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• Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

What Happens In Vegas 2...Is Totally Awesome (Page 2 of 5)

• By Cameron Lewis
• April 14, 2008 11:15 AM PST
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When a teammate goes down, you can either heal him yourself, or tell your other squadmate to take care of itassuming he's not also writhing around in pain.

Guns and Ammo

Vegas 2 adds another potent layer to its already solid replayability with an engaging reward system that bestows experience points whether you're ventilating some trash-talker online, or carving a path through twelve flawed terrorist hunt levels that support up to four co-op players even as they spawn terrorists out of thin air. As you make your way through 22 ranks, from Recruit to Sergeant to Elite, you'll unlock wearable equipment, from simple balaclavas and helmets to brawny assault armor. You'll have to be careful how you dress, though, since improved protection means decreased mobility.

What's more, kills can also count toward 'A.C.E.S.' rewards specific to twenty levels worth of three distinct combat disciplines: Marksman, Close Quarters, and Assault. Score a headshot, kill an opponent from behind, or wax a fool through cover, for example, and you'll rack up points in the appropriate category and earn powerful new weapons. Both progression systems are padded to a certain extent: Every other level of each A.C.E. bestows experience points instead of gear, and too many hard-won ranks give you nothing but new camouflage patterns. Still, there's no denying the addictive pull of working to earn an AK-47 or a particularly slick customizable sniper rifle.

Making the Grade

Unfortunately, the encyclopedic array of firepower can only add so much to a predictable collection of competitive multiplayer modes. Whether you're hunting a team leader, securing satellite dishes, planting bombs, or just tearing around in deathmatch with fifteen other people, only the stylish scenery differentiates the experience from equally effective variations found elsewhere. Many of the map designs are remarkably well-tuned, forcing almost constant movement just to survive, but what this series urgently needs to stand out in this particularly crowded field is an inventive new mode.

When you come right down to it, though, Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 succeeds thanks to its amazing co-op, carefully balanced gameplay and memorable setting. Sure, there are some aggravating scripting and design issues present but much like the city it's set in, Vegas 2's pleasure outweighs the pain.

PROS: Solid control, increased tactical options and challenging co-op equals an addictive and satisfying experience.
CONS: Infuriating checkpoint placement; lame reliance on obvious script triggers; only two player co-op for main campaign.

Every door can be snaked to get a sneak peek of the odds you face in the next room, and you can tag up to two enemies in order of priority for your buddies to take out.

The further away you can pick off a goon with a headshot, the safer you'll be, especially if you're trying to finesse your way through Realistic difficulty.

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