Highlights Not From E3: Rainbow 6: Patriots

Rainbow 6: Patriots was not actually present at E3 this year. According to this article, it was because Ubisoft wanted to create focus around their other developments. But the video below, which curiously displays "not actual gameplay footage" in the bottom right corner, is what is currently available as far as gameplay previews go:



 Also out at the moment is this trailer:


I hope you found the first video as disturbing as I did, lest we all become irrevocably desensitized to violence. But anyway, one of the features I find worth commenting on is the apparent ability to see through cars. This felt a bit out of place for Hitman: Absolution; it should have no place in a franchise built upon simulating hostage rescue combat. I haven't particularly liked it when Rainbow Six has taken more arcade-like turns in the past. The Clancy name to me should represent attempts at authentic realism, as Tom himself goes into painstaking detail regarding the technical specifications of aircraft, tanks, submarines, firearms, etc. in his books.


And how about the small bit of plot revealed?


Striking a cord with recent US political and economic turmoil, the legendary counter-terror squad Rainbow 6 returns to fight a new homegrown enemy: the fundamentalist "True Patriots," an organization whose diabolical pursuit for vigilante justice is anything but patriotic.

Shown in both of these videos are armed men strapping C4 to bankers who have apparently accepted government bailouts. I find it interesting that in this, as well as the other new Tom Clancy title, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, the antagonists have understandable grievances with U.S. government policy, but choose to address them through violent means. Perhaps even more interesting is the American player's ability to empathize in this case, as while they may not have experienced a foreign army creating bases within their borders, they have experienced being under a government that will distribute taxpayer money to failing banks. I think this presents an interesting ethical dilemma. No doubt that in your gaming career you have vanquished thousands of terrorists, yet it seldom seems like the reasons they decided to become terrorists is adequately addressed. You have simply had an enemy placed before you who was labeled as a terrorist and were ordered to kill him. I like the idea that this game is taking terrorist motivations seriously (though it would have been more interesting if they had created bad guys with whom it was easier to sympathize; ones that only attacked those individuals with whom they have particular grievances instead of mass murdering civilians. I would love to see something that has the player really question the orders he or she receives). Beyond that, they haven't given us much gameplay to see, but possibly some ethical quandaries one might face when we see this come out next spring.

Mission 09, Leviathan

I bet the ninth mission of Rainbow Six: Lockdown on PS2 is among the hardest levels ever devised. After a six-year layoff, I finally picked this game up again and swiftly made my way through the first 8 missions until I hit that perpetual roadblock codenamed Leviathan. Now I remember why I practically gave up on this game; it is nigh-unbeatable.

Difficulty aside, I had forgotten how much fun Lockdown was. I understand that it is regarded with great scorn among hardcore Rainbow fanatics for its more action-y style, but it hits my tactical sweet-spot just fine. I find the other Rainbow titles (save for the N64 edition) to be somewhat tedious and difficult, and more often downright boring. They may be a truer simulation, sure, but they make for a pretty boring time, especially for those of us more accustomed to the kinetic-kitsch of TimeSplitters and 007 shooters. Lockdown is very much like a first-person Freedom Fighters, in that it incorporates highly tactical team maneuvers with more casual, and certainly more visceral, run-and-gun. And your teammates are usually intelligent in providing you with back-up; I say usually because they have an annoying tendency to jump around in your line of fire as they scramble to find cover. But they do a wonderful of checking corners for enemies before running out of cover, as well as facing open doorways (where ambushes usually take place) when you instruct them to hold.

Unfortunately, I think this game may have been forgotten by time (and certainly by me as well, hence this rediscovery), so I encourage you to take another look at it if you enjoy shooters dipped in equal parts squad-based simulation and arcade candy-coating. Amazon has it used for just $.17, so get on it.

Here's a sample of what I'm up against. I believe this is a video taken from the PC version of Lockdown, but it works nonetheless:

PS2 Review: Freedom Fighters (2003)

To my mind, atmosphere counts for a lot in a game. I need to feel as if the world I temporarily inhabit has a certain authenticity -- you might say verisimilitude to avoid the trap of "realism" -- that immerses and unifies gameplay with setting. Freedom Fighters has more pure atmosphere and art direction than almost any other video game to date, from beautifully detailed environments to an outstanding orchestral score. And all that atmosphere serves to enhance one of the best tactical shooters on the PS2. Similar to my comments on Rise to Honor, I find that the story of Freedom Fighters is just the right kind of kitsch, combining equal parts Escape from New York and Red Dawn for a story about an alternative history in which New York is invaded and occupied by Soviets, and the revolution of New Yorkers against their oppressors. Yet, as in Rise to Honor, the derivative narrative and cheesy voice-acting meet the generic expectations of the aforementioned films. In terms of gameplay, Freedom Fighters is very much like the Hitman series crossed with Rainbow Six. Players fill up a "charisma" meter (representing the faith of your fellow revolutionaries in your leadership abilities) by completing mission objectives; more objectives completed means you can command a larger squad, starting with two and ultimately culminating with a militia of 12. Leading these soldiers into battle is surprisingly uncomplicated, avoiding the perpetual babysitting of other squad-based shooters. Players use one of three face buttons to command troops to follow, hold, or attack; pressing the button instructs one, holding the button instructs them all. Simple though it sounds, this system is nonetheless complex and precise. Completing missions with your burgeoning squad is a blast, especially when coupled with the amazing atmosphere I mentioned previously. Of particular note is the musical score, which plays ambiently throughout your clandestine operations and highlights the mechanical nature of the Soviet machine by mixing opera with synth. This score changes dynamically when tasks are completed; one common occurrence are the angelic voices that follow the destruction of helipads or bridges or the assassination of prominent Soviet leaders. Freedom Fighters does seem somewhat too short, however. Multiplayer does alleviate this to some degree, but its deathmatches are only truly entertaining when played by four players simultaneously, and this is further limited by the paltry selection of maps and customizable options. This, though, is simply icing on a delicious cake. Freedom Fighters is one of the most complete and compelling games available for the PS2. It gets my strongest recommendation.