Rainbow Six Vegas 2 DLC raises the stakes

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 hit the sales charts like a bullet upon its March release, earning the No. 2 spot on NPD Group's US retail rankings with more than 750,000 copies sold. While the tactical military shooter came in second only to fellow new release Super Smash Bros. Brawl on the Wii, it couldn't keep momentum and fell out of the top 10 entirely in April and May.

Ubisoft hasn't given up on the game yet, as today the publisher announced the release of a free downloadable Fan Pack for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC editions of the game scheduled for July. Included in the pack will be three remixed maps of old: dark versions of Murdertown and CQB Training, and Calypso Casino, a level from the original Rainbow Six Vegas.

Maps aren't the only additions in the Fan Pack. It will also include a game update that adds a new gameplay option called High Stakes, which removes some of the game's more forgiving elements. For instance, High Stakes will disable players' radars, aim assistance, and health regeneration. Ammunition will also be more limited, and moving while shooting has a greater negative impact on accuracy.

Finally, the update includes a variety of balance tweaks, new features like a directional indicator when players are within range of a grenade, more spawning and chat options when hosting a game, and new ranks and A.C.E.S. levels for players who have already maxed out the game's current player prestige limits.

For more on Rainbow Six Vegas 2, check out GameSpot's review.