It seems like we really don’t talk enough about just how good Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas was. The tactical, first-person shooter series traded its usual dark and grimy setting for the glitz and glamour of the Vegas Strip, and it was a blast – so much so that it inspired a sequel in Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2. Let’s take a look back at the best Rainbow Six Vegas missions, ranking them from worst to best.
6. Mexican Border
First on the Rainbow Six Vegas mission list is Mexican Border, the opening mission of the game. Your target is Irena Morales and you want to bring her in alive. Fighting your way through the streets filled with enemies, the game doesn’t feel too different to the familiar Rainbow Six formula. As you get to Irena, she sets off an explosion and causes a roof to cave in on you, knocking you out. When you awake, you have to fight your way through underground tunnels with minimal equipment. It’s a solid opener that gets the blood pumping, but it lacks the glitz and glam of the strip in later missions.
5. Downtown Vegas
Easing you into the story a little more is the third mission, Downtown Vegas. The Rainbow team heads to the Red Lotus casino to rescue a reporter named Trish Gracie. Fighting through the casino floors in the historic Fremont Street, Old Vegas is a darker and slightly moodier setting than the rest of the Strip missions. Being in the middle of the game, this mission – whilst good – is somewhat going through the motions of setting up bigger and better things to come.
4. Calypso Casino
The second mission changes things up as you take to the Vegas strip. Bright neon lights, music and the sound of slot machines are juxtaposed to the shooting and explosions as you fight your way from the main strip into the Calypso Casino. Rescuing hostages and escorting them safely out of the casino is all in a day’s work for your team. This is your first taste of the new Rainbow Six approach, and it’s a great intro to Vegas.
3. Vertigo Spire
Landing on top of the Vertigo Spire, you must fight your way down the floors through this luxury hotel. Lots of stacking up on doors and ordering your team to perform tactical and quiet takedowns is the order of the day as you make your way to Dr Williams. He informs you of two bombs – one of which has since been moved to an adjacent building which promptly explodes in the backdrop. It’s now up to you to get to the remaining bomb in your building and disarm it. With lots of tough firefights and loads of enemies to get through, this can be a challenging yet very fun mission.
2. Dante’s Casino
Another casino, another load of baddies to take out. This Rainbow Six Vegas mission has you infiltrating the still-under-construction Dante’s Casino. A huge bell in the tower falls, causing fires in the floors below. You must fight your way down the building repelling on the outside, breaching through windows and clearing floors with your team. It’s here that you find out Irena’s much bigger plan of attack and that Vegas was a distraction. Tension, action and great set pieces make this an excellent penultimate mission. The Nevada Dam is the real target and the location for the final mission.
1. Nevada Dam
Saving the best for last, the final showdown should always provide the most entertainment. The Nevada Dam mission doesn’t disappoint. It’s non-stop action with a bomb defuse, hostage rescue, stopping the dam from collapsing and finally, confronting Irena and putting a stop to her plans. An epic final mission wraps up a thrilling chase. Whilst it steps away from the strip it doesn’t disappoint with big action set pieces and makes a satisfying conclusion to an entertaining story.
