Boys with Toys

When it comes to shooters, the guns you'll use play a large part in how successful a game is. And you'll be happy to know that R6 Vegas 2 does not suffer in this arena. Trying out new weapons is always lots of fun. The folks that created the game knew this and made sure that your arsenal was fully stocked with various submachine guns, sniper rifles, and a plethora of automatic weapons that you can customize with laser sights, scopes, silencers, and extra large magazines. In fact, many of the guns used in the previous game have returned. But this time around, your arsenal is larger and many of the new guns seem to pack more of a punch thanks to some excellent use of audio sampling coupled with the Xbox 360 controller's force feedback.

You'll also learn a lot about the weapons you choose as the gear menu informs you of each gun's stopping power, range, recoil, and bullet capacity. The guns in R6 Vegas 2 just feel and sound great! The game's other audio effects are top notch and are blended well with each new environment you encounter. Ambient noises also match your surroundings and are very realistic whether you're hitting the streets or inside of the game's many interior settings. As for the music score, you'll experience the same music you heard in R6 Vegas. It sounded great then and it sounds great now. The game's background music intensifies along with the action, providing for an excellent cinematic experience.

So, what's new in the game? The most notable addition is the ability to sprint rather than being restricted to walking. This welcome feature is quite useful during the campaign and is almost essential during online play as the combat intensifies significantly. You'll use the sprint feature to run from cover to cover while dodging enemy fire, or to chase down an opponent so you can get a more accurate shot.

Also new to the game is an enhanced ranking system called A.C.E.S. that notifies the player of any completed goals that unlock new weapons and gear. A.C.E.S. is similar to achievement points, but is built into the game and really gives you the feeling of continual accomplishment the more you play. A.C.E.S. features an XP (experience points) bar located at the top left of the screen, allowing you to follow your progression to your next rank. This is a great feature that players will surely appreciate. It also challenges the player to be creative. Trying out new playing styles is more fun than ever as you learn which tactics award you the most XP. If you've already played R6 Vegas and gained the achievement for completing the campaign on realistic difficulty, you'll receive 2500XP and an increased rank as soon as you pop the R6 Vegas 2 disc into your Xbox 360. XP hounds will definitely appreciate this little gift from the development team, and other bonuses are also available for R6V players, including equipment.

A.C.E.S. also works alongside your ability to customize the character you'll use in the campaign and online. Not only will weapons and protective gear define your character, but you'll also have the ability to change the overall appearance with optional headgear, masks, and even the color of your camouflage. In R6 Vegas 2, you can now increase your rank and gain all these extras during offline play. This is a major improvement over the previous game where you could only increase your rank while playing online. Now, any XP you gain will stick with you regardless of the mode you're playing.

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