Jan 2022
Welcome, gamers, to the wild world of 'Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction'. Imagine a tactical shooter where your pals become 'missing in action' instead of just yelling into the void of internet nonsense. Welcome to a game that’s basically firefighting for millennials – lots of shooting, some friendly banter, and at least three computational errors in three minutes. Let's dive in, shall we?
Extraction is like your classic Rainbow Six but with a twist: instead of shooting at other players, you're shooting at aliens. Yes, the Archæans (not to be confused with archaeologists, who dig up ancient bones) are here to invade. Your mission is to start an 'incursion'—I assure you, no one will burst into song during this part—where you’ll explore a series of sub-maps, collect tasks, and try not to die like it's your day job. You and up to two other buddies pick your operators, each with their own quirks, like special weapons and gadgets. It's like picking avatars in a themed bakery, except instead of cupcakes, you're gonna need chaos and explosions. Learn to love cooperation because the game actively punishes you for not playing nice. Health doesn’t regenerate, supplies are scarce, and the moment someone goes down is when the good times stop being so good. The content is procedurally generated, so every mission is a little different. Think of it like a first date where everything changes depending on what mood you show up in. On the other hand, if you don’t extract your people safely, you’ll be left with missing operators you have to go rescue later. The game could’ve just said, ‘You’ve got mail’ but instead, it’s like ‘You’ve got a mission!’ because it knows how to keep you engaged... or frustrated, depending on how your night’s going. So, no pressure!
When it comes to graphics, Rainbow Six Extraction hits the sweet spot between 'wow' and 'whoa, did they miss that one?' But let's be real: it’s a tactical alien shooter, not a renaissance painting showcase. The lighting effects and detailed environments are pretty grand. There’s something utterly chilling about hearing alien squelches while a sunbeam dramatically catches a twist of toxic sprawl—just like in real life, only less deadly... I hope. Still, their designs of the Archæans could have used a good ol' round of monstrous makeovers; some look like they strolled off a design committee from a cancelled sci-fi series. And hey, nothing says 'professional' quite like an explosion in a neatly rendered office building... I call it realism.
In the grand tapestry of multiplayer shooters, Rainbow Six Extraction finds its thread straining and occasionally knotting. It brings tense, cooperative gameplay to a genre filled with solo superstars and ego-driven deathmatches, but it doesn't quite escape the repetitive nature of its missions and the ‘seen-it-all’ feel of some of its design. If you’re a fan of the tactical shooter genre and enjoy working with friends to avoid ANOTHER ‘we lost another operator!’ moment, then Extraction is worth gaming’s hourly wage of your fifteen bucks a month (thanks, Game Pass). After all, who wouldn’t want to scream at their friends as they scroll through operator stats? Just remember, it's not the aliens' fault you miss your shots... usually. Score: 7 out of 10. Now, go out there, save some operators, and maybe even discover what those pesky aliens really want. Spoiler: it’s probably ‘to ruin your fun.’ Good luck!
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