Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six

 PC
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Gamezilla!
    97
    I'm not kidding when I say this -- Rainbow Six is the most realistic, challenging, and fun game to play that was ever made.
  2. IGN
    94
    Its incredible gameplay, solid graphics, and fantastic multiplayer arenas are unlike anything you've played before. If you have a computer capable of running it properly, go buy this game. Believe me, you simply can't go wrong.
  3. PC Gamer
    93
    Undoubtedly one of the most original and best games of the year. [Oct 1998, p.198]
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  5. PC Gameworld
    92
    This game mixes all the elements that make a game great, and adds a few new ingredients to the mix. Shaken lightly, not stirred, this is one hell of a new recipe.
  6. Game Revolution
    91
    This is simply one of the coolest games ever to grace a monitor screen. The action is intense, the feel is authentic, and the multiplayer is great.
  7. Adrenaline Vault
    90
    If you're a fan of EA's classic "Seal Team" or loved the semi-realism offered in Zombie's great "Spec Ops," then Rainbow Six will give you a serious case of the gamer's giddies.
  8. Game Over Online
    90
    This game is definitely one of the best to come out in the past while, and given the utter lack of innovation in this particular area of gaming, any new blood is appreciated.
  9. Computer and Video Games
    89
    Incredibly addictive. Unlike "Spec Ops," however, Rainbow Six is a game that, thanks to its replayability, makes it something you'll keep going back to time and time again. [PC Zone]
  10. Cincinnati Enquirer
    80
    Rainbow Six carries a hefty learning curve which may turn off some less avid gamers. However, a little time spent with the manual and in the training sessions and you'll be ready for this engrossing world of interactive Clancy.
  11. GameSpot
    80
    While generally better than Spec Ops, Rainbow Six carries its own baggage, especially where the conflict of realism versus gameplay rears its ugly head.
  12. Electric Playground
    75
    The intensity of the experience and the thrill of planning and executing a smooth tactical assault are well worth the price of admission.
  13. All Game Guide
    70
    The missions make the game an enthralling experience. This title certainly won't appeal to everyone, but for those who want a thinking shooter, give this one a try.
  14. Computer Games Magazine
    60
    The missions can be skin-crawly tense and the strategic planning is a joy. Nevertheless, poor AI, coupled with mundane and buggy graphics give the game a "late-beta" feel.

Awards & Rankings

11
#11 Best PC Game of 1998
9
#9 Most Discussed PC Game of 1998
9
#9 Most Shared PC Game of 1998

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 85 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 85
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 85
  3. Negative: 6 out of 85
  1. Delta_Assault
    Sep 28, 2011
    10
    As much as Doom was my gateway into computer games and its rich potential, Rainbow Six and its sequel Rogue Spear were my meat and potatoes.As much as Doom was my gateway into computer games and its rich potential, Rainbow Six and its sequel Rogue Spear were my meat and potatoes. Back when I actually had a subscription to a gaming magazine (God, those were the days...) this preview for a game based on a Tom Clancy novel immediately caught my attention. I had gotten plenty bored of Quake 2 and was restless for something different and unique. The ultra-realistic gameplay of Rainbow Six fit to a T. Still, my computer at that time was unable to meet the minimum requirements for R6, so it would take a couple months before I actually got into it. But get into it I did, with a passion that now seems somewhat inhuman. I lovingly outfitted each operative with different weapons, carefully mapped out their mission routes and held my breath as they soldiered out to take down the terrorists and rescue the hapless hostages. Of course, on more then one occasion the entire operation would turn into a fiasco with multiple casualties and hostages gunned down. Alas, back to the drawing board.

    But multiplayer was where Rainbow Six really shined. Freed of the cumbersome AI, it was amazing to encounter a situation where you could be taken out by the opposing team in just one or two bullets. The added lethality of the weapons and the reduced margin of error made for the most amazingly tense multiplayer matches ever. Rogue Spear, the sequel which I bought on opening day was much more of the same. I have to be honest, Rogue Spear multiplayer devoured my life throughout 4 years of high school and doubtless contributed to the fact that my GPA suffered and I never had a girlfriend. Oh well, it seemed worth it, that's just how obsessed I was with the game. Even outside the game itself, I posted frequently on RSE's (the maker of R6) forums and made quite a few memorable friends, who later formed their own personal forum at planb3.com. Rainbow Six is truly an immense chunk of my life and I have nothing but fond memories to look back on.    … Full Review »
  2. YessirKilla
    Aug 29, 2015
    10
    Why did tactical shooters have to die and be forgotten? Why did Ubisoft make Red Storm Entertainment develop Far Cry 4 when they should'veWhy did tactical shooters have to die and be forgotten? Why did Ubisoft make Red Storm Entertainment develop Far Cry 4 when they should've made a sequel to this masterpiece? This is quite literally as realistic as shooters will ever get. Commanding squads is something I just love to do.… Full Review »
  3. MadJaples
    Oct 29, 2015
    10
    Rainbow Six was my introduction - and pretty much anyone else's for that matter - to squad based tactical shooters - it was damned hardRainbow Six was my introduction - and pretty much anyone else's for that matter - to squad based tactical shooters - it was damned hard though, when I was 19 I could JUST get my head around the controls and the call signs and the go commands and the waypoints - it was not, was definitely not - a typical shooter.
    It was complex, but fun, tough, but rewarding when you actually finally got past a level you found really tough to beat, you didn't need a fancy FMV sequence, you were happy enough to move on to the next level.
    I remember loving this game back in the day, even though I also remember it used to do my head in!    … Full Review »
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