In my young days, I wanted to become a butcher. I don't have a problem admitting that. Even back then, I loved my steaks, with the occasional swig of beer taken from my dad's can of KB when he wasn't looking (explains a lot now, let me tell you) But as the seasons changed and the years rolled by, so too did my choice of future vocation. Just like all my friends, we were all filled with dreams of becoming fire fighters, followed by astronauts, train drivers, fighter pilots, SAS soldiers and so on.

Just more expensive stuff to shoot at.

One career I definitely wanted to pursue though was to become a crack military officer / commando / 007-type. With visions of babes, expensive cars with ejection seats, a vast array of weaponry and countless numbers of evil dudes to kill, it was defiantly something I thought worth pursuing. As it happened, I became a games writer instead but heck... if games like Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas keep being released, I can find comfort in the fact that I missed all that bloody training and still feel like that commando type I always wanted to be, all while I'm sitting on my arse.

Rainbow Six: Vegas opens with as much blood and bravado as you've come to expect in the series - lots of enemies begging to have their innards sprayed onto the nearest wall, while steamy salsa pumps through a nearby wireless, inviting your hips to dance while your fingers keep the gun trigger pressed firmly down. Viva la revolution baby!

The campaign starts with you playing Logan Keller, riding the friendly skies of Mexico aboard a chopper, leader of a three-man counterterrorist team being briefed by Joe, your intelligence contact, on the assignment ahead. No long trailer, no mess, no fuss. Things go pear-shaped for the good guys in Mexico though, and the terrorists have decided, in their infinite, dastardly wisdom, to blow up Las Vegas via one of those easy to come by prototype mass destruction devices. Your job is to stop them, so guaranteeing a high body count and an explosive time ahead. So you happen to be a fan of past Rainbow Six titles? Yes, that dé jà vu you're going through right now is fairly justified, but hang on to ya hats folks, as we are presented with the most polished, slick edition to the series yet.

The controls system takes a bit of getting used to for the novice Rainbow Six player but after a few trial runs and many deaths in between, it becomes a cinch. Taking immediate cover upon enemy contact is essential as a stray bullet is as unforgiving as one taken to the head in real life, especially when played on the harder Realistic mode (more on that later). Fortunately, your choices of cover are not limited, as basically everything large and solid enough can be used to cower behind. As I learnt, idly walking around a corner will get you shot, so the right mouse button becomes your friend. Using it automatically presses you up against the wall and by doing so changes the view to third-person, allowing you to easily spy around the corner for hostile activity. Another option (less-used, I found) is blind fire, which allows players to point the gun around a corner and shoot blindly.

Checkpoints can either become a pain in the arse or a means to improve – meaning either you'll find it annoying having to traverse the same ground after spawning from your last checkpoint or take it nice and slow, finding good cover spots and ensuring low deaths for greater enjoyment... up to the player really. Personally (and more to the point, stupidly), I started playing the game Rambo-style, leaving no room for tactics nor time but heading straight for the assigned target (easily found via the clutter free HUD). Eventually, I succumbed to the checkpoint blues, so I decided to take the time to slowly navigate the many obstacles (both animate and inanimate) to the assigned target, resulting in minimal deaths and a marked downturn in bouts of swearing. One thing's for sure... depending on the difficulty played, it's with the greatest relief that you find yourself at the next checkpoint, brushing away the sweat and crying, "Thank f**k for that!"

Spot the many places the blasted enemy may hide.

The plot, which frankly is a bit of a yawn, revolves around the old 'defuse the ticking bomb, rescue damsels in distress (in this case, two scientists) and kill a lot of luckless enemies' theme. Thankfully, the combat in this game is exceptional. Most of the more intense firefights are to be found around and inside the fictional casinos in downtown Las Vegas, in particular Casino Calypso. I recall this stage of the game with some fondness, as I found myself encased in a maze of glass, multiple entry/exit points and sneaky enemies fond of circling around banks of poker machines in the hope of a quick back shot, resulting in a massive and impressive firefight. Of particular note was the main lobby section of the hotel, which has you battling emplaced turrets and enemies on each floor each with excellent cover... damn good fun.

At this point, you'll be thinking, "but what about the other team members?" I'm getting to that now, so calm down. Sure, it sounds like I've been a lone cowboy strutting through Las Vegas, one man army style. That's not the case, as my fellow team members are a force of nature in their own right. Without the added fire-power, progress would be nigh impossible. As I've already stated above, slow and easy wins this race. Controlling your team members becomes almost second-nature in the later stages of the game. Hitting the space bar on a particular spot on the ground makes them move to it. "Stacking" the team onto either side of a door or rappelling down an elevator shaft opens up a score of possible entry options, depending on the rules of engagement chosen (assault or infiltration). A handy tool in the form of a snake cam slides under the door and allows you to spy out the enemies and most importantly, give you the ability to assign a target to each team member, all before entry is made.

Personal damage is associated by the amount of screen fade. With no health bar or health pack in sight, taking cover till the screen brightens back up is the best way to forgo that checkpoint reloading nightmare... the darker it gets, the closer you are to a shallow, un-marked grave. This regenerative health system is indicative of the clean, functional approach of the game. It's this hassle free, slick and sleek game design that makes this Rainbow Six title easily the most enjoyable one yet. Team damage is indicated by either of your team members hitting the deck, doubled over in pain. You either run over and hand out some first-aid yourself, or order the other still-standing team member to do it, while you provide cover. Leave the pain relief for too long and they die... trust me, you don't want that to happen.

With only 2 playing levels, Normal and Realistic available, I assume everyone would first pick the easier option to start with. Having played the game on both levels, I can easily advise people not to bother playing it on Normal level, as the fun factor increases tenfold on Realistic. Essentially, a bullet to anyone's head means certain death and the same goes for you.

Oh Sin City, how I'd like to commit sinful acts within you.

This is a no-brainer but AI in this game, certainly on Realistic mode, might as well hand you a spade and force you to dig your own grave, time after bloody time. The first level has its fair share of baddies trying either to flank, rush or wait till the Three Stooges (meaning you) fall into their trap. Vocal cues indicate what the enemy's intentions are, even if in a different language... with 'Vamos' the only recognisable word. Luckily, English-speaking mercenaries are mostly used and rather helpfully. The audio cues given by the enemy is an easy means to a quick end, sometimes made too easy, with needless coughing giving away their hidden locations.

Still, examples of stupidity pop up from time to time. For example, a later mission finds you traversing through science labs / offices that have glass inserts in the doors, allowing easy visibility both ways, or so you'd think. Rather than jumping at the first sign of us 'policeman' as they keep shouting out appearing on the other side of a door, they stand firmly rooted in place until the obvious AI cue gets activated which in this case is a door opening. I could also mention the fact that hearing a grenade explode through a door does nothing either, but you get my point.

The music is phenomenal in all stages of the game. The interweaving of trumpet and slide guitar sounding like Miles Davis having a merry jam with Ry Cooder in different sections of the game mixed with sharp electronic beats and drones is sensational. Beautiful pieces blend seamlessly throughout the course of the game, without taking attention away from the somewhat slow and selective nature of the combat in the game. I'd gladly buy the soundtrack if it was available... mesmerizing stuff. On the other hand, vocal acting is barely worth mentioning. In both the game and the cut-scenes, Logan in his heavy Texan drawl sounds like he's herding cattle to the slaughterhouse and having a boring time of it rather than fighting a tense battle to save millions. The other characters pretty much sound as expressionless as Logan. Sound effects are as good as the music, with the endless parade of guns and explosions going off as well as small things like broken glass being trodden on, all added to the sense that you really were there and part of the non-stop action.

The graphics are especially well done. I was especially gladded by how well those damned poker machines exploded with a few well-placed grenades, resulting in a mass of delightful smoke and sparks. With most of the game based in the surreal, gaudy surrounds of Las Vegas and its casinos, glass, bright lights and gold reins supreme. All this sparkle comes at a price so come prepared for a fight on two fronts; enemies in-game and crappy frame rates. The game's system requirements speaks for itself; P4 3GHz, 1024 MB and of course, a decent vid card. Those with decent setups need not worry of course, as you'll easily admire all the reflections, splashes of light, smoke and dust you could possibly want.

Mmm, more pokies for me to smash.

I have to mention how well the Thermal goggles work. It works a treat when light conditions are low, with the effective range working very much to the players' favour, especially since you can spy out your enemy's heat signature while hiding behind fabric partitions or flimsy boxes. Another nice touch is shown by downed enemy bodies noticeably cooling after a few minutes.

After completing the single player mode, don't be quick to join online, as Rainbow Six: Vegas also sports a single player Terrorist Hunt mode. Select one of the 10 missions available, choose the difficulty and enemy density (low, medium or high) and you're on the way to one of the most enduring combat rushes you'll have played for ages (I actually favoured this over playing online, would you believe). The premise is simple; you alone surviving against the many. There's no timer so you play as slow or as fast as you choose. Being that my favourite map was Calypso Casino, I'd hit realistic mode, max the enemy density (50) and I'd be lost in a frenzied and nervous battle to the last man standing. Getting killed forces you back to square one... I'm going strong on effort 38 or so to complete it, with no sign of giving up - awesome stuff.

Hitting the online element is as streamlined as the game itself – within moments an intuitive menu displays available servers hosting 8 online modes as well the 'Create Match' button allowing players to create their own individual hosted matches. One mode of note is the Survival mode, with no respawns or second chances allowed – a free-for-all, last man standing type of brawl.

One interesting twist to the online aspect of Rainbow Six: Vegas is the persistent nature of player-characters and the capacity to unlock an assortment of new armour (heavy, medium or light), new clothes and new weapons, with customisation playing a key role in sorting out the kids from the men in online battles.

Another interesting addition comes via the CO-OP story mode with a maximum of 4 players being able to play the entire single player story. Seeing as the original had only three team members, an extra soul on board would make for some intense situations, especially on realistic mode. As I haven't had the opportunity to try it out, anyone out there interested in giving it a go? Hit me with a PM and we'll organise something.

It should be more than apparent that Rainbow Six: Vegas has the potential for longevity and an abundance of gratifyingly drawn-out fighting sequences within a great looking environment. With its massive single player and online options and stylistic approach, this title should be checked out by all fans of intense first-person tactical shooters.