Arnold-KatayevTo no one's surprise, Ubisoft released yet another solid Rainbow Six entry. Rainbow Six Vegas dropped you into a chaotic Las Vegas with terrorists all around, and put you into the role of Bishop. But the end did not come with R6 Vegas, and the story continues with this follow up; simply titled Rainbow Six Vegas 2. Ubisoft is touting many new enhancements and features for the sequel, such as a larger scope, with a larger Las Vegas to explore.
Vegas 2 will once again have you armed as Bishop, and your goal will be to rescue Las Vegas from the terrorist siege it has been placed under. The Montreal team who were responsible for the original Vegas are behind the sequel, so fear not, it has not been handed over to another studio. As mentioned previously, you'll get to explore a larger Las Vegas, but what you should also know is that the time-of-day will change in real-time, from nighttime, to daylight, to dawn.
When you're not staring at the setting/rising sun, you'll be either running and gunning, or killing tactfully. So to arm you properly, Vegas 2 will feature 11 brand new weapons for you to kill some terrorists with. But hey, when weapons just don't satisfy you the same way stealth kills do, you can also put on new camouflage equipment, equip some stealthy gear, and kill silently.
Now, while that's all gravy, with everything you gain comes a balance on the other side. The artificial intelligence has been smartened up, and they now have access to various technology such as thermal vision and night vision, in addition to shields. A.I. will also react differently to each situation, and you'll have to rely more on intel in order to outsmart them.
Customization has become a big thing with games today, so Vegas 2 will offer you the chance to customize your player from the ground up, and have him grow in either campaign or online modes. Furthermore, the benefits you earn from single-player can be used online, and vice-versa. On the topic of multiplayer, there'll be 11 new maps, which are specifically designed to be slightly smaller in order for more heated combat. Two new adversarial modes will be included, more rewards, and an improved matchmaking system. Moreover, Co-op fans will be happy to hear that a second player will be able to join a game instantly with affecting the story, as the campaign and story were created with co-op in mind. Co-operative players will notice that each map has a number of different entry points, all the while with the story unraveling accordingly.
Visually, Rainbow Six Vegas 2 doesn't look much different than the original, but it's not like that's a bad thing – seeing as how the original looked solid. Though with varying time-cycles, that means lighting details will be more enhanced. Furthermore, we expect Ubisoft to iron out framerate and screen tearing issues for the sequel too. Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is essentially complete, as the game is entering its gold stage.
Ubisoft plans to ship the game on March 11th, 2008. Look for it.