Planning, preparing for and executing a complicated task comes with a rush of satisfaction like no other, and that’s the feeling that the Rainbow 6 series has always appealed to. The series’ latest instalment, Rainbow 6: Siege, is no different in that it pits teams against each other in highly tactical skirmishes focusing on defending and attacking a specific building.
The defenders set up their defences and blockades, while the attackers scout out the area with drones in the “preparation phase,” as tension builds. The core of the game is fun, and would be an absolute blast to play with a group of friends, but it comes with its fair share of issues. The beta was plagued with connection problems, some of which are to be expected, but they were so problematic that the game was completely unplayable at times. Matchmaking would never find games, and when it did the lack of dedicated servers meant that the connection was spotty at the best of times. You would frequently be dropped from games before they completed, and game-breaking lag would often rear its ugly head. Since the game modes available in the beta had no re-spawns, this meant that an “unfair” death stung that little bit more.
When you do get to play, though, it is pretty fun. There’s a nervous tension when you’re defending as you wait for a wall to come crashing down, or enemies to come pouring in the through the windows. Playing as the attackers lets you rappel up and down the buildings, which is by far one of the most satisfying ways of getting around to be experienced in a video game. The shooting mechanics themselves felt a little bit floaty, and you were never completely in control of your aiming and movement in a way that felt natural. This would likely be easily overcome with a bit of practice had you more time with the game, so there’s no need to be overly worried.
Visually, the game is unimpressive. It’s not poor, not by any standards, but at time of writing Star Wars: Battlefront’s open beta has come out, and seeing the stunning visuals that DICE’s engine delivers leaves Rainbow 6 in the dust. If the gameplay was tighter and more satisfying, the lacklustre visuals would be more forgivable.
There’s been talk that the game is much more fun if played with a group of friends while being able to communicate with them, but that can be said of almost any gaming experience, regardless of the game’s content. Before trying the beta, you might well have been justified in not being overly excited for Rainbow 6: Siege. Unfortunately, the beta won’t have done much to change that, and is more likely to turn those on the fence off the game, if anything. Connection issues aside, there was nothing to reel you in and make you continue wanting to play. If you’re not already a fan of the franchise, Siege is unlikely to be the title that pulls you into it.
