Never has Bootcamp been so welcomed. That's the title of the new map available for Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® 3 Black Arrow™, and like all Ubisoft downloadable content, this has the feel of a tightly designed and well-crafted multiplayer level. It's no retail reject hand-me-down, but instead is a stellar example of a map that forces frenzied action while rewarding good tactics.
Looking towards the future.
First, let's get the facts out of the way. It's available for download from Xbox Live™ right now, and it's free for all. That's right, you won't need to pony up any dough for this map. Second, it takes up just a bit more than 900 blocks, so it's pretty light on the memory front. Heck, I think just one save for the original Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™ took up more than that. Third, it has a ten man limit on the map, so think ten-man free-for-alls or five-man teams.
The area itself is in Hereford, England, so we get a virtual look at what boot camp might be like for our English friends. Bootcamp is actually a relatively small map that plays out brilliantly for the two extreme styles of play (snipers and close-combat specialists). First, you've got a few different courtyard-like areas that are relatively open, but still sport a variety of different cover options, from sandwich-sign like boards to crates, fences, vehicles, and even a bunker in the middle of one small area. There's also an army tent out behind one building, and a small firing range in a smaller fenced-off area.
Watch out for snipers in the windows.
Surrounding and overshadowing the different courtyards are several buildings. There's a small thin building that looks to be the soldier's barracks. Near it is a weight room perfect for close engagements, and there's also a relatively spacious office building, a medical supply area, and a locker room with a second floor perfect for tagging roving enemies in the courtyard below.
Take a careful tour through the level and then play some Sharpshooter online, and you'll probably know what style of play to expect. The whole map feels highly interconnected. Someone on the opposite side of the map could be in range within seconds. Despite ample opportunity for snipers, they need to move consistently or they'll get pinned down pretty easy. Flanking is a serious issue here as well, as multiple pathways lead to different areas, so prepare for some intense battles. You can't relax for a moment. I reached for a sip of coffee in my first match and didn't have the cup to my lips before I was dead.
Cover abounds.
Ubisoft has always been known for post-purchase content ever since the first batch of additional levels for Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell® was released a couple years ago. They've been especially good to the Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® 3 series, and the Bootcamp map is no exception. Plus, our sources at Ubisoft tell us that Bootcamp is a teaser for new multiplayer features in Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Lockdown™, with info on character classes which will be trained in Herfordshire (Commando, Spec Op, Engineer, and Combat Medic). So, get online and enjoy!
