Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2

Rainbow Six Vegas 2 (RSV2) is the seventh installment in the Rainbow Six series (nineteenth including expansions). It is a tactical first person shooter video game and the sequel to Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas. It was announced by Ubisoft on November 20, 2007. The game was released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on March 18, 2008 in North America and March 20, 2008 in Europe, except in Germany, where the game was delayed.^[7][8][9] The Microsoft Windows version, however, was delayed until April 15, 2008.^[2] It was released in Japan on April 24, 2008 for the Xbox 360^[10] and on May 29, 2008 for the PlayStation 3.^[11]

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2
Developer(s)	Ubisoft Montreal[3]
Publisher(s)	Ubisoft
Composer(s)	Paul Haslinger
Series	Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six
Engine	Unreal Engine 3 Havok
Platform(s)	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows
Release	PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 Microsoft Windows April 15, 2008[2]
Genre(s)	Tactical shooter, first person shooter
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer

A world-exclusive first-look of the game appeared in the January, 2008 edition of the Official Xbox Magazine. It was announced that Logan Keller, the lead character from the previous game, had been removed in favor of having the player create his or her own character to play through the campaign. The player assumes the role of "Bishop", a member of the Rainbow squad with a great deal more experience who has a deeper involvement in the story.

The game, billed as "part sequel, part prequel", has events that run both before and concurrently to the story of Logan Keller and continue after where the first game concluded.^[12][13] In addition to the ability to customize a character in multiplayer, the player can now customize Bishop, Vegas 2's new protagonist. In single-player, the developers claim to have vastly improved teammate AI, so that now teammates cover each other as they advance. There are also several new commands, for example, the ability of a teammate to throw a grenade at a specific point. It is also possible to give commands to one's AI teammates using the Xbox 360 or Playstation 3 headset.

Single-player

Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 is the first game in the series to feature a boss battle.

Multiplayer

The multiplayer in Tom Clancy’s , and according to Ubisoft, improved online matchmaking. The experience point (XP) system is different than the old Vegas, for every kill achieved . The gained XP results in rewards the player with new equipment. Players also receive bonuses from the A.C.E.S combat system based on achieving face and make him/herself the playable character. A camera can also be used in the PC version as well to create a playable character.

Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 (Fan pack)^[14] includes three new maps (CQB-Dark, Murdertown-Dark, and the return of Calypso Casino) from the first Rainbow

Co-op

Previous Rainbow Six games up to Lockdown supported eight human players on the PC in co-op mode, while Rainbow Six: Vegas reduced co-op from eight human players to four human players. Although Terrorist Hunt mode retains the four human player limit (online only), the story mode in Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 has reduced co-op from four players to two players, with the second player assuming the position of Knight, Bishop's teammate.

Weapons

Submachine Guns

• Heckler & Koch MP5N
• Brugger & Thomet MP9
• Ingram MAC-11
• Heckler & Koch UMP45
• FN P90
• Heckler & Koch MP7A1
• Škorpion vz. 83
• QCW-05 (Type 05)
• Steyr AUG Para

Light Machine Guns

• M249 Special Purpose Weapon
• Heckler & Koch HK21E
• Heckler & Koch MG36
• M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (MK 46 MOD 0)

Assault Rifles

• SIG SG 552
• Heckler & Koch G36C
• FN SCAR-H
• IMI Tavor TAR-21
• FAMAS
• AK-47
• Steyr AUG A3
• AKS-74U
• Barrett M468
• Heckler & Koch G3KA4
• Heckler & Koch XM8
• FN FNC
• SA80 (L85A2)

Sniper Rifles

• SR-25
• Steyr Scout
• SV-98
• M40A1
• Heckler & Koch PSG-1
• L96 Arctic Warfare

Shotguns

• Remington 870
• Benelli M3
• Franchi SPAS-12
• M26 Modular Accessory Shotgun System
• Mossberg 500

Sidearms

• Walther P99
• Heckler & Koch USP
• Heckler & Koch Mark 23
• Desert Eagle
• Beretta 92FS
• Glock 18C
• Taurus Raging Bull

Miscellaneous

• M67 grenade
• C-4 (explosive)
• Breaching charge
• Flashbang
• Smoke grenade
• White Phosphorus

Setting

The setting for the game initially begins in Pic des Pyréneés, France, in 2005. (This is a fictional location: the only mountain top with an observatory in the Pyrenees is the Pic du Midi de Bigorre). Although the story promptly moves five years forward to Las Vegas, United States of America on July 2, 2010, the same day of Logan Keller's arrival to Las Vegas in Rainbow Six: Vegas. Terrorists have seized control of Las Vegas to instill widespread panic in both the public as well as law enforcement agencies, such as the National Security Agency, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Rainbow, as well as the local SWAT. As the plot unfolds, however, the setting moves away from Las Vegas to other places, such as a small town in Nevada, unlike in the first Rainbow Six: Vegas, which was mainly in Las Vegas.

Characters

• Bishop

Bishop is the main protagonist that the player controls and guides throughout the events of Rainbow Six: Vegas 2. His/her appearance and gender vary, depending on the intended look by the player. Either way, Bishop is still called "sir" in the game. He/she is a high-ranking veteran of the Rainbow organization, and is an instructor at the organization's training academy when the game first begins. Bishop is referred five years after the first mission in the French Alps, Bishop returns from retirement as the team leader of Jung and Michaels . Bishop and Chavez are old friends and served together in the Army.

• Knight

If co-op mode is enabled, Knight accompanies Bishop on missions, whose appearance also varies depending on how the player desires him/her to look. His/her role, however, is limited as merely a co-op player, and unlike some games, such as Gears of War, Knight is not critical to the single player campaign's story, as elaborated on the Eurogamer review. Playing as Knight also allows the player to unlock co-op achievements.

• Gabriel Nowak

The game's main antagonist, a traitorous former Rainbow operative revealed as a mole in Rainbow Six: Vegas. Though cunning and ambitious, Nowak's gung-ho recklessness earns him the disrespect of fellow teammates, ultimately leading to Bishop passing him up for promotion in favor of Logan, which therefore leads to Nowak betraying the Rainbow organization with the assistance of big-time terrorist ringleaders. Nowak betrays more Rainbow operatives in Vegas 2, mainly by posing falsely as an NSA agent, helping Bishop along the way for some of the campaign while actually putting Bishop in a state of danger, in order to kill him/her, which fails. Bishop eventually kills him in a final showdown at a villa in Costa Rica. Gabriel felt that Bishop was not letting him be all he could be.

• Logan Keller

The main protagonist in Rainbow Six: Vegas, Keller is seen in the opening level of the game, under Bishop's command along with Gabriel Nowak. Keller demonstrates a formidable sense of close-quarters combat (CQB), with realistic analyses of certain hostage situations and how to eliminate the opposition in an effective and concise manner. He is later seen during Bishop's showdown with Nowak near the end of the game. Logan is seen quoting Bishop's teachings at the last level, implying his respect towards Bishop (to which Bishop replied, "Who said that horse shit?").

• Jung Park

A character of South Korean nationality, Jung Park’s natural proficiency for computers drove him to serve his mandatory term in the ROK Army immediately after graduation. Park’s high scores on electronics screening made him eligible for entry into the 1st Anti-Guerrilla Group. For two years, Park served as part of the 15th Security Battalion’s signals unit. In 2004, Park received a transfer to the ROK Army’s 5th Special Forces Brigade (Airborne). During his time as a Black Dragon, Park earned top marksmanship decorations in every long-range category, as well as SCUBA and parachute qualifications. After three years with the 5th SFB, Park volunteered for the 707th Special Mission Battalion, South Korea’s elite counter-terrorist and quick-reaction unit. During a joint training mission with SAS and 1st SFOD-D, Park caught Ding Chavez’s eye for his mix of electronics and combat expertise. When Park’s two year term with the 707th concluded, he was immediately invited to join Rainbow.

• Michael Walters

Michael Walter’s three year tour in 40 Commando Royal Marines included the military evacuation of British nationals from the Democratic Republic of Congo and active operations in West Belfast.

• Domingo "Ding" Chavez / Six

Domingo Chavez a.k.a., Rainbow Six (USA; ex-United States Army Ranger, CIA, former leader of Rainbow Team 2). Chavez was promoted to Rainbow's Director in Rainbow Six: Critical Hour. He commanded Alpha Team in 2005 at the Píc des Pyreneés, France.

• Sharon Judd

Sharon Judd fills the role of Joanna Torres as Bishop's intelligence officer, as Torres is Logan Keller's intelligence officer in the previous game. Later on in the game, she is shot and critically wounded by a terrorist sniper while dropping Bishop and his team off on the roof of an expensive Las Vegas hotel, the same hotel in which Echo Team is later killed in an explosion.

Plot

Act I:

The game begins in 2005, one year before the bioterrorist events of Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield. Rainbow deploys Bishop to a science observatory in Píc des Pyreneés, France for an operation in which EU hostages must be rescued. Under his leadership are Logan Keller and Gabriel Nowak; Nowak and Keller have recently joined Rainbow, according to Ding Chavez/Six, who refers to them as recruits.

Monroe, the negotiator, plans to talk to the terrorists in-person, effectively distracting their attention while Rainbow’s Alpha and Bravo teams on the operation get into place. Bishop, who is in control of Bravo, takes Keller and Nowak to their assigned position and waits for Alpha to get in place. However, before Alpha arrives, Nowak exclaims 'Fuck it,' after one of the terrorist started pointing a rifle at a hostage and fires prematurely. Bishop is then forced to fire onto the terrorists, but Monroe is killed by collateral gunfire from the terrorists who panicked when Nowak first opened fire.

Six then radios in, giving Bishop Alpha’s sit-rep, but Bishop responds by saying that the situation “...is over, but Monroe is dead. We need to talk.” Nowak attempts to apologize for what he has done, but Bishop retorts back, “Not now!” In the PC and Xbox 360 versions, Bishop responds differently, saying "Save it. We'll have a talk later."

Six then tells Bishop that there are terrorists scrambling to escape and that Bishop needs to neutralize them. He also informs Bishop that there is a bomb that needs to be defused. When Bishop arrives, Nowak is assigned to defuse the bomb, and per Nowak’s request, Bishop and Keller distance themselves to give Nowak “space” to work with. The bomb is successfully defused, but terrorists open fire on Nowak. Nowak falls, and starts to scream helplessly into the radio: “You knew this would happen! You set me up out here!” Bishop assures him that they are not leaving him behind. Rainbow operatives from Alpha team then arrive and quell the situation, getting Nowak to his feet, just as the level ends.

Act II:

The game then moves five years forward to 2010 in Las Vegas. Bishop is now in a modified Eurocopter Panther with Jung Park and Michael Walters. Six briefs Bishop on their upcoming mission via secure satellite video: the National Security Agency (NSA) suspects two coyotes (“people smugglers”), Miguel and Alvarez Cabreros, have smuggled chemical weapons from Mexico into Vegas and would want Bishop’s (new) team to seize the weapons as soon as their undercover agent can confirm this. Six also informs Bishop that Logan Keller is also running a concurrent operation in Mexico, an event that occurs during the first Vegas game. The identity of the undercover agent however is compromised and the team is unable to rescue him in time. As the Cabreros are now alerted to their presence Bishop's team immediately rushes to the warehouse which the NSA believes the Cabreros' have been running their operation from, only to find that hostages are being held at gunpoint by the terrorists. Despite NSA deputy director Lawrence's insistence for the team to stop a van that may be carrying the chemical bomb, Bishop decides that the hostages must take priority.

Act III:

After a quick rescue, Bishop learns from the hostages that in addition to the chemical bomb there is a second bomb made of explosives. The team then goes to a recreational facility where the suspect van is located. Upon reaching the facility and securing the area, Walters searches the van but is unable to find the bomb. Bishop's team frantically searches the nearby area but gets to the actual bomb site, a Las Vegas sports stadium, too late. The bomb goes off, just as Walters attempts to break through the door to the stadium. He blames himself for not saving the trapped hostages, but Bishop accepts full responsibility, saying "I made the call. Not you."

Sharon Judd, the on-site intelligence officer (similar to Joanna Torres' role in the first Vegas game) then notifies Bishop that he and his team need to catch the younger Cabrero brother, Miguel, who has disguised himself as a hazmat official and escaped the area. In a chase for Miguel, Bishop eliminates all of the terrorists protecting him, leaving Miguel vulnerable to on-the-spot interrogation, specifically as to what happened to the second bomb. The brother at first denies any knowledge of the bomb, but after Michael aims his gun at him and Bishop threatens to tell his brother Alvarez that he betrayed their plan, Miguel confesses the location (albeit vague description), but immediately draws a pistol to shoot Bishop, who is forced to shoot before Miguel could kill him.

Act IV:

The team sets out to rescue the security chief of the Las Vegas Convention Center, during which they learn that the Cabrero's have been working with Irena Morales, the main antagonist in the first Vegas game. The rescued hostage then tells Bishop that the bomb is located on a monorail headed towards the hotels. Bishop's team neutralises the terrorists guarding the bomb, but Walters is unable to disable the remote access of the bomb after stopping the countdown. Bishop cleverly suggests that the bomb can be detonated, just not in a civilian area, ultimately fulfilling both NSA Deputy Director Lawrence's order to "get rid of the bomb" as well as Six (Ding Chavez)'s order, "Rainbow's ultimate objective is to protect civilians." At this point, Bishop is contacted by an NSA agent, who tells him that the terrorists have set up in a Las Vegas penthouse for more attacks.

Act V:

Bishop heads over to the penthouse, with Six also deploying the Echo team to provide him with more support on the opposite side of the building. However when Bishop's team tries to land on the roof, a sniper shoots Sharon Judd and wounds her critically, despite the NSA agent's earlier information that the roof was clear. Bishop's team initially meets heavy resistance in the penthouse, while Echo team reports the terrorists seem to have already cleared out on their side. This is soon revealed to be an ambush, as the Echo team is killed in a sudden bomb explosion.

In an ensuing casino battle with terrorists, Bishop rescues many civilian hostages, leading to a revelation that there is yet another bomb held in a Chinese theater, protected by highly armed terrorists. Walters successfully defuses the bomb. Rushing to the roof for extraction the team is yet again assaulted by more terrorists, in the aftermath of the firefight, Bishop is then contacted stating Logan's team has been captured in Mexico and Park and Walters are to be his replacements (start of Rainbow Six: Vegas), and for Bishop to return to base.

Act VI:

On the roof the NSA agent joins Bishop in the helicopter at extraction saying that Alvarez has been spotted in an airstrip in the desert. Seeing that it is too dangerous to let Alvarez escape, Bishop rushes over to confront Alvarez personally.

The helicopters arrive at an oil-refinery close to the airstrip's position. But due to heavy resistance at the airstrip, Bishop is forced to make his way down from the oil-refinery. He is dropped in on a roof of a gas station while the NSA agent is dropped in a different location to provide Bishop with intelligence on the surrounding situation. Bishop is then forced to fight alone, making his way through the refinery and into an abandoned train-yard. When Bishop finally reaches the refinery's airstrip, where he finds the NSA agent talking with Alvarez in a glass room. The NSA agent is revealed to be Gabriel Nowak (Bishop did not recognise him earlier because Nowak was wearing a balaclava), who shoots and kills Alvarez. He then insults Bishop before terrorists appear to kill him. With help from Gary Kenyon, Bishop's helicopter pilot from earlier, Bishop escapes from the airstrip.

Act VII:

Six orders Bishop to stand down, however, Bishop, Jung, and Walters follow Gabriel to a Costa Rican villa, ignoring Six's orders. After more fighting, Logan and other Rainbow operatives arrive to assist Bishop's team. Gabriel insults Bishop throughout the level, before revealing that he was going to sell information about all Rainbow operatives to terrorists. Bishop then goes to face Gabriel alone; however, an attack helicopter and more of Gabriel's terrorists attack. By repeatedly shooting and damaging it, Bishop manages to trick the helicopter into radioing for assistance, which lets Joanna Torres, Keller's intelligence officer, target the helicopter and shoot it down. Finally, Gabriel and Bishop meet face to face, with Gabriel gloating that he outsmarted all of Rainbow, and arguing that Bishop should have let him fix his own mistakes, including what happened in France. Gabriel draws his gun, forcing Bishop to shoot first with his pistol, while Logan and the other Rainbow operatives arrive. Six berates Bishop for disobeying a direct order, but offers him the position as deputy director of Rainbow at Hereford, England.

Differences from previous titles in series

Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 is the first game not to adhere to the standard storyline of the Rainbow Six video game series. Notably, in Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield, which took place in 2005, John Clark held the title of Rainbow Six, though in Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 (flashback in 2005), Ding Chavez carries the title of Rainbow Six.^[15] Previous Rainbow Six games also did not have the presence of a drill instructor, as is manifested into Bishop's role in Vegas 2. In previous games, either Ding Chavez or any member of Rainbow could act as a team leader.

Gabriel Nowak appears in the first Rainbow Six: Vegas as a member of a team led by Logan Keller, and later as a traitor who is "rescued" by Logan at the fictional Dante's Casino, yet this is less than an hour after Bishop discovered Gabriel's true affiliation in Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 at the fictional Oil Refinery in the deserts of Nevada. Travel time between Las Vegas and the deserts of Nevada in Vegas 2 took well over three hours, yet traveling back for Nowak took less than 60 minutes (although a private jet plane is seen in the hangar where his identity is revealed). In addition, even after Gabriel reveals himself as a traitor to Bishop, his treachery inexplicably remains unknown to the rest of Rainbow as Gabriel is then able to return to Dante's Casino and be rescued by Logan who still thinks him loyal to Rainbow. Although this could be explained as Bishop, the only person to know of Gabriel's betrayal up to that point was unconscious.

Rainbow Six: Vegas had no callsigns, though it is important to note that in previous Rainbow Six games, such as Raven Shield, teams were designated as merely "Green", "Red", or "Gold", rather than the traditional "Alpha/Bravo" callsigns used in Vegas 2.

In addition, some characters have changed between Vegas and Vegas 2. In Vegas, Logan speaks with a southern accent, but in Vegas 2 he speaks with a more neutral accent. Also, Nowak has pale skin in Vegas, but in Vegas 2, he has a tan.

Limited Edition

The limited edition for Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 was released on launch day. Differences between the regular and the limited edition include a collectible poker chip keychain, a bonus disc containing a strategy video, an interview with FinestX (a "pro gamer" according to the game box), an MLG insider video containing hints and tips about the online modes, along with a sneak peek into Tom Clancy's EndWar.

In-game advertising

In the single player mission that takes place in the Las Vegas Convention Center and elsewhere throughout the game, there are some real world products and organizations advertised along with many fictional products. This is known as in-game advertising. Some of the real world products advertised in this map are: Dodge, Tropic Thunder, Trojan condoms, Indiana Jones, Major League Gaming, Canadian Forces, The Dark Knight, Battlefield: Bad Company, US Army, Iron Man, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, Far Cry 2, I Am Legend, Comcast, Fringe, Rogers, My Bloody Valentine 3D, Sex Drive, Defiance, Quantum of Solace, 9, and The Final Destination. There is also an arcade game of Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, another highly popular Ubisoft franchise, as well as Prince of Persia. There are also instances of product placement. Furthermore, the communication system used by Rainbow Six to communicate with the player and the team is made by Cisco. In the UK Xbox version of the game, Channel 4's programmes have been seen on billboards.

The game received generally positive reviews from critics. The Xbox 360 version had an average score of 85% based on 18 reviews on the review aggregator Game Rankings,^[25] and on Metacritic had an average score of 84 out of 100, based on 24 reviews.^[26]

The PS3 version had an average score of 86% based on 11 reviews on Game Rankings,^[27] and an average score of 86 out of 100 based on 13 reviews from Metacritic.^[28]

In the March issue of Game Informer Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 was given a review of 9.25 out of 10.^[20]

IGN gave the Xbox 360 version an 8.4^[29] and the PS3 version an 8.2,^[30] where the main criticism was that the game was too similar to the first, and citing slight framerate issues on the PS3 version.

• Platinum Range