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. 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.
  2. 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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