Enemy Territory: Quake Wars
Wow what a game, a perfect blend between the world of Quake and the RTS\FPS fusions that Battlefield 1942 spawned.
The graphics are amazing considering my hardware and whats happening on-screen, its a true testament to what the I.D Quakers can pull off. The network code is pretty much perfect (for me), hardly any noticable lag or sudden world-snap catch-ups taking place. The smoothness of both the GFX and Network code make online gameplay a really enjoyable experience. The classes provide a fair amount of depth to gameplay, but also are fundamental to the completion of the objectives that drive a Campaign.
It's got so much going on, well thought out classes, 12 stunning large-scale maps to play on, fast\slow-paced action depending on whether you want to get stuck in to the devastation that ensues when the two teams fight each other to complete an objective, or just sit back and either snipe away or provide other support such as being a medic or engineer.
What makes this game an instant classic is its fusion of the quake element in to a massive online war. Before you could only get the large scale war from the Battlefield series, Unreal Tournament and all the other games out there that have tried to serve up large-scale action.
In this game, if the teams are reasonably balanced (not l33ts v N00bs!) you can get a real buzz as the team completes its objectives and you advance forwards. The maps looks stunning, fair old size but not too bad for if you find yourself stuck on foot.
You can either play as GDF (Humans) or the Strogg (um). I love playing the Strogg, as a Medic. While playing you hear your army commander giving out orders to take objectives. He comes out with some classic one liners when you either win\lose an objective\map. One that had me smile was when the Strogg beat the Humans and won the map, he said "That will teach those humans not to try and hackzor our l33t tech" hehe class.
I wasn't too sure if i'd get on with this one, but it's bloody addictive! I've had some amazing moments, I feel it's paid for itself so far with just the laughs i've had, and i've only had it 2 days! Some class moves i've pulled off are .. spawn, get the jetpack and fly in to the objective, land, get out of the jetpack, shoot a few humans, get back in the jetpack, fly through loads of corridors, getting off and hosing people down with the lighting gun, activating a bomb on the objective, back in to the jetpack and start flying up in to the roof area so I could rain down grenades and bullets on the defenders who where trying to deactive the bomb. All wrapped up with a mega-explosion that kicked up a fuss once the bomb went off, which unfortunately took me out. But hey, Strogg are cannon-fodder, they serve the Makron and do his bidding regardless of the consequences!!! And I got loads of Experience points (XP) that made my skills better (persist only for that map and reset after).
If you like FPS shooters, played and liked any of the Quake series (probably better if you've played at least Quake3 and Quake4) then you owe it to yourself to pick this one up and take it out for a drive.
I'd give this one a clear 9/10 for it's genre, it gets such a high score because I am a Quake game fanboi and appreciate the fusion with the Battlefield series.
Here's an off-site review link so you can read someone right it up properly and show you some eye candy :>
Next up is Crysis, at the end of the year. That ones going to run like a slideshow on this box I think. So time to go spec up a Quad-Core SLI'd rig hehe (£££ Groan)