Review

Rage review

With an impressive pedigree of games like Doom and Quake, developer id has quite the reputation. Does Rage hold up?

October 4, 2011 9:15 AM

With an impressive pedigree of games like Doom and Quake, developer id Software has quite the reputation. It’s been seven years since the company released a game developed in-house, increasing expectations for id's next title: a post-apocalyptic, shooter-racer hybrid called Rage. Rage is not only a new game, but it marks the debut of the studio’s new id Tech 5. The new engine proves its mettle, despite minor shortcomings, and powers the developer’s most robust game to date. The post-apocalyptic world envisioned by id is inhabited by roving gangs, mutants, and a totalitarian military regime called The Authority. As in past id games, our hero makes his way in this brave new world done down the barrel of a gun. The wasteland is huge, consisting of city-hubs, enemy-filled “dungeons,” and secret areas joined together by sprawling roadways and large arena-like basins. Traveling the wasteland is done almost exclusively by car, and while there are roving bands of enemy vehicles to blow up along the way, the bulk of the combat is reserved for the numerous dungeon areas entered on-foot. I liked the free-form progress of the game, being able to decide whether or not to pursue the main story, go on an optional side-quest for an upgraded weapon or crafting schematic, hit the race track, or gamble for a bit in the collectible card game. The action in Rage--whether on foot or on wheels--runs at blazing-fast speed on the Xbox 360, and is an absolute blast to play. Whether it’s a wide-open sniper’s paradise, or a claustrophobic kill-room great for shotguns, the variety of enemies and their dynamic behavior make the FPS action fun and frantic. For example, even when enemies charge you, they rarely do so in a straight line, often changing their posture mid-shamble to thwart your perfect headshot. Rage also demands a bit more aiming skill than other shooters which offer more assisted targeting. Different types of ammunition, coupled with gadgets like deployable turrets, add spice and variety. Curiously though, in spite of the fun toys the game lets you play with, it limits weaponry to four quick-access slots. The same applies to the four spots given for gadgets and power-ups. There’s no inventory limit, though, so this just meant I found myself pausing in the middle of combat to adjust my quick-slots. A weapon-wheel would have been helpful here. Those used to the inclusion of copious automatic checkpoints will also need approach the game a bit more cautiously. Rage saves automatically when entering or leaving a new area, but players concerned about losing progress will want to pop into the menus to save often. The developers are aware of this; tips in the in-game menus even support this methodology. Rage offers some spectacular set-pieces, but suffers from some uneven pacing. Some of the game’s most memorable encounters occur long before the final mission. While the level of difficulty scales well, and the story has a decent (albeit brief) conclusion, I felt that some of the later missions were a bit anticlimactic compared to earlier set-pieces.

Rage, a racer and a FPS wrapped in Mad Max’s dusty, leather jacket

Although id has focused a lot on Rage’s racing component, it ultimately feels like a great bonus, one that showcases the capabilities of the new iD Tech 5 engine. Vehicular events are quick and fun, and offer time trials, rallies, and races, with or without weapons. The physics are decidedly more arcade-like than simulation, and are reminiscent of Twisted Metal. The rally-based events also have four multiplayer variations, though straight-up races are strangely absent from Rage’s online component. Lacking real depth, the four-player, vehicle-based multiplayer matches are nothing but a raucous fun distraction. Rage's Wasteland Legends online cooperative mode offers something a bit more traditional, pitting two players in a string of increasingly difficult on-foot shooting scenarios. However, it doesn't make up for the lack of true competitive multiplayer. Cleverly structured as a series of stories told by a folksy narrator, Wasteland Legends’ suite of 2-player adventures is a lot of fun to barrel through with a friend. And, though its locations are repeated from the single-player campaign, some of them take place in the city-hub areas where shooting is forbidden during the single-player experience, which is a nice twist. Still, given the strength of the game’s gunplay, the lack of competitive FPS multiplayer seems like an odd choice. Fantastic as Rage looks running on the Xbox 360, there are a few shortcomings that bear mentioning. The developer recommends installation of all three of the game’s DVDs to the console’s hard drive. This amounts to a footprint over 21 GB, which may not be an inconsequential consideration for some. (For more on the game's installation requirements, read this.) While the game’s environments look fantastic when viewed at mid to long range and in the midst of the action, textures tend to look washed-out when viewed close up, with the exception of the character models. While not a huge issue, it’s certainly noticeable when looting the corpses of fallen enemies or searching the environment for crafting materials and collectibles—which you’ll do quite a bit of. It’s mainly distracting because the rest of Rage looks so great. In spite of its shortcomings, fans will be pleased to note that id Software still has what it takes to still make meaningful and fun contributions to the genre they created. All told, Rage delivers an incredibly solid experience that’s an arcade racer and a FPS wrapped in Mad Max’s dusty, leather jacket.

[Rage review is based on a copy of the Xbox 360 version of the game, provided by the publisher. Rage is also available on PC and PlayStation 3.]

Jeff Mattas

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October 4, 2011 9:15 AM

Jeff Mattas posted a new article, Rage review.

With an impressive pedigree of games like Doom and Quake, developer id has quite the reputation. Does Rage hold up?
- dantastic
  
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  October 4, 2011 9:29 AM
  
  woah 10 mins gone by and no hate mail?
  - strawfake
    
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    October 4, 2011 9:38 AM
    
    OK, hating because I have to wait for 2 more days :(
- XAVdeMATOS
  
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  October 4, 2011 9:37 AM
  
  Just to mention because some of you might be wondering. We were not provided access to Rage on PC, this is why our review is based on the console version.
  
  When we get Rage on PC rocking, we'll look into any differences. Community chatter indicates that the PC version has a number of issues.
  - Jeff Mattas
    
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    October 4, 2011 9:38 AM
    
    What Xav said. :)
  - mobab
    
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    October 4, 2011 9:39 AM
    
    From what I've been reading so far, it seems like
    
    Rage on PC = -10/10
    
    Rage on consoles = 8/10
    - one random winner
      
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      October 4, 2011 9:44 AM
      
      um, you need to flip that around.
      - crummynz
        
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        October 4, 2011 10:43 AM
        
        note the negative sign
        
        one random winner
        
         reply
        October 4, 2011 10:59 AM
        
        I need to get better glasses.
    - [deleted] 1856106348
      
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      October 4, 2011 10:24 AM
      
      [deleted]
    - apocreg
      
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      October 5, 2011 3:01 AM
      
      yeah but as always its the vocal minority you'll be hearing this close to release.
  - Rice-Rocketeer
    
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    October 4, 2011 10:12 AM
    
    Yeah.
    
    Although you can tell there's an incredible game underneath the problems of RAGE on PC, it's so frustrating because there are some pretty glaringly obvious oversights that a company like id should have addressed beforehand.
    - [deleted] 342332194
      
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      October 4, 2011 11:39 AM
      
      [deleted]
      - LoioshDwaggie
        
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        October 4, 2011 11:49 AM
        
        It's not an 'ATI' issue. It affects both vendors. It's a general texture issue with their technology.
- Attica Blue
  
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  October 4, 2011 9:38 AM
  
  Why can't the Shack do a PC review? All I'm seeing everywhere are console reviews.
  - Attica Blue
    
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    October 4, 2011 9:38 AM
    
    Oh, never mind. Xav and I must have been typing at the same time. ...
  - badcaps
    
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    October 5, 2011 12:45 PM
    
    I wrote up my thoughts after a PC playthrough: http://www.shacknews.com/chatty?id=26834039#item_26834039
- Wadmaasi
  
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  October 4, 2011 9:43 AM
  
  One of the better Shack reviews as of late! So with that praise out of the way, 2 minor quibbles that I'd hope a fellow (albeit amateur, in my case) writer would point out to me:
  
  "brave new world done down" - done ?
  "still has what it takes to still" - That 2nd still bothers me.
- et72
  
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  October 4, 2011 9:56 AM
  
  I have a feeling this is like day1 of any tech, only the people with a computer purchased yesterday will benefit but this engine will continue to age gracefully for 3-5 years in a few games and DLC. I think Carmack had to make a choice, release something that runs great on today's hardware but looks like Unreal3 and doesn't age well or take the leap and invest in the future.
- avatar_58
  
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  October 4, 2011 9:58 AM
  
  You know, saying things like that is pointless. The team that made Doom and Quake isn't the same team making Rage, even if a few guys remain. Times have changed. Expecting a huge iconic hit from id nowadays isn't really fair.
  - Happy Doodle Muffin
    
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    October 4, 2011 10:00 AM
    
    How about expecting something new and interesting?
    - RogerDandy
      
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      October 4, 2011 10:30 AM
      
      that's not too much to ask.
  - bryanvlo
    
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    October 4, 2011 10:08 AM
    
    They have a reputation, well earned, but they need to continue earning it.
  - Downforce
    
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    October 4, 2011 10:11 AM
    
    it's OK. this is getting rid of the rust! Quake 5 will be the real deal. Rage is a warmup! :D
  - pillzer
    
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    October 4, 2011 10:22 AM
    
    Same goes for sport teams: people keep supporting the 'same' team for decades...
- xxadtrxx18
  
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  October 4, 2011 10:14 AM
  
  i think rage looks promising i am going to pick up my copy later today then i will form a better overall opinion.
- pgharavi
  
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  October 4, 2011 10:32 AM
  
  I have read the review on Shacknews and rented the game from Gamefly. I am a good little puppet.
- pillzer
  
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  October 4, 2011 10:35 AM
  
  I didn't see that info anywhere, but: I assume the PS3 version doesn't support Kb + Mouse; right?
  - apocreg
    
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    October 5, 2011 2:58 AM
    
    ha now that (unfortunately!) is very much wishful thinking!
- apocreg
  
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  October 5, 2011 3:00 AM
  
  Cant wait to play this fun and satisfying shooter during the many 30 mins of downtime i'll need on my Dark Souls playthrough when its kicked my butt just that too many times :-)
- BlockheadBrown
  
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  October 5, 2011 8:03 AM
  
  After all yesterday's talk, I'm considering keeping it once it arrives on my doorstep. Should I?
- D-OveRMinD
  
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  October 5, 2011 8:33 AM
  
  Does everyone forget that id has never been about creating great games? All of their games have really just been tech demos of their engines. John Carmack invented friggin volumetric lighting, pushed the boundaries on graphics cards, and put PC gaming on the map with technological advancements...not gameplay.
  
  Rage is just their gateway to licensing their engine, just like every other game they've ever released. How many games were made off the Doom and Q1-2-3 engines?
  - Bingo805
    
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    October 5, 2011 9:01 AM
    
    TLDR: Tech demo: No. Console port? Yes.
    
    While I agree that idTech5 will be on the market in the near future (and I can't wait till a more robust studio picks it up and makes something with it), I don't believe Rage, or any other id title is "just a tech demo. Tech demos don't pay John Goodman for voice acting...just saying.
    
    I decided to steer clear of Rage on PC for a few reasons, and I'm glad I did: my outdated PC and driving games in general I prefer more on an analog stick and not WASD. But the main reason being the abundance of Xbox to PC ports (*cough MW2 ). This is no different, and Carmack himself shows regret for doing so.
  - Jobos
    
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    October 5, 2011 11:41 AM
    
    Don't be stupid. RAGE plays just fine. You don't like it don't play it.
    - Bingo805
      
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      October 6, 2011 3:05 PM
      
      What i'm saying is I bought it for Xbox and I like it, and I'm glad I didn't buy it for my PC cause mine is way outdated.
      
      It's quite enjoyable.
- Jobos
  
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  October 5, 2011 11:35 AM
  
  Fixed my texture problems with someone's custom ini file. Apparently Rage doesn't auto-detect graphics card memory correctly.
  
  Graphical glitches are about stamped out now, but performance is weird. I get some slowdowns from texture-swapping, kinda similar to how Oblivion would take a second to load a new area, and when that happens the frames drop to 1-5 fps for a moment, then back up to 60ish. Annoying as hell.
- GodFather
  
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  October 5, 2011 3:30 PM
  
  Man has time changed, remember the days when id released a game this place was hopping with buzz and tons of feedback. It wasn't a release it was an event....
  - m0rb
    
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    October 5, 2011 6:01 PM
    
    I remember that some of those older games used to get release threads with thousands of comments...