Conclusion
So what we’ve got here is some extremely playable run and gun action nicely rendered in the Doom 3 engine. The addition of vehicle based combat with the hover tank adds a nice variation in the gameplay as do the truck based sections where you just have to man the guns and blast everything out of the way. The objectives are always nice and clear and happily lack Doom 3’s ‘repairman’ style of fetching bits to make doors open or bridges drop.
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Click for larger imageWhat Quake 4 is lacking though is the sophistication of a modern FPS, those little extras that pretty much every other shooter out there has. For example, there’s no lean function and no interaction other than pushing the odd button here or there. On the plus side, this allows you to get on a enjoy blasting the enemy but with other shooters offering a more complex and involving experience, Quake 4 suffers by comparison.
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Click for larger imageTo sum up, Quake 4 is a superbly enjoyable game with plenty of action to be had but it lacks the depth of Half Life 2 or F.E.A.R., choosing instead to focus on the gameplay that made Quake 2 such an enjoyable game. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing if all you want is some sci-fi based shooting action. Compare Quake 4 with it’s contempories though and it’s a less involving game. Half Life 2 and F.E.A.R. both do a much better story and have much more going on in the game while Quake 4 is a faster paced affair giving you little time to catch your breath.
Pros
It’s the continuation of Quake 2
Nicely rendered realisation of the Strogg homeworld
Lots of blasting action
Vehicle based combat adds variety
Effective squad play makes a difference
Cons
Run and Gun gameplay looking dated
Lack of interactivity in the game world
Brings little new to the series
A nice continuation to Quake 2… a shame the gameplay is still from 1997 too.
Quake 4 was reviewed on the HEXUS.gaming Test Rig.
