Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas

"If you've always prefered your shooting with more than just an ounce of intelligence, then this is the game for you."

I must admit that I had very low expectations of this game before buying it. The demo didn't impress me, I hated Ubisoft's previous shooter (Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter), and I never liked past Rainbow Six games. Still, Rainbow Six Vegas was on special and I picked it up for no other reason than that. Looking back, all I can say is: "thank goodness for that special!"

Gameplay 9/10
First of all, don't make the mistake of thinking that this is just another run-of-the-mill tactical shooter. Unlike many mindless shooters, R6 Vegas accomplishes the goals of encouraging teamwork, and encourages the player to analyze every situation before jumping in. Sure, you can just open the door and run in guns blazing, but just remember that you'll also be the first kissing the canvas. It is also important to mention that the controls are fantastic. The cover system blends seamlessly with the environment just like in Gears of War, and the excellent tactical map is a blessing.

Unlike most games where you got computer team members, the AI controlling these guys is actually very very solid. They never get lost, and react fairly realistically to every situation. Order them to move towards a corner, and they'll automatically take cover against it. Order them towards a door, and they'll reload their weapons and get ready to clear the room. You can even order them to toss in a grenade or flash bang before clearing the room among other things.

The story mode flows quite nicely, and can be played together with a friend. There is also a Terrorist Hunt mode that can be played cooperatively where you only have one life, and must eliminate all the terrorists randomly placed on the map. Sadly, offline play is Rainbow Six's Achilles heel, as neither mode offers much replay value in the end. The story mode can be completed fairly quickly, and Terrorist Hunt in split-screen is fairly annoying with just one life (fortunately coop story mode allows respawns as long as one player is alive).

For players thirsting to venture online however, Rainbow Six Vegas does not disappoint. The persistent character is simply awesome, and there is plenty of customization gear to be unlocked. There are tons of multiplayer modes, plenty of maps, plenty of weapons, and plenty of customization options for the host. Think the tear-gas is too powerful? Want respawns turned on? Have an annoying player who team-kills? No problem, the host can fine tune these options to your liking. The host can also ban players during-game if they're ruining the fun for everyone else.

Graphics 9/10
Using the same Unreal engine that powers Gears of War, one cannot say that Rainbow Six Vegas doesn't look great. The game never lags, loads pretty quickly, and there are plenty of great sights in the casinos to be seen. Your character can be seen in 3rd person whenever you take cover, and the models look great for the most part.

Sound 9/10
Though the music isn't that memorable, and sometimes even a tad repetitive at times, the same cannot be said for the sound. The sound effects for the guns are top notch, and the voice acting is very good all around. There is quite a bit of voice acting to be found in the game, and they really do a good job of maintaining a sense of realism.

Final Verdict 9/10
At times, it feels like Rainbow Six Vegas was designed from the ground up to be the ultimate online multiplayer game. The singleplayer portion is great while it lasts, but it is notably short as well. Not enough can be said about the online play however, as it easily rivals if not tops the online play provided in Gears of War. There are more modes, more weapons, and more options for the host whereas Gears of War's multiplayer stands almost solely on its gameplay. All in all, Rainbow Six Vegas is a game that will please all but the harshest critics. It's a solid title in every respect, and a must-have for fans of shooting games.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/05/07