Rainbow Six Vegas 2 Review: Revenge of the AI
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 brings gamers back to Sin City to rescue it from the clutches of another group of terrorist who've decided to start blowing stuff up. This time around, the game spends more time developing the characters and gives players a chance to shoot through the campaign with a friend in co-op mode. Ubisoft Montreal doesn't try to tinker with the formula, instead looking to add to what was an already popular title.
Vegas 2 can, at times, dip into the monotonous and the AI is spotty, but overall the game delivers a fun experience.
Loved
* Totally Tactics:The thing that separates Rainbow Six from other shooters is its heavy reliance on tactics and this game requires it in spades. You can use a snake cam to peek under doors and mark targets, clear rooms with flash bangs, grenades or smoke and almost have to slowly work your way from cover to cover to methodically clear a room.
* Deep maps All of those tactics would be for naught if it weren't for the incredibly detailed maps that let you find multiple routes into the same spaces, crawl through windows, and rappel, head first, down buildings. Vegas 2 has one of the most eclectic mix of detailed maps I've seen in a shooter.
* Multi multiplayer Not content to include just versus online multiplayer, Vegas 2 also has terrorist hunt which has you trying to find and kill a set number of bad guys in a time limit; and co-op play, which allows you to play through the entire game with a friend. And co-op Rainbow Six can be quite a blast.
* Customisation This Vegas has all of the weapons, camo, clothing and gear as the last, plus a bit more, including 11 new weapons. Another nice touch is the ability to hop into an outfitting menu as you ride in a helicopter to the next mission, without having to stop the briefing. You can also now carry over the experience earned in single player to multiplayer, and vice-versa.
Hated
* Uneven AI: The game's artificial intelligence, both friendly and enemy, can at times be brilliant, flanking your position, laying down cover fire, clearing a room of bad guys with tactical sweeps. But just when you think you've met your match, you'll run up on an enemy who literally just stands there staring at you until you decide you should probably shoot him.
* A winding tale: There's something to be said for a game that delivers a lot of substance, but sometimes there's even more to be said about a producer who knows when to start cutting. Vegas 2's plot is so convoluted that it can feel monotonous. Worse still, it is so packed with false endings that the real one, which wraps up with an almost humorous monologue, feels flat and anti-climatic when it finally arrives.
* Finishing touches The game doesn't quite look and feel like a true sequel. The graphics aren't really improved, with draw distances that can be surprisingly short, and there is still a bit of slow down and stutter at pivotal moments.
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is a fine addition to the Rainbow Six library, giving gamers a lot of new maps to stalk through, hunched over, with a buddy or on their own. What it doesn't do, really, is introduce anything new to the formula. There are plenty of neat little tweaks and co-op play, while not fully drop-in, drop-out, is a fantastic addition. But in the end you're still playing Rainbow Six Vegas, with the same look and feel as the original.
If you weren't a fan of the original, then Vegas 2 probably isn't for you. If you were, this is a must buy if for no other reason than to go through the game with a friend in co-op.
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 was developed by Ubisoft Montreal, published by Ubisoft and released on March 18. Retails for $US 59.99. Available on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, reviewed on Xbox 360. Played single player campaign to completion, tested multiplayer modes. Did not create any baby heads.
4:00 AM on Wed Mar 19 2008
by Brian Crecente
View: AU Comments (0) | US Comments (107 comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this entry.
Finished R6 last night and agree with Brian that the ending is pretty anti-climatic. Single-player campaign was fairly short. Agree with the comment above about getting "sniped" by enemies from afar with pistols or shotguns. Kinda sucks when you get killed by a shotgun from 100 yards away. Unsure why they kept the "Vegas" name when the bulk of the story doesn't take place in Vegas. Also noticed some serious frame drops at times. Like the customization options, but doesn't really seem to be any clear-cut reasoning to pick one gun over another aside from liking how something looks.
Worth a buy if you plan to play co-op or online, I'd say rent if you only plan to play single-player.
bruhkgb
Wow i mustve been drunk when i made my first comment on this review. I can't remember making it! Jeebus.
Sunjammer
What i want to know is; Is the online community still 90% unpleasant cockbags? Because Vegas single player is a pale shadow of what R6 used to be, and the online play was a knife in the back of everyone that claims dudes can be civil on Live.
I loved coming into a game as a pvt 2nd class, systematically DESTROY the opposition, and being kicked for it. No i don't use the noob cannon. Vegas has the dubious distinction of being the most unpleasant online experience i've had on Live based on the community alone.
Sunjammer
@ArmyofJuan: Arrrgh their "quickmatch" is still borked?
Honestly my big problem with Vegas online is simply getting into a match. 9 out of 10 times (!) i have to retry a bunch of the quickmatch options, only to end up in some mid-game and get booted before the next round.
Brings me to the next point, what the fuck is up with Vegas and booting. I've played a metric TON of games online on the 360 and Vegas is the only one where i almost consistently get booted on joining a match. Leaves the super sexy impression that Vegas players are a bunch of elitist cockbags.
Sunjammer
@Hatchetforce: I just looked at both of those links of yours and died a little on the inside...
Still Ill buy this game just for the FN-FNC inclusion but damn...D: Something tells me Im making a mistake supporting these devs though.
@Hatchetforce: Also preach on brother! I hear you on Rogue Spear + Raven Shield being the good games. God how I miss playing Rogue Spear, that was a damned fine game.
Witzbold
I thought it pretty cool that veteran Vegas players got some free additional clothing options. I'm really liking it so far, better than Vegas 1, and Vegas 1 was great.
rob2112
Well i got Vegas 2 today and it's the first Clancy game i'v ever played. the cmpaign seems on the short side as im basically half way through already.
im also not used to multiplayer since im coming off of COD4. I don't enjoy the fact that once the match os over eveyone gets booted. Add to the fact that when you pick "quick match" it brings you to a menu of potential matches which defeats the purpose of it being "quick"
ArmyofJuan
I've been enjoying Vegas 2 immensely today.
njhardcoreguy
Crescente, I like the last section in this review where you spell how just how much of the game you played, what consoles it is available for, when it came out, etc. Nice touch, especially since we've played games with rare reviews in CH which are broken once you play quite a few hours. Thanks.
Chilly Hollow
No way, some people are going to be disappointed by a sequel to an extraordinarily good game?! This has never happened in the history of video games!!!!
rob2112
It still has 4 player Terrorist Hunt, but there's a full co-op story for two players now. Sounds good to me, R6 Vegas was a lot of fun and I still play it. I love the upgrades, but it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to me that the better you are with the game then the better armor and weapons you'll get. It kind of drives new players away from the franchise.
NegativeGhostrider
@baxterpunch:
I'm pretty sure this is the map that Gamestop has been advertising as a "preorder bonus": [kotaku.com]
MeanMF
@Stefanten: It still has more than 2 player terrorist hunt, though, right?
I already have my pre-order paid off....eagerly awaiting it. And yeah, I'll probably only be playing story co-op and terrorist hunt, but that is more than enough for me.
And, about the pre-order, apparently if you pre-order from Gamestop (in US at least) you get a free map. Pre-order from Best Buy, get a free assault rifle. Pre-order from Circuit City, get some beef jerky and a can of Monster. And some fuzzy dice.
I went for the gamestop deal, but I'm getting a little tired of this pre-order exclusive bullshit.
As for the AI in Vegas 1, pretty consistently, during Terrorist Hunt in Calypso Casino, you would go into the vault and there would be one AI dude left down there. Staring at the vault walls, yelling "SHIT!" until you walked up and shot him.
baxterpunch
Although removing 4 players from the campaign isn't smart, it really isn't a big loss. I played a lot of RB6:V and majority of the time went to Multiplayer (65%) a good portion went to T-Hunts in the early days of the game (25%) and the rest was playing Campaign Co-op.
Pretty much every time I played the 4 player co-op campaign it was helping friends get achievements. I think there was only ONE (1) point in time where my friends and I did Campaign missions together for fun.
I'll be running through the campaign on Realistic with 1 friend to get all achievements and pretty much never play it again.
T-Hunts and MP is the true light of this game.
Collapse The Control
@Erignamatic:
Terrorist Hunt still supports up to four players. For the campaign you have two options: single player + 2 AI bots, or two players + 2 AI bots that player 1 controls.
MeanMF
Thank you for your review. I've now decided not to purchase this title but instead, pursue Prestige mode on CoD4 (ok ok, I'm at 51...dammit). My friends have permission to go on ahead and buy-play this. I am...relinquishing to a casual gamer status...meh.
SigmundTheSeaMonster
@Erignamatic:
No 4 player co-op.
Stefanten
I'm still pissed off that now you can only play co-op with 1 friend. In the last Vegas, you could run with 4 people online through the campaign. Why oh why would they think its a good idea to eliminate 2 of the other people?
I liked the co-op campaign a lot in the first R6:Vegas, they shouldn't have changed it.
I guess developers still haven't caught on to the fact that more and more gamers want to see some 2-4 player co-op that functions exactly like single player campaign. Preferably 4 player co-op. Maybe one day the'll read some of the thousands or requests from gamers like myself and think "hmm maybe we should look into this".
Capp
Yeah, but it's no Twilight Princess, amiright?
In all seriousness, I'm picking this up first chance I get.
splines
Wait. You can still do 4 player co-op, right?
Is it just 2 player co-op if you want the cutscenes and 4 players but with no cutscenes?
Erignamatic
@Brian Crecente:
You could heal them in Vegas 1 as well, but there was a limit on how long you could leave them bleeding out before they died. I'm guessing that's still there.
MeanMF
Wish you guys would do multi-platform reviews. As a PS3 owner I would love to see your thoughts on that version.
theberserker22
@Collapse The Control: Don't take Nate Ahearn too seriously. Anyone who looks that much like Alex Winters should be suspicious.
ScottG13
@Hatchetforce: Heh, you can do that in CoD4 as well. It's a bit weird but... *shrug*
Oyn
@MeanMF: Actually in vegas 2, you can heal your AI, so you don't fail the mission, but if you and your buddy die the mission ends. I found it to be more of a full co-op experience, vegas co-op was really sort of a skeletal version of the campaign. Which I found annoying.
Brian Crecente
@Brian Crecente:
Yeah, I think we're saying the same thing. You could play through the entire campaign mission by mission with up to three friends and no friendly AI, but you missed out on the cut scenes which told some of the story.
If you consider the cut scenes and friendly AI bots a vital part of the campaign, then you would have been disappointed with Vegas 1. But if you're the kind of person who skips the cutscenes after watching them once, the gameplay was all there.
Plus you were not stuck with the friendly AI which many people find to be more frustrating than helpful - unlike in most other games, if the AI dies you fail the mission. On realistic difficulty you frequently have to babysit them and make sure they don't get into trouble. It is very distracting and cuts down on the immersion factor and replay value.
MeanMF
@Billkwando: They definitely did not address the cover mode corner shooting glitch. You can see it in the videos.
Explanation here:
[forums.ubi.com]
Hatchetforce
@Billkwando:
Of course I'll still probably buy it, but I reserve the right to bitch later.
Billkwando
Anyone care to explain how the magazine magically jumps back into the weapon?
[ve3d.ign.com]
Hatchetforce
@kw4k:
Agreed. I miss the maps and the route planning with multiple entry points. If they pulled it off on the Dreamcast (where I played it) they could do it now.
Expect this game to be full of glitches. Ubi doesn't believe in QA on anything but the Splinter Cell series. They never fixed the glitches in the LVU map or casino vault on Vegas (or any others), and they never fixed the "fall through the bottom of the world" glitch every time you climbed a ladder on Morrocan Kesba(sp?) in Black Arrow. They will make hundreds of PR-riddled excuses about how they can't do anything once the game is pressed.
Mark my words.
Expect the Fragg Dolls to flash their "assets" to try to distract you.
Billkwando
@MeanMF: Right and there wasn't a story at all either or friendly AI you could command. Instead you went through the various maps with enemy AI and your friends, it was completely not co-op campaign, just a watered down version of it.
I actually just got off the phone with Ubi, I called to make sure that I hadn't misremembered it, I was right.
Brian Crecente
we dont need any more shotters!
Gadgetron
@ImmortalZ: they weren't. not really. vegas like splinter cell, utilized a very early interation of unreal 3. just looking at how much better looking and performing u3 games were after those two titles. the two earlier games i mentioned were barely playable on an x1800xl 256 at 1024x768, but bioshock and ut3 are actually pretty good at 1280x800.
rennyf77
@Brian Crecente:
You could do the whole co-op campaign in the first one - you just needed to do it one mission at a time. The only new addition is the cutscenes and the AI. And I don't consider the AI a good thing - I'd much rather have three friends than one friend and two "very special forces" bots.
MeanMF
@Stefanten:
Not just SWAT 4. Get SWAT 4 and teh STechkov Syndicate add on. Then get the SSF Mod for both.
SWAT 4:
[hot-swat-mods.com]
SWAT 4 TSS:
[hot-swat-mods.com]
Hatchetforce
I said this in the Comcast map thread, but I'll say it again:
I'm buying this game as soon as I complete my stupid research paper for Sociology. I know if I buy the game before that, I'll never get it done and I'll be in big trouble.
PapaBear434
Got a chance go play through the game last week and would agree with most of what's been said. My $.02:
Pros
-Co-Op
-Multiplayer
-ACES
-PEC
Cons
-PAINFUL AI (both your team and the enemy). On the "Realistic" setting it basically means enemies 1 shot kill you at insane distances even when that shot hits you in the foot or arm. I can't tell you how many times i got "sniped" from some clown 100 yards away with a pistol. Realistic my ass. Same goes for your team, it seems that this round you're picking your assbag teamates off the ground more often than not.
-Storyline. Or lack there of. CoD4 really shines in comparison.
-Graphics. U3 Engine looks mediocre at best, albeit better than the original.
-Various. From funky texture and graphics glitches to missing audio (there are times where the audio simply cuts out for a few seconds) there are plenty to go around.
Bottom line, it's a fun game (especially the co-op) and the PEC and ACES that run throughout all aspects of the game (not just multiplayer) are a huge plus. If you liked the first you'll like this one. If you're new to the R6V world, pick this one up, as neither have storylines worth mentioning.
UncleScrotar
Any new additions to the lobby/matchmaking? :(
Obviously I'd prefer Halo3 style, but CoD4 works fine too!
But finding a game with 3-4 slots open, with like <2 min left, then quickly joining and inviting a friend, praying we got on same team...it's kind of a pain
scottyboy218
Looking at the graphics, you won't believe that Bioshock and this thing are both based on the same engine.
Especially visible during the dam stage in the first game where water looked like it was from 2001.
Anyway, will wait for the PC version.
ImmortalZ
@Modus_Operandi:
by the way i hate the "they copied"
everyone copied off PONG... They all copied movement... all of them!
LittlestLamshi
@Sullyville: It isn't out for the PC until April 15, which is why it wasn't mentioned.
Brian Crecente
@Modus_Operandi: Nice job comparing two different types of games. *applause*
kuraitenshikun
@houkah: I said specifically, all three times, that I was talking about co-oping through the entire game's campaign. You couldn't do that in the original, you could only do co-op terrorist hunt and co-op individual single player missions, story and friendly AI-free.
Co-op campaign is an addition.
Brian Crecente
@Modus_Operandi:
GR = a special force for doing special missions in a war, mostly recon... out of sight
RS = an elite counter-terrorist team, made to deal with urban, swat like settings... in your face
SC = a one man deal. A real "ghost" so to speak... out of sight and out of mind
SC could be operating with RS or GR... actually they could all operate together as well. On many different fronts.
LittlestLamshi
It IS out for PC.
It just wasn't mentioned up above.
I was a little addicted to the first one.
The cover mechanic is the thing that did it.
And the animations are so smooth and nice.
Tomorrow I will get it and be happy.
Sullyville
I'd say it feels more like mission pack than a new game.
Mayu-mayu
@HurricaneDave: If you haven't played SWAT 4 yet, get right to it! It's still a great game in co-op, and it's exactly like you described. Old school R6-"breach, bang and clear" gameplay.
Stefanten
@HurricaneDave: seems you beat me to it. i guess i'm not the only one. i loved that style of gameplay. i wish the devs would at least change the structure of the maps, making it more open-ended, to incorporate this type of strategy. who's with us?
kw4k
i loved the series and loved the first one. i, however, cannot get passed the fact they've removed the pre-planning involved to solve each mission as they did in the classic R6 series. besides tactics, this is what set this game different from other shooters out there and the possibilities were endless (well, there was ghost recon, but they've also removed this as well). i guess every one wants that cinematic story from a personal view through linear maps. does anyone else miss this? i want it back
kw4k
@HurricaneDave: Like Rogue Spear? Man that was a great game.
Ra on the Moon.
Ive played a few Tom Clancy games and to be honest they all seem to run together. Im Sam Fisher a co-overt op who is working as a part of Ghost Recon and its uber secret affilate the Rainbow Six out to hunt spies and WMD in Las Vegas. I mean that is what it feels like.
Plus everytime GRAW or R6 makes a mechanic or game idea someone else does them better. Personally I think GoW's cover system is easier to use. And COD4 has got the modern warfare thing down to the T.
Modus_Operandi
Excellent review. From what you wrote it seems that the game should have been an expansion for the first one and be only 30 bucks. Thats my opinion.
mexfreak86
Rainbow Six died when Lockdown came out and Vegas was UbiSoft pissing on its grave.
Man I wish someone would make a CQB game like the old school Tom Clancy. Where you had to plain and make sure your squads had the right gear, plus no spawning enemies, everyone was generally accounted for when you went in.
HurricaneDave
Whats the multiplayer graphics like this time around? Last time they looked pretty bad compared o the singleplayer. The reason I ask is I live with someone who plays some games but is so f'ing picky and if the graphics aren't up to his strange standards then I probably wont get it because i'll be stuck playing all by my lonesome :(.
liquid_kore
HOLY CRAP!
Did anybody notice that you can copy and paste normally on the comments now??? No more being forced to copy and paste either 1 word or the whole paragraph! AWESOME!
Sorry for the OT....*reads article*
Billkwando
Meh, I'll find something else to play while waiting for COD4 maps, I'm sure many folks on my friends list will stick w/ COD4.
SAKY
A lot of the bitching & complaining about this game, no big surprise there. Everytime a new part of a game comes out people will always find something to yell about.
Collapse The Control
The thing that bothered me about the original is that is seems to love itself for its realism, yet the premise is so ridiculous it could never happen. Specifically the hundreds and hundreds of terrorists invading Las Vegas seemed ludicrous. I mean I guess a lot of people have conventions in Vegas but a Mexican terrorist one seemed far fetched.
The Wreckard
I loved the game's multi. It was so tactical. Almost like next-gen CS on consoles.
I also liked the simple singleplayer that had fun gameplay but an average story. It was a so-so thing. But good enough to keep playing.
Oh I mean Vegas 1 by the way. Don't have this one yet but will :P
Candlejack
Funny how this isn't coming out on PC...yet.
No surprise considering how poorly UBI treated the PC community with the first R6:V.
While the SP was good, the MP was buggy as hell and didn't get fixed until 6 months after it's release.
With that in mind I'll be happy playing COD4 with all the new custom maps that are available.
UBI fooled me once, but won't get me again.
JammyBastard
No game improvement? No added features? Its not a sequel. Its an expansion pack. Call it what it is. Just like GRAW 2.
I'm not spending 60 dollars for an expansion pack.
FrigidAir44
Wow...I had no idea they only have 2 player co-op now...my plan was to do for my PS3 what I'd done back in my 360 days - one copy for each machine and four player madness ensues.
Stupid move from my viewpoint, Ubisoft...you just lost four sales.
I personally can't stand it when a franchise REMOVES a feature...particularly one that seemed popular.
I was going to ask someone to verify that it truly was only coop with 2, but with the number of responses I guess they really did kill this one for me.
phloog
can you play the co-op story with 2 friends?
B1ooDshOt
Have you reviewed any cross platform games on the PS3? Maybe I've missed some but they all seem to be reviewed on the 360. Not bitching, just wondering...
1981suede
Co-op is definitely not an addition. It was better in R6 Vegas 1 where you could play with four people and didn't have to deal with your semi-retarded AI teammates. Now you can only have two players and there's no way to get rid of the AI. If they die, you fail the mission.
MeanMF
I tried the demo for the first one a while back and was severely annoyed with the visibility...
"Either deal with a dark room where you can't see anybody, or deal with a blinding light in your thermal goggles because you're in a goddamn factory boiler room!
Either way, enjoy dying."
Not my kind of game. :/ I love splinter cell though, they did everything right with that (which is why I was kind of disappointed to find this so frustrating).
Norellicus
like that A.I. suicidal maniac, the one that was to shout "take me down, I don't want to live anymore" but they forgot to hire a voice talent for.
Or maybe, maybe he just wants to be my friend, but he's shy, that's why he isn't saying anything, and instead of making conversation, I choose to shoot him in the eyeball.
Kamizzle
I'm just curious: when did the R6 series become so mainstream that it departed much of the previous associated realism of the series? :( I miss the days of R6 and R6:RS.
kuraitenshikun
I loved Rainbow 6 Vegas, I am really bummed they went from 4 players co-op to 2 player co-op though :-(
I really hope in the next game they move away from Vegas (Rainbow 6 Washington) or whatever. I felt that having this second game again in Vegas was a bit weak.
Zootalor
No sportsbook mini-game, no deal.
Rozelle’s Bagman
The game is $40 at Fry's this week. Go get it.
OGHowie
COD4 is getting old. I, as many others, will make the switch effective immediately...
...until Resistance 2 comes out.
njhardcoreguy
I sold the first game because it was so unpolished, T-hunt was awesome fun so I was awaiting a solid sequel...
Looks like I'm waiting for a solid third installment :(
Astrofox
the tone of this review makes it seem like co-op didn't exist in the first rainbow 6 vegas when it did... 4 players instead of 2 too.
houkah
I am an R6 fan, not a Vegas fan. But Ubisoft let John Slaydon screw the series into the ground and then decided that too much of a bad thing wasn't enough. Some games work great in 3rd person such as SOCOM and Gears just to name two. Vegas isn't one of them. A stolen cover mode that was itself taken from another game hardly suits the series.
The first Vegas was aptly named and Vegas2 is no different. Just like it's name the title comes off as flashy, but hollow and devoid of real substance. You will wake up the day after the experience and wonder where your money went and why you wasted time there.
Hatchetforce
Hey Cresecente, how long did it take to play through the single player campaign?
7ucky
Pretty decent review...might pick this up. Played the shit out of the first one but COD is what is up these days. If COD had some type of cover mechanic like RSV than there would be no competition. I love the fact you can get on a flat wall and have the 180 degree view. One thing RSV did completely right...oh and the ability to customize your character up to be a complete baller. Shit, two things COD needs.
iToke
I do believe that IGN said the 2 player co-op was lacking, not sure if they were just bitter about going from [4 player / no cutscenes] to [2 player / with cutscenes] tho.
I played the hell out of Part 1, so much that I neglected Gears of War (on the multiplayer side). So this game is a must buy and i'll be doing plenty of T-Hunts & MP matches along with working towards all achievements.
I am also looking forward to the leveling up ala COD4. I like how it is across the board and no matter what I do i'll be seeing my rank go up & up. What happens when it is maxed out? I dunno, but I certainly am not going to do any "prestige" style option.
Collapse The Control
@Vau:
my favorite was when they became invincible... it was weird...
LittlestLamshi
Very fair review.
Wolf_Dog
AI in the first game was pretty terribad too. You'd notice bogies stopping after you ran too far away from them. Really a shame, I hoped for an upgrade in that department.
Vau
I really like this game but it's true that the AI can be a little stupid at times. You can litteraly sit and shoot 5-6 terrorist slowly coming down from the same rope one after another. You would think they hide or go down another rope, but it seems they all like the one I'm shooting at.
I have also experienced horrid framerate drops, but only in a single mission so far. Other than that the game is a joy to play.
EwilTwin
For me R6:Vegas was all about the vs multiplayer. If at least part of my friends list moves over from COD4 to it, it'll be a success.
Guizzy
I'll buy it for sure. Gotta love those co-op games baby!!!
dead_red_eyes
Meh what other half decent NEW shooters are there at the moment?
Kum0
I agree with the guy too... Rainbow is love/hate... the AI is so corny... I mean they just spawn, randomly, at key points in a map... lame...
LittlestLamshi
OMG! CANT WAIT TO PLAY this GAME!
it's unbearable!
LittlestLamshi
Brian Haet Vegas
Gamebrain87
@dead_red_eyes:
Well don't give up hope yet. I know a guy that has just finished putting thermal scopes in Ravenshield along with shotgun door breaching. He has added quite a few other things to affect the game. It is a nice looking mod and should be out soon.
Hatchetforce
Also, we all know Rainbow Six: Lockdown was an unholy piece of shit ... but Vegas is still pretty fun for me regardless of its faults. It's more arcady than the older games ... but it beats GRAW hands down for me.
dead_red_eyes
@Covert_Knight: - "Rainbow Six Vegas is to tactics like real lemons are to Gatorade. BS the series died with Raven Shield."
So very true. The way you could plan your attack in Raven Shield ... you could get real deep with that. It was fun.
dead_red_eyes
Is there still blurred vision everytime you get shot?? I mean im all for realism...but i couldnt stand it in the original. Every 2-3 secs if you got shot your vision was blurred.
Madness
Meh, I'm still deciding on buying this game or not. I still love COD4, but I've been playing it forever. Should I get RSV2, or what for Haze? Or GTAIV...
Huxle
Picking this up day one, Vegas was a blast in online.
Also, it would be kickass if Ubisoft had their respective studios working on their respective games (RS, GR, SC) and have like all three games revolve around the same story.
Tomahawk214
TACTICAL? is that some sort of joke?!
Rainbow Six Vegas is to tactics like real lemons are to Gatorade. BS the series died with Raven Shield.
Covert_Knight
@Cathaoir: Yes, but it's the same as in Vegas 1. Offline only, two player max, coop modes only.
MeanMF
Does the game have split-screen multiplayer?
Cathaoir
well, it took my friends and I a while to really warm to this game. (we started buying around the time it started hitting half-price in EB etc) but by the time we had all bought it; we were playing 4 player coop almsot every Xbox lan we had.
We were looking forward to vegas 2 for more coop goodness. We wanted the campaign not really for the story but for the better terrorist layout (actually chosen scenarios where a predefined number of terrorists inhabit a room; or rescue a set of hostages etc); consistency of the levels (you'd do a couple levels in the same casino etc).
Now what do we have? What reason do we have to play this at our xbox lans? T hunts were boring; there were no objectives; Not quite enough of us (4 - 6), and too inconsistent a skill-set for us to play Multi against each other (or really online).
I'm probably going to buy it when it hits 50% off again; but not before; and I can say at least 3 of my friends won't buy till the same kind of time, if at all. Pity because I really enjoyed vegas 1.
MeateaW
Oh Rainbow 6, how I used to love thee. Your unforgiving nature could be tiresome at times, but the reward of executing a flawless take down provided innumerable joys. I'm sad to say you feel more like just about any generic shooter with Clancy-ish tactics tacked on for spec-ops cred. I pray your next game returns to it's roots but expect even more uninspiring Hollywood action.
Destrudo
@Tyber_Zann: Once they release Vegas 1 as a "greatest hits" or whatever, I'm sure you'll see a resurgence.
baxterpunch
@Hatchetforce:
You should see my post history over at Ubi.com. It's basically a steady stream of me intermittently wigging out on them, that spans 4 years:
[forums.ubi.com]
Billkwando
Heh, I figured the AI would still be at least semi-retarded.
I let a friend of mine borrow R6: Vegas for a couple of months, and ironically I get it back right when the sequel comes out.
Looks like I'm shit out of luck on finding a multiplayer match as everyone will surely be playing the sequel.
Tyber_Zann
@Xiedo:
Oh I certainly agree. John Sonedecker is a friend of mine and he and I were just discussing the changes the series has seen. I remember being at RSE when Lockdown was being built and John Slaydon was showing me their new design and I started shaking my head. I told Slaydon then and there he was in trouble. Needless to say he and I didn't speak again. Needless to say he was out of a job after Lockdown. I was too busy in a vain attempt to correct Ghost Recon that was heading off the tracks as it crashed into the town of Arcade.
But I was only working on periphery design items and advisory matters (that were ignored) while Robbie and Christian were determined to do 3rd person and health packs. 3rd person works for some titles. SOCOM is perfect for it. Just not GRAW and R6. I am not a PC centrist. I do most of my gaming on consoles. But they screwed R6 and GR royally. For me and a good many others Rogue Spear and Raven Shield remain the series high points.
Hatchetforce
@Capp:
Amen.
Billkwando
The one thing I hope they don't do is release another series of RED/BLACK packs like Vegas 1. Yes the new maps and patches were appreciated, but with each pack, the game got slower and slower. I remember when the game first came out, you could join a session straight from the dashboard, and getting in an out of matches was a cake walk. Then the first pack came out and it would Black-Screen on you if you tried to join from any other place besides the multiplayer menu. Then the other pack came out and the time it took to load a map or join a room went from 20-30 seconds to 1-2 minutes. There were quite a few other ways it slowed down too but those are the main ones.
I look forward to the game very much. But given Ubisoft's track records, I foresee any "upgrades" they release for this game to mess it up, like EVERY OTHER GAME they've ever stamped their name on.
Capp
@Hatchetforce: Seriously. The first "good" point of the reviews kills it: "RAinBow Six: Vegas is not like other shoooter. No. Vegas taeks tactizx. loslzl"
Actually, Rainbow Six has been driven into the ground and shat on.
Or injected with a healthy dose of Gears, Halo, and casual appeal. Same thing. And I like Gears and Halo. But they don't belong in Rainbow Six.
Xiedo
Indeed, the AI could be spotty at times. That's always been part of the fun for me though. Plus, every once in a while they would do something so insane and unpredictable it kept things fresh, like a weird flanking maneuver or something.
Of course the voice work was brilliant.
"What do we do?!"
"GROW SOME BALLS!"
Thaddeus_McGee