Rainbow Six
Reviewed by AJ Pressley
If you're like me, you like books and video games that really draw you
into the story; games like Goldeneye. If you are bored with your video
games, and you want something that is really realistic; something that
plays scary music whenever the enemies die, (and I do mean scary. Well,
not really scary, but freaky music). If you feel this way, then I recommend
that you buy, or rent, (whichever you prefer), the game Rainbow Six for the
N64. Rainbow Six is an first-person shooter based on the smash hit book by
Tom Clancy. The game features some cool weapons like the German MP5
submachine gun and the M-16 assault rifle. The game also has a cool
selection of pistols, grenades, tool kits, and 21 different outfits that
will have you customizing your arsenal and your appearance for months
after months after months. The first question that you're probably gonna
ask is,"Well, you've already given me so many reasons to play the game,
but are the graphics any good?" Well, if you keep reading my review then
you'll find out.
Graphics: 9.6 out of 10
As you can tell by my score above, the graphics, in my opinion, are
very good. Sharp framerates, detailed character animations, are you
satisfied? The graphics are good, very good. However, there is one
downfall to the graphics. If an enemy dies when you shoot him from
behind and he is on a staircase, when he falls down, his body will not
land at an angle like a normal body would when it falls. Otherwise, the
graphics are very crisp; an overall pleasure.
Music and Sound: 10 out of 10
Now its time we discussed the scarier side of Rainbow Six. The music,
if I described everything, it would take up a big space on this review.
The first time you play the game, prepare your heart for its first big
thud. Be especially ready when you open a door that isn't locked, because
a small, sometimes extremely scary, piece of music. If a terrorist is
inside, that makes it worse. As far as the sound goes, the game consists
of some pretty realistic death screams. Note: You only will hear a death
scream whenever one of your team members dies. The guns sound great
when fired, and the game contrasts the amount of sound you make when
you walk, depending on how heavy your body armor is, but we'll talk
about that later. Wondering how difficult the game is? I've got the
inside scoop coming up next.
Game Challenge: 8.3 out of 10
Basically, Rainbow Six has three difficulty levels that can be adjusted
at the execute screen. They are: Recruit, (easy), Veteran, (medium), and
Elite, (hard). Until you get used to the controls and the game play, I
recommend that you play on the easy setting. The difference is that
Recruit contains less enemies who are a bit stupider than normal. Elite
contains more enemies that are located in more, shall we say, "strategic"
positions. These enemies are also a bit quicker on the trigger, so once you
get to Elite, you need to watch yourself, big time. Okay, now for the
game highlights.
Game Play-Fun: 10 out of 10
One good thing about Rainbow Six is that it only takes up 19 pages on
a memory card, so that you can enjoy not having to erase your saved data.
It is extremely fun to shoot the terrorists, especially since they don't
disappear when you shoot them. On the game options menu, you can change
it to where the bodies of the dead terrorists disappear, though. Another
interesting thing about Rainbow Six is the gore level. Amazingly, Rainbow
Six did not receive an M, (mature) rating. Realistic death screams is one
thing. Seeing blood gush out of a tango's neck after he falls down is another.
Note: A tango is a term counter-terrorist teams use to identify terrorists.
In other words, the tangos are the bad guys. So whenever you shoot a terrorist
and hear someone say,"Tango down!", or, "Got him!", or, "Threat neutralized!",
then you will know that it means that you have just killed a bad guy.
Frustration
Rainbow Six can be frustrating in three ways: If you are seen by any enemies
in Level 8, you will have to start over. If all of your operatives, (team-mates),
die and you die, you, obviously, will have to start over. If a terrorist sees you,
and he is in the room where the hostage(s) is, sometimes he will shoot one of
them. If so, the mission is a failure.
Replayability: 10 out of 10
One great feature of Rainbow Six is the Quick Start option. It is the first
option at the main menu. If you insert your memory card before you select
it, it will load your data, and you will automatically be taken to a screen
from which you can replay any level you have already beaten.
Overall: 9.8 out of 10