- 10,309
- San Francisco, CA
- Vasco506
- Vasc0
My review of
Quake 4 (Developed by Raven Software under iD using the 'Doom3 Engine')
The Story
It is the future, and Earth is under threat from a new enemy.
You are Matthew Kane, a new member of the Rhino squad. The Rhino squad is a troop of Earth Marines sent to Stroggos to destroy the Strogg. The reason that you have been sent to Stroggos is because a lone marine has managed to destroy the Strogg leader, and the Marines want to capitalise on this chaos and destroy the Strogg before they can destroy us.
You must fight through the legions of Strogg and ultimately emerge victorious. On the way you will meet other squads, meet various enemies and also find many twists along the way.
Audio
The sound in this game is amazing. Even playing with my headphones, I could constantly hear crawling in the rooftops. Also when progressing with fellow squad members, their shouts echoed from the far right or left, depending on where they were. The sound effects from each of the guns firing were distinctive and quite realistic (in the sense that they did sound like futuristic weapons).
I haven't had the chance yet to play this game with my 5.1 speakers, however I'm sure the sound would seem even more life-like then.
Gameplay
This is not traditional Quake gameplay. Because this game was based on the Doom 3 engine, the game is largely in small confined areas, different to my previous Quake experiences.
The gameplay feels similar to Doom 3 in that you are always asked to complete little objectives (eg. Go through this door to find a way around a locked door) which invite the combat scenes. Combat is quick and furious, and one thing I've noted is that you will never have to check behind you (unlike Doom 3) because enemies will progress from in front of you. This makes the game seem a lot less scarier than Doom 3 was.
When fighting other enemies you will fight them close up and often rely on cover and tactics rather than 'run at them and randomly spray,' something which I enjoy. Also you will be accompanied by other team members quite oftenly, another thing which detracts from the scariness (but certainly not the intensity). The game has managed to keep me on edge, even whilst outside and in open areas.
Replay Value
With four difficulty levels there is a certain level of replay value present. The higher a level you are in, the higher the frequency of enemies. This will make you think twice about trying to rush through spots previously clean of enemies.
Also the multiplayer mode (for which Quake is renowned) seems quite promising, however it will be harder to get into for most players due to the high graphical requirements.
Graphics
Since this game is based on the Doom 3 engine, the graphics are absolutely stunning. This is just great for me, as my little 5700 nVidia card struggles to handle 800x600 - low quality. With more than 4 enemies on screen it will slow to 15 fps, showing just how graphically advanced this game is. The game still looks fantastic on low, and others who have decent cards have told me that the graphics are just awesome.
I'm sure when the Xbox 360 arrives we will truly know the capabilities of the Doom 3 engine, as even with the X850 XT you can't run 1600x1200 - high without slowdown. It is like a sneak preview of the next generation graphics before we can really play it decently.
Load Times
Loading times are absolutely terrible for me. It takes a good 5 minutes before a level will load up, which is again due to the high standard of graphics and detail. When loading up a save whilst in game the loading time is only a few seconds which is very good.
Special Features
The Special Edition of Quake 4 comes with a bonus disc consisting of Quake II (for some classic fragging) and other behind-the-scenes extras. This is great value considering the special edition doesn't cost much more than the regular edition.
Summary
This game has had my jaw on the ground ever since I have started playing it. I have thoroughly enjoyed this game and would recommend it to everyone I know as a must have title. It is, in my opinion, a superior game to Doom because it just captivates me (instead of scaring me to death) and makes me want to play it more and more. BUY IT NOW!
Pros
-Huge Single Player campaign
-Stunning graphics
-Great sound
Cons
-Multiplayer mode lacking maps
-Doesn't run well on my computer
Rating
Story: 9/10
Audio: 9/10
Gameplay: 10/10
Replay value: 8/10
Graphics: 10/10
Overall: 92%
Quake 4 (Developed by Raven Software under iD using the 'Doom3 Engine')
The Story
It is the future, and Earth is under threat from a new enemy.
You are Matthew Kane, a new member of the Rhino squad. The Rhino squad is a troop of Earth Marines sent to Stroggos to destroy the Strogg. The reason that you have been sent to Stroggos is because a lone marine has managed to destroy the Strogg leader, and the Marines want to capitalise on this chaos and destroy the Strogg before they can destroy us.
You must fight through the legions of Strogg and ultimately emerge victorious. On the way you will meet other squads, meet various enemies and also find many twists along the way.
Audio
The sound in this game is amazing. Even playing with my headphones, I could constantly hear crawling in the rooftops. Also when progressing with fellow squad members, their shouts echoed from the far right or left, depending on where they were. The sound effects from each of the guns firing were distinctive and quite realistic (in the sense that they did sound like futuristic weapons).
I haven't had the chance yet to play this game with my 5.1 speakers, however I'm sure the sound would seem even more life-like then.
Gameplay
This is not traditional Quake gameplay. Because this game was based on the Doom 3 engine, the game is largely in small confined areas, different to my previous Quake experiences.
The gameplay feels similar to Doom 3 in that you are always asked to complete little objectives (eg. Go through this door to find a way around a locked door) which invite the combat scenes. Combat is quick and furious, and one thing I've noted is that you will never have to check behind you (unlike Doom 3) because enemies will progress from in front of you. This makes the game seem a lot less scarier than Doom 3 was.
When fighting other enemies you will fight them close up and often rely on cover and tactics rather than 'run at them and randomly spray,' something which I enjoy. Also you will be accompanied by other team members quite oftenly, another thing which detracts from the scariness (but certainly not the intensity). The game has managed to keep me on edge, even whilst outside and in open areas.
Replay Value
With four difficulty levels there is a certain level of replay value present. The higher a level you are in, the higher the frequency of enemies. This will make you think twice about trying to rush through spots previously clean of enemies.
Also the multiplayer mode (for which Quake is renowned) seems quite promising, however it will be harder to get into for most players due to the high graphical requirements.
Graphics
Since this game is based on the Doom 3 engine, the graphics are absolutely stunning. This is just great for me, as my little 5700 nVidia card struggles to handle 800x600 - low quality. With more than 4 enemies on screen it will slow to 15 fps, showing just how graphically advanced this game is. The game still looks fantastic on low, and others who have decent cards have told me that the graphics are just awesome.
I'm sure when the Xbox 360 arrives we will truly know the capabilities of the Doom 3 engine, as even with the X850 XT you can't run 1600x1200 - high without slowdown. It is like a sneak preview of the next generation graphics before we can really play it decently.
Load Times
Loading times are absolutely terrible for me. It takes a good 5 minutes before a level will load up, which is again due to the high standard of graphics and detail. When loading up a save whilst in game the loading time is only a few seconds which is very good.
Special Features
The Special Edition of Quake 4 comes with a bonus disc consisting of Quake II (for some classic fragging) and other behind-the-scenes extras. This is great value considering the special edition doesn't cost much more than the regular edition.
Summary
This game has had my jaw on the ground ever since I have started playing it. I have thoroughly enjoyed this game and would recommend it to everyone I know as a must have title. It is, in my opinion, a superior game to Doom because it just captivates me (instead of scaring me to death) and makes me want to play it more and more. BUY IT NOW!
Pros
-Huge Single Player campaign
-Stunning graphics
-Great sound
Cons
-Multiplayer mode lacking maps
-Doesn't run well on my computer
Rating
Story: 9/10
Audio: 9/10
Gameplay: 10/10
Replay value: 8/10
Graphics: 10/10
Overall: 92%
