Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is the unimaginatively titled sequel to the 2006 hit, Rainbow Six Vegas. The first game received high praise for it cover system and refined gameplay. The second game further refines gameplay and makes for an even more enjoyable experience.
I personally never played the first Vegas much, not that it was a bad game but it just never pulled me in as much as it did for most people. Things have changed quite a bit here, over the last two days I have played around 27 hours of Vegas 2. The first thing I tackled was the campaign.
The story in Vegas 2 is a not just a sequel. It tells the story of another Rainbow operative named Bishop as opposed to Logan Keller from the first game. The events of Vegas 2 take place before, during, and after the events of the first game. In an attempt to show the grittier side of Vegas, the game loses some of the amazing set pieces from the first game, with one of the stand out locales in this one being a large convention center.
The gameplay it self has been tweaked just a little but it feels much more streamlined than the first game. Commanding your squad mates feels easier than in the first game. Unfortunately although it is easier to command your squad, it seems like they don’t want to listen as often. Commanding them to a door sometimes produces little effect and you have to make them take baby steps to the door. The biggest advancement in the core gameplay is the decision to bring the P.E.C. system from the first games multiplayer, over to all game modes in Vegas 2.
Bishop is a blank slate, you can make him (or her), into any likeness you would like. You can even make Bishop have your face if you own an Xbox Vision Camera. The P.E.C. system allows you to outfit your character with different armor and camouflage to make your own unique avatar. As you play you gain XP for every kill you get in the Campaign, Terrorist Hunt, and Multiplayer. Once you earn enough XP you gain a rank, which unlocks new items to equip you character with. Another new feature is the A.C.E.S. system. In the first game, when you advanced rank you would get new weapons. In this one you get points towards your weapons when you do certain things. Get a headshot? Marksman points. Kill some one up close? CQB points. Kill some on with explosives? Assault points. Each class unlocks different weapons and also gives XP rewards too.
The graphics aren’t a huge improvement over the first. The game feels cleaner and smoother than the first and is enough of an improvement to keep up with current releases.
So, while Vegas 2 isn’t the quantum leap from the first game that most people were hoping for, it still feels fresh and the pace and feel of gameplay hasn’t been replicated by any other game. The new additions in the A.C.E.S. and P.E.C. systems, are a welcome addition and add an addictive layer to the game. The multiplayer is still fantastic and in order to keep the length of the review down I won’t go into detail about it, but there are two new modes, which are OK but not great. Even if you weren’t a fan of the first game you will find plenty of enjoyment in this game to warrant the purchase. And no, it isn't just an expansion pack.Verdict: A-
Review by Nicolas Perez
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