Let's try out the other modes...
We played two more multiplayer modes, Total Conquest and Demolition. Demolition is Rainbow Six Vegas 2’s version of Counter Strike, which will have the Ubisoft guys cringing when they read that, but it’s true. You have guys setting out to plant a bomb and guys setting out to defuse it. You can win either by taking out all of the opposing players or planting the bomb and defending it until it blows. Of course, the other side have to defuse the bomb or kill all the bad guys… same difference.There’s no shame in lifting the idea of CS, the fact it’s so popular and is the most played online shooter ever means that they got to be doing something right, yes? And the Xbox 360 has nothing that comes close to CS, so here it is. Personally, Demolition left me a bit cold. I guess I like the more free-form feel of a deathmatch or the Team Leader mode, where you’re not heading to the same place to do the same thing over and over. That’s why CTF bores me now too… but I know there’s loads of people out there who love it so it’s good to see Demolition included in the Rainbow Six Vegas 2 multiplayer package.
Total Conquest on the other hand, is an absolute blast and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The idea is simple and familiar to anyone who’s played any sort of conquest-type game in other shooters. You have to hold three satellite transmitters for 30 seconds to send your team’s info and you’ve won the map. However, this is a lot harder to do given that the opposing team are trying to do the exact same thing. Taking over a transmitter and then camping on it to defend isn’t always an option as with a decent sized map and only four players per team, you can find yourself isolated and gunned down in short order.
The best tactic we found was to clear the map, working our way through taking on the bad guys as we met them and taking over transmitters as we reached them… of course, this made the transmitter nearest the Blue span point bloody hard to get and hold but we did win a few rounds. And once again, it’s worth remembering that heavy calibre weapons punch through flimsy stuff, especially when we were playing in the expo centre map… lots of flimsy fibreboard there to shoot through and kill the baddies crouching out of sight.
Overall, the co-op and multiplayer sessions of Rainbow Six Vegas 2 were brilliant fun, but then again, gaming with a bunch of like-minded players who’re out for the same laugh as you will always be fun, no matter what the game. Rainbow Six Vegas 2 has proved itself to be a wholly competent shooter and the tweaks and improvements on the original have made it more accessible for the new player as well as addressing issues raised by fans of the original.
Check back soon for our full review of Rainbow Six Vegas 2.
