1up reviews Enemy Territory Quake Wars w/ screenshots 56k warning

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Stereophile

Supreme [H]ardness
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1up said:
Quake Wars is dropping into the middle of a competitive genre -- enemy territory, indeed. When it comes to teaming up and shooting other people online, plenty of good games come to mind. Even a middling game comes alive when you play with other people. But when a game is built as carefully as Quake Wars -- for play online and offline, for new players and veterans, for quick thrills and long learning curves, for hyper action and careful tactics -- this is as good as it gets.
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9.0

"The smartest shooter in the room is also one of the sexiest. Our Review"
http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3163481











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It looks OK and the demo was alright, but TF2 is zapping all my time, and UT3 is just around the corner. I can't see myself buying this, especially since it resembles BF2142 so much, the near futuristic style and all the vehicles and open maps, it's just too similar to what we've been seeing a lot of recently in online shooters.
 
Frosteh said:
resembles BF2142 so much
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In a superficial sense. Two teams, open maps, vehicles, sci-fi theme, but that's where the similarities end. I know you put some time into the demo, so you realize the gameplay is nothing like BF2142. But if you're burned out on team based MP FPS, I can understand. I haven't been playing any in the last few years, so ETQW is satisfying my fix.
 
I have yet to understand why people complain about the QW graphics. I think they are very, very good. Also, this game does not earn points, based on graphics alone, In fact, its key element, is really gameplay.
I honestly don't get the fuss about TF2. The only thing going for it seems to be how it "looks", i.e. graphics. Gameplay wise, it's the same boring domination and/or capture the flag cliché, that I've seen in countless other games. But I haven't played it. I was not given a chance by Valve to try it out i.e. a demo, so I can't be interested in it.
Quake Wars appeals to me much more anyway. It's the true team based game, just like the original ET was. Don't even mention BF series, when talking about Quake Wars. I've played BF2 for a while and also played the BF2142 demo and Quake Wars is leaps and bounds better than those two. It's fun as hell, even if you're not playing with/against an exceptionally good team. But if you are, it's very challenging. I prefer to defend because of that. If the attacking team is good, to set up a good defense, is very challenging.

Classes are very evenly matched, as would be expected in a true team based game, but I do feel the lack of good medics in these first days. In the original ET, medics were key elements, especially when we're defending.. But in Quake Wars I rarely see a "good" medic. They seem to prefer to kill enemies, than to heal teammates, which is really going besides the point of that class. This of course, when there are medics in the team. That's mostly not the case.
 
Stereophile said:
In a superficial sense. Two teams, open maps, vehicles, sci-fi theme, but that's where the similarities end. I know you put some time into the demo, so you realize the gameplay is nothing like BF2142. But if you're burned out on team based MP FPS, I can understand. I haven't been playing any in the last few years, so ETQW is satisfying my fix.
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I wouldn't say it's superficial at all...they're both:

Futuristic based theme
Team based multiplayer
Use class based system (most are basically the same)
Same open maps
Offer rewards/medals for unlocks
Use horrible airstrikes type attacks
Have similar vehicle types, tanks, apc's (even the quad bikes)

Hell you even look at some of the more fine detail like the way the medic works and throwing health packs and using shock padels is practically identical too.

I'll cut it short because it's simply easier to say that there are definately more similarities than differences with the BF2 / 2142 franchise and ETQW, yes there are some basic core changes to gameplay but for the most part these games are way to similar, they even both have adverts, thats reason enough for me not to buy either game.
 
Tried to get into this game during the beta, again during the demo, and again recently on the full version... I want to like it, (Wolf:ET was/is an excellent game,) but it just feels to damned twitchy for me. That and the only weapon that feels like it actually has any heft is the GDI Sinper rifle, the rest feel sound like pop guns.
 
This game is totally underated. I think the score is fair, its just bad timing for the release with so much coming out in the coming months.
 
Frosteh said:
I wouldn't say it's superficial at all...they're both:

Futuristic based theme
Team based multiplayer
Use class based system (most are basically the same)
Same open maps
Offer rewards/medals for unlocks
Use horrible airstrikes type attacks
Have similar vehicle types, tanks, apc's (even the quad bikes)

Hell you even look at some of the more fine detail like the way the medic works and throwing health packs and using shock padels is practically identical too.

I'll cut it short because it's simply easier to say that there are definately more similarities than differences with the BF2 / 2142 franchise and ETQW, yes there are some basic core changes to gameplay but for the most part these games are way to similar, they even both have adverts, thats reason enough for me not to buy either game.
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Futuristic based theme - Most shooters are either WWII, present day or futuristic based anyways.
Team based multiplayer - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Use class based system (most are basically the same) - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Same open maps - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Offer rewards/medals for unlocks - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Use airstrikes type attacks - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Have similar vehicle types, tanks, apc's (even the quad bikes) - It's war what do you expect?

Oh Wait, what game is it like again?
 
krayz said:
Futuristic based theme - Most shooters are either WWII, present day or futuristic based anyways.
Team based multiplayer - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Use class based system (most are basically the same) - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Same open maps - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Offer rewards/medals for unlocks - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Use airstrikes type attacks - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Have similar vehicle types, tanks, apc's (even the quad bikes) - It's war what do you expect?

Oh Wait, what game is it like again?
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I don't care who had it first, that doesn't mean anything to me, and has nothing to do with my point, which is that it's too much like other recent games. Its too much of the same stuff in such a short period of time.

Look at TF2, it's also a team based shooter with classes but they've done some really clever stuff with the art and gameplay to make it fun and new, ETQW just felt like a cross between BF2 and BF2142, and by no means am I saying that they're better games, they're almost certainly not.

Had ETQW not seen huge delays and been out earlier I probably would have cared enough to buy it.
 
It's a decent game, though 9.0 is probably a bit high.

If it's still around in a few months and COD 4 isn't successful, I'll pick it back up.
 
I was super hyped for this game and was all set to get it, but the beta, while fun, didn't really meet my expectations, and the subsequent demo didn't either.

Good game, from the hours I put in to both betas and the demo I don't think it's a 9, but it can be a lot of fun.

If it weren't for TF2 turning out insanely awesome and UT3 being right around the corner I'd probably have bought this, but as it is it's too little too late. If only it'd launched in 2006, or even at the beginning of this year. Oh well.
 
My question is WTF is the point of playing this if there is no VOIP? I mean after a while with no voice chat everything gets really really boring.
 
Frosteh said:
Hell you even look at some of the more fine detail like the way the medic works and throwing health packs and using shock padels is practically identical too.
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That's an odd comment. Those gameplay elements were first introduced in RTCW MP and further refined in Wolf ET. Well a needle instead of a defibrillator but still...Of course the sequel is going to stick to that formula.

Likewise for XP based skill advancements. But again, it's a totally different system than BF series. Unlocks are on a per campaign basis, not how long you've been playing the game. Veterans have no advantage against new players other than a better knowledge of the maps and tactics.

The RTS component of the deployables and the objective based levels are nothing like BF. There are no flags to "conquer". Not to mention the speed and combat feels completely different. But like I said, if you've been playing BF2/2142 nonstop, you're probably burned out. :D

I thought this game would slip under the radar, but word of mouth is spreading. It's only been out a week. ;)


 
*insert typical BF 2 ETQW argument* blah blah

Opinion "A belief or conclusion held with confidence but not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof"

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with that out of the way, seeing as how a havent played anything of a mp shooter for a while, i think ill go ahead and give this a shot.
 
H3d Case said:
My question is WTF is the point of playing this if there is no VOIP? I mean after a while with no voice chat everything gets really really boring.
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IMO VOIP isn't necessary for a good ET pub game. The objectives funnel everyone into the same place anyways. I think SD assumed competitive clan players would bring their own ventrilo or teamspeak. God knows I don't want to hear some random person shouting out orders in a pub game. That's immersion breaking for me.

But the good news is SD announced they are working on an integrated VOIP suite. It should be ready in an upcoming patch. One thing about this developer is they really support their product and the mod community. I know a lot of people complained about lack of VOIP and they listened.

Also I think they're already working on a map pack because they recently hired Dave Johnston to join the team. He was the creator of the infamous de_cbble, de_dust and de_dust2 counterstrike maps.
 
I've been playing the full version for a few days now and have been having a friggin' BLAST.

I played CS:S (don't understand the mass appeal of this game besides it being easy on system requirements), I played BF2, BF2142 and could NOT get into those games whatsoever. I would play the demo of those games and they would wind up being uninstalled in less than a day.

ET:QW is the first multiplayer game I have actually enjoyed since Quake 2 multiplayer and the very first retail strictly multiplayer game I've bought.
 
Frosteh said:
I don't care who had it first, that doesn't mean anything to me, and has nothing to do with my point, which is that it's too much like other recent games. Its too much of the same stuff in such a short period of time.

Look at TF2, it's also a team based shooter with classes but they've done some really clever stuff with the art and gameplay to make it fun and new, ETQW just felt like a cross between BF2 and BF2142, and by no means am I saying that they're better games, they're almost certainly not.

Had ETQW not seen huge delays and been out earlier I probably would have cared enough to buy it.
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Are you stupid? My point is that has nothing to do with either battlefield games. FFS, TF2 is almost the same type of gameplay effects, but ET:QW does it better imho.
 
lopoetve said:
how's offline play? Bots for LAN?s
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From what I've read in reviews, the bot AI is some of the best ever implemented in this type of game. They hired the programmer who made the "fritz bot" mod for Wolf ET.
 
I'm loving this game, the objectives based gameplay and the exceptional graphics... it's liek ET on roids.
 
Stereophile said:
From what I've read in reviews, the bot AI is some of the best ever implemented in this type of game. They hired the programmer who made the "fritz bot" mod for Wolf ET.
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The AI is very good, I was playing the computer and my friend watching swore I was online.
 
krayz said:
Futuristic based theme - Most shooters are either WWII, present day or futuristic based anyways.
Team based multiplayer - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Use class based system (most are basically the same) - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Same open maps - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Offer rewards/medals for unlocks - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Use airstrikes type attacks - Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory had it first
Have similar vehicle types, tanks, apc's (even the quad bikes) - It's war what do you expect?

Oh Wait, what game is it like again?
Click to expand...

maybe because it's a sequel?

Oh wait!
 
upgrades: unlike bf, the upgrades you get in QW are only for one specific game, they don't transfer over to different games or servers thus it makes playing one class throughout a game useful.

classes: no cookie cutter classes.

deployables: so much better than everything else.

objectives: actually make the game feel like your doing something useful.
 
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