Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas

While the mighty Gears of War is pulling down accolades and sales left and right (and rightfully so, for it is amazing), its brevity, in terms of its single-player storyline, is a flaw, even if it is the first in a series. So, fans of GoW’s third-person, cover-seeking, squad-based shooter action who finished it in under a day and are looking for new challenges should jump on the new Rainbow Six instalment, which offers all the fire fighting thrills and desperate searches for cover but with a longer, more demanding campaign. Fans familiar with this tactical shooter series might have thought the Rainbow Six franchise was on the decline after the Lockdown instalment but by incorporating elements, both visual and game play, from Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter and placing it in the neon glow of Sin City, Rainbow Six Vegas turns out to be the best in the series yet and easily holds its own against the newcomers right now, such as GoW. While the artificial intelligence has been questionable in the past (especially in regards to your team-mates), in Vegas (where you lead a three-man anti-terrorist squad against legions of "tangos”) it’s generally strong, although there are occasions where you can snipe a room full of terrorists without them realising what’s going on or seeking cover, but it’s a minor issue. Visually, Vegas looks amazing and offers a challenging, in-depth, story-driven campaign that never becomes tedious and even on the non-realistic setting will test abilities. The only real criticism of Vegas is with its ending, which pulls a dreaded Halo 2 "TBC” move. Still, Rainbow Six Vegas is a game that shouldn’t be overlooked in the mad rush of the holiday season.