RAGE

RAGE is a groundbreaking first-person shooter set in the not-too-distant future after an asteroid impacts Earth, leaving a ravaged world behind. You emerge into this vast wasteland to discover humanity working to rebuild itself against such forces as bandit gangs, mutants, and the Authority - an oppressive government regime that has a special interest in you in particular. Featuring intense first-person shooter action, breakneck vehicle combat, an expansive world to explore and jaw-dropping graphics powered by id's revolutionary id Tech 5 technology, RAGE promises an experience like no other.

This game received a hell of a lot of hype at shows last year, Particularly at E3 and I must say it is understandable when you see how stunning the game looks. Id are selling more than just a game here they are definitely competition for unreal engine and cry engine on this showing. It is easy to dismiss Rage as a tech demo. The visuals are stunning, it takes up three times as much space (three discs) as most titles and with ID and Bethesda involved I bet a lot of knowledgable players would start thinking something along the lines of "It's going to have the open world depth of Fallout but with the monster in the closet scares and solid shooting of Doom right?"
The hype surrounding the game ran away with this very same idea. It was going to be an 'open world.' It was going to rewrite the rules on how future games were made.

It is understandable. I.D. were not just talking up a game. They were talking up an engine they need to sell to other developers. And it does have that possibility. the graphics on the 360 are stunning.

Gameplay is tight, the player jumps every time. That build up of tension there. The pay off when it goes wrong and you survive by the thinnest of margins . On hard mode the AI isn't too bad when the shooting gallery opens up either. Enemies will run for cover, regroup, come looking for you if you decide to hide and let your health recharge. They don't do it often but they do it enough to make you worry when you get your head down. By the way this game has the most satisfying shotgun EVER and you can buy a grenade attachment for it, superb! The player is given a reprieve in most instances. A built in defib' unit that shocks you back to life. The mini-game is easy but the chance of failure again, adds to that tension. Some 'big' monsters can be frustrating at times. Spitting in your eyes seems unfair but the game does tell you that if you have the right tools, a fight will go the other way. And they're right. You won't die often but you will be angry when you do. Take I.D.s advice and change the approach and it all works. Skin of your teeth kind of working but that's the exciting bit. What the game does brilliantly is the setting up of each bowel spasm inducing jump. That constant "I know something nasty is going to jump out! I'll just change my weapon for the umpteenth time because that sounded like something else was coming. The ending was a little disappointing, an anti climax missing a huge boss I thought.
I think during my first playthrough of this game I was too distracted. I was playing Arkham city, Gears 3 and Battlefield 3 a LOT so it was hard to lose myself into the RAGE world as much but I won't make this mistake on my hard playthrough which I will leave for a while until I can give it my full attention.

The pleasant surprise to me was the multiplayer.
The co op "legends of the wasteland" are like bite size co op campaigns based on story's told by characters that you meet in the single player story. Imagine left 4 dead but change the zombies to bandits and mutants with guns and knives and you get the idea, probably not as repayable as l4d but at least you have the four player racing.
The racing I played with just two of us was fun I can only imagine the carnage that could be had with four players. The one game type I enjoyed most where you had comets landing in the arena, leaving crystal to collect and drive to a "goal" to score point's. The goal would be on a timer and would move to another part of the arena keeping things moving, the best part of this game would be the smart player that could destroy the other players car(you do respawn) and steal the crystals they drop and then score big. Great fun, or you could go for the simple road rage which is destruction derby with weapon pickups and powerups.
Achievements are easily obtainable enough with a bit of practice and skill/luck I will mention that some achievements are missable if you are looking to max this in one playthrough as some areas become locked once you beat the objective/mission, so some research before playing. The multiplayer ones will easily be boosted as no one seems to be playing this online to challenge you anyway.

Overall I would say this is a good fun game, not a stand out AAA title (despite the graphics) but worth getting indeed. If I had to explain the game I would say it's very bioshock but the only plasmid you have are "wingsticks" which remind me of the boomerang in mad max 2 which a well placed throw will chop your enemy's head clean off, cool.
7/10

Kiff! Nice reviewing matey! You could become quite the "Perrenial" reviewer!!

Just finished Bioshock and really enjoyed it, I will keep an eye out for this, great review mate

Good review Mark, I enjoyed the time i spent on it at Gamefest. And had all intention of picking it up cheap, but apart from the copy i bought for the compo prize, i haven't yet picked up a copy for myself.

I started playing this but got distracted but wish I hadn't as I was really enjoying it, going to make a start on it again though. Great review Markav, keep it up!

nice review i got this in my shelf unopened think i wait until i got a bit more time to appreciate it.

Good work mate. I think one for Kent to move to the official review section

niteowl1980 wrote:Good work mate. I think one for Kent to move to the official review section

I'll second that!

I third that, but it all depends if Kents had a review copy sent through.. If not then I dont think it can go in the official section..

Good stuff mate.

Thanks for the kind words

Stucowie wrote:I third that, but it all depends if Kents had a review copy sent through.. If not then I dont think it can go in the official section..

You're right there mate, but Kent recently re-wrote the rule book when he added a review to the official section because he loved it so much, despite not getting a review copy.

Can't remember whose it was though So, by that notion, I guess it could go in official if Lord Hammer permits!!

great review.

I would move it too official as I like it, but as its a game that was released 3 months ago I think its not a good idea.

We cannot have the game at the top of the list as such an older game.

If anyone writes a review for a December or Jan release and everyone likes it I will bump it.

Well done Mark, Don't tell everyone our little secret

KENT HAMMER wrote:great review.

I would move it too official as I like it, but as its a game that was released 3 months ago I think its not a good idea.

We cannot have the game at the top of the list as such an older game.

If anyone writes a review for a December or Jan release and everyone likes it I will bump it.

Well done Mark, Don't tell everyone our little secret

What goes on in the PM's stays in the PM's

nice review mate i managed to get this over crimbo for like five quid but with the glut of games I have at the minute its hard to know which one i want to play

Damn good review mate, I got this at the same time as Dark Souls and ended up spending all my time on that but I'm looking forward to getting stuck in again, graphics are truly impressive on this one

Having just finished the SP I can confirm the ending is a bit naff, but was good till then. Just wished I'd used my BFG rounds earlier rather than store them!

There's one thing keeping me from playing this again. Five Finger Fillet.

I loathe this minigame. It was bad in RDR but that was still doable. Here it is horrid mess, and I just don't have the reflexes to beat it, or the time and inclination to use the cheat method. Everything else on this game is manageable, even Nightmare difficulty. This minigame can go and do one.