Yesterday the first closed alpha for Rainbow Six Mobile started rolling out, and Ubisoft has been kind enough to grant Android Police access so that I can share my thoughts with everyone. Keep in mind that this is an alpha, so this bite-sized version of Siege currently exists in an unfinished state where there are only two maps and sixteen characters available. But if you’re curious to see precisely how the development of Rainbow Six Mobile is stacking up, we have a 20+ minute gameplay video to share with everyone to illustrate exactly how the alpha plays on Android.
Let’s get right into it. The above gameplay video offers 20+ minutes that explore the game’s settings and characters, as well as its 5v5 multiplayer content. Everything was recorded at 1080p at 30FPS (on a ROG 5), and yes, the game is capped at 30fps since there are currently no graphics settings available. Performance holds at 30FPS, so the alpha is stable in its current form, though it sure would be nice to at least see 60FPS support at release.
Those with sharp eyes will notice that bots are included in each match (they sure love to stand around); however, Ubisoft did warn that it would include bots during the alpha, more than likely to keep matchmaking expedient during this core gameplay testing phase. This brings me to my first complaint. Matchmaking takes too long, and not in the sense that it takes forever to find partners, but in a sense choosing characters across five players takes too long. Add in loading times, and it can take a couple of minutes before you’re running and gunning.
If you’re familiar with Rainbow Six Siege, you’ll notice that the primary menus in the mobile alpha are close to the core game. So just as Ubisoft claimed before the alpha’s launch, this is indeed a bite-sized version of Siege. Ideally, this setup should appeal to the fans of Siege, though we already know there will be no crossplay between mobile and consoles/PC.
Now, as far as the gameplay goes, there isn’t much to experience beyond Bomb and Secure Area. But here’s the thing, the tactical gameplay of Siege is here in full force, and while it’s not incredibly complicated, it requires familiarity, and there are a ton of buttons on the screen, many situational that only pop up when needed, and so the touch controls are a total pain. The default spacing is awful, with too many buttons close together (though you have the option to tweak placement in the settings), and none are explained through gameplay. Sure, this is an alpha, so explanations aren’t forthcoming, but ultimately the included controller support feels much better than the touch controls and is easily my preferred way to play.
More or less, Rainbow Six Mobile plays like an alpha. Yes, it’s a little janky, and it heats my phone despite the 30FPS cap, and the controls (even the controller support) feel like they need some tweaks to better their responsiveness, but the game is still a hoot to play. So for an alpha, Rainbow Six Mobile is off to a good start as you can easily see it plays very similarly to the full version of Siege. While we’ve yet to hear how this mobile offshoot will be monetized, here’s hoping Ubisoft keeps things above board for the release.
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Of course, it’s still unknown when Rainbow Six Mobile will launch on Android or even when a beta might kick off. So there’s no doubt more coverage is coming your way as development progresses (as the closed alpha is just the start), but until then, enjoy our hands-on with Rainbow Six Mobile.
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