Die Hard Trilogy 2: Viva Las Vegas on the PlayStation marks the last time Las Vegas popped up in an action game, and unfortunately, that game sucks, thanks to bland graphics and terrible gameplay. Fortunately, Ubisoft had much better luck with Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas, a game that not only pays respect to its setting but uses it to create one of the better action experiences on the Xbox 360.

Logan Keller's been having a bad day. As the leader of one of the United States of America's most elite counterterrorist assault teams, he's just seen an operation go bad in the heart of Mexico and things get a lot worse, as terrorists lay siege upon Las Vegas. The plot follows the typical "save the city before it's destroyed" mantra, with a weapon of mass destruction and plenty of baddies making sure it goes off without a hitch. However, the narrative takes a backseat to the superb action.

Rainbow Six Vegas is not your typical run-and-gun shooter, a la Call of Duty. Instead, it relies on tactical advances just as much as it does a swift trigger finger. Players utilize a number of items to help them proceed through the missions, including a snake cam (which can be shoved under doors to see who's on the other side), an overhead map (which clearly marks objectives, hostiles, and friendlies), and a batch of weapons, including smoke grenades (which provide helpful cover). However, it mainly relies on team play. As the leader of a team, it's your objective to lead your squad into tight spots and lay down a suppressing fire on the enemy, all while keeping your amigos (and yourself) in one piece.

The game is far from easy. There are two difficulty levels to choose from -- normal and realistic -- and both provide a hearty challenge. You must carefully maneuver your way through a number of settings, ranging from a highly decorative casino to a hydroelectric dam hidden well within the city. Just running around shooting enemies results in a quick and painful death, as your soldier can only take a few hits before getting squashed. Fortunately, Ubisoft included an awesome cover system. Holding down the left trigger will automatically push your soldier against a wall or behind an object, while still giving them a clear view of the targets that lie ahead. They can either peek out around the corner and take a well-aimed shot (and risk incoming fire), or lay down inaccurate blind fire in the hopes of hitting their target.

The gameplay takes some getting used to, especially if you have more experience with twitchy arcade-style first-person shooters, but patience yields great rewards. The first level, for example, teaches you the necessary tactics. , You can order soldiers to fire or move to a specific location, among other things, thanks to superb controls. The sharp enemy AI will keep you on its toes, adding to the realism. They certainly don't stand out in the open, waiting to be capped. These guys THINK. Fortunately, players can switch off between aggressive and stealth gameplay styles, to try and keep an edge on an opponent.

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