Zombies came and went, then dinosaurs had a brief stint in the limelight, and now it seems aliens are making a resurgence as the big bad in video games. As well as Aliens: Fireteam Elite and the recent The Anacrusis both pitting a squad of heroes against some truly terrifying aliens, now it’s the turn of Rainbow Six to put their squabbles aside and face a new threat in Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction.
Formerly titled Rainbow Six Quarantine – but, let’s be honest, we’ve had enough of that word now – Rainbow Six Extraction serves as a spin-off to the incredibly popular Rainbow Six Siege. It is available on Xbox, PlayStation, PC and Stadia, with Xbox Game Pass subscribers getting access to the game through the service. This time around, a squad of up to three Rainbow Six operators (or a solo player) will be venturing into a number of Containment Zones that have been set up across the US to contain a supernatural presence known as the Archeans.
In typical Rainbow Six fashion, tactics are at the forefront here, and with 18 operators to choose from, each with their own gadgets and weapons to utilise, it’s very easy to find the squad that suits every playstyle. And it’s a good thing too that the Rainbow Six squad are kitted out, as the Archeans are too with a whole host of abilities and random mutations being used against you and your fireteam.
Ubisoft are also dedicated to supporting the game post-launch, with a heap of content already being announced. Look out for weekly modes that aim to test your skills, with the Maelstrom Protocol in particular providing challenges for the most hardened of Rainbow Six veterans.
With complete cross-play across Xbox, PlayStation, PC and Stadia, you can bet your bottom dollar there won’t be a shortage of players to team up with should you be without some buddies to back you up. So if you fancy a break from the counter-terrorists versus terrorists narrative, and instead want to blast some aliens in the face, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction should be where you are looking.
On Xbox, you can pick up the game on the Xbox Store in two flavours: the base game is available for £44.99, whereas for an extra fiver you can gain some cosmetic content, XP boost and in-game discounts in the form of the Deluxe Edition. In a nice touch, any edition of Rainbow Six Extraction bought will also provide the player with two Buddy Tokens – these allow you to invite a friend to play with them for up to 14 days for free, with any progression carried over should they purchase the full game after. Rainbow Six Extraction is also available on PS5, PS4, PC and Stadia from their respective stores. Finally, remember that those of you Xbox and PC gamers with Game Pass can get the game free through the subscription service.
And if you need more after that? The Rainbow Six Extraction – REACT Strike Pack is also available. £16.24 will get you additional cosmetics and some much-needed XP Boosters. It’s included in the Deluxe Edition already.
But we keep going and additionally available on the Xbox Store is the Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction United Bundle. Priced at £59.99, this bundles up Extraction with a bit of Siege goodness. Not only are you getting the base games, but expect Siege Year 1 and Year 2 Operators, that REACT Strike Pack for Extraction, the Obscura Pack and Noxious Touch Pack for the same game and enough content to have you dreaming of Rainbow Six forevermore.
Our review of Rainbow Six Extraction is fast approaching. Keep an eye out for it.
Game Description:
For decades, Team Rainbow has been the shield against the worst global threats imaginable. Now, we face the greatest terror yet: a lethal, mutating alien parasite.
