Product Description

Returning at last to the video game arena, developers id Software creators of classics such as Wolfenstein and Doom have announced the latest in the Quake series of first person shoot 'em-ups.

The game is being developed by Raven Software, makers of X-Men Legends, Star Wars: Jedi Academy, Soldier of Fortune and Star Trek: Elite.;Quake IV will mark a return to id Software's trademark single player gameplay experience set in the Quake II universe, one of the best selling franchises in PC gaming history. Quake IV will use id Software's advanced new Doom game engine, which will ensure it is one of the most graphical advanced video games ever made.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2276 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: ACTIVISION
• Released on: 2005-10-21
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Platforms: Windows XP, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 98
• Number of items: 1

Amazon.co.uk Preview
The Quake series has always been a schizophrenic one, with the odd numbered games being primarily multiplayer affairs and the even numbered ones being focused on single player - with very little connection between the two. As maths fans will have already realised that means that Quake 4 picks up from the ending of Quake II and once again chronicles the battle between humanity and the alien Strogg.

Although it is not developed by Id Software themselves, but by Soldier of Fortune creators Raven Software, Quake 4 does use the Doom 3 graphics engine. In fact if there's one early criticism of the game it is that it looks altogether too much like Doom 3, with very similar art design and darkened levels - and little of the orange hues and angular architecture of Quake II.

In gameplay terms an early plot twist has you being captured by the Strogg and assimilated as one of their nasty looking cyborgs. The process is interrupted just before the end though, allowing you to retain your human mind (phew!) and yet also make use of various new superpowers, which, along with your weapons, can also be upgraded as the game goes on.

With some pilotable weapons, including a nifty looking mech, this looks set to be an explosive, if unoriginal, first person shoot `em-up. The nature of the multiplayer mode has yet to be revealed but fans will certainly be interested in the multiplayer only spin-off Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, which if anything looks even better than this. -- Harrison Dent

This preview is based on an incomplete version of the game; features or problems mentioned above may not appear in the finished game.

Customer Reviews

Quake 4...What's so good?
In order for most video games to continue into a sequel, they must have been good to begin with, then as a result, the sequel must be better or equally as good to the prior.
So what is so good about Quake 4?
One that any simple gamer should be able to do is say "Graphics are great" and I would be an idiot to deny that. It is visually stunning.
Effects, gore, geometry...Looks great.
But what to make of a game with linear gameplay? Granted it is neccessary to drive the points home, but then it becomes much more restrictive to truly appreciate the game itself.
It was meant to have the ability to explore more regions of the alien planet.

And we still (almost like Doom 3) get stuck indoors for a majority of the game. And when we're outside, we're limited to our movements. You do get to drive some flimsy but powerful vehicles that seem kind of poorly designed. (e.g, the Walker has somewhat ok firepower, but now resilliance to enemy fire...)
The game just feels unbalanced and further more unimaginative.
Just another bog standard shooter with sharp graphics.

It earns 3 stars because I am a fairly big fan of iD games and the scene where you get captured and have live surgery performed on you was pretty brutal.

Other than this, all I can honestly say is "Don't buy this game. There's nothing new and nothing that particularly challenging."

People don"t buy this game!
The gameplay becomes boring very quickly (the levels are much alike) and the graphics are not to well, and it's VERY unrealistic. When you shoot someone, the shoot some guts out of them, some blood and that's all: no body just some guts. If you want to play a SciFi FPS, buy Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, that's really a brilliant game: good graphics, good gameplay, and in contrary of Quake 4, it is realistic.

So, Is It DOOM 3.5? A Mixed Bag.
Similar graphics, better maps, updated AI, another set of lame weapons, nice controls, less demons.
When hit, instead of knocking you back, your vision blurs. OK, sure...

Half a step above DOOM3 yet retaining some of the QUAKE Series feel.
How similar? I would be very surprised if they do not share the same graphics engine!
Frankly, I expected more. The new QUAKE games used to raise the standard, and serve as the benchmark of graphics and creativity. Apparently not anymore. Increasing the screen analysis and multiplying the hardware requirements does NOT a new game make!

Another corporate clone following the mainstream FPS trend.

Let's hope they Game Publishers finally show some respect and let Real Game Artists create something NEW and SMART for a change!