• Review: Rage

    by
    Emily "Darkcamllama" Hatcher
    Published on 11-06-2011 04:34 PM
    0 Comments Comments
    http://cdn1.spong.com/pack/r/a/rage3...Rage-PS3-_.jpg

    Rage

    Developer: id Software
    Publisher: Bethesda
    Platform: Playstation 3 (Xbox 360 and PC)
    Genre: First Person Shooter, Action/Adventure
    Rating: Mature
    Release Date: October 4th, 2011

    “Welcome to the future.” may not be as memorable as “War never changes.” but for this post-apocalyptic Earth, it’ll have to do. RAGE takes us back to the wastelands for a romp in self discovery as you try to determine what happened to humanity, and yourself.


    Presentation
    Many have compared Rage to Fallout and Borderlands, and in truth there are some striking similarities. After a beautiful opening of a rock like space ship, called an Ark, crashes to Earth, you awake 106 years later to find a planet very much changed. Those in the cryogenic pods around you faired far worse than you, their corpses in various states of decay. After hearing a prerecorded message of how you and the other volunteers are the last hope for humanity, you finally are allowed to leave the ship. As your eyes adjust to the blazing sun, you get the first taste of the hellish wasteland that surrounds you: polluted waters lapping gently in a ravine, ghoulish remnants of factories and buildings long since destroyed, but not quiet abandoned. The second shock you face while still somewhat blinking away your cryo-induced sleep comes from an attack by one of the less than friendly (and hygienic) locals. In the nick of time you are rescued by a man named Dan Hagar, and informed Ark survivors such as yourself are worth high dollar to a mysterious group known as the Authority. Not a very original name, I’ll admit. Various clans of bandits control the wastes, willing to ignore you and your newfound rescuer until they realize you just killed their buddies. The action starts once Dan orders you, the clueless survivor, to go to the bandits’ hideout and exterminate all of them. He is kind enough to provide you with the supplies to do so, but also blames you a bit for the trouble. From there, you are given a series of quests that start you on the way to solving the mystery of what has befallen the decrepit societies left behind after the fall of civilization.


    Graphics
    The setting is very much a post-apocalyptic hell, barren landscapes dotted with ruined cities where buildings stand as hollow, decrepit monuments of a civilization long since gone. There is no denying how spectacular the game is to look at. The surroundings are highly detailed and realistic. Towns are created from the remnants of whatever people could put together, carved into the sides of the canyons and well fortified. Lighting effects create atmosphere, sun beams shining in and illuminating some areas while others remain in shadows, giving off a haunting vibe. When walking through shrubbery, the foliage actually moves and does not remain a static part of the environment. It’s the little details like that which truly make the visuals top notch. That being said, there were occurrences of the textures taking a bit too long to load, and the occasional bit of screen tearing. While the artwork is magnificent, the post-apocalyptic scene has been done several times over already, and RAGE doesn’t offer much more to look at. One bombed out, desolate landscape can only look so different from the next. Again, I call back to Fallout 3, and the similar nature of atmosphere. Rage does offer a more polished, shinier future of destruction on the PS3 consol.

    The enemy and character designs are fairly well detailed and varied. Enemy designs range from hideously grotesque mutants, the remnants of humanity, garbed in whatever cloth they could salvage along with the pelts of their fallen enemies, and the more technologically sophisticated foes who are also not afraid to add a skull or two to their armor. Animations for the characters go a bit beyond the standard for games. Friendly NPCs still have the occasional blank, fish stare expressions when speaking to you, however that can be overlooked. Killing enemies is where the animations shine. Upon death, enemies will stagger toward you, still trying to get in a blow or two. Downing an enemy will cause him to take cover where possible, and hold whatever body part that is injured. They don’t simply ragdoll upon the moment of death. Enemies, unaware of your presence, will lounge about and banter with their allies, but spring to life the moment you rouse suspicions. They may charge at you, others may roll out of the way of your fire or even bound off walls, making you focus your efforts a bit harder. The animations show that the effort of the creators was not wasted.

    Vehicles range from custom painted ATV to dune buggies and land cruisers in various states of armor. Adding weapons and better armor occurs as the game progresses, as do the unlockable types of what you want to choose as your wasteland vehicle. The designs for the vehicles are nice, and the various kinds are appealing. The level of customization is completely up to the player, but sometimes unlocking and purchasing upgrades can mean taking time away from the main story to participate in various races/side missions.


    Sound/Music
    The music and voice acting for the game are nicely blended. Various settlements and bandit tribes have their own dialects and accents, while the creatures of the waste have their own battle cries and snarls. There is an unsettling nature to creeping stealthily through the ill lit halls and passageways, hearing the occasional droplets of water and plodding of your feet on the ground when all else is silent, save for that new sound, a soft gurgling growl that seems to come from all around you. The music blends rock with atmospherical melodies, building some nice tension while you are creeping through the narrow passageways of destroyed buildings, or the dank, mutant infested sewers. Guns fire with authentic blasts and the wingsticks zip out and thrum through the air like a real boomerang. Background noises suit the area, from the sounds of blow torches and grinding gears in garages to the low muttering banter in bars and on the streets.

    Gameplay
    RAGE plays smoothly enough, with a slightly more realistic chunkiness to the controls. The action is occasionally disrupted due to the slightly tediously long load times. There is a decent variety of weapons to use, and guns get various types of ammo, so you aren’t limited too much. You are also given side weapons, such as grenades and a pinwheel like weapons called wingsticks that can bring down some enemies in a single toss, shredding appendages as they slice through the air. Enemies will charge you, but don’t think firing straight ahead is good enough. The enemy AI is spectacular in that they are programmed to dodge in more ways than one. Charging enemies will roll out of the way of your shots, jump off walls and continue to stagger towards you as they bleed out, intent on killing your even with their final breath. They cover one another, and since many of the earlier enemies travel in groups, this can prove lethal on higher difficulties when your ammo is drastically reduced. This makes the sub weapons a necessity to use.

    Dying does not always mean the end of the game. Instead you will be prompted to perform a quick little mini game, using the nanotrites in the body to act as a defibrillator. The event doesn’t seem too bothersome, unless you die frequently, at which it would probably become boring fast, nor can the system be abused too frequently because after reviving you once, the nanotrites need to time recharge. Using the analog sticks, you have to quickly align certain points together, after which you try to time using the back shoulder buttons to shock you at a certain location. How close to the markers determines how much health you will regain upon reviving. Once you become adjusted to the game, dying shouldn’t happen too often. Health recovers over time, and can be hastened by using one of your healing items in one of the hot-keyed slots. All you need is a small bit of time to recover, and quick fingers with a ready stock of first aid equipment.

    My first experience with the ATV was barely moving, tapping the edge of rock, and sending my character flying thirty feet into the air with a hilarious scream, body rag-dolling several feet away. Luckily, the crash didn’t kill me, but I wouldn’t have minded too much if it did simply because of the amusement factor. Careening through the wasteland valleys on some narrow roads is fun at first, but offers little substance. Driving around the land hastens you to your next destination and cuts off exploration time. While occasionally entertaining, the vehicle races feel tacked on and grasp at being a distraction. The controls are sensitive and touchy, making driving through some of the more linear paths a bit bumpy. There is a measure of fun to be had in demolishing pedestrian foes, or blasting them to pieces with your mounted guns, however, and enemies will also get wise and use attack worthy vehicles as well, so tread with caution.

    Lasting Appeal
    While there are multiple difficulties to try your hand out, the lack of true free roam and side missions may deter some possible players. There are things to do: challenges to attempt, trophies to obtain, but none have much appeal in terms of abating boredom for too long. The co-op missions may provide some longer entertainment than the Road Rage multiplayer, which offered little amusement for me. With other big name titles coming out this fall, the replayability of RAGE may be short lived.

    Conclusion
    For a PS3 game that requires a whopping 8GB install, this game better look and play amazing. Indeed, the game is stunning visually, and the game play is solid and fun. As I stated earlier, there are many similarities to Borderlands and especially Fallout that do make me frown a bit. Considering this is a game with Bethesda’s name however, I cannot be too upset. Where the graphics and game play shine, the story could use a bit more polish. The missions sometimes add nothing to the plot, and some key factors should have been introduced earlier. It feels as if some potential was lost in focusing on how well the game played, and how wonderful it looks. I only wish the story had a little more cohesion to it. Your character has little to no personality aside from going out and doing random jobs for strangers, without so much as questioning why. For those disappointed with the story in Borderlands, you may not want to get your hopes up for the story in RAGE. There certainly is an improvement, but when you become bogged down with fetch quests, the story seems to be a bit lost.


    SCORE
    8/10
    Tags:

  • Review Scale

    Score 10- Flawless Victory: A score not handed out to every game. Games earning this rare score sit at the very pinnacle of excellence. These games act as the examples for which all others should be measured with. They are instant classics from the beginning. These games not only deliver what was expected of it, but also exceed the player’s expectations. The game’s features are innovative and original. No game is without its absolute flaws, but the finished product you bring home surpasses the anticipation the game has formed. A day one buy is a must. The game you hold in your hands with this score is a video game jackpot.

    Score 9 - 9.5- Outstanding: Games earning scores such as these absolutely must be played. Games that achieve this high ranking do so because they define the genres that they are in. Flaws are few and barely noticeable. Features seen in the game have been renovated to provide something new and fresh. The story, gameplay, graphics, and lasting appeal are all fantastic and is reason enough to bring the game home and to enjoy with family and friends. Every penny you spend on the game is so worth it.

    Score 8 - 8.5- Great: Any flaw the game may possess is overshadowed by its fun factor. These games would be great for gamers to play. These great games appeal to gamers more and more outside its normal player base because of what it brings to the table.

    Score 7 - 7.5- Good: Flaws do exist in these games, but the positive features of the game can counterbalance the flaws. Additionally, players who are predisposed to liking a game of a particular series or genre with this score should enjoy the game. These are in no way bad games, and much fun can be had with them. An overall good game is worth taking a look at, whether you are willing to buy the game or rent it first. That or you can also wait for the game to reach a good price.

    Score 6 - 6.5- Decent: Games falling into this category may suffer from numerous flaws (for example, graphics or gameplay), but are still worth playing. Granted, the player should be aware that a game with these scores may not guarantee them full satisfaction.

    Score 5 - 5.5- Average: An average game is one in which a game’s features are neither good nor completely terrible. Instead, the finished product is manageable. Little has been done to hold the player’s interest. If anything, rent this game before you consider buying it so that you can at least get a feel for the game’s overall experience.

    Score 4 - 4.5- Poor: Games falling into this category may only keep gamers entertained for a short while. While the game may seem enjoyable for moments at a time, it can quickly grow old and may never be revisited again. The game’s overall function is lacking in quality and may not hold the player’s attention for long. The game leaves little or nothing else to return back to.

    Score 3 - 3.5- Bad: If any positive qualities about a game in this category exist, it is not enough to redeem the game for its shortcomings. Sure you may find yourself playing it, but for how long? You will wind up not giving the game a second glance.

    Score 2 - 2.5- Horrible: Games such as these may not be totally unplayable, they nearly are. Additionally, they may lack, or greatly suffer in, the fundamental functionality of the software as a whole. The game simply does not come close to meeting industry standards at the time of its release.

    Score 1 - 1.5- Appalling: Gamers should avoid this game at all costs. The game was clearly not ready to make its way to store shelves in its status. Save your money and find something else. See it in the bargain bin? No! Stay away! Keep moving and look for something else.