Quake Wars, First Impressions

Frustrating?

Exhilirating?

Believe me when I say that there are times when you will want to bang your mouse against your desk in frustration, closely followed by times when you will want to stand up and proclaim your dominance over your unseen internet foes.

The game continues in the vein of the beta/demo. There are multiple classes that each have a different utility, such as hacking computer systems, planting explosives, building bridges, repairing vehicles, and planting artillery. The game requires team cohesion at a level rarely seen in a shooter of this type. The lone wolf is quickly put down. Only by working with multiple classes, timed almost perfectly, can you succeed. In the Battlefield games, you could have limited success as a loner, but since the game play in Quake War focuses on achieving objectives in a specific order, the ability of the one or two “commando” units going deep behind enemy lines is nullified.

I played four of the twelve maps today. I find the GDF to be slightly underpowered compared to the Strogg; only when they are on defense with time to set up do they reach parity. I don’t have a problem with this, as long as the weaker side is on defense, but damned if I like to be raped and pillaged when I’m on offense.

Tasuja commented today that he felt that the demo was a bit arcade-like in its implementation. I do think that it is less tactical in one-on-one combat than Battlefield was, and it doesn’t even come close to the lethality of games in the Tom Clancy universe. But if you have an aggressive playstyle, one that consists of constantly running and gunning, then you should be at home here. This is more like Unreal Tournament’s Assault game than anything. If you’re playing a static/defensive class, like the Strogg Constructor or the Human Engineer, then the gameplay is deeply tactical. A misplaced defense turret or a mine that endangers your team as well as the enemy can lose the game for your side.

I’ll write a bit more later, once I’ve had a chance to play more of the maps.