Rainbow Six Siege may look intimidating at first, but after learning how to get into it, you’ll look and play like a natural!
If you’re looking for a playground filled with unique characters, tight team strategy and demolition galore, look no further. Rainbow Six Siege is a first-person shooter game where teams of five are pitted against each other in heated combat over various game modes. For a game that came out five years ago, Rainbow Six Siege still remains strong in the esports world, frequently ranking among the top ten esports games and just recently hitting 6 million players worldwide. If you’re late to the party, don’t worry! With the help of Coastline’s very own Rainbow Six Siege aces Sheila Do (who goes by the gamertag Quokkasian) and Eduardo Suarez (who goes by the gamertag 3clips321), here is the what, how, and why of Rainbow Six Siege.
1. What is Rainbow Six Siege
Rainbow Six Siege is exactly what it says it is: a multiplayer jungle gym. This game knows there isn’t much in-game history and instead confidently offers arenas for mass destruction.
Build for Multiplayer
From the very beginning, instead of presenting a killer single player game (like their own fan favorites Watch Dogs and Assassins Creed) Ubisoft went for a strictly multiplayer experience. Rainbow Six Siege features teams of five separated into Attackers and Defenders through three game modes: Hostage, Secure Area, and Bomb. Each round is three and a half minutes long followed by Attackers and Defenders switching roles. As Suarez puts it “there are two ways to win a round, by either eliminating all (opponents) or by” letting the clock run if you are a Defender. You play as one of multiple unlockable characters called Operators. Each Operator is specific to Attacker or Defender. That’s it. No extra story, no added fuss; just specific Operators, Attackers and Defenders, and mayhem. Rinse and repeat.
Destructible Environments
One of the elements that sparks endless replayability is Rainbow Six Siege’s destructive environments. Everything: walls, ceilings, and floors can be destroyed by bullets, bombs, and sledgehammers. Each round starts with time for Attackers and Defenders to set up their base or spy on their enemies. Imagine setting up barricades and establishing a well-fortified perimeter as a Defender just for the ceiling above you to give way as Attackers repel in from the unprotected roof. Situations like this create endless possibilities of fun and strategy for players of Rainbow Six Siege.
2. How Do I Play Rainbow Six Siege
Aside from the standard first-person shooter gameplay (like aiming, accuracy, and the general first-person feel), Rainbow Six Siege offers a few other tricks that you won’t find in other FPS games.
The Operators
Rainbow Six Siege is played through 54 (and growing) unique Operators. Every Operator is modeled from a specific country’s CTU (Counter Terrorist Unit), such as USA’s FBI, Japan’s SAT, Russia’s Spetsnaz, or Britain’s SAS. Operators have their own specific tool belt, featuring specific primary and secondary guns as well as gadgets, like grenades and spy cams, and abilities. Coastline Esports Member Sheila Do prefers to play as Lesion while Defending and Ace, Maverick, or Gridlock when Attacking. Lesion is part of Hong Kong’s SDU and has Gu Mines that poison opponents and notify their position to Lesion. Ace is from Norway and carries a S.E.L.M.A. Aqua Breacher. This ability breaks down doors or reinforced walls in order to pursue the enemy. These are just two specific examples of Operator abilities. Grappling hooks, holograms, riot shields and bear traps are just some of the gadgets and abilities Operators have to seize victory.
Tactics and Strategies
Building a team that uses all abilities cooperatively is essential. Because of each Operator’s unique load outs, teams need to work together to decide how to best Attack or Defend. Aside from cooperative team tactics, Rainbow Six Siege lets you tilt when looking down the sights of your gun in order to peek around doors and hallways. In Suarez’s words, “the road to victory in Rainbow Six Siege is definitely about which team can get the most information about the other team’s whereabout, so team communication is key”. All of these strategies and more make Rainbow Six Siege a compelling game.
3. Why Should I Play Rainbow Six Siege
With so many other first-person shooter games flooding the market (like Call of Duty, Apex Legends, and VALORANT) it’s easy to question what makes Rainbow Six Siege different. Apart from individual Operators, destruction and team tactics, Rainbow Six Siege has many reasons why you should play it.
Trends Toward Success
As previously mentioned, Rainbow Six Siege came out in 2015. Instead of biting the dust like other similar esports games in a competitive market, this game has continued to thrive. If that isn’t a sign of its longevity, I don’t know what is. Also, Ubisoft is a giant developer in the video game world. Both Ubisoft and its title Rainbow Six Siege aren’t going anywhere; their success is ensured.
Chaos with Friends
Coastline Esports Member Sheila Do’s word choice for Rainbow Six Siege is “Chaos. I am the type of person that loves playing with other people … I come back to this game all the time with my friends and it’s all good fun”. Busting down doors to be greeted with a barrage of bullets or planning in wait to thwart the enemy’s ambush, Rainbow Six Siege is a chaotically good time.
Rainbow Six Siege is home to a vibrant, growing community. Now that you know the what, how, and why of Rainbow Six Siege, you can find your team and work to become the world’s most elite squad. Become part of the community and enjoy the calculated madness in Rainbow Six Siege.