This week treated us to the surprising news that Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction will be launching with Xbox Game Pass on January 20th, and ahead of that date, various outlets have been given access to a hands-on preview of the game. The verdict? It seems like most are enjoying it, but they've got their concerns as well.

So, without further ado, here are some of the previews we've found from across the web:

VG247

"The gunplay feels tight and precise, but that's because it's all coming from Rainbow Six Siege; a game they've been tweaking and adjusting for years now. It’s moved to a different setting, but I think it just feels a little bit too familiar to anyone that’s spent any time in those uber-competitive lobbies."

Rock Paper Shotgun

"Ironically, I didn't want to extract myself from the preview at all. We'd found our momentum, and we'd formed a cohesive unit. Alas, Ubisoft eventually had to pull the plug. Still, my time with Rainbow Six: Extraction was heaps of fun, even if it's difficult, nerve-wracking, and at times, agonising fun. Intelligence and teamwork is rewarded here, which makes a welcome change from the gung-ho attitude of its Rainbow Six counterparts."

NME

"After spending some time with Extraction, I reached the conclusion that while it’s very fun to play, I wasn’t sure how much replay value it had, and it felt like a game that would sit nicely on the Xbox Game Pass. I don’t mean that in a wholly bad way because I really did enjoy playing Extraction, but I had some questions about its replay value."

Game Reactor

"I don't believe Rainbow Six: Extraction will be a bad game, as it has the core mechanics and gameplay of Siege at its core, and that is, and remains, top-of-the-line for an FPS. But, I'm still not sold. In my eyes, this is shaping up to be a game that will entertain for a few hours, or days, but will struggle to see you coming back for more after that. While it may seem harsh to say this, I've played just shy of ten hours of this game at various different preview sessions in 2021, and it has failed to really draw me in still, which is disappointing, especially considering how big a Siege fan I am."

Well Played

"By the end of my roughly three-hour preview session I felt like I had a clear idea of what Extraction was and will be – a super fun game to play with mates that is full of chaotic and tense moments, but one that may struggle to hold players’ attention after a couple months. Hopefully Ubisoft has grand plans (not including NFTs) to keep the game fresh because there’s certainly fun to be had here, but it’s how long it will last is the biggest question."

As you can see, the general gist from most of the previews appears to be that the game is certainly very enjoyable, but also a bit familiar and potentially lacking in longevity. Fortunately, it won't cost you a thing to try it out if you're an Xbox Game Pass subscriber, so you can make up your own mind when it releases on Thursday, January 20th.

Excited for Rainbow Six Extraction? Drop us a comment and let us know below.