-box...
Click to expand...

Ah, perhaps. The submarine one was excellent.
 
Buy the first one (my personal favorite) and then buy the third one if you liked it enough to keep playing.

I think a lot of people are going to be surprised by how unforgiving these games are.
 
I still think SC1 is my favorite in the series.

soldat7 said:
BTW, does the original SC HD come with the extra DLC missions?
Click to expand...
The trophies currently confirm that it does not. They also failed to include the PS2 bonus level.


TheSeks said:
Aren't those X-box only? I thought the PC version didn't get them?
Click to expand...
The PC version got them in the OEM copies and via a patch.
 
The first two games are worth playing if you like stealth, no need to skip over them. PT is a little uneven but still has some great levels.
 
Chaos Theory all the way :) but others are good too.

If you haven't played any, play all. Its worth it.
 
I've never played Pandora Tommorow, but the original and Chaos Theory are both better than Double Agent and Conviction.
 
I am seriously upset that these are only up on the EU region psn store, when the offering's on PSN were pathetic in the US this week. I want to get chaos theory now :( I got a $20 US PSN code if anyone has a UK PSN code to trade btw, hehe.
 
soldat7 said:
Ah, perhaps. The submarine one was excellent.
Click to expand...

Yeah all the Xbox DLC levels were pretty good. Kola Cell, Vselka Infiltration, and Vselka Submarine. I really hope they put them into this collection since you can't download them on XBL anymore. I think the PS2 version had some snow mission that was exclusive as well, but that's likely not in the Collection.


Stallion Free said:
The trophies currently confirm that it does not. They also failed to include the PS2 bonus level.
Click to expand...

... well, that sucks. Not a shock that they did as little as possible here.
 
I've been waiting for this for several months now only to see it delayed again and again. I won't be surprised if it gets delayed in the US another month.
 
Chaos Theory is the only one I really liked.

Unless you count the Thief series which Splinter Cell is totally a ripoff of
 
CT is amazing. Also I love the fact that it has that teaser for the Splinter Cell movie on it and here we are years later with no developments on it.
 
The first was excellent but extremely trial and error as well.

Ubi Shanghai's Pandora Tomorrow I didn't really like, and I would hate the next-gen version of Double Agent which has been developed by Shanghai also.

CT is where its at for me, room for error and for going completely lethal or stealth. AI is a bit questionable here and there but the game is fun.
 
So I bought the first Splinter Cell last night and have been playing it all morning.

First off the game looks great (first few levels at least). This is my first HD collection game and I was surprised to see how great it looked. Might have to buy the Gow Collection if it looks as good as this.

I just finished the Oil Rig level where you follow this guy with a laptop around and my god that was the worst level I've played in a long time. Such a drop from the first few levels it's a shame. Graphically that level is also the weakest so far.

The guy above nailed it with how much trail and error is needed in this game. It's like there is one way to do a mission and if you fail to see where the dev wants you to go you'll basically fail. Thank god there is a quick save option other wise I'd be ripping my hair out doing sections over and over.

Other than that the game is great. I would love if the game was just a big collection of sneaking missions though, so here's hoping the rest of the game picks up a tad.

Quick question was thermal vision added in Pandora Tomorrow?
 
Chaos Theory is the best, followed by the original then by the OG Xbox version of Double Agent. Don't bother with Pandora Tomorrow or any of the 360 games.
 
Played them all on the PC and loved all of them. The first Splinter Cell was jaw-droppingly amazing when it first came out but CT might be the best of the series. Didn't Pandora Tomorrow
have that insanely crazy section where you infiltrate a train and climb underneath it and stuff while it's moving? That was amazing.
One of the coolest sequences in any third person game I can think of.
 
Dibbz said:
So I bought the first Splinter Cell last night and have been playing it all morning.

First off the game looks great (first few levels at least). This is my first HD collection game and I was surprised to see how great it looked. Might have to buy the Gow Collection if it looks as good as this.

I just finished the Oil Rig level where you follow this guy with a laptop around and my god that was the worst level I've played in a long time. Such a drop from the first few levels it's a shame. Graphically that level is also the weakest so far.

The guy above nailed it with how much trail and error is needed in this game. It's like there is one way to do a mission and if you fail to see where the dev wants you to go you'll basically fail. Thank god there is a quick save option other wise I'd be ripping my hair out doing sections over and over.

Other than that the game is great. I would love if the game was just a big collection of sneaking missions though, so here's hoping the rest of the game picks up a tad.

Quick question was thermal vision added in Pandora Tomorrow?
Click to expand...

Really? I remember loving how that level looked. Definitely not a great mission, but I remember it being very pleasing to the eye. Hope my brain isn't tricking me.
 
The first Splinter Cell has a special place in my heart, it was the reason i bought an Xbox.

But Pandora' Tomorrow its multiplayer was the greatest thing ever.

Edit: SC1 and Chaos Theory are the best single players though.
 
Dead Man Typing said:
Really? I remember loving how that level looked. Definitely not a great mission, but I remember it being very pleasing to the eye. Hope my brain isn't tricking me.
Click to expand...
The Oil Rig did not age well at all. SC looks best indoors where they control the lighting. Out in the sun everything was too orange. The whole level design sucked to. So many damn pipes everywhere. I literally got stuck for like 10 minutes on one section because I didn't notice I could climb on one pipe that was surrounded by like 10 other pipes above me.

Why is everyone saying skip Pandora Tomorrow? Was it really that bad?
 
Dibbz said:
The Oil Rig did not age well at all. SC looks best indoors where they control the lighting. Out in the sun everything was too orange. The whole level design sucked to. So many damn pipes everywhere. I literally got stuck for like 10 minutes on one section because I didn't notice I could climb on one pipe that was surrounded by like 10 other pipes above me.

Why is everyone saying skip Pandora Tomorrow? Was it really that bad?
Click to expand...

It's pretty relative I think. I don't think it's a bad game even if it might not totally hold up against the other 2 games.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Attention to detail in Splinter Cell
Retro Trailer 
30
398
RPS37 replied
Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow Gets A Surprise Steam Release And Is Just Playable On The Steam Deck
News Platform 
31
1K
Gonzito replied
LTTP: Splinter Cell Conviction via Series X
35
456
RedC replied
Splinter Cell: Deathwatch Trailer
2
59
2K
EverydayBeast replied
Splinter Cell Chaos Theory is probably top 10 games ever made right?
Opinion  2
84
5K
genesisblock replied
Top Bottom