This holiday season, Xbox owners are getting all the attention from Santa and the elves at Ubi Soft and Red Storm Entertainment. Recent releases of Ghost Recon and the much-anticipated Splinter Cell are sure to perk Xbox fans up. On the PC side, however, we only(!) got an expansion pack to Ghost Recon in the form of Island Thunder. But RSE has not neglected its original and probably strongest fan base by giving the PC folks a sneak preview of what to expect in the long-awaited Raven Shield; the first major addition to Rainbow Six since Rogue Spear. Raven Shield is the first Rainbow Six title to use the Unreal engine for its underlying foundation. When I first heard this a while ago, my heart nearly leapt out of my chest - are the folks at RSE really sure they knew what they were doing? Past games to use the Unreal engine weren't exactly what I would call realistic. The closest one I could think of would be the abortive X-Com Alliance tactical first person shooter and look where they ended up. However, the recent release of America's Army should have Rainbow Six fans at ease. Everything from the main menu to the weapons to the slow pace that Rainbow Six has always been known for, are faithfully recreated in the Unreal-powered Raven Shield. The first map of the Raven Shield multiplayer demo is like a technology test. You get the City Street Large map that has been in all the Rainbow Six titles. It's a good choice because it serves as a benchmark. Some additions have been made. More sandbags have been added to make it less treacherous to operate in the middle. The second map is a prison one that is, from my opinion, more reflective of the new additions RSE has made to the game. This is where the Unreal foundation shines best. Shadows are now more realistically cast and every object, including the individual stairs on staircases, can cast shadows, allowing operatives to easily hide in the dark even when you're in the same room as someone else. This is also the first Rainbow Six (and Ghost Recon) title that shows gun models. Previous games had you just looking through a reticule. By default, the first person guns are turned on but you can always toggle them off through the options menu. I'm thinking, however, RSE is finally moving away from its long-standing doctrine. How do I know that? These gun models are incredibly realistic. Not only do you see handguns react when they finish a clip, but you also see your persona pulling the trigger of the gun, bullet by bullet. The overall quality of the animation is indicative of a high level of care. It would be a shame if they turned it back off by default, come release time. The pace of Raven Shield is slow. For those used to games like Counterstrike, it will be painfully slow. The controls now reflect a Ghost Recon layout. The right mouse button, by default, controls your running speed. But even if you're running at full tilt, it'll take you some time to get around the small arena-like maps. The action has also undergone little change too (fortunately, for Rainbow Six fans). With fewer players, the game becomes more like a cat and mouse with each side baiting, trapping; hoping to entice the opposite side to blunder or commit a mistake in the heat of adrenaline. To reflect this, RSE has added defensive measures like claymore mines and existing equipment, like the flashbang, have been upgraded. Now, you'll know not only have your hearing severely distorted upon encountering one you'll also see a ghost halo of an image for a short duration. It's like looking at the sun for too long and then closing your eyes. Those who complained Rainbow Six was brutally difficult will be a little turned off by the multiplayer here. If you download the demo now and begin, expect to be schooled by the existing players (who have had a week or so to hone their skills) in the first few rounds. Rarely can you survive more than a few bullets and the slower pace really means you have to be methodical (almost mechanical like a robot) and know the terrain well to use it to your advantage. Carrying the biggest gun doesn't necessarily mean you'll get the most kills. Running around with guns blazing will simply get you shot within a minute. Overall, the tension that Rainbow Six has always been noted for is duly captured by Raven Shield. Another by-product of using the Unreal platform is a well-developed multiplayer base. Right out of the box, the demo already has dedicated command line servers (running ucc) going. The migration, which in the beginning was a shock to me, has proved to be a successful fait accompli: the merger of one of the finest technical platforms with one of the best franchises in recent memory. While console players have the most toys to play with this Christmas, this title is sure to kick the PC calendar off with a bang in 2003. Questions or comments about the upcoming release of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Raven Shield for the PC? Talk to us! [ E-Mail Fwiffo ] [ Comment in our Forums ]

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