If you are not going to compare this game with the original series, it is fun, great and enjoyable experience.
Please note that I played vegas 1 as well, and I fully understand that in terms of game play and other things these 2 games are similar, but in this review I will only reference vegas 1 and gives fully details descriptions of what I thought about the game play, AI, etc.
I will start by saying graphics. 7/10. While my old computer is not really that good now, but it still can run games like Far Cry 2 and Crysis, so generally compares to games like that graphic for Vegas 2 is just average. Nothing special, the shadow and shader is just average, although overall it is still a nice looking game. Sounds: The weapons sound quite realistic, but I have to admit, in the place I stay I can't really get hold of real weapons, but I do played pistols in shooting range before, and I think the sounds of the weapons are pretty close to how they sound in real life. I like the terrorists interact with each other and occasionally having some very funny conversation, however most of the music was taken straight form Vegas 1 … which overall for sound gave it 7/10 for sounds too.
Game play: The game play is great. You get to operate in both close and open space, which I think is an improvement from the first game, and Vegas 2 is more focusing on the CQB. You can customize your character, female version of bishop looks tough and kind of sexy, male version of Bishop….I can't get over with the voice…which I will tell you why in the story section…The fire fights are enjoyable, heavy and intense, cover system was well designed just like the Vegas 1, and there aren't so many keys to remember and the controls are swift and responsive, it feels like I'm really shooting a gun, and killing a lot of bad guys just a very great experience, it make you feel like you are a special forces guy and saving the day, oh yeah! XD…… The AI design however flawed, but I will touch on that later on. Terrorist hunt is a bit messy due to random position of the enemies, and it shouldn't be called terrorist hunt but rather feel like the terrorists and trying to hunt you down LOL, but it's fun and exciting, because you never know when the bad guys will just pop out from somewhere and shot you. Unlike Vegas 1 which only offer lone wolf for single player, now you can bring Mike and Jung alone and let them watch your back. Vegas 2 has a better online gaming community so multiplayer was great too, but considers that this is a 1 and half year old game, and I myself stopped playing online, good luck finding someone hosting a match.9/10 for the game play.
Weapons: there are many weapons in the game, and most of them actually behave differently. Different assault rifles feel different, and you get a lot of guns to choose form which is pretty amazing. I find there is no difference in bullet velocity for most of the guns and I think realistic ballistic curve is not featured in this game either. But anyway, you don't need that as you can't find yourself a position to engage your enemies longer than a range of 150 meters, so I guess we don't need realistic bullet velocity and ballistic anyway. The add-ons for weapons are cool, most of weapons can add scope, silencer and other stuffs on it, player can choose different combinations of guns and add-ons to suit their own playing **** 9/10 for the weapons.
Story: Man, this is where it starts getting a little disappointed. First off all, male Bishop's voice is obviously played by Michael Ironside, which IS THE VOICE ACTOR FOR SAM FISHER! Been a Splinter cell fan myself, I just can't accept the face that that his voice pop up on one of other Tom Clancy franchise characters. Also, there are things does not really fit what's been told form the previous games, John Clark suppose to be six but in Vegas 2 it was Chavez…… the time line mismatch between Vegas 1 and 2; Logan doesn't looked like the Logan in Vegas 1, and generally I felt that the idea of Gabriel been the badass super villain was just simply wrong. His motive of doing all these bad things is dumb and stupid. He went crazy because Bishop didn't save him in 2005? What's that have to do with killing innocent life? Rainbow six was suppose to be one of the best anti terrorist unit in the world, and this guy got somebody killed in the first mission which clearly showed that this guy should be simply kicked out form the rainbow team, and Bishop or Chavez (I don't know who made the call, but probably this tow) recruited him ? Gee…Maybe I read too many novels about rainbow six, but this storyline just failed big time for me.3/10 for this one.
AI : AI is kind of weird, but it really takes time and a lot of experience to play online with other human player to determine it. They shot accurately, and they are pretty smart that knows to flank you or lay suppressing fire, but sometimes they charged through the same doors, same ropes and same ladders one after another. You can stack the dead body of your enemy as tall as yourself in many of the T hunt maps. AI doesn't behave like real human with real intelligence, everything they do feels like scripted. What even worst is that I don't know why, but spawning system is adapted to the game just like Vegas 1. Unlike previous rainbow games, where enemies are loaded along with the maps, this time round, AI will spawn only when player enter certain area. It's fun if you treat Vegas 2 as a pure FPS, but the problem is this is supposed to be a tactical shooter! If you adding spawn system to the game, it will only makes the players not caring and planning on the start of assault, and they whole gun fights sometimes can get very messy. 7/10 for the AI design.
Overall I gave Rainbow Six Vegas 2 an 8/10. It is an enjoyable game, it's not perfect, but it's definitely a good game. I just hope that they can correct all these flaws and makes a better Rainbow six game next time