Rainbow Six Siege X Review Remastered Thrills, Not a Revolution

Don't call Rainbow Six Siege X a sequel because it's mostly the same game but it's still the biggest update the series has ever had.

Most live service games are made with the hope that people will play if the game is built well but games like Concord, Babylon's Fall and Anthem show that this doesn't always work. Rainbow Six Siege had a rough start in 2015, and it could have been shut down early. But instead Ubisoft kept improving it for years and now it's one of their biggest successes. Siege X celebrates this with lots of updates and changes.

This is not a full sequel like Overwatch 2 or CS2 but it’s also more than just a normal update. Siege X is like the same game we know but with a fresh better look like a butterfly coming out of its cocoon.

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Ubisoft is making changes to several maps each season starting with Operation Daybreak. Instead of full reworks maps like Bank, Border, Chalet, Club House and Kafe Dostoyevsky are getting better textures and lighting to make them look nicer. A bigger rework is planned for the end of the year.

The interiors look similar to Year One but now they use darker colors instead of the flat faded look from earlier seasons. However unlike Year One I can now fight both inside and outside without being surprised by bright sunlight or darkness.

Enemies now have a colored outline based on your team color which makes them easier to see. But it's not perfect sometimes the color spreads to walls or objects in front of them. Also you can't turn this feature off so custom games like hide and seek or Michael Myers won’t work the same anymore.

The new map changes aren’t just for looks they also affect how you play. If you shoot a fire extinguisher it creates a small cloud of smoke that can help you hide or move during a fight like Batman escaping danger. Flammable pipes shoot out fire to block paths just like Goyo's traps. You can also turn off metal detectors for a while using an EMP or destroy them with an explosion if you want a more risky solution.

These objects don’t change the whole game but they do add something extra. Defenders now have to think more about what’s around them. For example if you don’t break the pipes early in tight spots like Kafe’s Bakery you might get caught off guard by a grenade and lose the round.

This season doesn't add a new operator but Clash gets a new ability. She can now place her shield on the ground and pick it up again. At first I was worried it might be too strong after seeing some videos of players using it. But so far she seems balanced and working well in the game.

Ubisoft removed tick damage from all electricity in the game so now she can stay in one spot and fight using her secondary weapon. This makes her feel very strong almost like a one-person army, since she doesn’t need as much help from teammates. Still it’s smart to team her up with Wamai or Jager to protect her shield from getting destroyed by enemy grenades.

The most fun part of Siege X is also the most different. You have to relearn how the game's sound works so even experienced players feel like beginners again.

The game’s sound has been improved with a new engine So you can hear footsteps more clearly and know where they’re coming from. Gunfire now sounds more realistic too shots from far away are quiet and nearby ones sound close like they should. This makes close fights feel more real and intense.

I'm not fully convinced yet because there are some odd things. For example if someone walks up stairs in front of you the sound suddenly becomes quiet even though you can still see them. It feels a bit like a game trick. But the good part is you can now always tell if someone is above or below you. In the end some people will get used to it while others might find it hard.

Siege X's main new feature is a 6v6 mode called Dual Front. It mixes ideas from Battlefield’s Breakthrough and the bomb mode. You have to go into enemy territory and plant a defuser while also protecting your own base. In the middle area anything can happen like a surprise mission to rescue a hostage that gives your team a bonus. So make sure your backup weapons are ready or you’ll regret choosing the wrong gear when things get tough.

Ubisoft wants to use Dual Front to tell a story that changes over time. I’m interested to see how it turns out because short bios and videos can only do so much to grow the game's world.

It’s not as famous as Outbreak which had a spin-off called Extraction that didn’t do well but this game is good on its own. Respawning feels smooth and natural unlike the crazy action in Team Deathmatch. When you’re waiting to play you can keep busy by using drones. Dual Front encourages you to work with your team and plan your moves. But I’m not sure I’ll like rappelling as a defender anytime soon.

I feel a bit jealous of people who are playing Siege for the first time with X. The game is much better now and easier for new players. It has smarter AI and special challenges to help beginners learn and improve. There’s also a new menu when you hold the yellow ping button So you can warn your team about dangers without having to talk too much.

If you’ve played before this game feels mostly the same. Ubisoft says it’s the biggest change ever but the updates are mostly small details instead of big improvements. I like the new rappel moves that let me move around buildings like Spider-Man and now falling feels smoother and faster. The controls feel quicker and the new Pick and Ban system gets you playing faster with less waiting. For people like me who love this game’s style after ten years it’s just right. But others might want something more exciting or different.