Reviews// Rainbow Six Siege

The lack of re-entry into a round has always been a big part of the series, one that will turn some people off. But it does now what it did way back in the Xbox Live early days. It has you on the edge of your seat, especially when you're in a party chat with a few friends.

You'll either be barking instructions at the last man living, or trembling in your boots as your mates scream “He's behind you!” which, funnily enough, is quite fitting around this time. That's only made more intense if you happen to be in a match-point round and within moments you'll either feel like an absolute hero or a total failure.

Either way, there's one thing I've noticed about a game ending in Rainbow Six Siege. You'll be laughing and instantly trying to find another game. Not because of unlocks or ranking up, but because it's just so damn fun.

Terrorist hunt offers a chance to relax a little bit, with you and your team taking on the AI across several scenarios. Sometimes it's defusing a bomb, others it's saving a hostage, but there's always the classic 'wipe out the terrorists' mode to remind you of the good times you spent in Vegas.

Although the enemy AI might not be up to scratch, they hit hard and if you wonder off on your own instead of following the team you can get caught out easily. Every corner is scanned after slowly moving into a room, just in case there's a bad dude behind a chair, and without someone covering your six, you'll soon have a head filled with holes.

Again, though, this might be a side of the game that some players avoid completely. But, for those who want a less competitive experience, it's as fun as it's ever been.

It's not the prettiest of games, but what it lacks in looks it makes up in destructible scenery, and if that's the trade-off we have to make then I'm all for it. The sound design, on the other hand, is up there with the best. Even when you're not in the heat of the battle you can use the echoing explosions from the distance to pinpoint where shit is going down and use it to your advantage.

This is all good news for a game that I was seriously worried about, and should make for an easy recommendation. There are a few things that make me hold back from screaming “Look, just buy it”, though.

Firstly, your enjoyment will be nerfed significantly if you lack friends to play with. Going alone can be alright, but without tactics being discussed over the mic, you feel as though you're missing out.

Thankfully this is a problem most players seem to recognise and the vast majority of the matches I've been in have been filled with similar loners talking on mic to try and win a game through planning and execution. However, it's not enough to replace the camaraderie of mates.

There's also the the overwhelming feeling that Ubisoft isn't satisfied with your initial payment. Adverts for the season pass dominate the menu while micro-transactions offer the player a chance to not only decorate their guns, but buy in-game currency to spend on new operators or gun attachments.

The latter only becomes a problem when you consider how tight it is at handing renown out in-game and how much the operator's value ramps up as you unlock more of them in the same category.

You can't just unlock one and stick with them either, as you can't have more than one specific operator in a team, meaning that if you've only got a couple at your disposal, you might want to be quick to select them before anyone else does, or it's back to old Gary McNoobrecruit for you.

The only other thing that is stopping me from making this my go-to online shooting game is that with so many tactical options on offer, I'd be amazed if there wasn't an exploit somewhere that will be uncovered by the hardcore players.

I've not seen anything that even hints towards a game-breaking oversight yet, but balancing a game like this is incredibly hard and if the slightest advantage is exposed then it might all come tumbling down.

However, if Rainbow Six Siege is as solid as it currently appears to be then this will be considered a classic. Although it's hard to defend its lack of game modes, its high price point and the fact that some may not like the slow pace, it's not hard for me to say that I've absolutely loved what I've played so far. There's no doubt in my mind that I'll be spending a lot of time with it over the next few months or, if Rainbow Six Vegas is anything to go by, years.

Pros:
+ Unique experience
+ Tense, but fun gameplay
+ Keeps you coming back for more

Cons:
- Lack of content
- No single player campaign
- High price point.

SPOnG Score: 8/10