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Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® 3 Gold

92%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, optimization
92% User Score Based on 2,540 reviews

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About

"Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® 3 Gold" is a tactical first-person shooter game that includes the campaigns "Raven Shield" and "Athena Sword." Assemble your elite counter-terrorism team and prevent hidden terrorist forces from carrying out destructive plans in various global locations. Experience intense missions, strategic gameplay, and high-stakes operations in this immersive and popular series.

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Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® 3 Gold screenshot
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® 3 Gold screenshot
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® 3 Gold screenshot
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® 3 Gold screenshot
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® 3 Gold screenshot
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® 3 Gold screenshot
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® 3 Gold screenshot
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® 3 Gold screenshot
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® 3 Gold screenshot

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,540 reviews
story120 positive mentions
stability20 negative mentions
  • Highly tactical gameplay that requires careful planning and execution, making each successful mission feel rewarding.
  • A wide variety of weapons and customization options for operatives, allowing for diverse strategies in missions.
  • Despite its age, the game still holds up well in terms of gameplay and offers a unique experience compared to modern shooters.
  • The AI can be inconsistent, with friendly operatives sometimes failing to follow commands effectively, leading to frustrating mission failures.
  • Graphics and controls feel dated, which may deter new players accustomed to modern FPS mechanics.
  • The game can be punishingly difficult, with one or two shots resulting in death, which may not appeal to all players.
  • story
    916 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield" is largely a backdrop for the tactical gameplay, revolving around counter-terrorism missions that often involve hostage rescues and bomb disarmament. While the narrative is considered generic and somewhat implausible, it serves to frame the game's focus on meticulous mission planning and execution, where players must strategize to minimize casualties among their operatives, who face permanent death if lost. Overall, the game emphasizes tactical depth over a compelling storyline, with players finding satisfaction in the planning and successful execution of complex missions.

    • “Pulling off a mission with zero casualties is so satisfying, especially after all the effort in figuring out the planning phase and how tense the combat can get.”
    • “Planning your missions carefully and finishing a mission without casualties is an amazing feeling that I, being part of the COD generation, had never experienced from a shooter.”
    • “The mission pre-planning is simply amazing with all the gear and operator options you have at your disposal.”
    • “For a general loop for the game you'll get a mission and run down with some random military gibberish where basically there are terrorists and they need to be stopped (it's Tom Clancy, there's not going to be anything interesting and if you try you'll just get weird awkward western military propaganda that's better suited to a game that needs an excuse for shooting rather than a deeper meaning such as this game).”
    • “That coupled with the fact that once a team member gets killed they stay dead for the rest of the campaign makes the game an absolute chore to play through having to restart each mission 100 times until you've memorized every enemy position and got lucky enough to not get shot.”
    • “The story is largely implausible and irrelevant and cutscenes are so few as to mean you probably take little interest in the story.”
  • gameplay
    326 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield is praised for its tactical depth and planning mechanics, offering a unique experience that remains engaging despite its dated graphics and some clunky controls. Players appreciate the slow, methodical approach that emphasizes strategy over action, although the AI can be inconsistent and some mechanics feel underutilized. Overall, the game is considered a classic in the tactical shooter genre, providing a rewarding challenge for those who enjoy careful planning and execution in gameplay.

    • “The gameplay alone is unlike most of what came after.”
    • “Rainbow Six 3 offers tactical gameplay that remains one of the best in the genre, despite its age.”
    • “This game is an amazing tactical first-person shooter with gameplay and graphics that still hold up today, and even better, the multiplayer still works and is still populated.”
    • “Although new mechanics allow for more pathfinding and maneuverability, such as the ability to open windows for more vantage points or the implementation of small crawlspaces, the triggers for these mechanics are seldom implemented; each is used on a single level throughout the entire campaign before being completely forgotten by the devs, then reintroduced in the expansions only for the exact same thing to happen.”
    • “Some important mechanics have become more streamlined, whilst others have been completely butchered or just straight up removed.”
    • “This game just labels itself as a 'tactical' shooter, but has none of the mechanics that allow it to be played as such.”
  • graphics
    214 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of this game, released in 2003, are generally considered dated but were impressive for their time, with many reviewers noting that they still hold up reasonably well today. While some players find the visuals lacking compared to modern standards, the core gameplay remains engaging and enjoyable, often overshadowing the graphical limitations. Additionally, a thriving modding community offers enhancements that can modernize the visual experience, making it more appealing to contemporary audiences.

    • “The graphics show their age, but the level design and environments are well-detailed, and the rendering details are a bit more improvised in the expansion packs.”
    • “Despite the dated graphics, this game is simply the best tactical shooter from the good old times of Ubisoft.”
    • “The graphics are decent enough, and the gameplay is fun and addicting.”
    • “The graphics show their age, but the level design and environments are well-detailed and the rendering details are a bit more improvised in the expansion packs.”
    • “It does make a few minor improvements over the previous titles, such as resolving the ladder situation and adding the ability to switch characters, but every other improvement seems to be mostly visual, and said visuals don’t even hold up very well in the modern era.”
    • “From my point of view, this game is very fun and has aged well; it definitely shows its age with bad graphics and some other minor primitive features, but there are mods that modernize the game.”
  • music
    42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in this game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and tension, with a soundtrack that effectively complements the gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the eerie ambiance and motivating scores, noting that the music plays a crucial role in signaling danger and immersing players in the game's world. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, often described as phenomenal and a significant improvement over more recent titles in the series.

    • “The music really sets the mood for what difficulties you are going to face.”
    • “The musical score is phenomenal!”
    • “The music often chimes in as an alert when you enter a 'hot' zone to help you, and you do need to pay attention to the audio for enemy movements to signal their approach, particularly on the levels requiring total stealth - although these levels worked less well than the rest of the game, but happily there are few of these moments.”
    • “The feeling of the late 1990s and still cold-war-era haunted world also resonates in the soundtrack, which does not push itself into the foreground, but instead underlines the gripping atmosphere.”
    • “This is not Rogue Spear, I want it to play the sad music when one of my dudes dies, just like in Rogue Spear.”
  • replayability
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, driven by its diverse arsenal of weapons, tactical gameplay, and various mission types, including terrorist hunts and hostage rescues. Players can experiment with different strategies, difficulty levels, and playstyles, enhancing the challenge and engagement. Even years after its release, it remains a top choice for players seeking endless replay value through authentic player choice and cooperative gameplay.

    • “The game has tons of replay value; once you complete a mission, you're able to use that map for things like terrorist hunt, hostage rescue, and so forth.”
    • “Because of that challenge, this game is imbued with replay value. Beating the game on each difficulty, then without casualties on each difficulty, is the best one has for replay value, along with terrorist hunt, of course.”
    • “There is a lot of replayability as well: you can follow a premade plan, just rush it as a lone wolf or with the team, make up your own strategy for the map, and even spectate everything while your team just follows orders.”
    • “With its high but fair challenge rating, this game would not really have replay value, so it's honestly just a plus.”
    • “I forgot about the replayability of this game; the different ways you can attack the maps, sending your teams to breach and clear, controlling all your players, and setting waypoints and orders.”
    • “There is a lot of replayability as well: you can follow a premade plan, rush it as a lone wolf or with the team, make up your own strategy for the map, and even spectate everything while your team just follows orders.”
  • stability
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is frequently criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs, crashes, and glitches that hinder gameplay, particularly with AI behavior and mission execution. While the game runs smoothly at high frame rates, issues such as screen freezes during planning and crashes related to specific effects make it frustrating at times. Overall, despite its stability problems, many players still find the game enjoyable and playable, often suggesting that mods can help alleviate some of the issues.

    • “The game itself runs great; I consistently get 180+ fps at 144Hz/2560x1440p.”
    • “The maps are wide, open, and not buggy at all.”
    • “Using Windows 10 (I don't know how the other Windows work) terribly buggy, can't finish missions without crashes due to things like night vision/flash grenades and other effects. Even when I die, the game will crash... really amazing game though, if it works it's probably 9.9/10.”
    • “Buggy as hell and at times very frustrating.”
    • “The enemies are psychic, your allies are the regular variety. There are a bunch of weird glitches like planning mode options breaking and soldiers going off their code. The stealth mission is impossible to do without cheesing it with the heartbeat radar, and some missions towards the end of the game require you to instantly kill everyone vaguely in the area really quickly lest they destroy the objective (they will sense you through doors).”
  • humor
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is largely derived from its janky mechanics and poor AI, leading to amusing situations and failures during gameplay. Players find the outdated narrative and ragdoll physics particularly funny, often laughing at the absurdity of their in-game actions and the comical outcomes. Overall, while the game may not have aged well, it still provides a source of entertainment through its unintentional humor.

    • “Ragdolls are sometimes hilarious.”
    • “It's so funny to see each attempt most undoubtedly end in failure.”
    • “And ragdolls look funny nowadays, just crashing onto the floor.”
  • optimization
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players experiencing significant stuttering and performance issues, even when using workarounds like dgvoodoo. While there are some community-created patches and tweaks available to enhance performance and fix multiplayer issues, many users feel that the game is ultimately unoptimized, leading to frustration and disappointment. Overall, the lack of smooth gameplay detracts from the otherwise enjoyable experience.

    • “They host mod files to fix the multiplayer, enhance game performance, and add maps.”
    • “Install the all R6 multiplayer patch from Mod DB and then install the optimization patch and set your internet to T3 and enter the IP of the server you want to join.”
    • “Great game, good fun if everything runs smoothly and no one dies; you actually have to use some brain cells unlike most other games.”
    • “If you do just so happen, the game is not optimized and it will be a waste of money, which is why I have to give a thumbs down on this beautiful game.”
    • “There's a workaround using dgvoodoo, but that causes horrible stuttering.”
    • “There are some tweaks available via modified files when you encounter stuttering during gameplay.”
  • emotional
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is described as both heart-wrenching and impactful, evoking feelings of nostalgia and connection, particularly in relation to personal experiences. While some players find it deeply moving and unique, others express frustration with external factors affecting the game's community. Overall, the game elicits a strong emotional response, blending moments of heartbreak with a sense of camaraderie.

    • “It's heart-wrenching without being totally unfair.”
    • “There will never be another game like this, and it is absolutely heartbreaking.”
    • “This game is a nice wholesome game.”
  • grinding
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, describing it as excessively time-consuming and tedious, often requiring a significant investment of time to progress. Many feel that the game has become more pay-to-win (p2w) and that the focus on content has detracted from essential gameplay features, leading to a lack of satisfaction in the grinding experience.

    • “But as the skins and operators got weirder and weirder, as the game became more grindy and more pay-to-win, as the cheater problem was ignored over and over again, as they decided to build the game wide with more content instead of building it tall with very important features that Rainbow Six 3 has.”
    • “It's essentially just a tedious exercise in trial and error that is not satisfying in any way.”
    • “- but tedious, AI operatives expose themselves while opening doors and throwing grenades.”
  • monetization
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for its numerous microtransactions and the prohibition of modding, which limits player customization. While some players appreciate the potential for increased replay value through mods that add features like ads and iron sights, the overall sentiment leans towards dissatisfaction with the monetization model.

    • “Of course, no unlocks or microtransactions, a better age.”
    • “No ads without mods.”
    • “Dozens of microtransactions, modding is prohibited.”
    • “Of course no unlocks, microtransactions, a better age.”
    • “-dozens of microtransactions, modding is prohibited.”
    • “Big suggestion if you are planning on playing this game, try to get your hands on the Raven Shield 2.0 mod for this game, which adds a lot of features like ads and higher quality models.”
  • atmosphere
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is heavily influenced by a late 1990s, cold-war-era setting, complemented by a subtle yet effective soundtrack that enhances the immersive experience. Reviewers appreciate the well-thought-out presentation and motivating music, noting that it creates a gripping and enjoyable environment for tactical gameplay. Overall, it is regarded as one of the best single-player tactical shooters, offering hours of engaging atmosphere.

    • “The feeling of the late 1990s and still cold-war-era haunted world also resonates in the soundtrack, which does not push itself into the foreground, but instead underlines the gripping atmosphere.”
    • “The music is motivating, the setting and atmosphere is well thought out and though serious the presentation is fun.”
    • “In summary, still the best single-player tactical shooter I have played ever (maybe a bit on par with SWAT 4), for the price it will give you so many hours of great tactical gameplay and atmosphere.”
    • “The feeling of the late 1990s and the cold-war-era haunted world resonates in the soundtrack, which does not push itself into the foreground, but instead underlines the gripping atmosphere.”
    • “The music is motivating, the setting and atmosphere are well thought out, and though serious, the presentation is fun.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The character development in the game is praised for its realism and authenticity, with players highlighting the impact of gameplay mechanics such as permanent squad mate deaths and the deliberate pace of weapon switching. This attention to detail enhances the overall immersion, making it challenging for players to return to other first-person shooters after experiencing its depth.

    • “The character development in this game evokes a sense of realism and authenticity, from its character design to the architecture and the consequences of normal gameplay. With no regenerating health, weapons that take a moment to switch between, and permanently dead squad mates, it creates a unique experience that makes it hard to return to other first-person shooters after spending 40 hours playing and replaying the campaign and custom missions.”

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