Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas

The Rainbow Six franchise is moving onwards and upwards. After faltering slightly with the last few instalments, the series makes a (slightly surprising) move from war-torn Middle-Eastern type locations to the bright lights of Las Vegas.

The fate of the free world once more teeters on the brink, and it's up to you and your team to make your way through neon decadence and tipsy tourists to make things safe for freedom, democracy and Mom's good ol' apple pie. You'll need to defend well-known locations such as Fremont Street and the Strip against a new level of terrorism as Vegas lies under siege.

Tactics are going to play a major part in your success as you manoeuvre a new team through a multiple path environment, with each team member having their own specialities and skills. Plenty of high-tech goodies (such as snake cams to 'tag' your enemies for your team-mates) are on offer to aid you in your planning and execution, whilst your team-mates utilise their expertise to make tactical suggestions such as hacking computers and smashing through walls.

Anyway...for a series not renowned for its graphics, Vegas looks really good. The city-scapes are nothing short of stunning, with the developer really going to town using the next-generation specs for realistic backdrops and gorgeous lighting. Similarly, the level design on offer is superb, with nice little details like slot machines raining out quarters and blood effects, well, to die for.

Ubisoft is really injecting some life back into this franchise and we're glad to see it. Vegas, Baby!!!