Rainbow Six: risky gunplay
Rob Borek

If you are looking for a shoot-em-up game where all you do is go after aliens and try to splatter their blood all over the floor and walls, this isn't the game for you.

If you are looking for a strategy game that has some action but requires you to think, then this is the game for you.

The game Rainbow Six (based on the Tom Clancy novel of the same name), is a strategy game where you must listen to mission briefings, create your own team, and devise a plan to successfully neutralize terrorists. 'Rainbow' is the code-name for an ultra-secret UN anti-terrorist group, while 'Six' refers to the leader of the group, in this case, John Clark (you will recognize the name if you have read any Tom Clancy novel).

The game comes on CD-ROM, and requires a reasonably new system - one with a Pentium 200MMX processor. The game requires 100MB of hard drive space at a minimum, and a 3D graphics card is highly recommended.

Sorry Mac lovers, the game doesn't come in Mac format (and, according to the Rainbow Six web page, they don't have any plans at current to move it over to the Mac).

Installing the game is a snap - insert the CD-ROM into the drive, click on Install, and you're ready to go.

Once into the game, you have the option to start playing the missions right away (not advisable), or go through the training (highly advisable).

You will find the training sessions helpful in many respects, and will allow you to adjust to using both the mouse (for movement) and the keypad (for viewing) in tandem. The mouse is very sensitive in the game, which will take some getting used to.

The graphics in the game are excellent, which you come to expect in a 3D game. It looks somewhat similar to Goldeneye 007 for Nintendo 64, if you've ever played that game. The sound quality is also excellent.

The computer players can be rather frustrating at times, so beware. For instance, one will get shot in a doorway, and the rest of 'em will all run to the doorway and get shot in similar fashion. Overall, the Artificial Intelligence in the game is quite good, for example you can expect your team members to shoot a terrorist if you fail to see them.

The missions are exact, and can be quite tough to complete. There are three levels of difficulty, so once you've completed all the missions at the easy level you can complete them again at the medium level, and so on.

To successfully complete the mission, you must complete the objectives mentioned. As you increase the difficulty, there are additional objectives, and you can't lose as many people in the mission.

To complete the mission, you must assemble a roster and subdivide them into teams. You must select the equipment that each person is to receive, as well as devise an entry plan.

Luckily, you can choose to use the default plan, which will allow you to skip all the choosing and planning. However, you only get default plans for the first four missions, after that you're on your own.

Once you've got all the planning done, you move on to executing the plan. You are the leader of the team, and tell them when to go. If you see a terrorist, shoot them or be shot yourself rather quickly.

If you are shot, you're killed. If you do happen to be killed, you take control of another person so you aren't left waiting for the mission to finish.

To make life easy, a map is provided on your screen, showing lines of where you have to go according to your plan. The status of the other teams is also shown, as is your weapons, the health status of your team, and the like.

Expect to play many of the missions over and over again, especially when you get to the stage of having to develop your own plans. This game isn't meant to be easy.

Learn from your mistakes and try again. Don't neglect the grenades and flashbangs in your arsenal of weapons.

Overall, if you are into action/simulation games, you will love this game, as it provides the best of both worlds.

I give this game an enthusiastic thumbs-up, and look forward to playing it many times in the future.