It's difficult to believe that just that over 12 years ago current giants Id Software were just getting to work on their first successful true-3D game, the original Quake. It was a tremendous success and they soon started work on the remarkable 2. It set new standards and defined everything a first person should be. Many people still believe Quake 2 to be one of the top five all time best shooting games, an evaluation challenging to disagree with. Although the physical gameplay of Quake 3 was very similar, the game was structured completely differently. Unlike previous Quake games it was no longer mission based, it followed style arena based levels which although good in its own right, felt more like a rival to Unreal Tournament and never a true sequel to the understanding Quake 2. Quake 4 now goes 'back to its roots' in terms of gameplay structure, returning to the mission based level design of the first two games. It also continues where Quake 2's storyline left off, making this feel like the 'true sequel' to Quake 2. But does the rest of the game continue Quake 2's legacy?

The whole storyline of Quake 2 revolved around a classic earth vs alien battle against some unpleasant lifeforms called the 'Strogg'. You crash landed on the alien planet called Stroggos, and then had a number of objectives to complete before eliminating the 'Makron', leader of the Strogg forces. Quake 4s storyline is set directly after this with a new player called Matthew Kane. As Matthew Kane you must work with a team of marines to clear up the pieces and finish the war, but that's a lot easier said than done.

The fast paced gunplay which made Quake a definitive first person shooting experience makes a relatively unchanged and welcome return in Quake 4. There are many similarities between some of the single player levels in this and previous instalments of the series. Many of the levels take place indoors in tight corridors but occasionally there are outdoor levels which often involve vehicles. There are three vehicles in total including a Hover tank, flatbed truck and the Mechwalker, each of which add a little more variety to the game.

No shooting game would be complete without an extensive array of mighty weapons. Quake 4 certainly doesn't disappoint in that department. The weapons range from the standard earth military issue machineguns and shotguns you would expect to find in any shooting game to a vast number of alien weapons such as the Railgun, Hyperbaster, Lightning-Gun and the mysterious Dark Matter Generator. All these weapons have their own unique uses ideal for certain situations, some even including alternate fire modes. As you progress through the game you will find yourself picking up many of the better and more exciting weapons, some also get upgraded with various new functions such as a target lock-on and increased rate of fire.

Graphically Quake 4 is a result of a slightly updated 3 engine which looked amazing back in 2004's Doom 3, and the more recent version. Quake 4's graphics are similarly remarkable. It shows off amazing lighting effects, astonishingly detailed environments, decent textures and there is generally a lot taking place on the screen at any one time. Sadly this takes its toll on the frame rate which constantly fluctuates throughout the game. At one moment the frame rate could be running at a highly respectable 50 then it will suddenly drop to around 15 which simply isn't acceptable for a console game. Not only does the drop in frame rate make the game look less attractive in places but it will also tarnish the excellent gameplay throughout. The drop in frame rate is the only real example of the game feeling rushed but it really does let it down a lot, in fact it means if you are particularly bothered about graphics and you have a powerful gaming PC you may be better off with the PC version of the game.

As far as sound is concerned the does well to really put you into the immersive experience as any good in-game music should. Each gun has its own distinctive firing sound and you can occasionally hear close bullets of enemy fire flying past your head. Generally speaking the in game audio is good but it doesn't particularly stand out in any respect.

Aside from the healthy 12- 15 hour single player campaign Quake 4 features split-screen, system link and of course multiplayer gaming for up to 8 players. The multiplayer modes are standard to the PFS genre such as Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the flag and other assorted modes you have probably played many times in other games. Sadly there aren't many new maps, the online service can sometimes seem a little laggy and the lobby setup is unnecessarily complicated. Having said that there is plenty of fun to be had but it's not nearly as cutting edge as the multiplayer in previous Quake games.

Its worth mentioning that the Quake 4 comes with an extra disk containing a number of features about the game and even the full version of 1997's outstanding Quake 2, which was a nice thought and well worth a play despite its age.

Overall Quake 4 is a good game. It has many strengths particularly in its rock-solid gameplay, and the single player campaign has some highly engaging and exciting levels. Sadly the game is plagued throughout by dipping frame rates and a slightly underwhelming lack of innovation in its multiplayer mode. There are several other good first person shooters for the and while this has much to boast about its tough to recommend over Perfect Dark Zero and Call Of Duty 2. Having said this, many Quake fans will enjoy this game and while its not quite up to the standard of previous instalments in the series if you enjoy first person shooters this is well worth a look.

81%

By Steven Embling

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  1. ,gl,gcn'Vh Unregistered 1 year ago

    quake