Graphics and Sound

It sure is purty

Rogue Spear utilizes a Direct3D engine with software support. Graphics in Rogue Spear are much improved over its predecessor, Rainbow Six - architecture no longer looks so blocky, and the textures used for walls and other surfaces are much more detailed than they were in Rainbow Six. All the settings from museums to airliners to castles and houses look lifelike and modeled to scale in order to enhance the immersion factor. While the Rogue Spear engine does a decent job of modeling outdoors areas, it's much more adept at showing close quarters areas. The engine utilizes decals for bullet holes and breakable glass and doors for an even more realistic atmosphere.

Is that an M-16 he's holding?

GO GO GO!

What about colors? Well this is the real world, so the washed out browns and yellows of Quake won't cut it. Not to fear - Direct3D engines often err on the side of looking too colorful and cartoony, but Rogue Spear seems to avoid both pitfalls, creating levels that look vivid and true to life, but not too comic-book like. Likewise, the engine does a decent job at modeling human faces. Noses, cheekbones and other facial features are plainly obvious - you won't see beak like faces in this game! Even the clothing and equipment in Rogue Spear look finely detailed. Why yes, those are Bugle Boy jeans he's wearing.

You've got to move it, move it

Rogue Spear's animation is probably the best part of the graphics - you'll see your men crouch, run and aim their weapons, as well as climb ladders and other obstacles to get around. All the animations look smooth, without any obvious popping. I played the game at 1024x768 and at that resolution, Rogue Spear is a visual feast. There is one major problem with the graphics engine, and I understand it's also a problem with Rainbow Six - clipping. Sometimes you'll see feet and other appendages poking out through walls. You'll also run into dead terrorists' guns poking out of stairwells and walls. In a game that relies a lot on stealth and camping, this kind of error is not a good one to have.

Die, scum!

He's holding a UMP 45

Sound

The sound effects in Rogue Spear are superb, with support for SB's EAX 3D sound API. In one particular mission, I had to sneak around underneath a wooden walkway - I was able to discern which direction the soldier above me was walking, using sound cues, and correctly time when and in which direction to run in order to avoid detection.

Red Storm seems to have gone through a good deal of effort to include realistic sound effects for all the weapons. These won't sound like over exaggerated movie sound effects - pistols give a sharp pop while automatic weapons chatter. With silenced sub machine guns, you only hear the whirr and clicking of the firing mechanism! Hand grenades let off a subdued thud while flashbangs give more of an ear popping report. Voice acting in the game is decent although it would have been nice to have the terrorists give different yells and maybe even speak in their native languages. I have a hard time believing that a Japanese eco-terrorist sounds exactly the same as an Arab airline hijacker when yelling "GRENADE!"

Stay down!

Multiplayer - I emptied my clip into him