Can you believe Ubisoft’s tactical shooter, Rainbow Six Siege, is in its fifth year of content? While it may not have the appeal of a Call of Duty entry, the popular game has garnered a very stable and passionate community since it launched back in 2015. The Rainbow Six Siege Y5S1 update (titled “Void Edge”) continues to bring that content players have been passionate about for the past five years with two new Operators and a map rework that will surely change up the meta.
This guide is meant to inform you about the new additions added to the upcoming Rainbow Sis Siege Y5S1 update, which introduces the elusive Iana, the brawny Oryx, and a rework of the Oregon map. I had some time with the update, and will also provide my own opinion within.
Iana (Attacker)
Hailing from the Netherlands, Nienke “Iana” Meijer has dreamt of exploring the cosmos from an early age. She is described as being a dreamer, otherworldly, and composed. While her dreams of becoming a fighter pilot were shut down, she began focusing on systems engineering, which led her to develop a topographical mapping software that gave her the ability to produce a decoy of herself. It is this technology that brought her to the Rainbow team.
Iana is the new attacker introduced in Operation Void Edge. Her strength is gathering intel. In a way, her gadget, the Gemini Replicator, acts as a sort of drone, albeit with a bit more advantages. Since her hologram is virtually indistinguishable from the actual Iana, she is an excellent decoy to trick your opponents. This also gives her some playmaking potential, as she can trick an enemy to look at one side of the room, then go for the flank. She also plays well with an entry fragger, as she can determine where her opponents are in a room without much sacrifice.
She does have a few counters. Since it only takes one shot to destroy the decoy, it doesn’t take a very long time to make the realization that you’ve been tricked. Also, cameras are able to see the hologram, but they cannot ping it, making it easily identifiable.
A few of the Operators’ gadgets act as great counters to Iana’s hologram, as well. Maestro’s Evil Eye, Mute’s jammers, and any electrical damage (Bandit, Kaid) will destroy the decoy. Additionally, the hologram can’t see Vigil when his ability is active.
Iana comes equipped with an ARX200 or G36C primary, and MK1 9mm sidearm. Along with her Gemini Replicator, she can also use frag grenades or smoke grenades to aid in the attack. Lastly, both her speed and armor are at two, making her a fairly balanced Operator.
Oryx (Defender)
Saif “Oryx” Al Hadid has lived a somewhat mysterious life. While it seems he had a fairly standard childhood, he disappeared from international records for 15 years. Eventually, he pops back up in Jordan, but only for a short while. After traveling around the globe learning some useful skill sets, he finds his way to Kaid’s Fortress. Beginning as a recruit, he is now the unofficial second-in-command to Kaid’s troops. Although he has one of the most physical and anger-inducing abilities, he is described as raw, composed, and meditative.
The new Jordanian Operator is Rainbow Six Siege‘s newest defender. One very big difference between Oryx and the rest of the Operators is his lack of a gadget. Instead, he has the Remah Dash ability that allows him to run faster than every character in the game, as well as knock over shielded Operators such as Montagne. This also allows him to run through soft walls and barricades, however, he does take 10 damage every time he successfully smashes through an obstacle. The dash does run on charges, so you can use them rapidly. However, running into an obstacle during the dash will deplete all charges.
Of course, there are some specific Operator counters that can deal with Oryx’s raw power. Gridlock’s traps and Nomad’s Airjab can interrupt his dash. Additionally, any tracking Operators, like Lion, Jackal, and Dokaebi, are a threat to his high mobility.
Oryx has another ability that pairs with his high mobility. He can actually jump up hatches once they’ve been destroyed. You can either commit and jump straight up the hatch to the floor above, or get a quick peek to gather intel. Again, going up a hatch does leave you vulnerable for a short bit as it takes some time to get your firearm up.
Oryx is equipped with either a SPAS-12 shotgun or MP5 as his primary, and either a Bailiff or USP 40 for his sidearm. He can also equip either barbwire or bulletproof camera to aid in the defense. Lastly, both of his speed and armor are at two, making Oryx a pretty balanced defender.
Oregon Map Rework
Similar to much of Season 4’s direction with maps, Rainbow Six Siege Y5S1 presents another map rework in the form of the Oregon map. A visual rehaul is implemented, making it easier to identify and make callouts for any given position. The rework isn’t as drastic as some of the other reworks, so learning some of its new additions won’t be too difficult to get used to.
The big changes include the Kitchen Corridor which connects the Kitchen to the Big Tower, as well as a new area in the basement called Freezer which goes to the first floor with the Freezer Stairs. The ladder in Meeting Hall leading to Attic has been removed; instead, a doorway between Attic and Dorm Main Hall has now been added. Additionally, a connection between Dining Hall and Small Tower has been added, as the door between Kitchen and Bathroom Corridor (now dubbed Security Corridor) has been removed.
While these changes are meant to make it easier and safer for both Attackers and Defenders, there are more soft walls that can be breached. Convenient for the new Operator Oryx, as he can just bust through walls without much effort.
Opinion
I feel like the past few updates have included and Operator that has a fun gimmick and another that is actually useful in competitive play. Void Edge is no different. The Rainbow Six Siege Y5S1 Operators exemplify this notion now more than ever.
Iana’s gadget alone is incredibly useful. Being able to essentially map a clone of yourself to trick the opposition has so many advantages. Not only does her hologram act as a decoy, but has its use in gathering intel on the enemy team. Basically, she has a drone that looks like a player. Much like Goya or Wamai from the previous two updates, Iana seems to be an imperative Operator for any team that will shake up the meta in competitive play.
On the other hand, Oryx is just an absolute blast to play as. You’re basically the Kool-Aid man equipped with a shotgun, which is both very rad and frightening. Could you imagine a giant being crashing into a wall with a shotgun? It is truly wild. He does have his usefulness as a great counter against Montagne, as well as his ability to climb hatches for the flank, but I seem him more as a fun pick.
Similar to previous reworks, the Oregon map gets a beneficial overhaul that adds subtle changes that make the map feel both entirely new, but very familiar. When first setting foot in the reworked map, I didn’t really notice the changes. It still felt like Oregon, but with a new bright coat of paint. But seeing new additions like the connection between the Big Tower and the Kitchen, to the removal of the ladder in the Meeting Hall, the flow of the map changed quite drastically. It’s a welcome improvement overall, and I can’t wait to spend more time with the reworked map.
Looking back since I first started previewing these updates, I’d say Void Edge seems to be the best of the bunch. Both characters are a blast to use, especially with their advantageous abilities. It surprises me that Ubisoft can keep creating unique Operators that deviate from what we’ve become used to with previous updates. Hopefully, they can keep this momentum up, as they plan to bring a total of 100 Operators to Rainbow Six Siege.
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