this game is so SIKK!! I love it. brings back so many memories of when I used to be a little kid. This game is awesome and it has the perfect balance of gore and tactic action, I definitely recommend it

If you Can't afford X-Box Live and love the ability to play with friends or family members via splitscreen on one console... this is the game for you! This game slightly makes up for the fact that most of today's X-Box 360 releases aren't friendly for those who can't afford the continuous fees associated with the Gold Membership of X-Box Live. This Game is eearily similar to Sierra's SWAT 4... and by that I mean in the Rrference that it allows upto 4 players on the team and you have your choice of Co-op Terrorist Hunt (shoot practically anyone that isn't apart of your team#, Coop #play through the game in story mode), as well well as a plethora of various other modes. To keep this short and too the point... Tom Clancy's Rainbow 6:Vegas and Rainbow 6:Vegas 2 are both fun Shootem up games that are for anyone who is just looking for an awesome game to play with others without having to System Link or logg into X-Box Live - Incase you havn't guessed already, that's mainly why I bought it... in addition to the fact that I loved Sierra's S.W.A.T Trilogy!!! SWAT 4: Special Weapons and Tactics SWAT 3: Elite Edition

I just recently purchased the original Rainbow Six Vegas, 3 years after it's initial release, and seeing how most of the top reviews are from '06-'07, I figured it would be a nice change of pace to give this a review from today's point of view.

The price Amazon is currently charging for this game is a knockout steal; much lower than MSRP. At the current pricing, about $9 lower than MSRP, if you're thinking of buying the game, just do it. If your only criteria to owning the game is that it needs a lower price, just get it. If you think it's a game you'll enjoy, at this price it's definitely worth it.

The graphics, compared to games today, look dated. Character models lack detail seen in today's games, but for a game released in '06, this would have looked awesome. Some of the flight sequences while arriving at your destination are amazing. Unfortunately when you're actually on the ground things don't look anywhere near as good. But again, be a little more lenient in your graphical requirements and you should be able to enjoy this game despite the "dated" graphics.

Sound work is very good as well. I'm playing with surround sound and you hear people walking behind you and gun fire sounds as realistic as you game released today. There is some music there, but it's in the background. It never really gets obnoxious or in your face. The only sound effects I find annoying are the one armed bandits in the casinos are always making noise and that, I suppose, is authentic Vegas.

Gameplay is typical first person shooter with a Gears of War style "hide behind an object and blind fire" mechanic. Blind fire in RS: Vegas, however, is aptly named as actually pulling a shot off and killing an enemy in this way is difficult. This mechanic, of course, doesn't seem to be "blind" fire for the computer, as it seems even on the normal difficulty setting enemies can be DEADLY accurate with blind fire, sometimes frustratingly so.

Multiplayer isn't bad either. There are a ton of options available, which includes Co-Op via Live (co-op can be done local split screen as well). My only gripe with playing the co-op story mode is that it lacks the story. You can play through the levels together, but when you would normally be receiving information in the chopper or wherever, there is a prolonged silence. Take the first flight sequence in the helicopter. You have someone in the passenger seat, briefing you on what is going on and what you are getting into. In co-op multiplayer you sit in the chopper with... nothing. The other gripe with co-op multiplayer is if everyone in the party dies, you start at the beginning of the mission. In the beginning this isn't so bad as the missions aren't TOO difficult, but later in the game this can be an exercise in frustration given how the end sections of a mission ratchet up the amount of enemies coming after you.

One big complaint I have is enemy pop up. I will play on-line with my father in co-op, we will completely clear a room and move on... only to occasionally have enemies pop up in the rooms we just cleared, killing us from behind. I've actually witnessed enemies popping into existence. I would prefer a set amount of enemies on a map in standard locations, however Ubisoft opted for random appearance and MOSTLY random location of enemies.

Overall I think that this game for $20, for those who aren't too graphic obsessed with games and enjoy first person shooters, is a decent choice. It wouldn't be my first choice in aging first person shooters (I may give that honor to GRAW 2 instead), but it is a solid choice.