Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 [Xbox 360]

"Not too long ago, the good folks over at UbiSoft surprised us by sending us a promotional copy of the sequel to one of the best games of 2006: Rainbow Six Vegas. That game was an immense success, won numerous awards and set some new standards for the first person shooter these days. Needless to say, hopes are high for Rainbow Six Vegas 2.

From the moment I re-entered the virtual world of Las Vegas I immediately felt right at home. The controls are as fluent as they were in the first game: you could say they have been fine-tuned. After all, why change a winning formula? So after I decided how Bishop - the game’s protagonist - would look like and what his gender identity would be, a singleplayer game was started.

One of the new things you will almost immediately notice is being able to take a short sprint, simply by holding down the left shoulder button. So while in the middle of a heavy firefight, you now can decide to run away from it to a safe area, grab some supplies and rethink your strategy before going in again. A realistic and handy addition since the game leans a lot more on tactical decisions than during the first.

Another new feature is the “Advanced Combat Enhancement and Specialization” system or ACES, where you are rewarded with new weapons for kills made; no matter if they occurred in a single or multiplayer game. This system is divided into three parts – Close Quarter Battle, Marksman and Assault – and gives you experience points depending on how the kill was performed. Being an avid Call of Duty 4 player I thought the ACES system is a similar, but very smart addition: it’s very difficult to stop playing when you have the change to keep on unlocking perks and weapons and thus enhance yourself.

Since a lot depends on tactical decision making, you better have the best of team members to aid you during your struggle. Fortunately your fellow comrads have been blessed with a level of A.I. that is far better if compared to other games in this genre. They act like a true unit, following and executing all sorts of orders you give them. One time it even occurred that my computer-controlled team members refused some order because it tended to be too dangerous and didn’t had any to do with the main objective. I mean, where do they get the nerve too question my authority ;-)! On the other hand, there were a few questionable moments where the enemies behaved like idiots by standing still during several encounters, making it ridiculously easy for me too take them out. But fortunately enough those moments are far and few between in the game.

Combined with the good use of A.I. and the little tweaks in the control department, the game has a lot to offer in singleplayer, despite of a main storyline that’s kinda hard to follow. But the real reason you wanna play this game is because of the marvellous multiplayer modes. Besides several standard multiplayer modes like deathmatch and team deathmatch modes, terrorist hunt is a slightly different mode in which you must try to find and take out a number of villians in a time limit. And the co-op mode gives you the option to play through the entire game with a friend. While this sounds a lot like other games recently released - Kane and Lynch and Army of Two for example - Rainbow Six Vegas 2 just has a more varied, solid and exciting adventure to offer you.

So frankly, if you enjoyed the first Rainbow Six Vegas then you will definitely love this sequel! While it may look and sound like an updated version on the outside, it hides a deep and highly enjoyable gameplay experience. Highly recommended for all you tactical shooting fanatics out there!
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