A More Realistic Experience
Fans of Tom Clancy know that they can expect one of the most realistic first person shooters to hit any platform. You don’t have gravity guns or portable SAMs available to you. But the realism is immersive.
One thing that fans of the Rainbow Six series will notice right away is the absence of the series lead man Logan Keller. Instead of focusing the story around Logan, this time around you get to create a character who will be your alias in both single and multi-player modes. You don’t get to pick a name. You are the androgynous “Bishop”, and the story is the same regardless of wether you are male or female. I played through both as a man and a woman, and found several masculine references which didn’t fit the female Bishop too well. I can only optimistically write that off as sexism in the armed forces, where “sir” is a compliment where “ma’am” might be an insult. Overall this new element is nice, although I found the character creation to be very limited.
Skills To Pay The Bills
As you progress through the game, you get experience for every kill. After achieving so many kinds of kill you then “rank” in that skill via a system called “ACES” or “Advanced Combat Enhancement and Specialization”. For example, once you’ve killed enough enemies at a long distance, you would rank in marksmanship. Ranking unlocks new gear and guns for Bishop to use, so there is an incentive to be creative with the different ways you take out the terrorists from level to level.
I am a big fan of this type of gameplay, as it provides a sense of accomplishment within the level. Often you need those little bits of encouragement, as I would assume that most players have to play a scene several times to get it right. R6V2 has me thoroughly convinced that I made the right decision not to join the armed forces… I’ve been killed so many times even on the easy setting of this game that I almost feel bad for poor Bishop’s family.
There is consistency between single and multi-player modes which is neat as well. You get to carry your skills over from your character from single player mode to the multi-player mode. As you level up, you unlock new equipment and get new guns. While the realist in me wonders why government officials can’t make the best weapons, armor and equipment available every time… the video gamer in me is glad to have things to unlock. I’ll rationalize that we can only spend tax dollars on proven methods to maintain my willing suspension of disbelief.
My one big complaint is that the ACES experience system doesn’t really do all that much. Sure you get new gear, but it’s only marginally better than the stock gear. You don’t unlock new skills, and there isn’t that much hullabaloo about it. I think the concept of the ACES system could be expanded upon to make for more satisfactory gameplay.
AI Stands for Artificial Intelligence… But It Doesn’t Specify HOW Intelligent
The AI is improved in R6V2, but not to the point that the AI feels extremely helpful. You can storm into a room, guns a blazin’, and if you don’t tell your computer comrades to come in with you… they might be waiting for instruction to enter the room as you are gunned down.
It’s also frustrating that the AI on your team won’t move away from explosives that you deploy. I’ve thrown grenades only to watch tweedle dee and tweedle dumb (as I affectionately call them) stand there and get blown to smithereens. It would be nice to see AI smart enough to get out of the way. Perhaps it’s best to leave them parked at the door.
It’s probably a better strategy to stand back and let the computer clear the room for you. You can heal a chest full of bullet wounds with a single shot of what I can only assume is magic when your team mates fall in combat. It’s frustrating that they can’t return the favor when you are gunned down in battle. I’d complain about the lack of realism, but I think this is more a hand-out to make up for the low intelligence of the AI on your side.
Multiple Players
In previous Rainbow Six titles, you were able to co-op with up to eight friends. At times, this got to be borderline ridiculous. In R6V2 the co-op mode is just two players, which works a little bit better for this type of game. Unfortunately you still have two computer AI players at your side, which is a little bit like bringing your dog with you to a fancy restaurant… you may have the best intentions but it’s probably going to end up messy.
A nice feature of R6V2 is the fact that you can jump back and forth between single player mode and co-op mode. You can also replay certain scenarios if you weren’t happy with the way you handled yourself the first time around (or if you just found them incredibly fun to play!).
If you’re going to play multi-player though, you may as well play online. Co-op just was not that satisfying. I grew up with a twin brother, so it’s a nice to see a stereotypically single player game with something for another person, but I don’t think most gamers will be too attracted to that gameplay.
Online multiplayer mode. THIS is where the game really shines! Like any FPS, the online multiplayer mode was the most fun. You get away from dodgy AI and scripted terrorism into a mode where you play against other people from all over the world. There are 12 maps to choose from, and endless possible scenarios.
Great Graphics… for 2006
When the PS3 was first released in 2006, the graphics where the big draw. Rainbow Six Vegas, the game before the very aptly named Rainbow Six Vegas 2, was very pretty! Sadly, in the sequel you really don’t see much improvement. After playing through such beautiful games as “Metal Gear Solid 4”, I was left a little underwhelmed by the graphics in R6V2. The gameplay was phenomenal! I had a ton of fun playing through this game, and I’ll continue to probably for a long time to come. But, I really hope that future Rainbow Six titles have a little more spit and polish on them.
My other complaint was the environments. Computers didn’t break with bullet holes. Not everything got charred or damaged when you blew it up with a grenade. The rag-doll physics of fallen enemies were very rigid and unbelievable. Games like MGS4 and Oblivion have conditioned gamers to expect more interactive environments.
Limited Edition
This limited edition comes with some fun extras which make the package feel like it’s worth the money you spent. You get a collectable poker chip keychain which is not bad quality (you always wonder in these kinds of packages), and a bonus DVD containing an interview with a pro gamer and a strategy video. There is also a sneak peek into Ton Clancy’s EndWar. If you bought R6V2 Limited Edition at Best Buy, there was also an exclusive downloadable gun (which you might just find the code for somewhere on the internet, if you look hard enough).
So What I’m Saying Is…
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is a very fun game. It’s a great FPS, with a lot of replay value. It’s not meant for younger kids, as it has some adult themes and language, but that’s what the ESRB rating is for. Kids shouldn’t be playing M rated games.
If you are a fan of Tom Clancy, of the Rainbow Six series, or of a good first person shooter. Wether you enjoy online gameplay or single player action, Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is a great game. I’d highly recommend it.