While there are no significant changes to the core gameplay of the single-player campaign, which is a good thing, there are some minor changes that are worth mentioning to fans of Black Arrow's predecessor. First, the enemy placement isn't as scripted as it was in RS3: an area that contained no enemies the first time through, might include a number of enemies on subsequent tries. This further helps to emphasize the ""slow and steady"" approach to most missions, and adds a little tension on additional attempts. Enemy AI is also improved somewhat over R63. Enemies now take hostages if you don't act fast enough. And yes, if you wait too long, the ists will the hostage, and you will fail the mission. Other than that, enemy AI is on par with the last RS game. Enemy behavior runs the gamut; from hiding behind cover, to the last-ditch suicidal rush. One additional weapon has been added, the Dragonuv. This semi-auto sniper rifle is great for the larger, open missions. Sadly (or happily?), the .50 cal sniper rifle has been removed. It should also be mentioned that there is the obligitory "stealth" part of one mission, but you can actual use deadly force this time around. Other than those minor changes, RS3:BA has the same great action and varied level design of the first game. The levels are a mix of wide-open spaces and close quarters, so it is fun to experiment with different weapon loadouts. The weapons consist of various sub-machine guns (MP5, UMP, P90, etc.), assualt rifles (M16, AUG9, M4), pistols (Desert Eagle, MK 23), and various grenades (flash, tear gas, frag, etc.) The action is solid, and is supported by some of the best weapon and sound effects in a FPS. RS3: BA, like its predecessor, is one of those games that needs to be listened to in 5.1 surround to truly be appreciated. If your new to the series, you are part of a four man team of special forces counter-terrorists. You control your team using the controller or, if you have a headset, using voice commands. The voice recognition is generally good, and is done in real time. For me, it understands my commands about 95% of the time. Further, there is no odd pausing the game to give your team orders, so using voice commands can really draw you into the game. The missions have you doing the kinds of things that you would expect a group of counter-terrorist forces to do: ing baddies, rescuing hostages, diffusing s, etc. If you like squad-based shooters, you can't go wrong with Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow.
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