QUAKE 4 Impressions

Beloved first-person shooter developer id Software has been the driving force behind some of the most significant technological advances for game engines ever. John Carmack, the genius coder guiding the developer, has been heralded as uniquely visionary in seeing beyond current technology and creating engines for the future. His most recent 3-D engine was released last year, powering the blockbuster DOOM 3® for PC and Xbox®.

In-game ... that's right.

It's this very same engine that makes QUAKE™ 4 tick, but what does QUAKE 4 offer to veterans of the series or, for that matter, gamers in general? Visceral, hectic combat married to unrivaled in-game presentation, intense combat environments, and a gripping storyline that hurtles along at a breakneck pace. Read on for more details.

There's no better way to introduce the series
than to have QUAKE 4 land on the round floor for the
next generation of console gaming with Xbox 360.

Break from Tradition
Unlike previous versions of QUAKE®, id Software was not the primary developer. They provided the engine and offered oversight, but Raven Software handled the development and game design for QUAKE 4.

Don't get pierced.

Also unique to the series is its continuation of a previous story. QUAKE 4 focuses on the alien invasion threat of the Strogg introduced in QUAKE II®. Fans of that storyline are in for a treat as they see it realized with next-generation visuals and presentation. Unlike QUAKE II though, your character does have a name. He is Corporal Matthew Kane, the newest member of the Rhino Squad.

Opening the Engine
DOOM 3 can still be accurately described as one of the most technically impressive games ever, but QUAKE 4 takes the engine Carmack built to new levels. This is most noticeable in the open vistas in which you'll find yourself doing battle. Unbelievable detail and mood in a cramped hallway with a couple of enemies is one thing, but an open alien world with allies, enemies, and vehicles all doing battle at once is something else entirely. QUAKE 4 delivers combat scenarios and settings in clarity and chaos never yet experienced.

Key Highlights
We need not talk over much of the graphics though. Their quality speaks for themselves in the screenshots, but it's not just visuals that drive this game. Here are a few key gameplay highlights to look forward to:

• Audio Heaven: While graphics may be most noticeable, the 5.1 surround QUAKE 4 offers is equal to its visual counterpart, and is equal to the Pepsi challenge against any of its current next-gen counterparts.
• Multiplayer: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag and Tournament modes are all offered, but even more impressive is the level of detail in the maps and the speed at which they play.
• Vehicle Combat: Though predominantly played as soldier on the ground, Corporal Kane has access to some inspired sci-fi vehicles for destruction on an even larger scale.
• Sense of Scale: Where DOOM 3 isolated you for taut intensity and a creeping fear, QUAKE 4 makes sure you realize you're one part of a vast invasion effort. Ambient effects (e.g. the far off sounds of war), and onscreen ancillary chaos lets you experience this invasion on a singular scale.

A QUAKE release has always been a landmark event in the industry, and there's no better way to introduce the series than to have QUAKE 4 land on the ground floor for the next generation of console gaming with Xbox 360™.

Article by Alex McLain