Review: Tom Clancy\'s Rainbow Six Vegas 2 - PC, PS3, Xbox 360 - 7.8

Rainbow Six: Vegas was seen as reboot of the Rainbow Six franchise. Although it upset many hardcore fans of the tense, realistic gameplay in previous installments, the game was seen as a success both critically and financially. Wanting to cash in on that success, Ubisoft quickly set out to make a sequel to the franchise. Following a year of development, has Ubisoft really managed to create a worthy successor?

At its heart, Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is similar, gameplay-wise, to the original. It has the same cover system, shooting mechanics, squad commands, etc. What Ubisoft did deign to add is a sprint mode and the ability to shoot through thin materials such as wood. Now, I don\'t know about you, but I was expecting a little more innovation and refinement in a full-price "sequel." The sprint function is a shooter staple and should have been there from the beginning, and the penetrable cover is a blatant attempt to steal Call of Duty 4\'s thunder. There\'s also a "prestige" mode that allows you to gain points for new equipment and new ranks. It works over singe player and multiplayer, but doesn\'t ultimately add a lot to the game.

The single player campaign is less focused than that in the first one, starting before the events of the first game and ending after Vegas ends. You are in command of another Rainbow Six squad that goes to other locations in Vegas. The game starts before the first one and ends after it\'s conclusion. Needless to say, there hasn\'t been much thought given to the story and you\'ll often forget that there even is a plot.

All in all, Vegas 2 is simply a $50 expansion that simply asks gamers to sacrifice to much for little gain. It can be liked by hardcore fans of the original Vegas, but for others, there are much better options out there for the price.

Gameplay: 8 - Only minor additions to the game. "Prestige mode" doesn\'t add a lot of replayibility or depth.
Presentation: 7.5 - Story is barely there, menus and interface have barely changed or improved.
Graphics: 8 - Even though Vegas 1 looked impressive, Vegas 2\'s more ordinary environments are bland and not nearly as impressive or fun to look at.
Sound: 8 - No major changes in sound. Weapons and music fit just as well as before.
Value: 7.5 - Not worth the full-price tag, feels like an expansion

Final Score: 7.8 - If you\'re really dying to play some more Vegas, wait until this one drops into the bargain bin.

Marcin Skok
Editor-in-Chief
"The Gaming Corner"