The Vegas gamble pays off for Ubisoft...
Graphically the game looks pretty realistic from the character's, level designs and of course the guns themselves. It would be very hard to pick out any fault with the graphics but there vest that the characters wear could of done what SWAT 4, did and actually clearly display all of your equipment right down the magazine clips but that really is just nitpicking I guess.
In the sound department, the game gets a glowing review with everything from the bullets to the voices sounding virtually perfect. You even can hear the coins come out of the slot machines which shows how much detail and effort the developers put into the game.
The game has gone a little away from the tactical nature of its predecessors but still offers some strong gameplay and infact a more accessible one for any new players to the franchise. The cover system adds a little extra to the combat and when you get into a big gun battle, you will enjoy this game even more. However its not without its flaws and for me it uses the classic "hold your ground from impossible numbers from a impossible position" like in the Theatre and Dam levels one too many, which takes away the realism of the game. Also the spawn feature of the enemy in terrorist hunt is a little buggy and seeing someone just appear in the middle of the room or behind you is very annoying.
The AI is far improved but still can be much better but at least there are signs its getting there. The biggest problem is how many bad guys there are in the game which again makes a fun shooter but takes away the realism aspect we have come to know and love in the franchise.
Online play is very good and playing with your friends on CO-OP or against them in the other modes is great fun though I would of liked slightly bigger maps but with the 360 headset you can make the co-op feature the best from any game to date.
While I am unsure if it's better than Rainbow Six : Raven Shield, it definitely gives it a run for its money but more importantly is that Vegas is a big step in the right direction for the franchise and makes the wait for the next Rainbow installment even harder.