Rainbow Six: Vegas - multiplayer

Last week, I mentioned that I was playing R6:V and gave a single player gameplay example. I also took the opportunity to test out the multiplayer which is what this post is about.

One of the cool things about the multiplayer is that you create your character and then get to decide what equipment that he will have. In addition, you also get to decide what clothes and armor he will wear. As you start, you only have very limited options. However, as you play more games and level up your character, some of the better equipment will unlock.

The great thing about this is that it really allows you to invest in your online persona. At the same time, even the "lesser" weapons are extremely lethal and can kill other players very easily. Given all this, you would think that I really enjoyed the multiplayer. Unfortunately, I didn't.

To be fair to R6:V, its not that the multiplayer is bad. The problem is that the multiplayer is so disconnected from the single player. Let me explain.

In my opinion, the key strength of R6:V is in the tactical nature of its single player game. This is very different from other FPSs on the market and is one of the key differentiators for this game. However, when you get into the multiplayer game, the game effectively devolves into a run and gun FPS. Although you can still use the tactics and equipment from the single player game, there just isn't any point as its more effective to keep on the move.

And this is what I mean when I say that the multiplayer is disconnected from the single player. The reason I like this game is because I like the slow tactical buildup element in planning out an assault on a room and then executing on that plan. Unfortunately, that just isn't how the multiplayer game works. It's like the multiplayer game is a different game altogether.

And this is where we run into problems. First off, the expectations gap means that R6:V isn't off to a good start. Throw in the fact that Halo 3 has since been released which does multiplayer run and gun superbly (in my opinion) and it doesn't look like R6:V has any legs left to stand on. As I said before, its not that the multiplayer is bad. In fact, its actually quite good. The problem is that after playing a couple of multiplayer games, I just couldn't help but think, "Why aren't I playing Halo 3?"