Chaos Theory demo now downloadable

Though the actual game is little more than a month away, a demo of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory snuck onto the Web today. Available on GameSpot DLX, the 572MB single-player demo features the lighthouse mission featured in many gameplay movies of the stealth action title. Besides the Punta Blanco, Peru-set level, the demo also sports several tutorial videos to help players prepare for the third coming of superspy Sam Fisher (voiced by Starship Troopers' Michael Ironside).

Developed at Ubisoft Montreal, Chaos Theory begins with the emergence of a new global threat, a viruslike algorithm that can be used to crash stock markets, cause blackouts, and even hijack ballistic missiles. Faster than you can say "black ops," series' hero Fisher is dispatched to stop the algorithm's owners from wreaking havoc. The game will sport a spiffy, all-new graphics engine and a new branching storyline in which Fisher's missions will change depending on player choices. GameSpot already has an extensive dossier on the game in our previous coverage.

Besides the PC edition, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory will ship for the Xbox, GameCube, and PlayStation 2 when it's released on March 29, and all are rated "M" for Mature. Versions for the DS and the N-Gage will be available on the same day, although no ratings information is available yet for either portable version.