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By MikeD (25th Jun 2008)

Whilst the PC version of game received many accolades, it is unfortunately pretty unlikely that the console version will find the same success. That's not to say that the console version is a complete wash-out though, but it has issues.

The Strogg, evil alien marauders who search the universe for “the one thing necessary for their existence” (whatever that may be), have arrived, and in response to this terrible threat, the earth has assembled the Global Defence Force (GDF). It is your job to choose sides and play your part in the war for control of the earth. As a member of the Strogg you will kill many humans and deplete all the physical resources of the earth, and as part of the GDF you wreak havoc amongst the Strogg and defend your planet with your life. Will you be good or evil?

The choice between good or evil; a moral quandary before you even begin the game. Sounds exciting, sounds great! But it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. There is an expectation that many online first person shooters to be little more than virtual paint ball; Quake wars doesn’t disappoint. The main issues with the game are not related to online mode. It is, rather, with single player mode that the problems with the game become apparent. Who are the Strogg? What does the average Strogg like to do at weekends? What are the hopes, dreams, fears of the Strogg? Individually? As a sentient race? Do they prefer cats? Or dogs? The answers to all these questions, and any others you might like to ask, are not forthcoming. There is no back history, no story. In this golden gaming age, where games are multi-faceted entertainment experiences, it is just not acceptable to produce a throwback-to-the-80s, one-dimensional storyless release. Take Halo 3 for comparison; you get your multiplayer paint-ball aspect, but you also get a solid single player mode with good cut scenes and reasonably interesting storyline.

So Quake Wars is ill thought out; they were a bit lazy when it came to giving it the rounded feel required for modern games. But, I still liked it. The gameplay is really quite good. The “mega texture” technology used to create giant levels is excellent; it can take minutes to run across a level map. The graphics are excellent. To begin, you can do some training; just some basic getting-to-know-the-game. Once you’ve learned the story with the different soldier classes, types of tasks, etc. you can start playing for real. It’s probably best to begin in Campaign mode (single player) as it uses exactly the same maps, levels, and objectives as online. It is a two eight-person-team, objective based, game. A sort of computerised steal the flag. In Campaign mode, you have four campaigns to complete; Africa, North America, Northern Europe, and the Pacific. Each campaign is divided into three maps/battlefields. Each battlefield is split into three or four missions; usually build/repair something, blow something up, hack into a computer, get a data disk somewhere really fast. Most of the objectives require a specific soldier class; soldier, medic, engineer, field ops, covert ops. Soldiers blow things up; engineers build and repair things, covert ops hack computers. Medics are basically a support class who heal the wounded. In single player, the other team, and your own team mates, are played by bots. You can change the settings so that bots can’t finish objectives. If you do make this change, you’ll have to change class after completing each objective so you can finish the next.

Overall, the gameplay in campaign mode is good, and very fast paced. Even with the difficulty setting at easy so I could get a look at the engineI had a hard time finishing the objectives. It does get a bit tedious having to respawn all the time and rush back across the map, although this is made easier by the ready supply of transport to get you there. There are a couple of problems though. Whilst you have the option to call for a medic, rather than respawning, this often results in the medic two feet from you ignoring you completely while a much further away medic rushes across the battlefield to give you assistance. About 40% of the time I had to respawn in frustration at the slow progress of the medics. This did, however, give a comparative feel-good-factor on the occasions when medical attention was swift and efficient. If you run out of ammo, please, please, just respawn. Your calls for ammo fall on deaf ears. Once you deplete the ammo in your two guns you’re left with just a knife, and maybe a couple of grenades. The knife is as good as useless. You can call for ammo, but it never arrives. Twice, in the whole time I was playing the game, I managed to get some extra ammo; of course I was nearly dead by the time it arrived, killed shortly afterwards and had to wait for incompetent medics to come to my aid. Problems aside, I found it addictive; I found myself playing well beyond the session time limits I’d set myself (such self control - Ed). I just had to complete the missions, and then the next one, ahhhhh, just one more before I go to bed; before I knew it it would be four o’clock in the morning and I'd just have the energy to play another mission. Yes, I’m a stubborn soul with an addictive personality but the gameplay is highly paced enough to keep you plugging away at the missions.

In multiplayer mode there is a maximum of 16 players for each online game. If there aren’t enough live players, the empty positions will be filled by bots. When I played online, I found it all a bit disparate; for a game that requires team play for success there was very little attempt at cooperation. I know that’s not a criticism of the game itself; but it does make me question the “team play” concept of the game as whole. I know, I know, I was just unlucky in the matches I was set up with. The fact that I don’t know anyone else who has the game was factor as well. But, multiplayer just had the feel of single player mode; there no sense of camaraderie in the heat of battle. I found myself getting bored, and returning to Campaign mode a lot of the time.

Overall, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is mildly disappointing. The developers put great effort into the graphics and gameplay but somehow forgot to make it interesting. The lack of a storyline, the problems with the ammo and medics, the too-much-like-paintball feel of the game make it a little lack-lustre. It is challenging, which redeems it somewhat. It will hold your attention if you’re the sort of person who just won’t be beat. But you will grow weary of it very quickly; about 15-20 hours of play and you just won’t want to anymore. It could have been great. Just a small hint of a story, a few cut scenes (problems with medics and ammo are only really minor inconveniences) and I’d be recommending this game.