OT: Quake 4 VS. F.E.A.R.

[Mr_Vindictive]

I mentioned in the Christmas thread that I received both Quake 4 and F.E.A.R. for Christmas from my wife.  I know that some of you on the board are also gamers, and I figured I'd put up a brief write up of each game in case any of you are looking to buy one of them.



Quake 4 - Quake was the game that changed gaming for me, forever.  I had my first taste of first person shooters with Wolfensten 3d and then moved to Doom, but it was Quake that made me realize just how good the genre is.  The graphics were amazing (at the time), and the gameplay was superb.  Then came Quake 2 and it changed everything for me again.  For years, it was at the top of my list of best PC games.  Then came Quake 3, which dropped the single player story element for a more tournament/online element.  It was a decent game, but nothing compared to the original two.

Now Id Games, along with Raven Software, have released Quake 4.  It goes back to Quake 2 and picks up the story.  You are the soldier who battled the Strogg and defeated their armies, and now you have to fight them on their own territory.

First, let me talk about the graphics.  Quake 4 runs on Id Software's  amazing Doom 3 engine which brought many a computer to it's knees when it was released last year.  Obviously the guys over at Id (and Raven) know what they are doing, because the graphics in Quake 4 are better than Doom 3 and the game runs much much smoother with less memory hogging.  The results are better graphics, and a much much much better framerate.

The gameplay itself isn't anything too unique.  It still holds quite a bit of the Run N Gun style of it's earlier Quake brethern, but adds in a bit of squad style gameplay that has become a staple in FPS games in recent years.  You often have to escort a Medic or orther troops to certain points, which proves to actually be too easy in the game.  Each person you escort seems to be a great shot, and nearly invincible.  The main problem with this style of gameplay is that unlike other games, you cannot control the squad.

The weapons in the game feel heavy and strong, as they should, but none are too awe inspiring.  You start the game with a blaster with unlimited ammo.  The blaster can be charged to let out stronger bursts of energy.  You then move on to the machinegun which is the only weapon other than the blaster that has a flashlight.  You then get the shotgun, nailgun, rail gun, rocket launcher, lightning gun, etc.  If you have played any of the other Quake games, then you will be more than familiar with the weapons.

One interesting thing that the game does is sets limits on weapons when you first get them.  The machinegun has a limited magazine when you first get it, but it can be upgraded with a bigger clip.  The shotty has only 8 rounds per load, but releoading takes forever unless you have a clip upgrade.  The same is true for each other weapon.  They aren't very good at first until you get upgrades for each.

The enemy AI in Quake 4 is the biggest downfall.  They pop out at scripted intervals in the game, much like Doom 3.  They aren't very hard to kill, even the bosses have a weakness that is easy to find.  There isn't much variety in the enemies either, which makes the game a bit boring after the first few levels.

Someone did decide to add in a few "on-the-rails" shooter levels and a couple of vehicle levels but none of them are very exciting/fun and really break the flow of the game.

Overall, I give Quake 4 a 8/10




F.E.A.R. - I love John Woo style action films.  I love Japanese horror films.  I love a good bloody horror story, and I love first person shooters.  You like all of the above as well?  You're gonna love F.E.A.R.

F.E.A.R. puts you in the middle of a paranormal investigation.  You are part of F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon), a tactial team that investigates any type of seriously dangerous paranormal activity.  Your mission is to take out Paxton Fettel, a guy with the power to control people with his mind.  He has taken over numerous different soldiers and is controlling each like a puppet.  It's up to you to find out why he's doing this and to take out his forces.

F.E.A.R. is quite possibly the most graphically impressive game I have ever played.  The graphics are a bit dull compared to Quake 4 and the like, but it's the interaction you have with the envirionment that makes it special.  Every shot you fire tears concrete from walls, causing smoke to pour from the bullet hit and sparks to fly.  I know it sounds cheesy but it looks spectacular.

The game's big selling point is the paranormal story.  This game is damned creepy.  You will be walking along a corridor and see someone walking through a doorway.  You shoot them and they just turn to look at you before walking around a corner.  You follow them only to see them dissolve into smoke.  Also, while playing the game, you will have flashes of graphic murders and dead bodies along with random screams thrown in randomly throughout the game.  It sounds gimmicky, but it adds to the gloom and doom feeling of the game.

The best part of the game though is the enemies.  I cannot believe how amazing the firefights are in this game.  If an enemy needs to, he will jump through windows, hide behind doors and crates and flank you just to take you out.  The AI in the game is amazing....I mean really.  I have never played against anything so intelligent in my life.  During the middle of a firefight, you will hear the enemies screaming to each other.  They will warn others if you are trying to rush them or if you are trying to flank.  They know exactly what you are doing, and it adds an amazing air of realism to the game.

Now as I mentioned, each bullet has an effect on the environment.  This is especially important in a fight.  When firing, you and your enemy will cause mass devistation to the environment around you.  Dust will fly around, asphalt and concrete will disappear and sparks will abound.  It's a beautiful cinematic, yet hectic thing to go through.

Another big selling point for the game is the SlowMo.  You see, in the game, you have amazing reflexes.  This translates into being able to slow down time in short intervals.  This becomes a necessity during the intense firefights as your enemies are always running, always trying to move so that you can't get a good shot in.  Slowing down time allows you to track your enemies and place well aimed shots a bit more easily.  It also accounts for some of the best moments in the game.  When you are in SlowMo and you fire your gun, you see each bullet travel to it's destination as it tears through the air.  If you throw a grenade, and it explodes, then you see a giant sphere of force as it warps the air.  It is almost magical in it's beauty.

The weapons in the game are a bit more down to earth than those in Quake 4.  You start with your trusty pistol, which can be dual wielded if you find another during the game.  Then you have a small machine gun, and can eventually pickup shotguns, assault rifles, RPG type projectile weapons, etc.  My favorite of all is the Penetrator.  It is like a machine gun, but it has amazing accuracy with little kick and it shoots thick metal bars that stick into the enemy.  If they are close to a wall, they will be stuck there.  

For me, F.E.A.R. is just a much better game.  It's a horror game with an action mentality.  I applaud the makers for creating something that will either scare you to death or kill you with a heart attack during one of it's more intense standoffs.  

F.E.A.R. = 10/10

[odinn7]

I'd love to be able to play F.E.A.R. but as I had mentioned in an earlier post, my graphics card won't handle the demo. With things that are going on right now, I can't afford a card.
You make the game sound even better than it did in the reviews I've read.

[Mr_Vindictive]

Odinn,

I feel your pain.  I had to save up for a few years before my wife would let me build the computer I'm using now.  Parts, especially decent ones, are just too damned expensive when it comes to PCs.  

I'll keep an eye out for you, if you are looking for a reasonably priced PCI vid card.

[odinn7]

Thanks Skaboi. I am eventually going to buy the card that I was talking about in the other thread but so many things came up that I just can't spring for it right now. Perhaps all will be better after tax returns...I hope.
Have a safe and happy New Year.