Splinter cell chaos theory (Xbox)

(Herald rating: * * * *)

Splinter Cell is the ultimate boys' game. It is violent, unsentimental and full of high-powered weapons and gadgets. Its hero, Sam Fisher, is part-Jason Bourne, part-James Bond, only there are no love interests or games of roulette to relieve the tension. Killing is Fisher's business and he does most of it in the shadows, sometimes with his bare hands.

The third instalment of Splinter Cell is the best in the series and, while it ultimately conforms to the same formula, enough fresh material maintains the momentum.

Chaos Theory is another Tom Clancy techno-thriller, this time focusing on a crisis in the Korean Strait, where diplomatic relations between the South Koreans, North Koreans, Americans and Japanese are at an all-time low. In that sense, its themes are relatively fresh.

The game is more about chaos than theory, but the missions, which take you from a rusty freighter in the Pacific to inner-city Seoul, are well thought out and contribute to an overall strategy.

Whether you understand that strategy from the series of impressive cut-away animation sequences is another thing. They are a blur of news reports, action scenes and stern-looking military figures relaying the imperatives.

Ultimately, you can dispense with all of the talk and figure it out yourself. The game is a labyrinth but various devices are used to nudge you through.

Along with shooting and stabbing enemies, you will also hack into computers, pick locks and scan the contents of crates. There is also some flexibility in how you progress through levels, which makes the gameplay more realistic.

Chaos Theory employs the familiar use of perspective toggling between third person and first person in a neat way.

If you are new to Splinter Cell, take the time to learn the controls - how to toggle between night vision and thermal vision, aim your assault rifle and dispatch an enemy in a quick melee attack.

Your enemies are surprisingly intelligent and will go berserk if you shoot at them and miss or shoot out lights to try to confuse them. Ammunition is thin on the ground and the enemy fire will kill you quickly.

Splinter Cell must be given credit for the way it combines realism and playability.

Speed and stealth are the prerequisites for survival. If you have been playing Gran Turismo 4 for the past few weeks as I have, the change will be jarring.

Apart from a new weapon, the combat knife, and some new attack moves, the biggest addition in Chaos Theory is a two-player mode. The screen splits, allowing you to complete missions with an accomplice.

You will help them climb over walls and lay down covering fire for them. Then there is the online multiplayer version for spies versus mercenary battles.

Lushly textured and exquisitely detailed as it is, Chaos Theory seems in parts to be pushing the limits of the Xbox's processing power.

The question now is where the Splinter Cell series will go. How many more dark tunnels and air ducts can Sam Fisher crawl through?

I guess we need only look to news coverage of the latest global conflict to get some clues.

* (RATING 16+), $110