id's Rage: Flawed, Flat, But Occasionally Fun
Conclusion
If you're looking for a short, straightforward shooter with solid eye candy, good weapon response, and a plot you'll never have to care about, Rage delivers. The co-op multiplayer is a nice touch and the multiplayer racing is great quick matches, though it tends to get repetitive. The problem with recommending Rage strictly on these merits is the game's price. $60 is a lot to play for a game with a 10-12 hour campaign and the depth of a box of kitty litter. The game's linear nature and total lack of alternate quest solutions leave it with very little replay value.
We then sat down and had a calm discussion on the base principles of the universe
Ultimately, Rage feels like a missed opportunity. The racing component isn't deep or strong enough to carry the title on its own, the plot is nearly nonexistent, and the combat, while good, isn't head and shoulders above other games in this genre. That leaves graphics as the game's greatest distinguishing factor, and while they're gorgeous, graphics alone aren't enough to make it compelling at its current price point.
We'd recommend waiting at least a few weeks before buying the game, even if you think it sounds fantastic. id has already released a patch to add more graphics adjustment options and both AMD and Nvidia are working on driver-side optimizations. The screen tearing, texture flickering, pop-in, and uneven performance aren't enough to kill the game's visuals, but they're significant enough to be a constant low-grade irritant.
;)
We then sat down and had a calm discussion on the base principles of the universe
Ultimately, Rage feels like a missed opportunity. The racing component isn't deep or strong enough to carry the title on its own, the plot is nearly nonexistent, and the combat, while good, isn't head and shoulders above other games in this genre. That leaves graphics as the game's greatest distinguishing factor, and while they're gorgeous, graphics alone aren't enough to make it compelling at its current price point.
We'd recommend waiting at least a few weeks before buying the game, even if you think it sounds fantastic. id has already released a patch to add more graphics adjustment options and both AMD and Nvidia are working on driver-side optimizations. The screen tearing, texture flickering, pop-in, and uneven performance aren't enough to kill the game's visuals, but they're significant enough to be a constant low-grade irritant.
