Rainbow Six Siege is free to play this week, and you’re playing something else?!

WALL BARRICADED!

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege is certainly something. I don’t think I’ve ever played a game that I find so engaging, but also leaves me tilting my head and going “Really? Come on”. When everything comes together, what a shooter! An intense, nerve-racking and satisfying test of skill, performance under pressure, teamwork and player psychology.

Then other times, your team-mate shoots you in the face because you barricaded “the wrong window”, or because you didn’t get any kills, or because you got too many kills or, more often than not, because they felt like it. Still, I shouldn’t be so negative. In terms of playtime, I’ve put triple figures into Ubisoft’s tactical shooter. I didn’t do that for no reason, and wild-eyed, dreamy psychopaths like Caveira only get me so far. It’s a great game. Hard as nails, but great.

If you fancy checking out the action for yourself, now’s the perfect opportunity, as Rainbow Six Siege is free to play on PS4, PC and Xbox One from today until September 4. Best of all, the game’s entire roster of Operators will be unlocked for all. So whether you want to crank call as Dokkebei, Run in and steal all the kills as Ash, accidentally blow up the hostage as Fuze, or simply ruin the game for everybody as Clash, you’re free to do so.

Should you pull the trigger – no pun intended – on the full version of the game, then there are currently various meaty discounts available – up to 60% off the full price on various editions – so you can fall into the time-munching love/hate relationship I’ve shared with the game for almost two years. Because ultimately, in Rainbow Six Siege, you’re the hostage!

Rainbow Six Siege is available now on PS4, PC and Xbox One. Operation Burnt Ember is expected to launch in-game soon.