Ubisoft invites gamers on a trip to beautiful Las Vegas in its PlayStation 3 shooter, Rainbow Six Vegas, except instead of showering them with poker chips, cheap drinks and prostitutes, it plunges them into a war zone full of slimy terrorists. Numerous firefights ensue, with players moving through casinos, capping bad guys and blowing up slot machines.
For the most part, the PS3 version includes all of the Xbox 360 edition's content, minus rumble and achievements. After a brief stint in (of all places) San Joshua del Mosquiera, Mexico, gamers must lead a counterterrorism unit through Vegas, engaging the enemy in parking lots, rooftops and even inside fictitious casinos. Two soldiers come along for the ride, and players can issue commands in one of four ways. Pressing SELECT makes them stand down, check their weapons or go in guns blazing. Pressing down on the d-pad makes them hold their position or form up. Hitting X near a rappel point or door tells them to rappel or plant demo charges. Finally, aiming the onscreen cursor and tapping X instructs them to move to that location. Everything works smoothly enough, and although these two comrades aren't the smartest kids in the class, they do a nice job at shooting people.
Gamers should enjoy this single player adventure, an entertaining romp that forces them to think. The artificial intelligence, even on the easiest difficulty, makes excellent shots, and it only takes a few bullets to die, thus making strategy very important. Players must assess each situation and effectively utilize cover. Sending teammates to one location while they approach from behind proves effective, as does using the game's snake camera, which discreetly slides underneath doors, allowing gamers to view any oncoming threats. In a cool twist, they control the camera using the motion sensitive SIXAXIS controller, twisting it around to get the best view.
A strong multiplayer component complements the single player campaign, significantly extending the game's replay value. Up to 16 players can wage war across 13 varied environments, killing each other in such locales as the Dam, Library and Calypso Casino. Ten game types await them, including Attack and Defend, Survival (every gamer for him or herself), Team Survival, Assassination (one team leads a VIP while the other seeks to kill him or her) and Team Sharpshooter. Even better, the game allows players to create their own soldier from the ground up, outfitting it with various weapons and equipment. As they play, the soldier evolves, transforming into a more effective killing machine. Furthermore, they'll earn medals depending on their performances and unlock new gear.
Despite the fun that comes from blasting someone in the face, the game sports a strange visual style that somewhat mars the experience. For whatever reason, the developers made everything a bit hazy, as if the main character has blurred vision, which makes spotting enemies difficult.
Regardless, PS3 owners will have a blast (literally) with this intense, thinking person's shooter. Now get online, create a soldier and kick some ass.
Final Score: 8 (out of 10)
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