Rainbow Six: Vegas is an action-driven tactical shooter where you play as Logan Keller, leader of a Rainbow Six squad, tasked with taking down terrorists who seek to control the city of Las Vegas. The missions are connected by a storyline, with objectives such as rescuing hostages or disarming bombs.
The gameplay focuses on strategy and teamwork, with access to various weapons and gadgets like C4 or Tear Gas. You order your team members around using "Rules of Engagement", which provide options for them to follow, such as taking cover or rushing in. The enemies have improved AI, making them harder to kill, and the mission planning has been removed, allowing you to pick up weapons from dead enemies.
The game features a unique way of advancing the plot through gameplay scenes, rather than cutscenes. You can engage in multiplayer modes with up to 15 players, including Assault & Defend and Deathmatch modes, or play through the single-player story with friends or on random generated maps.