The last time id Software released a Quake game with a single player mode that wasn’t death match was 1997. After handing Raven Software the Quake 4 job, people were wondering how it would turn out, as, obviously, they aren’t the original creators of the series. Rest assured, Raven didn’t do a shabby job.
Tweaks
The game improves quite a bit in areas where Doom 3 didn’t satisfy people. While id Software didn’t physically have much to do with this project, they did a good job of overseeing it, and telling Raven how to change things. Such as how Quake 4 makes use of a very smooth running Doom 3 engine, thanks to some much needed optimization. People who’ve had trouble running Doom 3 will be happy to know that running on the lowest settings this time around will not be a hassle; right out of the box I turned it up to high quality and it ran fine (with a two year old rig, no less). Other minor improvements include true vehicles included (Doom 3 planned on them, but didn’t release them), flashlights on some weapons (even Carmack, in retrospect, said that a separate flashlight probably wasn’t a good idea) and some very neat particle effects added to the engine.
Rewind, Fast Forward and Play
For those of you who want the full story from before Quake 2 (for sequential purposes) read on, otherwise, skip to the next paragraph. Quake 2 takes place shortly after the Strogg invade the Earth via Texas. Apparently, they really messed us up there, but we did manage to push them back in the end. No one knew why they came, but they were pissed enough to take the fight right back to them. Quake 2 encompasses everything from the first half of the war through the eyes of Bitterman, from the failed drop pod assault (seems like only a handful from a massive drop survived), to the destruction of the " big gun", to the ending of the Makron’s reign. It’s not mentioned what happens to Bitterman after Quake 2, or during Quake 4.
Quake 4 takes place right after where Quake 2 left off, but in a different area. The war on the Strogg is still underway. You’re Matthew Kane, apparently a bad-ass after what happened to you at the "star port." Not much is said besides that, but, I’m sure it’s a reference to a previous game. Anyway, you’re being clustered in to Rhino squad you’re being deployed on the surface of the planet Stroggos to do damage. With all the damage Bitterman (the very same from Quake 2) did to the "big gun," and killing the Makron, it’s a ground war from here on out.
This game has a very immersive feel and your squad members, for the most part, have their own distinct personality traits. The game is very detailed, and as you battle through the first three or four chapters, you’ll be exposed to cinematic scenes of war all around you, from air craft constantly bombing the area, to land-based war machines of both sides slaughtering the other force. Environments range from trenches, to friendly star ships, to a familiar pod, to a Strogg medical facility and even the hub of all Strogg communications. Learning more about the Quake universe, both past and present, comes from mission briefings on the U.S.S. Sojourn. Overall, it’s a very nice and needed addition to the Quake universe’s story, with some very cool twists (you’ll know when the twist comes up). Apparently more will be on the way with Enemy Territory: Quake Wars.
Mech Beats Strogg
As per typical Quake experience: you’re a marine dropped on the planet in an accident, so you pretty much just have a blaster in the beginning. Weapons from machine guns, to shotguns, to rocket launchers are acquirable and many can be upgraded as the game progresses. The game, while being linear, does jazz up your situation by either giving you help in the form of generic help (marines who can be killed; not needed to progress story), squad members (marines who can or can not be killed, depending on story situation), or have you go at it alone. Vehicles, while in the game, don’t have a whole lot of weight in the game. Hover tanks, trucks, basic trams and the awesome mech are useable in one form or another, the tank and the mech being the free form, travel anywhere sort of choice. Most AI is very predictable, but, even so, they’ll usually outperform you, especially on higher difficulties. Berserkers are a force to be reckoned with on General mode, slaughtering you in a single hit, and those aren’t even bosses. Bosses range from normal, to confusingly hard if you haven’t read some sort of guide. There seems to be secrets littered in the game, but they are much harder to find than in Doom 3; I’m not even sure if there’s an easter eggs in Quake 4. The game held up better than to expectations I gave it before playing it.
"Quake 4 over all, has a great single player experience and a variable amount of fun multiplayer right out of the box"
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Then there’s deathmatch, which is a redone Quake 3 deathmatch. Playing multiplayer automatically switches down most of the graphic effects from single player, in attempt to make you not enter a game at 3 fps and die instantly. All the weapons of Quake 4 are in, except for the blaster, which is traded in for the gauntlet. Multiplayer modes include regular death match, team death match, capture the flag, and capture the flag with Quake 3 Team Arena classes. Much of the game has been balanced since Quake 3, like the capping of FPS so players can’t make unfair jumps. Other than that and a few changes here and there, it’s almost exactly like Quake 3.
Gib Count
Using the Doom 3 engine, I expected shoddier and choppy graphics. Damn, was I wrong. This game boasts a very optimized Doom 3 engine, and some great modeling and detail. The environments are detailed in every way: design, lighting, props, and how they change with events. The computer consoles in this game exceed Doom 3 in sheer detail and art design, although they have much less use this time around, which is a shame. Particle effects look superb, as do the new renditions of older gun’s weapon fire, like rail gun shots, or the new BFG shot’s (now known as the Dark Matter Gun). While the armor and vehicles the humans utilize look great, there’s something about the marine’s faces. Most of them are very wide eyed. That’s the only gripe I had with anything in this game; they look like they’re stimulants, constantly. Otherwise, I felt this game looked better than Half-Life 2 both generally and in artistic creativity, save for the human faces.
"This game boasts a very optimized Doom 3 engine"
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Things That Go Boom
Doom 3’s regulars return to do the non-specific marine rolls; Phil LaMarr (Various previous rolls), Steven Jay Blum (Best known as Spike on "Cowboy Bebop"), Wally Wingert (Tallest Red on "Invader Zim") and Andre Ware. In addition, Rhino squad is also voiced by the likes of: Peter Stormare, Charles Napier, Michael Gannon, Devid Earnest, Danny Cooksey, and Greg Eagles to name a few. As you can see, they are all very experienced and made for great voice actors. The game oozes character with voices, even if a lot of the marines are your generic not-takin’-off-mah-helmet types. Matthew Kane never speaks, and is unvoiced. The music is very good, and a few tracks are even worthy enough to extract from the game.
I’m Going Outside Soon
Quake 4 over all, has a great single player experience and a variable amount of fun multiplayer right out of the box, but knowing the Quake community, tons of player content will come out in the next few months. There’s by no means any way to confirm the amount of player content coming out, so investing in Quake 4 solely for 3rd party or player created content is a bit of a gamble currently.
