Genre: First-Person Shooter Number of Players: 1-2 Co-op
Have you ever heard the saying “Same stuff, different day”? If not, you just did, but don’t think that’s a bad thing. In the case of Rainbow Six Vegas 2, it’s actually good. That’s because R6V2 doesn’t need originality to be good since the original was considered a great game by many. And the sequel picks up right where the first left off. The excellent cover system and tactical backbone that made the first so good are back. And as you may have guessed, the stuff is still hitting the fan in Sin City.
Rainbow Six Vegas is all about using everything you have at your disposal. You could easily run and gun your way around the entertainment capital of the world. But if you really want to get ahead in this game, you’re going to want to use your team and let them do their jobs. Be a team player and you will succeed. Go it alone and your odds of making it out alive fall considerably.
Issuing commands to your team is still done with the intuitive D-pad. If you’re not veteran of Tom Clancy games, then it may take a little getting use to, but you should get it down in a short time. After a little training, you’ll have your team knocking down doors ahead of you and disarming bombs instead of risking your own rear in no time. All the gear you’ve grown accustomed to is back. Your NODS (night-vision goggles), heat sensors, and snake cams are all at the ready to assist in your quest to save the world. You’ll also be able to customize your armor gear to your specific needs.
When I say that this game picks up where the last left off, I mean it. Playing Rainbow Six Vegas 2 almost felt like Ubisoft forgot to pack in disc 2 of the first game and then decided to sell it separately. Aiming and movement still controls the same and carries the same precision controls the first game had. You can however, now sprint, which I found to be a welcome option. Your camera switches from third and first person views seamlessly allowing for you to never lose sight of your target. The one noticeable upgrade to this sequel is the AI. Enemies seem to be a bit sharper in their decision making. This is good news for vets who’ve taken on the original and lived to talk about it. But those new to the series will want to run through on the casual setting that Ubisoft has so kindly included.
An RPG system of sorts gives player the ability to master specific skills as they use them more and become accustomed with them. You’ll do this by earning experience points that will go towards you becoming a specialist at certain things. Those who have already cut their teeth on Call of Duty 4’s system shouldn’t get too excited as this isn’t quite on par with the system used in Activision’s offering. It’s dumbed down a bit, but still adds to the gameplay by giving you a sense of accomplishment and drive you towards becoming a better soldier. In addition to experience points, you’ll earn awards throughout the game that you can basically use to say, “Look at what I did. Jealous?”.
Graphically, R6V2 looks just like the first. But again, this isn’t a bad thing as the first title carried a nice level of detail. It should also be noted that it hasn’t been that long since the first game, so I went into this not expecting a lot of changes in the graphics. Buildings and the furnishings inside them still look great. But with a more intelligent AI, the action rarely allows the player a chance to really look around. Animations are all fluid and look great. While I would have liked to have more to say about the graphics, it was all said just over a year ago when the first title hit. You’ll still enjoy fighting your way through the neon lit city as it looks just as good as before.
The sounds of Rainbow Six Vegas aren’t the focus of the game, but do a good job of complimenting everything. The background sound of terrorists and cross talk between you and your team do a good job of setting the atmosphere R6V2 is going for. Weapons sound spot on and the music fits the Vegas bill. Again, there’s not too much to say about the same thing you heard last year while playing this title’s predecessor.
Like most shooters that have been made in the last three years, of which it feels like forty carry the Tom Clancy name, this game’s meat and potatoes is the online the multi-player. The single-player campaign offers you a few good hours of gameplay, but Ubisoft Montreal has designed this to feel more like a training guide to prepare you to get online. That or possibly something to kill time if you don’t have any friends on XBL. Online, this game doesn’t quite match the large numbers offered by recent titles like Frontlines, but the levels are designed perfectly for the fourteen players the game allows. Deathmatch and Team deathmatch are here and as fun as always, but the most fun had during our review session was when we worked together on Terrorist Hunt. This online mode allows you and three other friends to tackle terrorists together in a team of four. If you don’t have four friends, you can always grab a single buddy and head online for two-player co-op in the story.
Overall Rainbow Six Vegas 2 offers solid gameplay and plenty of replay online. But due to the short campaign and tendency to rely on the established gameplay of the first game, this title falls a little short. On more than one occasion, I felt like this stand-alone title was nothing more than an add-on to the original. And when you’re paying sixty bucks for a game, you should get something new. If you’re like many out there who just can’t get enough of the Tom Clancy franchise and Rainbow Six in particular, you will enjoy this game. Just don’t expect it to feel new.
+ It’s fun, but that’s not the main factor
+ Multiplayer is awesome as always.
+ Short campaign, but the developer intended this.
+ Spot on controls, just like they were a year ago.
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