Not long after the Xbox 360 launched, THQ released a quirky World War II third person shooter called The Outfit. Outside of its flaws, the unique combination of shooting and resource management to build new vehicles or defenses was addictive. Quake Wars borrows much of the same concept, only in simpler form and rougher gameplay mechanics.
Released almost 10 months ago for PC players Quake Wars brings the series out of its usual “shoot everything” motif and brings in some strategy. Granted, there’s a lot of shooting left to do, and the breakneck pace of movement and combat is still fully intact. Instead of simple deathmatches, the focus is now objective based.
Two squads, one fighting for the GDF and the other for the alien Strogg, battle over a set piece of land. It’s a game of attack and defend. One side is always defending and the other is assaulting. The goal is always the same, and if you’ve played a certain map, the objectives quickly become tiring.
The hitch is that different character classes carry different abilities. Covert ops have the ability to hack, soldiers can take out gates or objects with explosives, and outposts can be built. Vehicles also play a role, creating a chaotic battlefield in the air and on land. You can switch classes when you die, a necessary gameplay inclusion since certain objectives require the specific type to complete them.
In concept, this all comes together. In execution, it’s a mess. The battlefields look plain and bland, devoid of detail or defining factors. Explosions look pasted onto the screen like some kind of paper craft. Shooting mechanics are definitely those of Quake, yet they feel outdated and clunky. The amped up pace the series is famous for actually feels out of place in a title striving to bring a level of strategy into the mix.
Any attempt at playing the single player campaign ends in frustration. While an attempt is here to mesh all of it together into a cohesive story, the levels are designed as training grounds for multi-player. AI is abysmal, and the enemy will routinely ignore you until you threaten their installation. Out of nowhere, they appear like locusts, apparently gaining a spawn point you never knew was that close.
The same goes for multiplayer showdowns. Massive battlefields means bots are an option here as well, and they’re even dumber here. Nothing is more infuriating than being team killed by a mindless drone who has no sense of direction. It’s a regular occurrence here.
Network issues plague online games. It only takes one person in the room with a shaky connection before everyone suffers. Lag prevents the player from moving, skips them around, or makes it impossible to shoot. Quake Wars is designed for a room full of players, so entering into a small room also detracts from the fun.
Quake Wars is one of those titles with a grand concept that can’t capitalize on its potential. Longtime Quake warriors will find the familiar feel like coming back home, while the rest will quickly pick up on its dated feel right out of the ‘90s. The strategy elements don’t live up to their full potential either.
1/5
Tags: enemy territory, id, quake wars, review, shooter, shooters, xbox 360, xbox 360 top games, xbox 360 walk through, xbox 360 walk throughs
