Parents' Guide to

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction

Game Google Stadia , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Windows , Xbox One , Xbox Series X/S 2022
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Marc Saltzman By Marc Saltzman , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 18+

Violent team-based tactical shooter takes aim at aliens.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 18+?

Any Positive Content?

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  • Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction Screen #1
  • Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction Screen #2
  • Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction Screen #3

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Richard S.
Richard S. Parent
September 18, 2023
age 11+

This game is completely ok for any child 13+

Age 11 is not an average age or an exact age it entirely depends on how mature and easily scared your child is. Although if they are age 13+ I would say that it is almost definitely safe for them. The violence is very minimal as there are no human targets only aliens. The game has zero blood. What happens to they aliens when you eliminate them is hard to describe but the simplest way I can put it is that they explode into a cloud of black mist. The game has some bad language but there are very few moments when this happens (only occurring in the videos) and I am yet to hear any character say it during a game. For a simple overview the aliens can be slightly scary at times and there is occasionally some bad language but there is very little violence or any over issues the game does have great messages as it teaches children communication working how to work in a team and to not leave people behind.
Mrplayer454
Mrplayer454 Adult
January 21, 2022
age 14+

Commonsense at it again...

This game is an intense teambased tactical shooter. Its not against other players, and has you and 2 friends squad up against aliens. This leads violence to be minimal, as the aliens kind of explode in a cloud of mist. Its very stealth rewarding, and this leads to incredible team moments, where communicating is key. However, the aliens are slightly scary, and the game is difficult overall. But if your teen has played some shooters before, I highly doubt this will affect them. 14+
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What’s It About?

Rather than facing off against terrorist groups and other human threats, TOM CLANCY'S RAINBOW SIX EXTRACTION pits humankind against an alien enemy in a new multiplayer-focused first-person shooter. Featuring the same characters, weapons and abilities as the hit 2015 game, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, gamers now band together in a squad with other elite operatives to take down a common enemy known as the Archaeans. These parasites have invaded earth, so you're tasked with assembling your 3-person team, entering various "hot zones" (including locations in NYC, San Francisco, and Alaska) and performing missions while trying staying alive, rack up points, collect goodies, and clear the area. There are three primary goals per mission -- like taking out a target, rescue someone, and defending an area -- out of a total of a dozen. But unlike other shooters, this is a much more slower-paced and tactical action game, along with many more gadgets to use (sentry guns, a mini recon drone on wheels) and the ability to break through some walls to peek inside, barricade entrances, and other nuances. Adding extra pressure to this cooperative (co-op) shooter is rescuing an incapacitated teammate and taking them back to the extraction point -- or else you won't be able to add them to your roster in future missions until you go back to retrieve them.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (8 ):

This is a fun game that will especially appeal to fans of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege as it fuses familiar game mechanics with a new enemy. (Instead of Rainbow Six operatives, the soldiers in Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction are members of REACT, to ward off aliens, but you get the idea.) Unlike other Rainbow Six games which are grounded in realism, this sci-fi spin on the formula has a "fear factor," too with maps set in relatively tight quarters against a variety of aliens and hazards. For instance, a "screaming" Archaean will alert nearby nests to explode into additional threats you need to take care of. And the necessity to go back to rescue a downed teammate is exhilarating, to say the least. These hapless operatives are protected in a yellowish cocoon and set in part of an Archaean tree, which you need to rip them out of while it tries to suck him or her back in at the same time. This is one of the highlights of the game, because you'll need to keep an eye on incoming attacks from both the tree and other aliens while one of your teammates pulls out your MIA colleague.

The biggest issue, though, is the alien enemies aren't too smart, and there's no option for humans to control the aliens, which is a huge oversight. The objectives are also limited, and repetitive, which also hurts its replay factor. Still, it's a fun and frenetic co-op team shooter -- that delivers thrills, spills, and chills. Plus you can play on your own, if you like, but it's not as much fun. While it feels more like an expansion pack than a brand new game, the reasonable price point justifies the purchase for the several hours you'll no doubt be playing this with others online -- especially for fans of Rainbow Six Siege universe. It adds a fun supernatural twist to the tried-and-true shooter mechanics you might have been playing for years. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction is a very good but not exceptional shooter, but expect it to get better over time as new modes, events, and weekly events will be added.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the impact of the violence in Rainbow Six Extraction affected by the realistic nature of the visuals? Could it have been more cartoon-like, similar to Fortnite, or does that not suit a Tom Clancy game? Is this violence justified if you're protecting Earth from aliens, or is killing the same whether it's a human or an alien?

  • Could Rainbow Six Extraction include better representation, such as someone who is blind, deaf, or in a wheelchair? What about someone over the age of 60? Is the fact you can play as women and men across various races enough for most gamers?

Game Details

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