Rage - incoming from id software

[surreal]

I've seen no mention of this on here yet, but I've got it pre-ordered and cannot wait to get hold of it - just in time for my week off work too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFE66chCZuA

I initially was a bit sceptical, but having seen the positive previews start to come in, and given my obsession last year with Fallout 3 / New Vegas this looks right up my alley.  Apparently they've done the unprecedented and just sat games journos down in front of it and left them to it for up to 3 hours, rather than having some PR wonk carefully shepherd them through selected levels.  This has to show a degree of confidence.  Must say it does look the business, love the post-apocalyptic setting and you already know id's skill with balancing shooters.

My only issue is a couple of mentions that the PC version had poor textures, but I hope that was due to it being set lower so not to show up the xbox version running next to it - I can't believe Carmack would allow a low-quality PC port to be released, surely they have a dedicated PC team?

Anyone else waiting for this?

Edited to add this link to a documentary in 4 parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2USBm4hMOAw

[Zetetic]

No advance review copies. I can't imagine it's because they're worried about people ruining the plot. That indicates slightly less confidence about how the game stands up after any length of time.

(For that matter, letting people play through all on their own is by far from unprecedented. Particularly since they're fairly well-shepherded by the game itself.)

[Jemble Fred]

No advance review copies. I can't imagine it's because they're worried about people ruining the plot.

Apart from all the advance review copies we've had in the office for a while now – in fact, the game's only just gone off, after blasting out all day.

I've been busy and they've just been playing multiplayer stuff though, so I have no opinion on the main game to share.

[Zetetic]

My apologies, I misunderstood RPS' article.

I am interested in it. The previews did seem to go well.

[Jemble Fred]

From what I've seen and heard, it looks like the one and only post-apocalyptic adventure on 360 which I would bother with – but probably won't.

Games journalist since 1993, folks. Giving this stuff away for free.

[Zetetic]

So, multiplayer on the 360? Hmm.

Oh, arse. I've worked it out:
No PC advance review copies? Tiny bit concerning but not nearly so bad.

[surreal]

I've cancelled my pre-order on the strength of a couple of reviews I've now read, and the fact that the PC version is supposed to be shipping with XBox textures, with a hi-res texture pack "maybe" to follow according to Carmack

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/rage-review/

RAGE isn't what you think it is.

In fact, it's easiest to tell you what RAGE isn't right away. It's nothing like Fallout 3. It's nothing like Borderlands. It's not an RPG, though Id and Bethesda have used RPG terminology in describing it. It's not much of an open world. It's not very big. It's not very long.

And unfortunately, it's not the return to prominence that Id fans have been hoping for.

Oh well... maybe one for the bargain bins after Christmas

[Zetetic]

RPS' Alec Meer:

Bad news! I'm seeing quite a few technical problems on my PC. To the point where I'm not sure I can keep playing. Sounds like I'm not alone either.

Well, now we know why there weren't any PC review copies.

I bamlem you, Jemble Fred, you and your kind.

A more measured commentator might note something about AMD drivers and OpenGL support. But not me.

[Zetetic]

A remarkable positive review, from the same though. It does look to be a little less RPG than I'd hoped, but still worth a shot when it hits the bargain bins. The buggery about AMD cards though was a bit ridiculous.

[Ignatius_S]

A remarkable positive review, from the same though. It does look to be a little less RPG than I'd hoped, but still worth a shot when it hits the bargain bins. The buggery about AMD cards though was a bit ridiculous.

One PC mag (PC Format, I think) gave it a good write-up but didn't really mention the graphic side of things – IIRC, the commentators made the point about the lack of graphic options. Although, id had been pushing the message that there was little RPG to it, I'm still kinda disappointed there isn't more...

[wasp_f15ting]

I just completed the game on Nightmare difficulty, and I am truly sad that it isn't a bigger game than it is. I hope to log in again and finish some of the side quests like the jobs board etc. Overall I am excited for this gorgeous engine, bar Cry Engine 3 this is the best looking game engine I have seen. This performs better than the CE too.

I hope they do make a sequel as I really enjoyed this game. The enemies at this difficulty level were very challenging near towards the end. The weapons I had at my disposal were adept enough though for whatever was thrown at me. The end of the game leaves a nice opening to a sequel, which I hope isn't far away.

The reports of this being a 10hr game must have been based on the easy / normal difficulty. It too me around 16hrs on the clock and I reckon I played it or 20hrs all in all.

[Zetetic]

On what out of interest?

[wasp_f15ting]

On what out of interest?

Xbox 360, there were very slight pop ins when you die and re-load a checkpoint but it didn't seem to happen very often and its no worse than gears of war. I don't think enough has been said about the art direction in this game. There are parts of this game which defy the depths of my own imagination in the richness. The use of this mega textures has really paid off in the way this game looks, every rock or bit of metal looks so unique must have taken them ages to make it. It makes hunting for collectibles that much more appealing. I kept imaging how a game like fallout could have benefited from such a sumptuous array of graphics. It does feel like its a generation above what we are used to playing at the moment.

I hope a game like Oblivion, or any kind of RPG makes its way on to this technology as it would be a visual feast..

I am glad a new benchmark has been set in console gaming, hopefully they can continue to make games of this detail until the "next gen" comes around.

One thing I did dislike is the 3 bloody discs the games comes on. At one point I wanted to go back to an earlier town to have a look around and complete the odd quests I had not completed, but to my annoyance it wouldn't let me back unless I put my 1st disc in.. I can't wait till MS release their next console with a BD drive..

[I accept the terms of the]

Can't you install to the hard disk and use one disc only at startup for verification? I'm not saying it will work, but common sense says it should.

[wasp_f15ting]

Can't you install to the hard disk and use one disc only at startup for verification? I'm not saying it will work, but common sense says it should.

You'd think that would be the case right..nope! I installed all 3 discs and it still needs each disk to verify against its own install. The main benefits of the install are the reduction of texture popins

[I accept the terms of the]

Try writing "DICKHEAD" on two of the DVDs so they're too ashamed to want to come out of their box.

[Neil]

Bought this earlier in the week, on a whim really, seeing as Asda has it marked down to 15 quid.  Quake III Arena is still one of my all-time favourite games, and I will always remember what Doom was like when it first came out, so I had to give this a go.  Was really only looking for something cheap to tide me over until the release of UFC Undisputed 3, lest I wear out the demo and sicken myself of the game before I got it. 

So I didn't really know what to expect, and was disheartened to find what looked like a Borderlands rip-off when I loaded it up.  While there are similarities, Rage is its own game, and quickly becomes compelling and fun.  Great shooty bits, lovely buggy racing action.

I'm 13 hours in so far, and still on the first disc - although I reckon I'm just about to get into disc 2 - so I haven't blasted through it as fast as Waspy.  I'm being dilligent about the side missions, though, and even the races. 

[Dark Sky]

I really enjoyed RAGE (on PC), though it's a bit of a confused game.  id are so good at corridor shooters, and the corridor shooting in RAGE is fantastic.  And although I can appreciate them trying to create an "open world" with RPG elements, minigames, and of course, the death racing, it's not really convincing.  The post apocolyptic environment mixing Western with sci-fi is so clichéd, and the attempt at a story is very feeble.

Bless them for trying, though, as I still really enjoyed it.  The shooting is excellent, and the graphics are incredible despite the multitude of bugs.  And it's worth playing just for the "Dead City" level.  But really I just wish they'd hurry up with DOOM 4.

[Nik Drou]

I played the demo of Rage on the PS3. I was impressed with the presentation and the fact the enemies were tricky buggers to kill. However, I quickly lost all enthusiasm once I got a clear headshot but the guy kept coming. That's pretty unforgivable in modern shooters. It also didn't help that I'd spent the past 30 minutes wandering round the hub level with no clear indication of where to go.

[madhair60]

I really want this game, but 21gb download.  Twenty-one!

Edit: On Steam, I hasten to add.

[falafel]

I played the demo of Rage on the PS3. I was impressed with the presentation and the fact the enemies were tricky buggers to kill. However, I quickly lost all enthusiasm once I got a clear headshot but the guy kept coming. That's pretty unforgivable in modern shooters. It also didn't help that I'd spent the past 30 minutes wandering round the hub level with no clear indication of where to go.

Ohhhhh, I thought the demo was just the hub level with some racing.

[Famous Mortimer]

I really want this game, but 21gb download.  Twenty-one!

Edit: On Steam, I hasten to add.

Steam is £20 more expensive than Gamestation's website. Don't chuck money away.

[madhair60]

Aye, but it won't be eventually.  It's Steam!

[Riptide McDeath]

Absolutely brilliant game... couldn't stay away from it.
Unlike other 'speak to everyone for something to do' games my missions didn't build up to a massive 'to do' list and by the finale I was ready to move on and complete the game.

The shooting/racing was awesome and the missions didn't seem to pointless. Storyline was a little blah but the action made up for it.

Spoiler alert

The final chapter is over far to quickly... What's that all about? I replayed the final chapter 3 times just to make sure I hadn't missed anything and it took me less than 5 minutes each time

[close]

.   

One question. In each of the NPC zones, Wellsping, Subway town etc, there is a door with a big black bar across the front saying 'sealed'. Anything happen with these doors? Can't see anything online answering this.

Just ordered Borderlands so the apocalypse-a-thon will continue...

[chand]

I quite enjoyed this, but like Borderlands it was very much a corridor-based shooter with the pretence of being open-world. In some ways a massive open-world environment actually means less variety for missions; while a linear shooter will take you on a straight line through distinct levels, Rage takes you repeatedly back to the same places and gives you variety by, for example, making you go through the same garage but from the other side. I thought some of the missions seemed a bit overly long too, taking 25-30 minutes to get through a reasonably samey bunker.

It's decent though, a good selection of guns and the combat is nice and meaty. And wingsticks are fucking brilliant.

[Famous Mortimer]

I'm thoroughly enjoying it, but it would be nice to have some sort of map thing when you're in a bunker and can't find the next bit for love nor money.