Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 Preview February 6,2008 - Rainbow Six Vegas was a smash hit in 2006 for a handful of very good reasons, not the least of which was its gutsy setting in Sin City. But the game was definitely a lot more than just flashing lights as it offered a fairly lengthy, challenging campaign with plenty of variety, plus one of the best competitive FPS experiences on Xbox Live that year. At the very least, Rainbow Six Vegas represented a highly-polished rendition of established gameplay mechanics and ideas – and it worked. Perhaps the smartest thing a developer can do with a great formula is to build on it, rather than change it entirely. From the looks of things, that’s exactly what’s going on with the sequel to 2006’s smash hit, Rainbow Six Vegas.

Although the core gameplay will remain true to the first game, there is a much heavier emphasis on character customization this time around. Not only can players scan their own faces onto the character models via the Xbox Live Vision camera as they could in the previous game, but for the first time, they can choose to create a female, black, or Hispanic character. However, appearances are the first, and arguably least relevant, aspect of the game’s proposed customization options. Reportedly, Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 will keep track of your gameplay style and present rewards according to your preferences during the campaign. So, if you prefer to frag an area then charge in with your shotgun blaring, the game will eventually throw rewards at you that vibe with that tendency. If you prefer to keep your distance and pick enemies off from afar, the game will reward you with items better suited for a marksman.

Ubisoft is also promising revamped, more intelligent enemy and friendly AI. This is typically one of the standard promises we would expect to hear, as there is always room for improvement in the AI department, but with the enemies reportedly being as teched-up as the Rainbow Six team, chances are they’ll be able to put up some seriously tough firefights. The question is whether or not the bad guys will overpower the computer-controlled good guys after the overhaul, which could potentially make the game more frustrating than anything else. That probably won’t be the case, though, if the quality of first game and Ubisoft’s credentials are any indication. Our bet is that, worst case scenario, the AI will be on par with that of the previous game (though we’re betting on improvement), and that’s something we can definitely live with.

The competitive multiplayer looks to be getting the usual run of improvements and additions: new maps, a few new weapons, and new modes that will put team-based play at the forefront. For better or worse, the ability to earn new weapons and accessories by performing well seems to be coming back as well. Players of the previous game either loved or hated that, as it rewarded longtime, skilled players with the means to be even more lethal, but it came at the cost of accessibility for newcomers. Also, where the co-op play in the first Rainbow Six: Vegas was good fun, but felt very much like an afterthought, the sequel will feature a more robust, better-integrated co-op component.

All indications are that Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is going to be everything we ever want in a sequel, and a bit more. It’s going to build on what worked, improve what didn’t (meaning the co-op play is going to be fully integrated, rather than treated as an afterthought), and will answer all the questions from the previous game while putting the story arc to bed, once and for all. It’s also going to venture into some of the slummier, older parts of Las Vegas, which is exciting in its own right. While there are some important upgrades being proposed, Ubisoft definitely doesn’t seem to be rolling the dice with this stellar, fan-favorite franchise. Odds are this is going to be a tremendous sequel and a must-own title for FPS fans when it hits the streets this March.

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