Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction Reviews
Rainbow Six Extraction takes Siege's best parts-its characters and its gunplay-and successfully adapts them to a cooperative experience, but repetitive level design and an uneven progression system make the game feel more boring than it has any right to be. Extraction had all the elements it needed to be a great co-op "zombie" game, including an exact blueprint in Outbreak, but Ubisoft's obsession with keeping players grinding forever won out, making Extraction feel like more of an obligation than an escape.
I enjoyed playing Extinction, even with the randoms who were just trying to be agents of Chaos. But I don’t think I would spend a lot of time with it, these days with so many great games as choices it has become harder and harder to want to comment to one that requires a large amount of grinding. And that is what Extraction would require, as players need to level up to unlock gear, weapons and even levels. Unless it’s telling me an epic story like God of War, Persona or Halo Infinite anymore I just wanna get in, have some fun and get out. Which you can do with Extraction, again with the right group of friends. Other than that, with difficulty spikes as a solo player, and the unstable randos players will be bound to run into online, I don’t see this being much more…which is a shame because Rainbow deserves better. Pray for Sam Fisher.
Rainbow Six Extraction includes some interesting mechanics and a core gameplay loop that you can find fun in. However for all the positive aspects, the big issue is how quickly it falls apart into a grindy, frustrating mess while trying to play solo.
Rainbow Six: Extraction's core gameplay is decent, and its level variety is great, but the game definitely has some blind spots. While a zombie title focused on stealth and tactics makes for an interesting experience, anytime the game strays from that, it's less successful. It draws extra attention to weak spots, like unimpressive AI and an obnoxious RNG progression system. Go in with a couple of friends, though, and you will get some fun out of this. All the levels are visually distinct and interesting to look at, and three squad members stealthing their way through a field of enemies can be immensely rewarding. It's just unlikely to hold your attention in the long term.
Is the game worth your time? Yeah, it’s worth a go, it’s on Game Pass, innit? This is where I can see Rainbow Six Extraction shine. Very dimly. If the game poses a genuine challenge and a progression system that feels rewarding over the long term, there’s no reason why this polished experience can’t retain at least a few players across the coming months. It’s not easy being a video game in 2022: you’ve got some real big hitters on the way, and if you’re not hitting hard then you’re just going to get knocked out, pretty little Siege engine and all. You alright there, Extraction? You’re looking a little woozy.
Rainbow Six: Extraction tries – and fails – to bring the Rainbow Six: Siege paradigm to PVE multiplayer.
Rainbow Six Extraction is a mixed bag of right and wrong. It's carried primarily from its tactical, yet intense gameplay. In concept, it strays completely away from what actually defines a Tom Clancy game.
For my tastes, it doesn’t quite go far enough in some places, and it has lost a bit of that identity that makes Rainbow Six games special, but if you’ve got a few friends who are curious about it then you’ll have a blast jumping into it.
Rainbow Six Extraction is a mildly interesting repurposing of the Siege formula as it’s molded into a co-op only outing. Breaking away from the 5v5 PvP that has led the charge since 2015 is certainly refreshing, even if combatting parasites with tactical professionals is unlikely to be the experience Tom Clancy fans desire. Whether or not Rainbow Six Extraction vibes with you may be partially dependent on your prior disposition towards Siege, as the central gameplay is copied as is. The difference is in the use of those gameplay mechanics against a different enemy, which changes up the pacing. Those that have been long-time Siege faithfuls may find the Extraction spin-off a fun deviation for the series. Those without prior participation in Ubisoft’s successful multiplayer title are likely to be more aware of the flaws showing through the uninspired implementation of another game’s soul.
Ultimately, Rainbow Six Extraction is a forgettable experience with a solid foundation that will hopefully be built upon in the months and years to come.
Rainbow Six Extraction is an experimental spinoff that has some potential, with a solid foundation borrowed from R6 Siege. But the experience is constantly torn between stealth and action, and with the repetitive nature of the gameplay and limited content, it's tough to say how many will keep fighting to the end.
That being said, there’s negatives like the progression system, the act of unlocking operators, loadouts for a zombie PVE shooter, and tacked on story mode. I couldn’t possibly recommend this to someone who is looking for their next Tom Clancy game to make them come back to the series. Rainbow Six Extraction is an expansion – just a weirder, disconnected, and unenjoyable expansion.
As a Rainbow Six Siege spin-off it’s fun to see all of the gadgets and mechanics of that game make their way over into the co-op space. The gun-feel is also on point. The ease at which you can throw out a recon drone or line up a head-shot through a wall is endlessly satisfying. And with all of its tactical stealthiness, Extraction plays unlike anything else we’ve seen in the co-op space. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to give the experience a true identity it can call its own.
Rainbow Six Siege starts out strong owing to tactical gameplay and frantic moments. Sadly, the grind becomes tedious down the line. Worse, there's a lack of incentives to keep you excited for the endgame.
Rainbow Six Extraction is fun when it leans into its absurd premise, but it also tends to take itself too seriously. Ubisoft apply all the knowledge gained from tweaking Siege's gameplay and it works well in the gameplay department, but it's a bit uninspired in other areas.
Rainbow Six Extraction is a solid team-based shooter, with creepy enemies and strong gameplay. The game's Operators are enjoyable to use, even if they don't quite stand out from one another, and the online multiplayer is a lot of fun when you can partner up with a good team. If you're looking for a solo shooter that will keep your attention, you might want to steer clear of this one. For everyone else, Rainbow Six Extraction is a fairly enjoyable experience.
Rainbow Six Extraction is a uniquely enjoyable entry in Team Rainbow’s history, though the significant crossover with its predecessor makes me feel like Ubisoft could’ve opted for a Siege expansion instead. It's not a huge problem for Ubisoft+ or Game Pass subscribers, sure, but it's a steeper ask for everyone else.
There are some fun elements, and some merits that need to be recognized; however, whilst fun, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction is just not enough. The game feels rushed, and not enough fleshed out to become its own thing.
Rainbow Six: Extraction is a tactical shooter with not a lot of story. It is a fun game to play with some friends, but quickly loses the attention of solo players. It is a PVE successor to the PVP Game Rainbow Six: Siege. The game is worth a seven, but has the potential to be eight if enough content is added in the future.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Rainbow Six Extraction is a very good spin-off standalone expansion, which brings a fresh proposition to a genre that looks strangely saturated.
Review in Greek | Read full review