19 Food And Drinks From The Star Wars Movies, Ranked

19 Food And Drinks From The Star Wars Movies, Ranked – GameSpot

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A big part of why Star Wars is so beloved is the immersive world that George Lucas created that it exists in. Star Wars didn’t just break from sci-fi tradition by presenting space action in a way that had never been seen before, it was also a long way from the clinical look of other sci-fi movies of the era, such as Logan’s Run, 2001: A Space Odyssey, or Lucas’s own THX-1138. Everything from the lived-in look of ships and weapons to the mix of alien languages and references to parsecs, kessel runs, and womp rats helped present a world that felt fully-formed and strangely inviting.

This extended to the food as well. Throughout the Star Wars series, characters have often stopped to eat and drink–we’ve seen them snacking while lost on strange planets, making plans over dinner, and sampling weird dishes on the busy streets of cities. Some of the food and drink looks intriguingly tasty, some absolutely revolting. And while many of these culinary delights go unnamed in the movies, the official Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia is thankfully on hand to give us details about what our heroes are consuming.

It’s Star Wars day, so we’ve been through the Star Wars movies and found all the best scenes involving food and drink. Once you’ve read this, check out all the best Star Wars day deals and product reveals, everything we learnt from the Rise of Skywalker special features, and our guide to the coolest droids in the Star Wars series.

And speaking of things you should be watching, consider listening to GameSpot’s weekly TV series and movies-focused podcast, You Should Be Watching. With new episodes premiering every Wednesday, you can watch a video version of the podcast over on GameSpot Universe or listen to audio versions on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, and Apple Podcasts.

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19. Jawa Juice

19. Jawa Juice

Seen in: Attack of the Clones

Obi-Wan visits his old pal Dex Jettster, who is running a diner on Coruscant. He is served something called Jawa Juice. According to the Star Wars Encyclopedia, Jawa Juice is not made from liquefied Jawas, but is “a sharp bitter beverage known as ardees.”

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18. Leia's Snack

18. Leia’s Snack

Seen in: Return of the Jedi

Leia makes friends with Wicket after she wakes up from her Speeder crash. The Ewok is understandably nervous about this intruder to his forest, but Leia quickly diffuses the situation by offering him a snack. The Return of the Jedi script merely describes it as a “scrap of food,” but it looks like some sort of biscuit or cracker.

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17. Purple Juice

17. Purple Juice

Seen in: Attack of the Clones

Anakin might have a hard time hearing that his mom has been abducted and possibly killed by Tuskan Raiders, but at least he has a tasty purple juice, served by a young Aunt Beru, to enjoy while hearing the terrible news.

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16. Aacht-To Fish

16. Aacht-To Fish

Seen in: The Last Jedi

Unsurprisingly, given he lives on a small island in the middle of a vast sea, Luke’s diet on Aacht-To seems to consist mostly of fish. He shows off his impressive fishing skills by scaling the cliffs and using an extremely long, bladed pole to skewer a large sea creature for dinner.

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15. Shmi's Fruit Bowl

15. Shmi’s Fruit Bowl

Seen in: The Phantom Menace

Shmi Skywalker prepares a meal for Obi-Wan, Qui Gon, and Padme. As the scene starts, our heroes have pretty much finished eating, so we don’t really know what delights Anakin’s mom served up. However, Jar-Jar does use his long, amphibious tongue to grab some apple-like fruit from the table.

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14. Jedha Tentacles

14. Jedha Tentacles

Seen in: Rogue One

Like many towns in Star Wars, Jedha City features a busy street market selling lots of bizarre and still-moving food. As Jyn and Cassian pass through the city, we see a big pan of frying, squirming tentacles for sale.

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13. Canto Bight Drinks

13. Canto Bight Drinks

Seen in: The Last Jedi

There’s not much eating going on in the casinos of Canto Bight, but there sure is a lot of drinking. Space booze flows by the gallon, but sadly Rose and Finn are on an important mission and don’t have time to enjoy a tipple.

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12. Naboo Transport In-Flight Food

12. Naboo Transport In-Flight Food

Seen in: Attack of the Clones

Anakin and Padme make their escape to Naboo on a commercial transport, and have a spot of lunch en route. The ship canteen offers what looks like pancakes and fries (served by a multi-limbed droid), while the young couple have chosen something served in cheap-looking plastic bowls. Sadly they’re too busy being in love to eat, so we don’t see what they’ve chosen.

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11. Mos Espa Market Meat

11. Mos Espa Market Meat

Seen in: The Phantom Menace

On his stroll through the streets of Mos Espa, Jar-Jar passes a market stall selling colorful, strung-up creatures to eat. Of course, this being Jar-jar, he can’t help but swipe one of these weird delicacies with his tongue, much to the vendor’s annoyance.

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10. Luke's Lunchbox

10. Luke’s Lunchbox

Seen in: The Empire Strikes Back

After he lands on Dagobah, Luke tucks into a crunchy snack from a box of supplies. Yoda turns up minutes later and we see the contents of Luke’s lunchbox–there’s some white lumps, some orange lumps, and some yellow cubes. You can’t blame Yoda for not being impressed with this.

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9. Naboo Fruit

9. Naboo Fruit

Seen in: Attack of the Clones

Another romantic dinner scene between Padme and Anakin. This time the star-crossed lovers enjoy a plate of, erm, fruit. This is definitely the sort of fruit you don’t need to eat with cutlery, but that’s clearly how you do it on Naboo. It’s all a bit awkward, so to liven things up, Anakin uses the Force to steal Padme’s pear.

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8. Colo Claw Fish

8. Colo Claw Fish

Seen in: Solo

Dryden Vos might be a ruthless gangster, but he knows good food. Towards the end of the movie he offers Solo and Qi’ra the delicacy of Colo Claw fish eggs. Hardcore Star Wars fans will know that the Colo Claw is the giant fish that Qui Gon and Obi-Wan encounter in The Phantom Menace.

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7. Maz's Fruit Platter

7. Maz’s Fruit Platter

Seen in: The Force Awakens

They really do love fruit in the Star Wars universe. Rey, Finn, and Han sit with Maz Kanata in her castle, while tucking into some peculiar-looking produce. Rey’s choice is a particularly odd-looking fusion of apple, avocado, and god-knows-what.

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6. Roast Porg

6. Roast Porg

Seen in: The Last Jedi

For most of us, Porgs were either an unbelievably cute addition to the roster of Star Wars aliens or a cynical ploy to shift toys during Christmas 2017. But for Wookiees, they are dinner. In The Last Jedi, Chewie sits outside the Falcon on Aacht-To, roasting the little critters over an open fire.

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5. Jabba's Frogs

5. Jabba’s Frogs

Seen in: Return of the Jedi

Jabba gets ready to enjoy the sight of Oola being munched by the Rancor by snacking on one of the squirming amphibians he keeps in a little aquarium on his dais. According to the Star Wars Encyclopedia, these are “Klatooine paddy frogs.” Tasty!

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4. Green Milk

4. Green Milk

Seen in: The Last Jedi

The Last Jedi was a controversial movie, particularly when it came to its handling Luke. While some fans were outraged by the actions that led him to live as a bitter recluse on Aacht-To, others were wildly offended by the sight of this once noble Jedi Knight milking one of the planet’s alien mammals (a thala-siren) and gulping down the thick green liquid it produces. In case you want to try this yourself, it’s available for purchase at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Don’t worry, the real-world version of the drink is non-dairy.

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3. Yoda's Stew

3. Yoda’s Stew

Seen in: The Empire Strikes Back

Yoda serves up some sort of stew for Luke in his hut on Dagobah, shortly before he reveals his identity. According to the movie’s script this is “rootleaf.” The Star War Encyclopedia states that this is “a type of plant native to Dagobah. The Jedi Master Yoda used rootleaf to brew a potent and nourishing stew.”

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2. Rey's Bread

2. Rey’s Bread

Seen in: The Force Awakens

Rey’s life on Jakku isn’t much fun, but she does get to enjoy her amazing fast-rising bread. Sold to her by Unkar Plutt, it’s a powder that rises into a tasty loaf within seconds when poured into water. What’s even better than this wasn’t a CG effect, it was actually created live on set.

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1. Blue Milk

1. Blue Milk

Seen in: A New Hope

The first food seen in the Star Wars saga, this milky blue substance is part of the meal that Beru serves up for Luke and Owen. It’s been subsequently established that this is Bantha milk, and the Star Wars Encyclopedia states that it’s rumored to have “medicinal qualities.” Blue Milk is now such an iconic part of the Star Wars universe that you can buy it at the Galaxy’s Edge theme park. Not only that, but Disney has also released the recipe so you can make it yourself at home.

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Disclosure: ViacomCBS is GameSpot’s parent company


Call Of Duty Mobile Once Upon A Time In Rust Now Available

Call of Duty Mobile has kicked off its new season, Once Upon a Time in Rust, and Activision has outlined some upcoming changes to the game. A new mode and season pass are available now, and soon a special gold-themed event will begin. Activision outlined the changes in a large Call of Duty blog post.

The highlight of the update is the return of the fan-favorite map Rust, as well as the newly revised Capture the Flag mode. This time it’s called Capture the Gold, and you’ll need to deliver pots of it to your base to score points. Your Battle Pass progress will earn you extra gear, and you can get a few premium items and operators like a cowboy-themed Ghost when you get the premium version.

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Then on May 7, a Gold Rush event will begin. In Kill Confirmed you can pick up dog tags to collect gold bars, while in battle royale you’ll find treasure maps and go mining for the gold.

Activision previously announced that in mid-May, CoD Mobile will get a Saloon map as well as a 1v1 Duel mode. That mode will be available in Killhouse and Saloon, and Saloon will also be playable in 2v2 Showdown. The new season came alongside new changes to events and battle pass progression.

Now Playing: Call Of Duty Mobile – Full Match On Crash

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Persona 5 Royal Is Discounted On Amazon Right Now (PS4)

Fortunately for those of us who are spending more time inside these days, the past month or so has been an excellent period for new game releases. One of the best PS4 games released recently is Persona 5 Royal, an enhanced version of the acclaimed 2017 JRPG. Persona 5 Royal released March 31 for PS4, and if you’re a fan of the original game but held off on buying P5R at launch, you can currently snag it for a nice discount on Amazon.

The standard edition is priced at $60 regularly, but right now you can grab a copy of Persona 5 Royal for just $49.94 at Amazon. This is the base game, not the steelbook launch edition (which is sold out on Amazon), but this is still the best price we’ve seen on the game since launch. The listing says the standard edition will be in stock on May 10, so you can expect your copy to ship around then. Thankfully, that means you don’t have too much longer to wait before you can dive in.

Persona 5 Royal is the “definitive version of a modern classic,” as editor Michael Higham wrote in his Persona 5 Royal review, which scored the game a rare 10/10 (the original earned a 9/10 back in 2017). If you’re new to Persona 5, this is absolutely the version to buy even though it’s more expensive than the original version. And if you’ve already played and loved Persona 5, P5R makes it worth revisiting, especially while it’s on sale.

Persona 5 Royal adds a slew of new content and features, including a new party member, Kasumi, and a new confidant, school counselor Takuto Maruki. P5R also adds a new school semester with a new Palace, a new location with new shops and hangouts to explore, new animated cutscenes, new story endings, and much, much more. For those who loved Persona 5, P5R offers a ton of new content and improvements to make it worth the investment.

“The extended version, Persona 5 Royal, brings the heat all over again,” wrote Higham in his review. “But beyond a plethora of superb gameplay refinements and features that improve an already-rich RPG comes a momentous new story arc seeded within the original narrative and paid off in full by the end. It delivers something genuinely surprising, leading to awe-inspiring moments and emotional conclusions that recontextualize what I thought the game was.”

“Persona 5 Royal is many things: a collection of small inspiring stories, an ambitious harrowing journey with some good friends, a stunning visual and auditory experience, a resounding call to action. By refining what was already great and building on its best qualities with a brilliant new story arc, Persona 5 Royal asserts itself as an unforgettable and empowering RPG that should be recognized as one of the best games of our time.”

Now Playing: Persona 5 Royal Review

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CoD: Modern Warfare, Warzone Update Will Add New Game Modes Soon

Some new content is coming to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone this week on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Developer Infinity Ward announced that both games will see a playlist update, the return of a game mode, and more.

In a weekly blog post, Infinity Ward confirmed that Modern Warfare will get a brand-new mode in Demolition. The mode, which is similar to Search and Destroy and will be detailed later this week, sees you “attempt[ing] to outsmart and overpower the other team.” In Demolition, your team is tasked with either planting or defusing bombs. But where Search and Destroy only gives you one life, Demolition grants you respawns. The result is a frenetic battle of supremacy between those who destroy and those who prevent. The mode has made an appearance a number of Call of Duty games, from Modern Warfare 2 to Black Ops and beyond.

Elsewhere in Modern Warfare, the game’s multiplayer playlist has been updated. In addition to the Shipment 24/7 moshpit, Infinity Ward has added the “all-blueprint battle” mode, Gun Game Reloaded. It’s the same Gun Game you remember but with the caveat of sifting through “a unique set of [weapon] blueprints.” And, of course, you will be demoted a weapon should you die by a melee or special finish.

Over in Warzone, Trios Plunder Blood Money has returned. In this special game mode, you earn extra cash for getting kills and taking down enemies. Infinity Ward noted that completing missions, daily challenges, and weekly challenges on Verdansk will grant you “a boost to ranking up and other gear.”

In other Call of Duty news, a glitch has been discovered that let a player turn the first-person shooter into a third-person shooter. Meanwhile, Infinity Ward confirmed that Warzone will get a Duos mode after some extensive testing.

Now Playing: Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare – Flaming Throwing Knife & Bruen Mk9 LMG

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What We Do in the Shadows Is Arrested Development But With Vampires, Kinda

What We Do in the Shadows is available to stream on Hulu or FX Now.

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To some, vampires might feel incredibly played out. I was in that camp until What We Do in the Shadows came along. Before we dive in, an important distinction: I’m talking about the FX TV series. There’s a feature film of the same name from Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi that is wonderful and deserves your attention, but that’s not what we’re talking about right now.

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Speaking of which, Clement and Waititi are still involved as writers and occasionally direct episodes of the series. And their brand of dry and quirky humor is keenly felt throughout the episodes, but we’ll get to that later.

What We Do in the Shadows is a mockumentary that focuses on four vampire roommates – Nandor, Nadja, Laszlo, and Colin Robinson – who try their best to navigate the American life of modern-day Staten Island. They’re joined by their human familiar, Guillermo, who acts as a liaison for the vampires, explaining the mysteries of conventional human life all while doing their laundry and making sure they’re fed – aka bringing them humans to eat.

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The series feels equal parts 3rd Rock From the Sun, in the way that the vampires are so vampire-like it prevents them from fully assimilating to human life, and Arrested Development, for its brand of comedy and joke payoff. Don’t be mistaken though: What We Do in the Shadows doesn’t dwell solely in the realm of humanity.

In addition to acting human, Nandor, Nadja, Laszlo, and Colin all still have to navigate the politics of being a vampire which is surprisingly complex. They answer to a council, have to plan Vampire Orgies, and deal with other supernatural beings, like werewolves. (Those assholes).

What We Do in the Shadows takes everything to the furthest place possible, which is where a lot of the comedy is derived. It asks questions that a lot of supernatural lore establish, and through the four protagonists’ journeys, gives us answers. For example: Vampires drink blood. Where do they get the blood? How do they get the people to give them their blood? Who is dumb enough to get into a situation where a vampire could drink your blood? You get it. By not taking itself too seriously, the series offers a fresh look at vampires and the lore that accompanies them, all while packaged in some of the funniest bits I’ve watched in recent television.

Ultimately, the examination of mundane life through the absurdity of vampires is what makes this series so fantastic and provides some of the most comedic moments. I hate the term “laugh out loud funny” but it truly is the only thing that accurately describes just how hilarious this show is… and I didn’t want to use “gut-busting” because that just sounds gross.

It’s the perfect time to jump into the show because Season 2 just started on April 15 and it’s proving to be just as delightful as the first season.

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More From Binge It!…

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Binge It! is IGN’s recommendation series. Movies, TV shows, books, comics, music… if you can binge it, we’re here to talk about it. In each installment of Binge It!, we’ll discuss a piece of content we’re passionate about — and why you should check it out.

Apex Legends Season 5 Launch Trailer Releases Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Respawn will release the launch trailer for Apex Legends Season 5: Fortune’s Favor, which starts on May 12. Season 5 will add Loba to Apex Legends as a playable character, as well as a brand-new battle pass and Quests mode. When the launch trailer goes live, you can watch it below.

In the description for the launch trailer, Respawn writes, “When Revenant killed Marcos Andrade all those years ago, he left a loose end. Now she’s all grown up.” The trailer is scheduled to debut at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET. The thumbnail suggests that, like previous season launch trailers, the Season 5 launch trailer will be a CGI cinematic, rather than gameplay.

Respawn has traditionally used Apex Legends’ launch trailers to showcase important story moments in the battle royale game’s overarching narrative. In-between these launch trailers, the developer fleshes out the lore of Apex Legends through Stories of the Outlands animated shorts, Twitter posts, in-game map changes, and battle pass rewards–it’s a rather fascinating way of telling an episodic story.

The first launch trailer established the Apex Games, showcasing how each legend has their own reasons for being there. The Season 2: Battle Charge launch trailer revealed how the flyers and leviathans destroyed Kings Canyon. In the Season 3: Meltdown launch trailer we see how the Apex Games are moved to World’s Edge while Kings Canyon undergoes repairs. Finally, the Season 4: Assimilation launch trailer details how Revenant broke free from Hammond Robotics control–an act that ultimately led to both him and Loba joining the Apex Games.

Though these trailers primarily focus on story, they have revealed new gameplay additions as well. The first launch trailer showcases Pathfinder using a HAVOC assault rifle, a firearm which hadn’t been announced for the game yet. The Season 2 launch trailer revealed the official design for Crypto, a playable character added in Season 3. The Season 3 launch trailer revealed a new playable legend that still hasn’t been announced yet.

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These Stormtrooper PC Gaming Accessories Are All Discounted For May The 4th

May the 4th is here once again, and to celebrate all of the Star Wars shenanigans, discounts on a bunch of merch, games, and movies are popping up all over the internet. The latest Star Wars Day deals come from Amazon. Razer’s selection of Stormtrooper PC gaming accessories have some sweet discounts, so if you’ve been looking to make your gaming setup look a bit more imperial, then this is your chance. We don’t expect these deals to last too long–as May the 4th celebrations only last a day–so be sure to act fast if you’re interested.

All of these products come with free Prime shipping, though some aren’t currently in stock. This means that you may have to wait a couple weeks before your order arrives. These discounts are joined by a ton of different sales and product reveals that encompass movies, games, toys, and so much more. Some of the best include the new Baby Yoda Funko Pops, a cute-and-cuddly Baby Yoda plush, and adorable Baby Yoda face masks. Yes, that’s a lot of Baby Yoda, but look at him: he deserves it. There are also some great deals on the Star Wars: Skywalker Saga box set and a huge Star Wars Steam bundle with 26 incredible games.

Razer BlackWidow Lite mechanical keyboard

$65 ($100)

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The BlackWidow Lite mechanical keyboard features silent orange key switches with O-rings that keep your typing from annoying anyone you live with or bleeding into your microphone. It also comes with a detachable cable and individual key lighting. It’s compact and a great option for bringing with you on the go.

Razer Atheris ambidextrous wireless mouse

$40 ($60)

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The Razer Atheris wireless mouse is ambidextrous, which means its shape works well for both left- and right-handed gamers. However, its extra side buttons are only easily reachable for right-handed users. The Atheris boasts up to 350 hours of battery life, 2.4GHz and Bluetooth wireless functionality, and a 7200 DPI optical sensor.

Razer Kraken gaming headset

$75 ($110)

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Razer’s Kraken gaming headsets are a solid pair of headphones for the price. They’re equipped with a noise-isolating cardioid microphone and software-capable surround sound. Razer’s headsets come in a variety of designs, though this Stormtrooper Edition is probably the nicest-looking one.

Razer Goliathus Speed gaming mouse pad

$22 ($35)

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Mouse pads are often afterthoughts, but a good-quality pad can make for a much more comfortable experience. The Razer Goliathus is long enough to hold both your keyboard and mouse.

Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, Sonic, Goose Game Included In Lego Ideas Submissions

The first Lego Ideas review class has been determined by the avid Lego creator community, and a staggering 26 new potential ideas have been sent to Lego’s design team. Some of these ideas include designs for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Untitled Goose Game, Sonic The Hedgehog, and more.

Lego Ideas gives anyone the ability to submit an idea for a new Lego product, with ideas that garner over 10,000 supporters within the review period (typically four months) being reviewed by Lego itself. This doesn’t mean that every design will be produced. Through interviews and discussions with designers, Lego selects projects that will move to production, with this batch having its results disclosed in Fall 2020.

The designs are impressive though, which you can see for yourself in the gallery below. The Breath of the Wild design features a recreation of Hyrule Castle, overrun with Ganon’s corruption. Sonic’s iconic Green Hill Zone is also recreated with a burst of color, and the goose’s mischievous antics look like they might translate over to smaller Lego sets quite well.

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There are additional designs for other popular properties too, including a great-looking set designed around The Iron Giant and the Indiana Jones film franchise. You can add your own voice to the comments of the announcement to further support your favorite designs, but most of the decision-making is now in Lego’s hands.

The results of the last Ideas batch are due soon, and includes its own Breath of the Wild set designed around the game’s numerous stables peppered in its open-world.

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Here’s Why Nintendo Chose Friend Codes Over Usernames 15 Years Ago

Since the launch of the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo has been using friend codes for adding online friends to your consoles. They’re a string of 12-characters that are difficult to remember by heart and a pain to enter, but have endured for over 15-years. The reason? They’re just easier than usernames.

That’s according to a leaked internal presentation from prior to the Wii’s launch, which has been uncovered as part of a larger Nintendo leak encompassing old source code, internal memos, and more. The slide about friend codes in particular is interesting, because it shows that there was a time where Nintendo was at least considering traditional users names for the Wii, and might have stuck with it from then on.

The slide (shared by Kinda Funny’s Imran Khan) shows that it clashed with Nintendo’s “comfortable” and “simple” principles at the time. The potential of duplicate usernames meant that it wouldn’t be simple enough for users to find a unique one without multiple attempts. Similarly, Nintendo saw the potential of users guessing other usernames and finding friends that way rubbed against the “comfortable” nature of online play they were aiming for.

And so, friend codes were introduced as the solution. Entirely unique to the account in question and impossible to guess at random, this solved the issues Nintendo had with usernames, and is likely why they’ve stuck with it for so long. Nintendo did move away from friend codes with the Wii U, using Nintendo Network IDs instead. Those accounts could be used to unify accounts on Nintendo 3DS and Switch too, but have been deactivated since thanks to security compromises.

Of course, since then many platforms have found ways around the two problems Nintendo pinpointed 15-years ago, so there’s hope still that one day you won’t have to squint at a close friend’s new code on future Nintendo hardware.

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Rainbow Six Siege Review (2020) – Smooth Operator

In Rainbow Six Siege, small tactical choices always lead to big consequences. Every round is a new lesson in what you could have done better, with your mistakes acting as a stern teacher. Taking these lessons to heart and adjusting your team’s strategy accordingly keeps each match feeling fresh and exciting, and a drip-feed of new operators, loadouts, and abilities constantly introduces new considerations. The thrill of seeing your plan succeed–whether that’s a collection of traps that stops the enemy in their tracks, a well-placed breaching hole that sets the stage for an ambush, or two operators’ abilities working together to pull the rug out from the opposing team–is what makes Siege not only a compelling shooter but one of the best examples of teamwork, tactics, and crack shooting out there.

Despite its evolution over the past four years, Rainbow Six Siege has always been a battle between attackers and defenders over a single objective. There are five operators per team, each with their own special gadgets that can be used to slow the attackers’ assault or poke holes in the defenders’ fortifications. Every round, attackers need to move in on a specific objective; depending on the mode, they’ll need to sneak in and extract a hostage, create a pathway to secure a specific room, or strategize carefully to defuse a bomb. Bomb is the quintessential Siege mode, as it makes every operator feel viable and balanced. Pushing the objective, finding an opening to plant the defuser, and then protecting said defuser gives the attacking side a steep, rewarding climb to victory, and it’s the defenders’ job to knock them down and keep them from reaching that summit.

Playing video games with friends is usually more fun than playing alone, and the benefits of communicating and working together make Siege a more enjoyable experience when playing with people you know. Thankfully, solo-queuing isn’t an entirely lost cause, as it’s not uncommon to find like-minded players interested in coordinating as a team, but you will inevitably come across players more interested in taking the objective on their own. Siege incentivizes teamwork, and when a group of players executes a coordinated assault on the garage in House or top floor of Kanal, it results in some of the most exciting moments you can experience in a team-based first-person shooter.

Siege isn’t all about shooting; there’s also a large focus on learning and utilizing each operator’s unique gadget to assist in taking or holding the objective. The attacking side’s abilities range from breaching reinforced walls and creating new doors to dismantling defender gadgets and using cameras to reveal enemy locations. Choosing the right operator and creating a good team of operators whose abilities work well together can make a heavily fortified room much easier to breach. For example, using Thatcher’s EMP grenades to destroy signal disruptors can give Thermite’s breaching charge the opportunity to create a door into the objective. Meanwhile Fuse’s barrage of explosives can force defenders into triggering Lion’s motion-detection drone.

On the defending side, operator gadgets consist largely of tools that slow the attackers’ pursuit of the objective or prevent it altogether. Mute’s signal disruptors cut out the use of any electronic gadgets, such as the recon drones and Thermite’s charges. On the other hand, there are gadgets that can incapacitate an attacker altogether. A well-placed welcome mat from Frost can trap an unsuspecting attacker, serving them up for a free kill shot after you hear that unmistakable clamp.

Siege does a great job with its gadget audio, with distinctive sounds that alert you to who you’re up against–Zofia’s impact grenades make a very distinct, almost hollow sound and can’t be mistaken for Ash’s breaching rounds or any of the other explosives. The gadgets are what make Siege’s combat distinct from other shooters, and while you’ll likely get into at least one firefight per round, using your gadget effectively to slow the enemy is just as rewarding as nailing that clutch headshot.

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While gadgets are what you’ll want to take full advantage of to achieve your goals, guns can’t be put by the wayside. Some firearms, like certain shotguns and LMGs, are powerful enough to take down barricaded doorways and create kill holes into the objective. Assault rifles and SMGs are capable of taking out barricades as well, but they’re often better suited for taking out the enemy. Each gun feels appropriately powerful for its type and size. This is particularly true for marksman rifles, which are capable of dropping an enemy in just a couple of shots. The recoil and sound each one makes fits the damage it deals on the other end–loud and lethal. Each gun has its own distinct power and handling, making the customization of your loadout as important to your overall strategy as your gadgets and approach to each situation.

Things don’t always go as planned since there’s a team trying to subvert your expectations with their own tools. There are multiple ways for both teams to pressure each other, and those who aren’t ready for it will be upended and eliminated. The attackers could be moving toward the objective cautiously, while the defenders plan to rush them, catch them off guard, and force them to slip out of this slower, more comfortable pace. The regular shift between slow-and-steady and heart-pounding immediacy is exhilarating, especially when just a few seconds can change the momentum of a match. The quieter moments require a calm hand; taking your time and waiting for the right moment can be nerve-wracking, but patience and proper execution with your teammates makes for exceptionally satisfying gunplay and teamwork, as you take out your opponents one by one and pull out a victory.

The regular shift between slow-and-steady and heart-pounding immediacy is exhilarating, especially when just a few seconds can change the momentum of a match.

No matter how prepared one is, a talented team can always pull the rug out from under their opponents’ feet. This constant uncertainty makes each round tense, exciting, and–in some cases–stressful. It’s like a horror movie in which you know there’s a monster in the house, you’re just not sure where it’s hiding or when it’s going to show up. However, if you know all of the places the monster could be hiding, then you’ll be ready to take your shot once it makes its move. In a horror movie, the protagonist is always better off in their home, a place they’re intimately familiar with and know the ins and outs of. Siege is the same way: Shooting is a crucial part, but learning each map, and the hiding spots that can conceal operators and traps, is as, if not more, important.

While you’re devoting time to the intricacies of each character, you’re breaching and defending different rooms across the game’s various maps, slowly learning their layouts: where the doors, cameras, and windows are, as well as where each wall and floor hatch leads to. You learn each map almost unintentionally, just by playing. The subtlety of Siege’s idiosyncrasies makes personal progress feel profound; knowing that you can see the top of a staircase from a certain window–likely learned from being shot from that same window–can give you the edge over a distracted team. And with Siege, everything you learn pays back in dividends, as knowing a map’s layout makes it easier to pick up new operators and put their gadgets to use on that map. Siege’s learning curve is not small, but it’s not particularly steep either. You’ll need to spend a long time learning the particulars, but it’s an outstanding journey with rewarding moments that’ll make you feel like you’re improving every match.

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Each operator is well-defined in their appearance, personality, and abilities, and while the game isn’t about their stories and interactions with their Rainbow Six squadmates, Siege characterizes its operators incredibly well, thanks to smart writing and in-match dialogue that gives you a peek into their world. Simple in-game lines that inform you of the match’s events also give you an idea of who the characters are–for example, Thermite letting his teammates know that he’s about to make a “big fucking hole” as he activates his breaching charges. Similarly, you understand the relationship between sisters Ela and Zofia, as the latter plays the role of a motherly sister, letting Ela know she’s not trying hard enough if Zofia happens to take her out during a match. These animated voice lines paint a picture of who each operator is and the world they’re a part of–Hibana even mentions her friend, Thermite, as she activates her X-Kairos pellets to make her own “big fucking hole.” Siege’s writing delicately balances the line between informative, colourful, and humorous, without being distracting and taking away from the match at hand.

Siege’s character development has been built over the past four years, as Ubisoft has improved its tactical team-based shooter from something that had a great base to start with into one of the best multiplayer experiences. Each new season has brought new reasons to keep playing Siege without it ever feeling stale. The introduction of new operators obviously brings new abilities to use or contend with, but it often changes how previous operators are viewed and approached as well–older characters have been given a new lease on life by becoming excellent counter-picks to newer DLC operators.

Siege has had its fair share of missteps, though the game we have today has ironed out many of them. Ubisoft has proven itself receptive and expeditious when it comes to dealing with the game’s issues, at times having removed entire gadgets–and the operator Clash–when gamebreaking exploits were found and abused. While it was disappointing to be without deployable shields for an extended period of time, it helped create an environment where cheaters couldn’t prosper and ultimately resulted in Siege becoming a stronger game.

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The operator balance is always being tweaked as well, which can cause certain operators to go in and out of favour. Weaker operators have received buffs in the way of damage increases or a change in gadget utility, making them more viable options than they once were. Alternatively, strong, highly-picked operators have seen the exact opposite. It can be frustrating when your favourite operator gets nerfed, but a lot of these changes have made overpowered characters fall in line without completely diminishing the satisfaction you get while playing them. When IQ’s frag grenade was removed from her loadout, I could no longer bounce her grenades off walls towards a crowd of electronic gadgets. This was disheartening at first, but their removal gave me the push I needed to learn and grow as a player, as I was encouraged to evolve my strategy with a new set of tools–now I don’t even miss them.

Several maps have also received updates, from slight changes to complete overhauls. Nearly all of Siege’s maps are excellent–except for that dang Favela–and these reworks have only improved their layouts. Like operator nerfs, it can be disheartening to see your favourite map lose the hallways you fell in love with, but it doesn’t take long to warm up to the changes. Some of the reworked maps are now among Siege’s best maps–Clubhouse and Kafe Dostoyevsky are a lot more enjoyable to attack and defend on since their interior renovations.

Ubisoft’s constant battle with toxicity has yielded some good results, and while it’s not perfect, it’s become a much more manageable issue that you no longer have to feel trapped by. In Siege’s text chat, racial and homophobic slurs, overzealous trash talk, and petty insults can make new players feel unwelcome. Thankfully, Ubisoft has been proactive in removing toxic players from its game with its own moderation and introduction of new tools that improve the overall experience. Friendly-fire reversal has caused a significant decrease in team-killing, as players are now able to police themselves, decide whether a specific instance of friendly-fire was intentional, and prevent a toxic player from causing any further damage–two team kills, intentional or not, also removes the player from said match. Chat filters have made it easy to avoid cross-team communication altogether, and as someone who enjoys his fair share of trash talk, the ability to turn off text and voice chat–per player or per team–makes Siege a less frustrating, healthier, and better experience, especially when playing alone. Nights that would end in anger and frustration over what another player said are now completely non-existent.

Ubisoft has proven itself receptive and expeditious when it comes to dealing with the game’s issues.

Of course, you can’t have a multiplayer game in 2020 without an in-game shop. Siege’s store has a deluge of cosmetic items of varying types, in addition to its roster of operators. Most headgear, uniforms, and skins can be purchased with the in-game currency, Renown–which isn’t difficult to earn, though it does take a fair amount of time. Operators can be purchased with Renown as well, with older operators costing less than newer ones. There are also some items that you have to purchase with real money, such as the annual operator pass and Elite uniforms that come with a bundle of unique skins, victory animation, and operator card. The cosmetics are beautifully designed, sometimes changing the entire motif of a specific operator. However, limited-time cosmetics and the recently implemented battle passes can cause you to play or pay more than you initially wanted or intended to. Thankfully, there’s nothing in these microtransactions that affects the gameplay or enjoyment thereof–Siege is rewarding enough on its own that you don’t need the satisfaction of cosmetic progress to keep you going. However, it’s still an unneeded carrot-on-a-stick that comes off more obnoxious than anything else.

Rainbow Six Siege has always been a game about making tactical decisions and dealing with their consequences, but with every new year of operators and changes, the options have been refined and increased to make for firefights that are as engaging as they are unpredictable. Learning the various operators and how to breach or protect a room with them can be a slow crawl, but Siege makes it easy to understand what your mistakes are, thanks in part to seeing both sides of every match. It rewards patience, persistence, and teamwork, and over the past four years, Siege has not only become Ubisoft’s crown jewel of multiplayer action but also one of the best first-person shooters ever made.

Now Playing: Rainbow Six: Siege Review (2020)