Rainbow Six Siege X First Look: Dual Front Mode Revitalizes This Decade-Old FPS

Back in high school, you could often find me sacrificing sleep, glued to my PC screen deep into the night. Once, I went on a five-day gaming marathon just to finish “Baldur’s Gate II: Throne of Bhaal,” but what really captivated me about PC gaming was its ability to push the boundaries of creativity.

One standout game that captured my imagination was “Red Faction.” It wasn’t just the obvious similarities to “DOOM”—you know, the whole high-tech, first-person shooter set on Mars thing—but it brought something fresh to the table: terrain deformation. In “Red Faction,” as I navigated the mines of Mars, I could blow holes in the walls with explosives, carve out new paths through solid rock, and bypass barriers in inventive ways. It was all about taking control and finding my own solutions, and it was nothing short of thrilling.

Sadly, the gaming world didn’t do much with that concept over the years. Then came “Rainbow Six Siege,” which reignited that spark in me. The freedom to climb, rappel, and obliterate walls and ceilings left me reminiscent of my “Red Faction” days.

Initially, “Siege” was quite a streamlined, almost restrained experience compared to its explosive predecessor. However, that’s about to change with the exciting Siege X update on the horizon. Beyond the expected upgrades in graphics, sound, and user interface, it promises a phenomenal new multiplayer mode called Dual Front.

In Dual Front, a seasonal pool of Operators limits your character choices, and team sizes are bumped up to six per side. You’re no longer confined to a single spawn area. Instead, you have the choice of three expansive zones, each with its own objective. Your team needs to strategically divide its efforts across these zones, balancing offense and defense in real-time.

Despite the broader scope, the core gameplay retains its appeal. At the start of each round, teams spawn in their respective HQs, and the clock starts ticking down on a Defend mission in one of your sector’s two initial spots. This scenario plays out for both sides, meaning you’re simultaneously defending and attacking. The decisions about which objective to go for and how to tackle them are entirely yours and your team’s.

Adding a twist, there’s a neutral zone between the mirrored battlegrounds of both teams. Here, extra objectives materialize. Complete tasks like a hostage rescue, and you’ll gain significant advantages, ensuring that even if your first defense or assault flounders, victory is still within reach.

Dual Front’s expanded arenas mean I found myself constantly shifting roles, bouncing between offense and defense based on our team’s needs. The dynamic nature of the mode ensures a fresh experience every match, diverging wildly from what you’d expect in typical Siege play—an adrenaline-fueled chaos that left me exhilarated.

The Operators are refreshed monthly, and since your squad needs to tackle diverse challenges, you’ll have access to both Attacker and Defender roles when selecting characters. If you’re taken out mid-match, you’ll quickly rejoin as a different Operator, allowing for tactical adjustments on the fly.

During several matches, it seemed my attacking squad had the upper hand, prompting a dash across the map to support teammates embroiled in defending our base. At times, fortune favored us, and we clinched victory. On other occasions, I found myself isolated, only for my teammates to fall to incoming enemy reinforcements. The sprawling maps of Dual Front make it a challenge to gauge enemy positions, keeping every match suspenseful until enemies present themselves as formidable foes.

Navigating these larger areas introduces new gameplay mechanics worth mentioning. Rappelling has become more versatile—you can now swing around building corners and even sprint while doing so, enhancing mobility and options for sneaking into structures. There are fresh environmental interactions, too: fire extinguishers unleash concussive blasts when destroyed, gas pipes can turn into fiery hazards before detonating, and metal detectors can be temporarily or permanently disabled. The gameplay space is richer—both in terms of action and sheer area—thanks to the mirrored maps of Dual Front.

As Siege X rolls out, a significant shift in its business model is on the agenda. It’ll embrace a free-to-play format. Here’s the breakdown: casual playlists, unranked quickplay, and Dual Front won’t cost a dime, offering access to a roster of up to 26 Operators and their skins. Competition-heavy Siege Cup and Ranked modes will require payment, unlocking the full set of 50 Operators. Casual players can dive right in, but those aiming for competitive play will need to invest. Existing Siege players shouldn’t fret—everything they own will remain, including full mode access, plus they’ll receive an exclusive badge highlighting their veteran status and additional perks for each year they’ve played.

Siege X also ushers in revamped maps like Clubhouse, Chalet, Bank, Kafe, and Border, enhanced aesthetics, additional audio features, first-person shadows, upgraded menus, refined onboarding, weapon inspection, and much more. The development team has also pledged to introduce new or updated Operators each season, along with a host of added content.

Yet, despite all these enhancements, Dual Front stands out as a potentially game-changing mode. It’s fast becoming my preferred way to play “Siege,” and with Siege X ushering in its tenth-year milestone, it’s bound to be my go-to mode for some seriously fun sessions.