Veterans of the computer industry — id Software studio, for the first time ventured into creating a game with an open world, an interesting plot, and RPG elements. Whether they succeeded — there is no definitive answer to this question. The problem lies either in insufficient game testing, developer laziness, or maybe somewhere in between. In any case, the shooter turned out to be very controversial.
Post-apocalypse
An idea often realized in Hollywood movies takes form in a computer game for the first time. Another apocalypse, according to id Software, is caused by the fall of a giant asteroid that hit Earth in the 2020s. The ensuing mass extinction of living species and humans is something our character, literally stuffed with nanotechnology nanites, is meant to stop.
Plot and Game World
The game gradually reveals a scant plot as we progress. Without bothering with the backstory of what happened from the asteroid's fall to our awakening — we don't know, we're thrown straight into battle. id Software should have learned from other studios and given the character a voice, as well as explained who he is. Evaluating RAGE as an RPG is pointless — there's no developed storyline for the main character, no side quests, and none of the other RPG joys. Completing another task will give us another portion of the "plot" voiced by game characters. And so it goes until the very end, where surprise, there will be no final tirade from the main boss, nor any explanations for the plot. Not even a thank you. But why bother with the plot when we have a couple of guns and a horde of enemies?
The developers skimmed over the game world — externally everything looks great and very atmospheric, but internally — in the game locations (of which there are only one or two!) absolutely nothing happens. ABSOLUTELY. How hard would it have been to create a couple dozen random quests, even if written "manually" and not by a quest generator? Why do the same enemies attack us in the wastelands, even though they are described as the most dangerous place?
Some users encountered issues with the idTech 5 engine, but personally, I had no problems; the visuals produced by the engine are stunning, and the landscapes are simply superb. For 2011, the graphics are very high quality. The only thing missing is destruction physics, which by 2011 should have already been included. Especially since competitors are promising total destructibility.
To be fair, it should be noted that id is growing, and as a shooter, the game is successful. Atmospheric shootouts, a huge variety of weapons, hordes of enemies — in these moments, you forget about the shortcomings. The idea of various types of ammo and items in the inventory is well implemented. Considering which type of enemy is most vulnerable to certain types of ammo, you can significantly save your "health." The AI of enemies is at a high level and can easily push the player back using unique abilities of their class. Particularly dangerous are mutants with high reaction speed and the ability to move on any surfaces.
Other Advantages
Special thanks are due for the quality of localization! Perhaps this is the best localization in the history of 1C. The meaning of words and swearing are conveyed accurately, and the voice acting is done with feeling, sense, and arrangement. Some additional quests are intended to enhance the impression of the game; there are not many of them, but they add carefree joy from exterminating enemies to RAGE's collection.
A definite plus is the addition of many different useful items, which can be found or assembled during the playthrough. Using them significantly expands the gameplay possibilities. As do the arcade car races. The latter was presented as a feature of the game, but it was implemented clumsily. Yes, you can't survive in the wastelands without a car. Yes, the car is a good solution for the problem of movement. But why was it necessary to add a bunch of car competitions in the game? It's not a racing simulator! Especially since there are only three types of competitions, which can be repeated endlessly.
So, what do we have?
RAGE is an ambiguous shooter from the renowned developers of the gaming industry. Just think, in three years of development, id Software couldn't implement basic things for today's standards, such as: filling the game world, a character's storyline, post-playthrough content, or any kind of multiplayer mode (instead of the pathetic racing mode that exists now).
On the other hand, John Carmack is famous for his phrase: "A story in a game is like a story in a porn movie. It should be there, but it's not that important." RAGE is a clear example of this. A thrilling shooter that doesn't get boring, a huge amount of in-game items, the ability to upgrade weapons, and a multitude of enemies of all possible variations. All of this will definitely appeal to fans of FPS and shooters!
