Rainbow Six Vegas is not like a typical shooter; it mandates the use of tactics, rather than a simple linear shoot and dodge technique. The game makes this evident with the introduction of the OPA (Observe, Plan and Attack) technique. In one of the video demonstrations at E3, OPA was used in as follows during the scene: During the entrance to a room that was occupied by terrorists and hostages, you were able to use a spy camera, much like most Rainbow Six titles, and order your team members to hold position at one door while you would flanked the terrorists from another entrance. What also accentuated the intuitiveness of the OPA concept was a new feature of being able to “tag” your enemy targets. This gives your team mates the task of picking off the targets as their primary goals, while you are able to focus your attentions onto something else.
The new technological advances in terms of both enemy and allied Artificial Intelligence should really be something to check out once you get your hands on the game. If you encounter a computer controlled entity, they will not merely pass you. Instead they will work together to form plans, and try to flank you in the same manner you would them, with complete team cooperation.
Of course there are also the multiplayer modes in Rainbow Six Vegas too, most of which will feature a new coop mode, campaign based or not, as well as a split screen mode, and of course a Xbox Live mode. In addition, the game will be able to use the Xbox Live Vision camera that will debut this fall. The primary purpose of the camera will be to mask your face onto your unique multiplayer character, creating a whole new level of social interaction amongst players on Live.
Like most of its predecessors, Rainbow Six Vegas looks promising and extremely realistic. With brilliant AI, the beautiful scenery of Las Vegas city, resounding game play, and a chokehold story, we might have a winner for this holiday season.
Rainbow Six Vegas is expected to be in stores late 2006.
