Saying that games are like movies has become something of a cliché of late. Still, from time to time the comparison is warranted.

In 'Rainbow Six: Vegas 2', it is not so much about the look of the game and the excellent sound effects, but rather about the sense of atmosphere — that is to say the palpable air of tension as you are about to aim your sniper rifle at one of a group of hostage takers.

As with the previous 'Rainbow Six' games, 'Vegas 2' represents the pinnacle of what is being done in squad-based shooters. Which is not to say that the wheel is being re-invented, but just that it is working better than ever before.

It is still the usual business of "saving the hostages" and "defusing explosives." And as before, you are teamed with two elite squad-mates who you can command to move here or there, open doors "smoke and clear" and all the other standard squad commands.

One key to the games' success is that orders are highly context sensitive. Usually this takes the form of small prompts appearing on screen. When a squad mate is down, press the up-arrow to tell your other comrade to help him, or when faced with a door, press the right arrow to frag and clear.

Whereas this kind of prompt-based gameplay may once have sounded untenable, it is now hard to imagine things being done differently. They may not have worked in a faster paced game, but they are perfectly suited to 'Vegas 2's' slow-moving, tactical play.

Add some smooth and responsive controls and a lovely targeting system and you have a product that is oozing with high production values.

Most of the time the action comes in small bursts. For the rest, the game is about sneaking around, sniping here and there, and making a number of crucial decisions. Rather than loud over the top fire fights, 'Vegas 2' is thus much more of a quiet tactical shooter, where the hook is tension, rather than action.

Much of the success of this formula is down to how well it is implemented. The impressive visuals and the excellent voice acting and sound effects goes a long way to getting you to suspend your disbelief and immerse yourself in the world of an elite anti-terrorism unit.

Add a good character-creation feature that allows you to build up your attributes and a solid multiplayer offering that includes the usual modes as well as co-op for the single player campaign, and the package is looking very substantial.

Still, even though the experience is quite convincing, it is not without its flaws. Whereas your comrades generally act quite intelligently, here and there enemy AI is still a few bullets short of a loaded gun. It is still better than most other games out there, but with 'Vegas 2' setting the bar so high in other areas, this shortcoming is noticeable.

Another thing that some might have an issue with is just how scripted the action is. But having said that, very few shooters manage to get away from the feeling that you are dealing with a series of set pieces anyway. And, it may well be that highly scripted and linear levels are the only way in which this kind of film-like tension can be achieved.

And finally, if you've already played the original 'Vegas', 'Vegas 2's' incremental improvements — new levels, character-creation, and online tweaks — may not push things much further. But then again, it is "more of the same" in the best possible way.

Put it all together, and 'Rainbow Six: Vegas 2' is a highly polished and extremely engaging shooter. It may not surpass its illustrious predecessor, nor re-invent the genre in any way, but it is still one of the best squad-based shooters out there.