Initial impressions, and I'll do a full review when I finish the game:
Obviously, it's very pretty.
1. I like how the game starts immediately after Quake 2, the last Quake that had a "War against the Strogg" storyline.
2. I like the teammates/squad action. They are intelligent, and do smart things. When you have to open a door, they take cover positions around that door, and aim weapons in the correct direction. When you're going down a corridor with branching corridors, your Marines advance ahead and cover the branching corridors. Medics run around healing peeps, and techs fix your armor. 80% of the game thus far has had teammates... it's pretty cool.
3. There are finally varied missions and tactics compared to the Quake series thus far... sit in a mounted gun and defend the convoy, for example.
4. Professional voice actors.... V-Dub in the house! Kick ass!
It's no FarCry, but about an hour in it's better than Doom 3.
There was a reference in the game that I seem to know but can't place... your character's name is Kane (Cain?) and at one point someone says, "Good job escaping that space station." Another dude nearby says, "Oh, you're THAT Kane?"
It seems I should know that reference.
Quake 4 - no spoilers
Ok, end-of-game thoughts:
I thought it was more fun than Doom 3 because this game had missions, teammates, and communications chatter that made me feel like I was part of a bigger battle than what was just going on in my little corner.
But unlike Doom 3, this game was MUCH shorter, and the level design wasn't quite as "Holy Shit" as Doom's Hell levels.
Also, not only was this game shorter, but they made the most obvious "stay tuned for the sequel" since Prey. The last 2 games i played, and they both felt very incomplete at the end due to their "see you next week!" vibe at the end. I'm thinking they want to copycat Half Life 2's episodic content. I don't know how I feel about that. I had about 20 hours of gameplay, compared to the 50 or so I had with Farcry and about 40 with Doom 3. If I had paid full price for this game on release day, I might be feeling cheated right now. As it is the $20 I spent feels about right.
Final verdict: It's cheap now for the DVD/Collectors edition, so if you like FPS's give it a shot. You might get more out of it if you'd played Quake 2 first, but I don't think that game runs on WinXP without an emulator. Didn't last time I tried, anyway.
I thought it was more fun than Doom 3 because this game had missions, teammates, and communications chatter that made me feel like I was part of a bigger battle than what was just going on in my little corner.
But unlike Doom 3, this game was MUCH shorter, and the level design wasn't quite as "Holy Shit" as Doom's Hell levels.
Also, not only was this game shorter, but they made the most obvious "stay tuned for the sequel" since Prey. The last 2 games i played, and they both felt very incomplete at the end due to their "see you next week!" vibe at the end. I'm thinking they want to copycat Half Life 2's episodic content. I don't know how I feel about that. I had about 20 hours of gameplay, compared to the 50 or so I had with Farcry and about 40 with Doom 3. If I had paid full price for this game on release day, I might be feeling cheated right now. As it is the $20 I spent feels about right.
Final verdict: It's cheap now for the DVD/Collectors edition, so if you like FPS's give it a shot. You might get more out of it if you'd played Quake 2 first, but I don't think that game runs on WinXP without an emulator. Didn't last time I tried, anyway.
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
A word on multi:
Yes, it does check your CD key, so there's a bit of copy-protect built in, whether it works or not.
However, I am not required to join any sort of 3rd party matching program whatsoever, like Steam or Battlenet or Westwood Online, so getting in a multi game was very quick and easy, the way it should be. Launch the game, hit "Multi," select "browse servers", and click one. That was it.
Yes, it does check your CD key, so there's a bit of copy-protect built in, whether it works or not.
However, I am not required to join any sort of 3rd party matching program whatsoever, like Steam or Battlenet or Westwood Online, so getting in a multi game was very quick and easy, the way it should be. Launch the game, hit "Multi," select "browse servers", and click one. That was it.
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."