Rainbow Six Vegas Review
- Posted August 1st, 2007 at 15:23 EDT by Eric Blattberg
- 13,866 views
- 19 Comments
Review Score
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
- PSU Review Score
- 8.0
- Avg. user review score:
- 7.8
Summary
Rainbow Six Vegas is the best tactical shooter currently available for PS3.
We like
- Features an incredible cover system.
- Both enemies and teammates have advanced A.I.
- A fantastic multiplayer experience.
We dislike
- Several graphical issues including poor textures and facial features.
- A sometimes problematic framerate.
- Occasional audio glitches are present.
See PSU's review on Metacritic & GameRankings
After months of delays, PlayStation 3 owners can finally shout “Viva Las Vegas!” During this latest retreat to Sin City provided by Ubisoft, you’ll have the opportunity to drink, gamble, and perhaps stop a terrorist invasion. Actually, while only the latter is available, it’s an absolutely splendid experience for any PlayStation 3 owner with even a slight yearning for a tactical shooter.
The campaign remains essentially unchanged from the 360 and PC versions. You play as Logan Keller, commander of a three-man counter-terrorist squad. Originally beginning in Mexico, Logan is called to duty in Sin City, the target of a malicious terrorist attack. Logan and his team then have to traverse a casino, a restaurant, and a construction site; before the plot climaxes at the Nevada Dam, a hydroelectric dam on the Colorado River. The story contains more depth than the average shooter, though a slightly lackluster ending disappoints. Regardless, we applaud the incredible recreation of Las Vegas. In fact, the setting itself may be the most unique location to ever grace a war title.
You’re able to choose between only two difficulty settings: normal and realistic. Normal provides enough of a challenge in itself, as you’ll die after a single barrage of bullets. Gone is the standard health bar. Instead, the screen will blur as you are hit, slowly returning to normal should you escape any injury for a short period of time. On realistic, the same system holds true, though the difference is quite apparent. Even a single well-placed bullet can take you out, so you must act, well, realistically. That means small mistakes equal death. You’ll find yourself dying quite often when realistic is turned on, but each mission feels more rewarding once beaten, and through your necessary patience and conservative style you’ll become a better player.
Vegas makes some extreme changes to the Rainbow Six gameplay formula, the most drastic being its fantastic cover system. You’re able to take cover behind nearly every wall, pillar, or otherwise flat-sided object in the title. While under cover, the camera departs from the standard first person view to a third person over-the-shoulder whilst aiming. In a thoughtful touch, you have to hold L1 to remain against a surface (as opposed to toggling off and on with a button press), so you never feel locked to a wall when getting shot. Even better, you’re able to aim in a full 360 degrees while against cover, so it never feels restricting and dangerous to use.
The other most notable gameplay addition is the ability to rappel though differing areas. Need to head down an elevator shaft? Not a problem – just hop on a rope and rappel yourself down to the bottom. This tactic isn’t limited only to the campaign, as multiple rappelling ropes are sprawled throughout both new and old Rainbow Six maps. They can be faster than an alternative route, but are also considerably more risky. Overall, they make old maps feel fresh again while providing a useful play mechanic for newer areas.
The A.I. in Rainbow Six Vegas is generally intelligent. Your opponents will take advantage of cover just as well as you. They’ll use all types of grenades in different situations, and even attempt to flank you and your teammates when they deem it necessary. Unfortunately, your enemies seem to only react well to visual cues, as they don’t hear basic sounds such as gunfire and footsteps properly. Luckily, your two counter-terrorist pals are highly useful for retribution against the otherwise quick-witted adversaries. Intelligent, skillful, and simple to control; your squad-mates are of incredible importance to turning the tide of a battle against the terrorists.
If you want nothing to do with computer-controlled allies, you’re able to play through the campaign levels with up to three other friends instead. However, you’re forced to choose each level separately, making the experience feel incredibly sporadic (whereas the single player flows perfectly). In this reviewer’s opinion, it’s advisable to stick to terrorist hunts (quick matches against 30 or so computer opponents) should the urge for human companions arise. All in all however, the campaign is a worthwhile experience, especially for a Rainbow Six title which as a series has generally placed the majority of its emphasis on multiplayer.
Speaking of multiplayer, it feels just as satisfying ... (continued on next page)
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Comments
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live4thepackers
- 12:39pm BST - August 1st, 2007
- 1
a little late review, i already bought it and love it though
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NoStop
- 12:45pm BST - August 1st, 2007
- 2
I have this game and this review is not good.... because; the graphics are not good even when playing in 720p only, the online laggs way too much, and there is a lot of static when trying to talk to other guys, this game has good potential but just would of been a lot better if there was great online play, good graphics, and if there were no laggs and mic static when playing online. i give it a 6.0
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manchesterunitedchampions
- 12:45pm BST - August 1st, 2007
- 3
i taught this game was great (even if the campaign was a little short) and the multiplayer kept me playing for ages both online and offline. recommend it to anyone who likes shooters
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Arkanes44 |
Arkanes4- 3:42pm BST - August 1st, 2007
- 4
they didn't mention the horrible flaws in multiplayer such as getting randomly exited to the xmb during a match, sometimes hearing a machine gun shooting forever and nobodies shooting it, and there is no server list, so you have to search for a random game of the gametype you choose, and sometimes you can't find a game, unless you have friends which fortunately you can invite them to your game or vise versa.
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kidkotic2001 |
hotshot2001- 4:33pm BST - August 1st, 2007
- 5
I bought it too I liked it played it all night long
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SonyJunkie |
Bender6191- 6:36pm BST - August 1st, 2007
- 8
This is absolutely horrible, campaign is boring, graphics arent good, online is the worst ive ever played. It was a big dissapointment. I mean big dissapointment. I would give it a 5, maybe worse.
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bluecrane7
- 9:46pm BST - August 1st, 2007
- 10
junky u gave it a 5? u have to be kidding. or maybe your name says it all.
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VaeVictus
- 11:17pm BST - August 1st, 2007
- 11
I give the game about a 7.1. It is fun. The campaign mode is quite challenging (in realistic mode) and is pretty well put together for the most part. Graphics are "ok" in campaign, PS2 quality in multiplayer. Jaggies ftl.
THe AI is hit and miss...big time. I was impressed (and extremely frustrated) on a number of occasions when being flanked very intelligently by the enemy. Then, not long after the flanking impressed me, I'd be disappointed with the 5 or 6 other enemies who would run out in the open immediately after their buddies were shot in the face right in front of them. I don't know if it is a balance issue, but it is something that has to be fixed.
WHEN you can get a solid group to play online, it is fun. HOwever, no lobby system detracts greatly from this game. Try starting a game, one person joins, waits, another joins, waits. After about 5 minutes, both will leave, only to have another two or three join and then leave again. I don't blame them, as it is frustrating to wait through the enormous loading times only to wait for a room to fill up. The lack of lobby system is atrocious. There is also lag/framerate drops that really stinks up multiplayer. Oh, be sure to use a USB mic or otherwise the sound quality is AWFUL.
Overall, it's a solid effort in comparison to what Ubisoft has been doing, but don't expect a GREAT game, b/c it just isn't here. Terrorist Hunt is the highlight for me.
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PS3-The Ultimate Machine
- 4:52am BST - August 2nd, 2007
- 14
Why do you people complain so much.If you have bought it keep it,cause it never hurts to have a large games collection.Especially since offline co-op is so rare this gen.
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franckribery07
- 11:21am BST - September 10th, 2007
- 19
the only rainbow six that i played was Black Thorn for PC and it suxed !!! with this score probably rainbow six still sux.
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