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QUAKE 4: The Dark Age of Id Software

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


QUAKE 4 was the final Quake singleplayer game ever released, with Quake Live and Quake Champions continuing on from Quake 3 Arena. As a Quake 2 sequel, Quake 4 got a mixed reception by Quake fans and was released during The Dark Age of Id Software after Doom 3. This is the final chapter of this Quake retrospective, as we look back at the LEGACY of Quake 4.
 

pr0cs

Member
The game performance (at least on consoles) in particular the load times were abysmal. It neutered any interest in want to replay or dig into the multiplayer.
 

winjer

Gold Member
I enjoyed this game at the time. Good combat and level design. And the becoming a strogg was a nice twist in story and gameplay.
Wish Id made more of this. A remake would also be cool.
 
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I disagree, I really enjoyed this back on 360. It had some pretty bad frame drops and was uneven with the pacing, but overall I thought it was a good time. Shame the multiplayer never took off on 360 because it was pretty decent!
 

ZywyPL

Banned
I loved Q4, way much more than Doom 3 which I had to force myself to finish it even once, whereas back in the day I replayed Q4 over and over again, and it was my go-to game to hop into whenever I didn't know what I wanted to play. There was something in the simplicity of the gameplay that got me hooked.
 

The_Mike

I cry about SonyGaf from my chair in Redmond, WA
I didn't enjoy quake 4. Because of the engine i felt like it was doom 3.5.

It sure as hell wasn't a quake 2 sequel which is a high bar to be compared to
 
Quake 4 is the only Quake game I've played because it came with my 360. I really enjoyed it and played it multiple times. Maybe that was because I have no other exposure to the series. Still don't, although I own Quake 2 on PC so I can play the first part of this story.
 
Many people make comparisons with Doom 3 and that's understandable due to the engine. I would say that Doom 3 has the overall superior campaign with a focus on horror, most people only talk about Q4's stroggification scene and not much else. Q4 has the better multiplayer though.
 

McGILLAZ

Member
Quake IV > Doom 3 (for context, I do like Doom 3 quite a bit, but Quake IV has a pretty constant onslaught of aggressive and often scary opponents. The fact that it connects Quake II is icing on the cake for me).
 
Quake IV > Doom 3 (for context, I do like Doom 3 quite a bit, but Quake IV has a pretty constant onslaught of aggressive and often scary opponents. The fact that it connects Quake II is icing on the cake for me).
There are plenty of intimidating enemies in Doom 3 and the level design takes a turn in Hell. Going to have to disagree and most of the review scores are also higher for Doom 3, especially the console ports.
 

amigastar

Member
There are plenty of intimidating enemies in Doom 3 and the level design takes a turn in Hell. Going to have to disagree and most of the review scores are also higher for Doom 3, especially the console ports.
I like Doom Eternal better, Doom 3 is not bad but it's not that great either.
 
I like Doom Eternal better, Doom 3 is not bad but it's not that great either.
That wasn't the discussion we were having, it involved Doom 3 vs Quake 4. Both games excel and suffer in certain areas, but overall Doom 3 is the more polished and enjoyable product with the exception of multiplayer. Q4 multiplayer is basically Quake III: Arena and that still works regardless.
 

McGILLAZ

Member
There are plenty of intimidating enemies in Doom 3 and the level design takes a turn in Hell. Going to have to disagree and most of the review scores are also higher for Doom 3, especially the console ports.
Sure, but reviews have no bearing on my opinion. IMO Quake IV is the more fun game of the two.
 

amigastar

Member
That wasn't the discussion we were having, it involved Doom 3 vs Quake 4. Both games excel and suffer in certain areas, but overall Doom 3 is the more polished and enjoyable product with the exception of multiplayer. Q4 multiplayer is basically Quake III: Arena and that still works regardless.
My Bad, sorry for going offtopic.
 

Laptop1991

Member
I remember playing it at the time, it was a little disappointing, probably due to people being over hyped for it as it was the first SP Quake since Quake 2, it wasn't a bad game though, no where near.
 

amigastar

Member
You weren't going too much off-topic as Doom: Eternal is another game in the series, the issue was you didn't back up your criticism of Doom 3.
Well, my criticism is it wasn't very much a Doom game. Like many others before me said, it wasn't a bad game per se but a bad Doom game.
 

jaysius

Banned
I don’t even remember if I played Quake 4 so maybe I didn’t.

I remember disliking Quake enemy territory though after trying really hard to enjoy it.
 
Well, my criticism is it wasn't very much a Doom game. Like many others before me said, it wasn't a bad game per se but a bad Doom game.
You said it wasn't great in general, not that it was a bad Doom game. Regardless I disagree, it's a solid modern representation of the classic shooter we all know and love.
 

Beer Baelly

Al Pachinko, Konami President
His voice

The Rock Shut Up GIF by WWE
 

Apocryphon

Member
Quake 4 would very likely have been a much better game if it had been deleveloped by id themselves. Instead it was an ugly, messy, analog of id's Quake 2 that suffered from terrible art and level design.

Modded it can be enjoyable, but Prey 2006 was the better game in every respect and Doom 3, while not a great Doom game was a tighter and better crafted experience.
 
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cyberheater

PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
Have started playing this on the Steamdeck and it’s awesome. Seems like an overlooked gem.
 

twilo99

Member
Just like with CoD, why care about the single player.. ?

Quake should have a top tier multiplayer first and foremost, any sort of single player thing should be secondary.

 
After Q3....the multiplayer maps were trash, weapons were trash, its as if they forgot what made the online experience fun. Then again, neither does new DooM have a good MP.
 
Nah Quake 4 was alright.

The real dark age was Rage. It proved that Carmack was out of touch with the industry.

What does Carmack have to do with anything. Guy is a legendary programmer and created many engines. He aint the dude that writes the story or creates characters if thats what you mean.
 

Apocryphon

Member
Have started playing this on the Steamdeck and it’s awesome. Seems like an overlooked gem.
Presumably you are using the autoexec fix for the broken textures and lighting?

Personally I think the game is hot garbage but it’s irritating that they still haven’t fixed the issues with Quake IV and Rage on modern GPUs.

When you’re done with it, get a key for Prey 2006 and enjoy what I believe to be a far superior game from that era that uses the same engine.
 
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cyberheater

PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 PS4 Xbone PS4 PS4
Presumably you are using the autoexec fix for the broken textures and lighting?

Personally I think the game is hot garbage but it’s irritating that they still haven’t fixed the issues with Quake IV and Rage on modern GPUs.

When you’re done with it, get a key for Prey 2006 and enjoy what I believe to be a far superior game from that era that uses the same engine.
Yes. Using the cfg to fix textures. I’m loving it. Nice to know about Prey.
 
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