Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Vegas

About

In Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Vegas, players lead a team of elite operatives in a battle against terrorists in Las Vegas. The game features tactical squad-based shooting, where strategy and teamwork are crucial for success. With a variety of weapons, customizable characters, and a thrilling storyline, Rainbow Six Vegas offers an immersive and challenging gaming experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Vegas screenshot

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 883 reviews

story66 positive mentions

optimization4 negative mentions

Engaging tactical gameplay that encourages strategic planning and teamwork.
Variety of weapons and customization options enhance the combat experience.
The game still holds up visually and offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the series.

Poor AI behavior can lead to frustrating gameplay, with teammates often failing to follow commands effectively.
The checkpoint system is punishing, often forcing players to replay long sections after dying.
Multiplayer servers are no longer available, limiting the game's replayability and cooperative experience.

story
236 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
61%
11%
The story of the game is generally viewed as mediocre, with many players finding it simplistic and lacking depth, often feeling disconnected from the characters and plot. While some appreciate the action-driven narrative and the tactical gameplay, others criticize the abrupt ending and the need for a sequel to complete the story. Overall, the narrative is seen as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a compelling element in its own right.
- “The story is wonderful, very compelling and intriguing - very Tom Clancy-ish.”
- “The story has a simple structure: you play as Logan Keller, a Rainbow Six agent, in order to stop Irena Morales, a terrorist.”
- “Despite a slow start, the story picks up with intense action later.”
- “The story is not very interesting and I could not follow it completely, but it is not very complicated.”
- “The story ends a bit abruptly and evidently isn't complete without the sequel.”
- “The story is very rudimentary, dull, and it has one of the worst endings I’ve seen put in a video game.”
gameplay
182 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
57%
9%
The gameplay of "Rainbow Six: Vegas" is characterized by its tactical shooting mechanics, allowing players to command AI allies while navigating through immersive environments. While the game retains some core elements of tactical gameplay, it has been criticized for its linearity, outdated graphics, and inconsistent mechanics, leading to a mixed reception regarding its depth and replayability. Despite these issues, many players still find the gameplay enjoyable and engaging, particularly for its time, with a solid cover system and a variety of weapons.
- “Rainbow Six: Vegas represents a pinnacle in the evolution of Rainbow Six gameplay at the time, delivering an outstanding tactical shooter experience that remains timeless.”
- “The mechanics are excellent, with cover-based combat and the team command system; this game is about as intuitive as it gets.”
- “Great for its unique gameplay, involving managing tactics for a small team and a great cover system.”
- “The game has always been plagued by Ubisoft's incompetence in regards to bugs that were never addressed as well as god awful game mechanics.”
- “Gameplay feels slow, which I know is a strange thing to say about a tactical shooter, only this isn’t really a tactical shooter.”
- “The levels are too long, the checkpoints far and between; the gameplay feels restrictive and there's way too many enemies for just three players to handle.”
graphics
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
53%
19%
The graphics of "Rainbow Six: Vegas" are generally considered dated, reflecting its 2006 release, but many players still find them decent for their time, with some elements holding up well. While the visuals may not impress by modern standards, they were praised for their detail and lighting effects during the game's heyday. Overall, the graphics are a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the nostalgic charm while others note significant shortcomings compared to contemporary titles.
- “For an 18-year-old game, the graphics are top-notch, and I would definitely recommend it for a quick fun adventure as a tactical shooter.”
- “The game's graphics were impressive for its time, featuring detailed environments and realistic lighting effects that showcased the unique location and level design.”
- “Great graphics that still hold up today, awesome tactical gameplay (I recommend you play on realistic).”
- “The graphics are dated now, but the gameplay is still good.”
- “The graphics haven’t aged very well either.”
- “The graphics are the worst compared to COD4, let that sink in.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
58%
13%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the soundtrack for enhancing the atmosphere and tension during combat. While some find it solid and fitting for the game's scenarios, others criticize it as underwhelming or repetitive, particularly in comparison to other titles in the genre. Overall, the audio experience, including sound effects and voice work, contributes positively to immersion, despite some inconsistencies noted in the later stages of the game.
- “The soundtrack helps the dynamic by tensing up whenever you’re in the middle of a heavy shootout and will subtly keep playing in the background as you scout ahead to the next set-piece; it’s great and fits the atmosphere.”
- “The music is very good and fits the situations very well.”
- “That said, the soundtrack is pretty good, as far as FPS soundtracks go.”
- “The music is surprisingly bad for a Rainbow Six game, and parts of it sound like it was copied from Rich Ragsdale's work (I didn't see his name in the credits).”
- “The music is fairly minimal and does not really add to things the way it does in Spec Ops: The Line, for example.”
- “Every time I launch, it gets stuck on the 'Powered by Unreal Technology' screen with menu music playing.”
optimization
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
58%
24%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems and after loading multiple maps. While some users report smooth gameplay on modern hardware, others experience crashes and a lack of graphical options, indicating that the game is not well-optimized for PC compared to its console version. Overall, it appears that while the game can run well on capable systems, it suffers from various optimization flaws that detract from the experience.
- “The graphics are to be expected for the time, the performance is incredible - my mid-tier rig can get 300fps.”
- “The game runs smoothly even on a potato PC and has good replayability.”
- “In terms of performance, modern systems handle the game seamlessly.”
- “I can run far more advanced games on my PC with no problem; this is just not optimized at all.”
- “Be aware that the game is absolutely not optimized for modern hardware.”
- “A great game plagued by poor PC optimization; luckily there are people still playing online!”
replayability
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
53%
18%
Replayability in the game is mixed; while some players find enjoyment in the single-player campaign and the Terrorist Hunt mode, which offers varied challenges and strategies, others criticize the linearity and lack of multiplayer options as limiting factors. Co-op play enhances replay value for some, but overall, opinions range from average to high, depending on individual play styles and preferences.
- “Terrorist hunt adds a lot of replayability.”
- “It's very enjoyable and replayable and is where the bulk of the time you spend playing the game will end up.”
- “It's got some good replay value because there's multiple ways you can take your objective, one time breaching explosively through the door, and the next time coming down through the windows on the side of the building.”
- “I had fun with the singleplayer, but because of the rather linear nature, there is not too much replay value here.”
- “There are multiple factors for this: the game is largely a tier-shooter similar to Call of Duty mixed in with Gears of War cover mechanics, insanely high body count, and short length without any replay value.”
- “Gone is detailed planning, open-ended replayable missions, coordinating multiple teams, meaningful strategy, and tactics.”
stability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
The game's stability is generally mixed, with users reporting a range of glitches and occasional crashes, particularly on Windows 10. While some players experienced minor graphical issues and freezing, others noted that the game runs well overall, especially at lower resolutions and refresh rates. Despite its age, many found it playable, though it may require some troubleshooting or mods to enhance stability.
- “Even though the game is approaching fifteen years old, it looks amazing, runs great, and has a great story!”
- “Especially with all the glitches and periodic crashes.”
- “Buggy mess on Windows 10.”
- “It freezes randomly and unfreezes after ctrl+alt+delete-ing out and alt+tabbing back in.”
monetization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
7%
85%
The monetization aspect of the game is generally viewed positively, as players appreciate the absence of a battle pass and microtransactions, allowing for an enjoyable experience without additional costs. However, the game is criticized for its overwhelming presence of advertisements, particularly for Axe body spray, which some players feel detracts from the overall experience and gives it a "cash grab" vibe. Additionally, the gameplay mechanics, such as slow aiming and reloading, are seen as frustrating, further complicating the enjoyment of the game.
- “This game is so much fun; in the first mission, all the guns are unlocked, and there are no battle passes or annoying microtransactions.”
- “It had a shorter dulled storyline of 'what was happening off the strip' that didn't keep me playing; I wanted to play a game in Vegas, not a side quest cash grab.”
- “I can assume that even this game could have fans - those who like to overcome the complexities of clumsy game design, those who were bitten by the aggressive advertisement at the time of release, and, most notably, those who liked cooperative game options.”
- “Also, the game is littered with advertisements for Axe body spray.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it both hilarious and annoying, particularly due to character animations and dialogue. The interactions, AI quirks, and environmental design contribute to a fun experience, while the dynamic banter among enemies adds to the comedic elements. Overall, the humor is characterized by a blend of self-confidence and absurdity, making for an entertaining, if sometimes inconsistent, comedic experience.
- “The character models still hold up after almost 18 years, but you can tell the game was made for 30 fps because at uncapped, the heads of the characters vibrate like bobbleheads, which is both hilarious and annoying when in cover.”
- “It's always a mixture of extreme self-confidence, humor, and then the failings of the AI as you kill yet another one of their buddies who runs out from cover.”
- “+ The dynamic chit-chat between enemies is hilarious.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The game's atmosphere is significantly enhanced by a dynamic and tense soundtrack that intensifies during combat and maintains immersion during exploration. The developers effectively blend captivating music with engaging gameplay elements, making companions feel relevant and useful rather than mere background characters. Overall, the atmosphere is immersive and well-crafted, contributing to the game's overall tension and excitement.
- “The soundtrack helps the dynamic by tensing up whenever you’re in the middle of a heavy shootout and will subtly keep playing in the background as you scout ahead to the next set-piece; it’s great and fits the atmosphere.”
- “Soundtrack is alright, giving a tense atmosphere every time you get in combat.”
- “The soundtrack is alright, giving a tense atmosphere every time you get into combat.”
- “The developers mixed the game's atmosphere with a captivating and, at times, intense score, enhancing the immersion.”
- “Unlike some games where the comrades who accompany you are irrelevant beyond atmosphere, these characters are pretty resilient and useful.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, noting it can feel tedious and punishing, particularly in third-person shooters where low time to kill exacerbates the need for repetitive gameplay. Many feel that grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment and flow of the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “This is always my least favorite part of third-person shooters, as punishment by being forced to wait to play the actual game again is always tedious, and it happens even more in this game due to the low time to kill.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
Reviews indicate that the game suffers from a lack of meaningful character development, with many players feeling that the story is forgettable and fails to capitalize on opportunities for deeper character exploration, despite the unique character designs and engaging gameplay options.
- “The character designs were unique, and many games today still miss these playable options.”
- “The story and the online game modes contributed significantly to the overall character development experience.”
- “The story is truly forgettable, and they missed a lot of opportunities for character development in how long this 8-hour campaign was stretched out.”