Lockdown is an interesting mix of games. As a game I love it. As a Rainbow Six game it falls well short of what I’d like it to be. It feels as if though the developers were afraid that the Rainbow Games were too difficult and complicated and so they toned it down a bit and made it a much easier game. From a design standpoint it excels wonderfully. It has awesome graphics coupled with great sounds for the weapons and the same great voice acting as the previous games. It also incorporates an iron sight mode for whatever gun you are holding at the moment (something that could only be achieved with a mod for Raven Shield). There are also many other things that push this shooter towards the tactical side. You always have a 4-man team (including yourself) and they will stack on doors, flash bang, breach, grenade and do all the other things expected of any team-based shooter. The leaning (performed by q and e as in previous Rainbow Six games) has been improved visually. Instead of the screen just rotating sideways it actually drops lower and moves out as if though you are leaning your body out from the wall but still keeping solid balance, a good stance and staying vertical. There are 16 missions with about 3 maps per level so the game theoretically offers a lot of gameplay time too. I say theoretically because Lockdown is so easy that one can plow through it without really breaking a sweat. A number have changes have been made and unfortunately they are changes for the worse. First of all there is no planning for the upcoming stage. Instead levels have been designed as a linear experience similar to that of Half Life 2 or F.E.A.R. Also, your team, while they look good and sound cool, is pretty much useless. I found that on the average mission my tam would kill 4 or 5 guys and I would mop up the remaining 50 or so by myself (if gives stats at the end of the level, and the number I killed was ridiculous). So while it’s nice to have your team there to help you open doors, that’s just about all they are good at. Also, you and your team can take quite a beating before floating on to heaven. Unlike old Rainbow Six games where 1 well placed shot could end you here it takes 5 to 8 shots on normal and an uncalled for 4 to 5 shots on difficult (I can’t even imagine playing Raven Shield on difficult). All this adds up to a very arcade feel with some very well done tactical elements thrown in. So, as a game I love it. It’s very action oriented and the music, while not memorable, gets you in the mood to stomp some terrorists. However, for an action game it has a lot of tactical elements and gameplay present which just so happens to be a very welcome addition. On the contrary, as a Rainbow Six game it has lost all of the elements that made the Rainbow Six series stand out so prominently. The realism has dropped considerably and the tension and excitement of sneaking through a mission with suppressed weapons in hopes that the terrorists don’t blow the bomb is gone. I suggest picking this game up because it’s a great bridge between action and tactical shooting. I know my review sounds negative but I did really enjoy this game and recommend it to anyone who likes a good shooter!
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