Somewhat Nerdy Gaming: RAGE Review

Overall Score: 9.3/10

Genre: First Person Shooter

Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC

Release Date: October 4, 2011

Developer / Publisher: id Software / Bethesda Softworks

id Software is known for:

Doom
Wolfenstein
Quake

Bethesda Softworks is known for:

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Fallout 3
Brink

Mutant Bash TV - Survive waves of mutants!

I'm not sure why, perhaps it's the fact that id (the creators of Doom) and Bethesda (the creators of the Elder Scrolls series) have teamed up to make this game or maybe it's because it's one of the only original intellectual properties to come out this holiday season, but it's been near the top of my most anticipated games of 2011 ever since it was announced. I'm very excited to get this one underway so here it is!

Gameplay: 10/10
It recommends you install the game to your hard drive. And even though it's 22 GB, I also recommend you do this if you have the space because if you don't you'll be waiting for the reeeediiiiicuuuuulooouuusly loooong load times. It comes with three disks on the 360 version, two for the campaign and one for the multiplayer.

This is where this game really shines. id has done a fantastic job of making you feel truly in control of your character and how you go about destroying your foes. And there are many different weapons to use to destroy said foes. There are tons of guns to choose from, lots of items such as grenades and wingsticks, and even a few bots like the sentry bot and sentry turret. In fact, there's so many sometimes it's hard to choose. The AI is very smart, they run, dodge, flank, communicate, swing from balconies, and team up. There are different enemy factions that control different areas of the wasteland. Each faction has a different approach to fighting tactics which gives much appreciated variety to the gunplay.

You're given missions in towns that act as hubs. You start out with just one town but will eventually be able to travel back and forth between three. In these towns you'll be able to talk to the locals, play a card game called Rage Frenzy, gamble on simple mini games, buy and sell gear, and participate in races. It's up to you to talk to the locals to obtain side quests, most of which are pretty basic and uninteresting.

Vehicles feel great and are fun to drive. You can participate in races to earn race certificates; you use these certificates as currency for vehicle upgrades. There are four vehicles in total ranging from very week and agile to very strong and clunky, all of which, if upgraded, can be devastating machines of death. Vehicle upgrades include bigger engines, performance tires, and better weapons. You can also buy supplies for your vehicles, such as: shields, mines, and a hover turret to help against the numerous enemy vehicles you'll inevitably encounter in the chaotic wasteland.

There are innumerous amounts of loot and it can sometimes be overwhelming. You can find loot throughout the world in nooks and crannies and on dead bodies. You can even find rare and powerful Rage Frenzy cards to add to your deck.

Perhaps the most enjoyable weapon to use in the game is a boomerang like device called wingsticks. They have razor sharp, three pronged flagella that can take off a mutant head with ease, and if you throw it right it will come back to you like a boomerang. There are different ammo types for most of the weapons. They include the explosive Pop Rocks for the shotgun, Electro Bolts for the Crossbow, and Fat Mammas for the pistol which are three rounds combined into one huge one. One of my favorite parts of this game is the engineering. You find or buy ingredients that can then be made into various items and ammo for your enjoyment. Also, when you die you enter into a mini game, in which when completed it acts as a defibrillator, brings you back to life, and shocks nearby enemies in the process.

A few minor complaints are that you can't jump very high or vault over obstacles, there are only a small amount of weapon upgrades, a lot of the quests are "fetch and deliver," guns start to feel very week as you progress, and missions can be confusing at times. These are minor complaints and shouldn't distract too badly from your overall enjoyment of the game.

Story: 8/10
Let me start by saying that this would've gotten a better score if the ending wasn't so terrible. That being said, the rest of the story was very engaging. A huge asteroid is hurling toward earth and you are selected to enter stasis, you get into one of many small "Arc's" that keeps you alive during the devastation. You wake up years later only to discover that you're the only survivor in your Arc. You play a recording from the president at the time of the stasis. He basically says, "if you're listening to this, you've survived. We have no idea what's on the outside, so good luck." And then you venture off into the wasteland. You soon realize that everything is destroyed and it's pretty much a post-apocalyptic world.

Not even one minute into the wasteland and you're greeted by mutants trying to kill you. Dan Hagar, voiced by John Goodman, saves the day by shooting them with his trusty sniper rifle. Because Dan saves you he takes you back to his small hometown and gives you missions to do. You're first mission, eliminate the bandit threat just outside of Hagar's territory. After doing a few more things for Dan you're pretty much free to tackle objectives as you please.

You eventually make friends and enemies. And since you're what's called an "Arc Survivor," you're being hunted by a powerful human faction that calls themselves "The Authority". Everyone and their dogs seem to be afraid of this faction aside from a small resistance group that you eventually become a part of.

They do a great job at throwing some comedy in to lighten the mood. Although you get to know characters somewhat well, I wish they would've dug deeper into character development. My biggest complaint about this game is the ending. There's no real conclusion, it just suddenly ends. It's not even really hinted at that the game is about to end. For this reason I had to knock a few points off.

What a beautiful disaster!

Graphics: 10/10
Although there's a little bit of pixilation, especially on structures in the distance, both cut scenes and real time graphics are completely stunning. It was no surprise to me to see RAGE as a contender for best graphics at the 2011 VGA's. This game sets the bar for animation, and character movements seem flawless. Both animation and the physics engine are nothing short of amazing. And although there is quite a lot of pop-in while traversing the wasteland, the detail on the AI and in the world in general is fantastic. The post-apocalyptic world and what's left of the roads and overpasses all look amazing. Water effects are great as the sun reflects into your eyes and your feet leave life like ripples as you walk.

I have a few complaints. I found myself getting stuck on small objects and invisible walls; this is especially frustrating when in the middle of a fire fight. There are numerous invisible walls meant to keep you on the right path. Shadows are decent enough, but your character doesn't seem to have one; nor does he have legs or feet when you look down. And environmental destruction is pretty much non-existent. These really are minor complaints in a graphical masterpiece.

Sound: 9/10
Sound in general is very good. Gunfire is realistic. The voice acting is great aside from some recycled voices from enemies. Things such as wind, footsteps, and machinery sound fantastic. The sound of your vehicle as you press the turbo boost is very pleasing to the ears. Enemies make noises that one would in real life and communicate with each other as a collective effort to take you down. It's great to hear an enemy moan after a well placed shot to the chest. Water and fire sound realistic. Although not great, the music is good and does an adequate job of setting the mood.

I found that the lip-syncing was off a few times and conversations would suddenly cut out mid word. You're character doesn't speak at all which can be good, it helps you to feel like you're part of the character. And people will often speak over each other in crowded areas.

Replay Value: High
There are four difficulty levels and tons of side quests to do if you so choose. And there are a couple engaging multiplayer mode. You can play either "Road Rage" or "Wasteland Legends". In Road Rage you battle against other players in vehicle combat. You get points for kills and gradually level up your character. You unlock new vehicle classes, weapons, and items.

In wasteland legends you experience the untold stories of the wasteland. These are stories about characters you come across in the campaign. You can play with up to one other person, and although you can play by yourself, it's highly recommended to play with someone alse. There are nine stories total. They are pretty short, but really fun and worth a play through. You can play these via split screen or over an internet connection.

Race to your hearts content!

Although the first few hours are slow, you'll soon be bombarded with stuff to do. And although this is first of all a first person shooter, it has some minor role-playing elements that I think most people will enjoy. This game isn't ground breaking in terms of story or gameplay, but it most certainly is in terms of animation and enemy AI behavior. They've also added a few easter eggs that I won't spoil, but I will tell you that you'll probably need a walkthrough to find them. I ended up doing a lot of side quests and it took me about 13 hours to complete, but it doesn't end there, head on over to the multiplayer for more action and fun.

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