Rainbow Six Siege for PC is an online tactical shooter game. There is a strong emphasis on environmental destruction and cooperation between players, with each player assuming control of a playing character to defend or attack in each different scenario. These include hostage rescue, bomb defusing, and capturing or defending a control point.
The game got off to a slow start but plenty of downloadable content upgrades, plus the developers ‘game as service model’, since its release have seen any gaps in gameplay, plot and progression get filled in, and it is now known as one of the best games of its type with over 45 million registered players worldwide.
About the game
The player chooses to play as one of the members of the Rainbow teams. There are several to choose from, and each character has different gear and gadgetry, specialised weapons and are even of nationalities. You can play as American, German, Russian, French or British operatives, all in teams of four.
As each team member has different capabilities and gear, teamwork, cooperation and communication between all the players is absolutely vital for successful runs. Tactical thinking starts early and then provides a support throughout the whole game: the most successful missions are those that are carefully planned from the off.
Players can choose their character, make upgrades and perform customisations to weaponry and gadgets, as well as pick spawn/ respawn points: but once the mission has started these choices cannot be undone so players must consider all the information carefully before committing to anything.
Once a battle is initiated, it must run to the end, and players cannot respawn until it is lost or won. Characters killed in the fray, however, can enter Support Mode, and aid their companions remotely as radio support and similar.
What’s the Story?
The White Masks are a terrorist organisation bent on world domination for unknown reasons. Rainbow unit is redeployed, having been dormant for three years, and controlled by Six (voicing and motion capture performed by Angela Bassett).
The teams are assembled and trained, before setting forth on the main mission, the take down of the White Masks after they attack a university (Bartlett University). The players must find their way onto campus, battle through the villains and break the siege to rescue those innocents on the grounds and eradicate the terrorists.
The campaign ends with a huge success, and the end result is that Rainbow Unit is needed for the security of the world. The unit stands ready and able, awaiting the next call to action, whenever it should arise.
Real Feel Sieges and Earning Renown
In order to offer an authentic siege experience, the game developers actually consulted genuine anti-terror units, examining real-life siege scenarios. This is noticeable in the game, with genuine psychological dilemmas presenting themselves to the players – a couple of hours’ gameplay will leave you sweating and breathless!
The in-game currency is ‘reknown’ and it can be used to upgrade weapons and gear, customise characters and to purchase cosmetic touches that will make your character more uniquely yours. It is earned by completing missions, performing tasks and can also be bought with real cash.
Environmental concerns
Players must use their environment to their advantage: shooting holes through walls to weaken them, or planting explosives while on the attack. Defenders need to strengthen walls and raise barriers using barbed wire or laser traps to prevent attackers from breaching into their stronghold.
These actions must be planned before battle commences as there will no be time once everything kicks off.
While tracking through places, the backgrounds are well rendered, with lots of domestic detritus and the odd poignant reminder of former times.
The sound-track is quieter, with muted ambient sounds overlaid with occasional bursts of footsteps and gunshots – this gives a spectral feel to the quiet times, heightening the tension to almost unbearable levels before contact with the enemy allows the suspense to be dispensed with a burst of action.
Ways to Play
Multiplayer
Working in concert with your team members is the overall purpose of the game, and communication and planning are key in getting the whole team working in concert to cover all the bases and make sure objectives are met.
Single player
This is the tutorial level, but offers enough fun and engagement to be a standalone solo game in its own right. ‘Situations’ are a series of missions, loosely connected with a narrative thread, which train players in all the skills needed for future meetings with or battles against the White Masks.
Absorbing and fun, they get you ready for the main game which is multiplayer combat missions, as mentioned above.
Three major positives offered by the game include:
