View Full Version : Quake 4 Review at StrategyZone Online
Siberian HEAT
31 Oct 05, 14:44
I put down my web duties long enough to get through the latest Quake title. See what you think.
Quake 4 Review (http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/articles.php?p=609&page=1&cat=52)
Doctor Sinister
31 Oct 05, 14:53
So...looks very nice but a bit shallow. Hmmm...
Great review BTW!
Dr. S.
Siberian HEAT
31 Oct 05, 15:01
Thanks Doc. I've had no game in recent memory that I WANTED to like as much as this one. However, when every room and "gimmick" felt like stuff out of other games and movies (is this game about Strogg or the Borg?) it became really hard to ignore it's flaws.
They say every story has already been written...but this is pushing that to extremes.
I should probably point out, the game wasn't technically made by iD Software.
Quake 4’s story would have worked back in the late 90’s, but I don’t think it’s too unreasonable for this day and age to demand a little bit of an extra effort from companies as well-known as Id.
While I'm sure they had a lot of say in what happened, it was developed by another company's team.
I really want to try the multiplayer out for this, but I can't afford to put the money down on it just yet, although I'd love to see if I would also compare it to UT or not. I tend to be very particular about how an engine feels compared to competitors and if the engine did have a more UT feel, I'd be extremely disappointed (I don't believe any game has ever met the multiplayer of the Quake series - although I don't think any Quake met the multiplayer of the first Quake).
Patrocles
31 Oct 05, 16:28
I put down my web duties long enough to get through the latest Quake title. See what you think.
Quake 4 Review (http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/articles.php?p=609&page=1&cat=52)
good writeup.
Siberian HEAT
31 Oct 05, 16:56
I should probably point out, the game wasn't technically made by iD Software.
While I'm sure they had a lot of say in what happened, it was developed by another company's team.
I really want to try the multiplayer out for this, but I can't afford to put the money down on it just yet, although I'd love to see if I would also compare it to UT or not. I tend to be very particular about how an engine feels compared to competitors and if the engine did have a more UT feel, I'd be extremely disappointed (I don't believe any game has ever met the multiplayer of the Quake series - although I don't think any Quake met the multiplayer of the first Quake).
While I don't make much differentiation between Id and Raven in my article, your point is well taken. However, Id certainly had a close eye on the development, and this is their franchise so I feel OK putting the onus of quality control on Id rather than specifically on their sub-contractor. :D
While I don't make much differentiation between Id and Raven in my article, your point is well taken. However, Id certainly had a close eye on the development, and this is their franchise so I feel OK putting the onus of quality control on Id rather than specifically on their sub-contractor. :D
True, I'm sure they had pretty good say in everything, I just thought I'd point out the distinction. I mean it's not like Doom 3 represented an revolution in SP gameplay... of course, it's not HL2 did either. :laugh: Unfortunately, neither did FEAR. :cry:
Doctor Sinister
31 Oct 05, 17:20
True, I'm sure they had pretty good say in everything, I just thought I'd point out the distinction. I mean it's not like Doom 3 represented an revolution in SP gameplay... of course, it's not HL2 did either. :laugh: Unfortunately, neither did FEAR. :cry:
Far Cry did! :D
Dr. S.
Siberian HEAT
31 Oct 05, 17:24
I'm not an expert in UT2004 although I did play a fair bit of it when it first came out. The multiplayer in Q4 has the same look and feel as UT2004 (vibrant uniforms, similar textures, sort of game show atmosphere), including the male announcer (Killing spree!), it seems to be about as fast, and the physics seem similar. I'm sure someone has probably done a scientific analysis of the differences, but from what I've seen they are more similar than dissimilar. This is not to say this is a bad thing...just my observation. :cool:
I'm not an expert in UT2004 although I did play a fair bit of it when it first came out. The multiplayer in Q4 has the same look and feel as UT2004 (vibrant uniforms, similar textures, sort of game show atmosphere), including the male announcer (Killing spree!), it seems to be about as fast, and the physics seem similar. I'm sure someone has probably done a scientific analysis of the differences, but from what I've seen they are more similar than dissimilar. This is not to say this is a bad thing...just my observation. :cool:
I actually always felt that Quake 3 (and the previous quake games) were actually faster action but with a smoother control than the UT games, but that might just be me.
Siberian HEAT
31 Oct 05, 17:37
True, I'm sure they had pretty good say in everything, I just thought I'd point out the distinction. I mean it's not like Doom 3 represented an revolution in SP gameplay... of course, it's not HL2 did either. :laugh: Unfortunately, neither did FEAR. :cry:
In reading other reviews on other sites, I see that some people actual hype the fact that this game is a "return to basics" in its approach. While I like a good fragging game as much as the next bloke, I just don't buy into the "it's so stripped down, it's charming" thought process. I can only think of one or two places in the entire game where I had the choice of taking two separate doors to get where I was going. The other 99% of the game you had EXACTLY one route to follow. It is certainly easier to program a game like that...but the lack of sophistication really shows.
I guess my whole issue here is that when you have the equivalent of a big-budget Hollywood studio backing your game, I see no reason why they shouldn't pull out all the stops and make this game something phenomenal. Instead, it is almost as if they found the lowest bidder, paid them in donkeys, and didn't care that this adds nothing of real value to the Quake universe. :mad:
Maybe I'm just getting too old LOL.
In reading other reviews on other sites, I see that some people actual hype the fact that this game is a "return to basics" in its approach. While I like a good fragging game as much as the next bloke, I just don't buy into the "it's so stripped down, it's charming" thought process. I can only think of one or two places in the entire game where I had the choice of taking two separate doors to get where I was going. The other 99% of the game you had EXACTLY one route to follow. It is certainly easier to program a game like that...but the lack of sophistication really shows.
I guess my whole issue here is that when you have the equivalent of a big-budget Hollywood studio backing your game, I see no reason why they shouldn't pull out all the stops and make this game something phenomenal. Instead, it is almost as if they found the lowest bidder, paid them in donkeys, and didn't care that this adds nothing of real value to the Quake universe. :mad:
Maybe I'm just getting too old LOL.
No I agree completely. At least almost completely. I agree mostly, how about that? I think hyping a return to the basics works for multiplay in my opinion. I've been pining for a good old fashion deathmatch for a long time. And I would be fine if they said, well this game is gonna be all about bringing a rocking multiplayer experience, and we'll throw in a single player for while you're sitting around and don't feel like joining a server. But Quake IV was touted as being very focused on the single player, and I think when you do that you're required to either one make it a really interesting experience, or two go the Serious Sam route, make it so over-the-top return to the basics that it's an insane amount of fun..... while making it slightly cheaper than most games (I do believe that the Serious Sam games are usually $10 or $20 cheaper than a big title release).
Doctor Sinister
31 Oct 05, 17:45
Maybe I'm just getting too old LOL.
Argh! No! Don't say that or you'll doom all of us 1971 people. :eek:
Dr. S.
Siberian HEAT
31 Oct 05, 17:51
As they said in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back;
"You're like a child. What've I been telling you? You gotta do the safe picture. Then you can do the art picture. But then sometimes you gotta do the payback picture because your friend says you owe him. "
Quake 4 is the "safe picture." I couldn't spell out the analogy in my article, but this is what I was thinking when I wrote it. :D
Argh! No! Don't say that or you'll doom all of us 1971 people. :eek:
Dr. S.
I was looking at applying for a job somewhere recently. And they had the line for birthdate, it was an online application, so they had an example to show what date format to put in your date... and the example birthday was younger than me... :(
And then there was the time at my old job two-ish years ago, where people were starting to work there that were born the same year as Aliens I mean seriously, born the same year as Aliens and working in a job!? :eek:
As they said in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back;
"You're like a child. What've I been telling you? You gotta do the safe picture. Then you can do the art picture. But then sometimes you gotta do the payback picture because your friend says you owe him. "
Quake 4 is the "safe picture." I couldn't spell out the analogy in my article, but this is what I was thinking when I wrote it. :D
Hahahaha that's perfect!!
For us Firefly/Serenity fans, I think that's our last hope. We have to hope Joss Whedon makes a ton of money on... *sigh* the "Wonder Woman" movie, so that he can get away with making another Serenity movie. :laugh:
jaegertech
31 Oct 05, 23:04
Far Cry did! :D
Dr. S.
Did not. I loved Far Cry. It was a damned fun game and horribly unappreciated when it came to sustaining mods, but it wasn't really different from any other FPS. You still went from Point A to Point B to accomplish Objective X. You just got two or three paths to take.
Deus Ex went farther with that style in 2000.
Did not. I loved Far Cry. It was a damned fun game and horribly unappreciated when it came to sustaining mods, but it wasn't really different from any other FPS. You still went from Point A to Point B to accomplish Objective X. You just got two or three paths to take.
Deus Ex went farther with that style in 2000.
System Shock 2 (And 1) went tons farther than Deus Ex too. :)
Not to say Deus Ex wasn't awesome.
Also apparently tons is now a unit of distance.
Siberian HEAT
02 Nov 05, 11:15
I've played a few more hours of multiplay to try to give the game as much of a chance as possible, 16 player max servers just aren't cutting it for me. If Id/Raven had hoped this engine would be the end-all for multiplayer, I doubt it will happen. Personally, UT2004 still seems more versatile than this engine - has more modes, seems smoother in close combat, more players, and (from what I've seen) more refined maps.
One of the things I really liked about Quake II was the gritty, dingy backgrounds with simple player models. While I do enjoy UT from time to time, its biggest drawback is that there is TOO much color and vibrancy in many of the maps. Q4 is the same way...with all the pretty colors flashing around, it is hard to see what is going on. Once big firefights start, it looks like the Fourth of July! :laugh:
Any other Quake 4 players out there care to comment on multiplayer?
Doctor Sinister
02 Nov 05, 13:25
Did not. I loved Far Cry. It was a damned fun game and horribly unappreciated when it came to sustaining mods, but it wasn't really different from any other FPS. You still went from Point A to Point B to accomplish Objective X. You just got two or three paths to take.
Deus Ex went farther with that style in 2000.
Can't comment on Deus X, but I stand by my love of Far Cry - having gone back to "clear" a level I would find entire areas that I hadn't covered, and had no need to cover - certainly no lazy level design there.
Dr. S.
Can't comment on Deus X, but I stand by my love of Far Cry - having gone back to "clear" a level I would find entire areas that I hadn't covered, and had no need to cover - certainly no lazy level design there.
Dr. S.
I'm suprised there hasn't been a sequel announced for Far Cry yet. Although I guess it didn't sell as well as it should have (I'm assuming), it certainly got good reviews and they did release a critically acclaimed console version.
Game editorials call for "new" and "fresh" games that aren't rehashes of previous genre's or games...but it seems "fresh" games like Far Cry don't get the credit or sales they deserve when compared to sequels and rehashes like HL2, Doom 3, Civilization 4, Age of Empires III, Quake 4....etc.
That's the thing, editorials are all complaining about lack of innovation now and then, but then when something innovating comes along they rarely push it they way they should, and on top of that, completely removed from their faults is the fact that just like movies, people are often drawn to "safe" titles. All the games that are really popular are sequels of games that DID revolutionize things, so people still remember that innovation and figure the next title has to be just as worth it. Unforunately, much like movies and books, the more in a series, the lower the quality generally.
jayedub7423
03 Nov 05, 16:52
good review. i've only played alittle, but i like it, but then again, i liked DOOM3 for the first couple of hours.
Siberian HEAT
09 Nov 05, 00:26
good review. i've only played alittle, but i like it, but then again, i liked DOOM3 for the first couple of hours.
Curious if you gotten through more of the game? I'm really interested to hear how others liked this one. As you can tell, I was pretty disappointed LOL.
jayedub7423
09 Nov 05, 19:14
this will be the next game i will try to beat. between hockey season and cancelling WoW for City of Villains, i havent given the game much time.
i played Quake 1 when it came out on a friends pc back in the day, but never to completion. i never played quake 2 till i bought the Quake pack that had all the games and expansions in one, which is very cool.
jayedub7423
13 Nov 05, 21:38
well, i have almost finished the game after a couple of sittings. i say almost because the game keeps dragging on, and i am so freaking bored now, i've decided to go watch a movie with my daughter so i dont feel like i wasted my day.
i really love the graphics of the game, but i still favor the source engine more.
this game cant figure out if it wants to be Quake or if it wants to be Doom!
i really thought the first half of the game was kick ass. but the boredom began to set in just after getting the Strogg makeover. and for two reasons really; the levels start looking the same, and the tasks you must do are the same thing over, and over, and over, and over.....go here, turn this on, activate that, open this door, escort him, protect that guy, argh!!! these are the two reasons i hate Doom3.
the same formula that doom used is the same that quake uses for the most part, and for that reason, the game is just too long. the tedium of the tasks, coupled with the non-variety of the levels seem to make this game drag on.
again, i really loved the first half of this game. and the weapons are just kick ass too! they feel beefy, not like the weak ass crap that was in Doom3.
when a game feels like work rather than fun to complete, then it really feels like a waste of time.
Siberian HEAT
14 Nov 05, 00:00
There is NO WAY that a game this hyped should be so tedious and dull. Some of the tasks are literally as mundane as my joke about getting a box of floppies. Wait until you see the end...
:nuts:
jayedub7423
15 Nov 05, 02:30
well, beat quake 4 tonight. take out the marines, change the strogg to demons. and the game feels just like doom3. boredom starts to set in after awhile, and makes it hard to continue on when the levels begin to look the same, and the missions start repeating.
i'll say it again, the first part of this game had me on the edge of my seat, i really loved it!
and i really think that boss battles are really a thing of the past. but i'm not sure how you would end a game like this. it's time for the arcade action style shooters to evolve a bit in my opinon.
madDdog67
15 Nov 05, 11:38
I put down my web duties long enough to get through the latest Quake title. See what you think.
Quake 4 Review (http://www.strategyzoneonline.com/articles.php?p=609&page=1&cat=52)
Great review...does anyone know if you can do multiplayer via LAN with only 1 copy of the game, like the "good old days" of UT and Q3?
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