Feedback makes for good games
Ok, so I wasn’t actually running around in full CQB gear giving bad guys the good news with an MP9 but Rainbow Six Vegas 2 comes pretty close to the real thing, with the obvious twist of being an Xbox 360 game… So that means it’s not as technical or unforgiving as earlier PC based versions of the series but then, that’s not a bad thing as unless you’re a ‘Commandoes torture’ freak, you actually find yourself progressing through Rainbow Six Vegas 2 and enjoying yourself thoroughly.So let’s step back a bit and look at the game in the context of the series as a whole, because I have to admit I was underwhelmed when Rainbow Six Vegas 2 was announced. I suppose it could be my general reaction to most sequels which invariably fall into one of two categories. There’s the warmed-over remake that is essentially exactly the same as the first game but with new levels, weapons and ‘features’ that have bugger all impact on the game itself or there’s the tweaked up, improved, we-listened-to-the-feedback and built a load of new levels, improved this bit, that bit and added this major new feature game that makes buying the sequel worthwhile.
And Rainbow Six Vegas 2 very firmly slots itself into the second category as, although the core gameplay is exactly the same, there’s a ton of new stuff that makes it worth buying. But you’re probably thinking that this might not be such a worthy purchase if you already own Rainbow Six Vegas and I was in the same frame of mind before I played Rainbow Six Vegas 2. I was wondering why we were back in Vegas? Why weren’t we someplace else? If it needed to have casinos and loads of people having a fun time, there’s plenty of other places to set the next game… I guess Rainbow Six Blackpool just doesn’t have the same glamorous ring to it though the tower would be an awesome sniper spot.
With Rainbow Six Vegas 2 Ubisoft have listened to the feedback from the players and made some major changes to the mechanics of the game, changes that aren’t all that apparent at first glance. Now I might as well get the bad news out the way first: there is no four player co-op in any shape or form, sorry. Yes, I know it was suggested and then pulled, but the simple fact is, it ain’t here. Get over it.
However, what you do have is a much stronger storyline, written by an avid Tom Clancy fan (so I’m told), which is integrated into the game in a far more natural way than the clumsy use of cutscenes interspersed amongst the missions. Sure, you still have the cutscenes here and there but there’s loads that goes on in each mission, even to the point of the actions of your squad adding to the overall storyline. I don’t want to give anything away but I will say that actions speak louder than words… and Ubisoft have taken this idea into the missions in Rainbow Six Vegas 2.
