Vegas Online

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, but that's only the city, not the game. Whatever happens in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Vegas online is broadcast around the world via Xbox Live®, and it will be discussed by fans at large, and used as bragging rights the world over.

Cover remains equally important online.

The Rainbow Six series is known for its rabid fans, an audience dedicated to real-life military tactics and hard-hitting action. For first-person shooter fans, Vegas is the antithesis of the sci-fi, out of this world experiences provided by, say, Halo® 2, as it provides a more tactical and realistic change of pace to that blockbuster title.

Persistent Elite Creation
This feature may sound complex, but the execution is both simple and revolutionary. Rainbow Six Vegas offers the ability to create a unique online identity, including the ability to expand your arsenal as you increase your character's rank by playing matches on Xbox Live.

This feature is independent of your Leaderboard ranking, so there's no need to play Ranked matches to gain access to new equipment.

Initially, this system may seem unbalanced, as novices worry that veterans boasting a fully stocked arsenal will have an unfair advantage. However, no weapon or armor you unlock is any more "powerful" than the items you begin with. Instead, they simply represent more options for you to choose from. It will still be up to the player's skill to determine the outcome of a fire-fight.

Teamwork and perfect timing online FTW.

Other features of this unique Persistent Elite Creation feature include:

• Protection vs. Mobility: When choosing your character's armor, there's more to consider than aesthetics. Each piece of equipment changes your Protection and Mobility ratings. It stands to reason that the more armor you wear, the better protected you will be. Likewise, the better protected you are, the slower you will be. There are no right or wrong choices here, just matters of preference.
• Load Out: Because you with your own customized avatar and not with a randomly generated character, you can be sure that you will start every round with the equipment you feel most comfortable with.
• Weapon Customization: Not only can you choose a particular base weapon model, but you can further customize your firearm by adding items like laser sights, rifle scopes, and even reflex scopes. You can only choose one attachment at a time, however, so it is a matter of your personal preference and discovering what works best for you.

Online and Off
Rainbow Six Vegas adheres closely to the "one shot, one kill" mindset, and it represents the most realistic first-person shooter currently on Xbox Live. Just as in the offline campaign, approach combat just as you would in real life, keeping in mind just how easily a single bullet can put you down for the count.

Nothing quite like playing the campaign cooperatively.

Bear this fact in mind while you play Rainbow Six Vegas online. If you approach it like you would Halo® or one of the Medal of Honor titles, you'll be quickly frustrated. Instead, stay patient, think tactically, and behave according to the reality, you may find yourself quickly addicted to this shooter.

A Cooperative Classic
Like Gears of War® before it, Rainbow Six Vegas allows you to team up with friends (up to three) and play through the entire single-player campaign as a team. Few experiences can match the tension, strategy, and elation of clearing a room of hostage-holding terrorists with three of your closest buddies. The skill and timing required are exceptional, but when properly executed, the satisfaction is tremendous.

In addition to the single-player campaign, Rainbow Six Vegas also offers a series of Terrorist Hunt maps. The goal of this mode is simple, just kill all the terrorists, but the challenge requires you to cooperate with your squad to triumph.

Rainbow Six Vegas is everything its fans have come to expect online, but with co-op mode and Player Match games that actually advance your character's development as well, Rainbow Six Vegas is the most inviting entry in the series for casual gamers as well.

Article by Ryan Treit