Χ-Play (2003)

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Manchester United 2005, Shadow of Rome and more! (3x21)

: 08, 2005

On tonight's episode of X-Play, we preview Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. You've got to hand it to Ubisoft. Once it finds something that works, it starts churning out sequels faster than a couple of rabbits in heat. Chaos Theory arrives a year after the critically acclaimed Pandora Tomorrow changed people's conception of what online multiplayer contests should be with its unique, team-based gameplay. Chaos Theory may not be the massive leap forward that Pandora Tomorrow was, but it will offer a much more refined experience. Do you like movies about gladiators? At X-Play, we’re proud to admit that we do like movies about gladiators. Not because of the prevalence of the muscular, sweaty men, but because of the merciless killing and maiming. And when they’re good, we like games about gladiators as well. Now loyal viewers, lend us your ears. Hear our verdict on Shadow of Rome! And release the tigers, for good measure. And don't miss out on our Historical Inaccuracies feature on Shadow of Rome. It's an old joke that the power of Major League Baseball and the NFL reign supreme. But as commanding as those presences are, you don't see major game publishers cranking out individual team games for the Yankees or Patriots. Maybe it's time, then, to take soccer more seriously, since Codemasters has created a Club Football series where each release represents individual teams such as Arsenal, Liverpool, and the subject of our scrutiny, Manchester United. But as powerful as those red jerseys may be, does Manchester United 2005 qualify when stacked up against the major players, or should we flash a penalty card to match their outfits? Given the perennial appeal of fighting robots, it's no shock that Mobile Suit Gundam has produced scads of games. The surprise, however, is that few of them have really been any good. You'd think making a knockout game featuring giant robots would be a snap, but apparently the draw of quick licensing profit always gets in the