Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield

"Amazing.... make sure your friends buy this"

Ravenshield

Introduction:

This is the next installment of the Rainbow Six series. This has always been an impressive series and nothing is to be expected but excellence.

Gameplay: 9

This game has the strategy/FPS feel as always. You plan your mission and then execute it.

The planning is very good and makes for a smooth flow while playing. My one major grievance is when playing, the AI always stops at each waypoint. Also, sometimes they don't look in every direction so they just get capped.

Action is always interesting to play as the terrorists aren't always spawned in the same places. There are always a few more places that the last guy could be and so you can't just wander freely everywhere.

The objectives change enough to where the game isn't completely repetitive. Whether it's disarming bombs, freeing hostages, placing recon, etc; you never have the same feel.

Also, there are enough weapons and items that you can play each level differently. New items include tear gas and smoke. There are also a vast amount of new weapons compared to previous versions. Enemies can also surrender which is an interesting feature. You can choose to
arrest them or execute them.

Terrorists act much more organized. If a terrorist sees you and your team and runs away, he may go get help to assist him. Also, they have grenades, gas, and masks so you can't always defeat them so easily. The AI makes much better decisions than the other games and whether being Rainbow or a terrorist, they act intelligently.

Graphics/Sound: 10/9

The graphics are wonderful. The people look clean and crisp in their design. There is no real blocky look while playing. The levels also have enough sprites so they don't look the same. Also, the animations of death and injury look very realistic for the most part. There is the occasional head touching ankles from being on the knees which is impossible but give them a break.

Smoke, tear gas, and flash bangs have much better effects than the last and it's amazing.

The game sounds great. Guns sound realistc and enemies make yells and such. Not much else for sounds really.

Multiplayer: 10

My roommates and I love playing this. There are enough options for multiplayer that it never gets boring. Always replayable.

Story: 7

Same old, same old. Someone wants to do this, that or the other and you have to save the day. But hey, terrorists always have some evil goal.

Overall: 9

The game overall has the same Rainbow 6 feel but it has been improved along many times over.

There are a few flaws but the patches sort of fix them. I have to give the 9 only because the patches cause more problems than they fix.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/02/04