The next track on our greatest video game soundtracks playlist is taken from Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory.
Track: The Lighthouse
Game: Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory Soundtrack
Composer: Amon Tobin
Year: 2005
By the time of its third entry, the Splinter Cell series had already become iconic, with Sam Fisher’s goggles glowing in the dark being an instantly recognisable image. With Chaos Theory the series provided what remains its best implementation of adaptable stealth, combined with an engaging and equally plausible (in the realms of Tom Clancy) story.
Bringing in Brazilian trip-hop artist Amon Tobin to provide the adaptive in-game score helped elevate the music from being just another background score, to one that infects the player’s psyche, keeping them on edge. Yet, it’s just subtle enough so as to not detract from the mission at hand, or the enemy just about to walk around the corner.
Even though the in-game score is dynamic, in that it layers different sequences together, Tobin worked with a live band when recording the fixed soundtrack release. Even though these linear tracks differ to what is found the game, they retain the atmosphere of the setting on which they are based.
The first track from the soundtrack, and the game’s first level, is The Lighthouse. This piece sets the mood for the whole game, and also has the most satisfying transition from calm to full, “oh crap he’s seen me!”
This version is taken from Chaos Theory – Splinter Cell 3 Soundtrack.
Listen to the other Greatest Video game Soundtracks on our list. And let us know if the comments if you have any suggestions.
Such a good soundtrack!!! I remember playing this for hundreds of hours back in 2005 and specifically loving the music.
This is in my Top 5 all time favorite games.
I eat the entire game on the toughest difficulty without being detected, killing, or even knocking out anybody, until the last level when you are enclosing on the ringleader, Douglas Shetland, and you literally are forced to take down a couple guys, with no means of passing in stealth.
Chaos Theory has the best level design ever!