Rage

[Tomahawk Rob]

Couldn't see an existing first impressions thread for this, so thought I may as well copy across my post from NowLoading...

I got the 360 version of this from LoveFilm yesterday, despite knowing pretty much zero about it, other than it's an id software FPS set in a post apocalyptic world and (going by the odd comment I'd picked up here & there) it supposedly looks fucking amazing... So after installing all three discs to the harddrive, I spent 2 or 3 hours with it, just to see what it is actually like.

Yep, it does indeed look nice! Well the scenery / landscapey stuff does anyway (I'm not sure the same can be said about the NPC models. So far they haven't exactly been the most varied or imaginative NPCs.)... In glorious 1080p I swear you can pick out the individual grains of sand in some areas! However, despite installing the game there is still a bit of obvious delay with the textures, and really, there are only so many shades of post-apocalyptical brown that you can call pleasing to look at.

The first hour or so of gameplay was not what I'd call "fun". Gifted with just a pistol and a bunch of "wingsticks" (bladed boomerangs), I was tasked with completing more than just a couple of annoying "fetch" quests before the game decided I was worthy of playing and spread its metaphorical legs wider. Since then, it's got a bit more interesting, but I'm still having trouble shaking that nagging feeling that this has all been done better elsewhere...

I'm planning on giving it some more time before the weekend, so we'll see if things improve...

[DANGERMAN]

I was sure there was another thread for this, me and ed must have been posting in the news thread or something.

Anyway good news everyone, the drivers to get Rage running properly appear to have been released. I got an update notification today from AMD, so I checked the rage forums to see if it was one I should bother with, and the general consensus was that it seemed to fix a lot of the problems people had been having. It does beg the question as to why id had them for testing prior to the game being released, yet we've had to wait months for them. Oh well, my graphical oddities have gone for now and the game looks awesome.

I played through a mission, one where you're introduced to exploding RC cars. Most of the mission was normal shooting, but the normal shooting is awesome, it's so smooth even if the AI does kind of follow similar patterns. You've got such a big tool set to use too, shame it isn't a bit more easy to snap to. My problem with it is, and this may be due to the staggered start I had with the game, I cant seem to play for longer than 1 mission at a time. It could be because it builds to an end for every mission, so the tension means I want a break or as it breaks that's a natural place to stop

[DANGERMAN]

I finished this last night, it's a great game. There's a few levels with mutants that I played through wearing headphones, really added to the tension. I like that there's a few different types of enemies, some act fairly similar admittedly, but the mutants act very differently from most human enemies, charging in and sprouting out of nowhere. I think they're called The Jackals, whoever it is they take a similar aggressive approach, but they swing down and make use of explosives. Most other enemies will take cover, falling back if you've taken too many of them out.

The feel of the shooting is as good, if not better, than anything out there, especially when you're using the more powerful Authority weapons. There's a right way to go about things too, enemies with armour you're better using the scoped pistol or something and trying headshots, mutants dont like a shotgun or wingstick to the face

The end is a bit shit. The last level is fine, but really easy if you use the right weapons, and there's no final boss to speak of, which is odd because the game does throw one or two 'boss' fights at you. I hope they make a sequel but by the sounds of it that's not all that likely

[Sambob]

There's a few levels with mutants that I played through wearing headphones, really added to the tension.

You were lucky to be able to do that.

[halfagogo]

i cant believe there are so few comments in this thread, this game is fantastic, and all the naysayers who twitter on about the early missions being boring, wtf? they are perfectly acceptable as tutorial missions, the only problem is the settler pistol is so ugly and once you earn 25 dollars you can buy the half a binocular to use as a scope.

for any doubters still to play, you can blast through the early missions & get all collectables in 90 minutes and its not all boring, the scenery is gorgeous for a brown apocalytic wasteland - think borderlands meets fallout 3 (in terms of graphics) but much brighter & much more vivid.

and the 1st guy you meet looks like heston blumethal but has the voice of john goodman!

Currently at the 1st proper town, done my first "race", few jumps and 1 job board mission. - they have done a good job with the driving too.

its a lovely world to explore and gun play is 1st rate.

go play it.

[wholehole]

I keep trying to play this, but it's just not holding my attention for some reason. A nice as it looks, it's just a bit samey. Fighting the same guys in the same sort of locales with the same weapons. The gunplay is fun but it's just not enough to keep me interested for any length of time.

I'll go back to it eventually, when i've almost forgotten why I stopped playing it the first place

[halfagogo]

it's just a bit samey. Fighting the same guys in the same sort of locales with the same weapons.

you have just described 95% of all games ever made.

do the dance of shame!

[DANGERMAN]

i cant believe there are so few comments in this thread

it's because the rest of the forum don't have the discerning taste and handsomeness we do

[wholehole]

it's just a bit samey. Fighting the same guys in the same sort of locales with the same weapons.

you have just described 95% of all games ever made.

do the dance of shame!

You can't see me but i'm doing it now.

[halfagogo]

this game is brilliant but odd.

6 hours in and its all good (after a breif loss of faith).

oh and if you havent started it but will: do not buy that autourity rifle from the shopkeeper in wellspring, you get it for free from the radio controlled car making bandits lair.

[DANGERMAN]

I've been playing through the new dlc for this a bit (The Scorchers). There's a few new enemy types, or at least there's enemies that you haven't fought a million times, and a new weapon that I haven't used a lot of yet.

It fits in to the main game, in fact because I restarted the game (and have lost my end of the game save) I restarted my save right outside its location at the Hagger camp. Pretty nice that it fits in so smoothly, although the flip side to this is that I needed to go and see someone, but before I could I had to do the mission to get me in to Wellspring, and then the Mutant Bash TV mission. I used it as an excuse to do a few missions to power up my car, get some better armour, and improve my guns a bit.

I'd have liked to be doing this with my end of the game save, all powered up with the best weapons, but it's not the worst way to play it. Also as part of the dlc is a mission select, which recognises that I've beaten the game, makes me wonder if you could attempt the last level with a start of the game character.

anyway the reason I'm posting is because I was fighting some mutants in a dlc mission and one of them made me jump so bad I've hurt my shoulder

[Sly Reflex]

I'm starting this tomorrow. Is there anything I should be aware of or any advice I should know before I jump in?

[DANGERMAN]

You'll probably have texture load in like it's an unreal game, and it's a game that gets better the further in you get (also use a mouse)

[Uncle Dokuro]

I'm starting this tomorrow. Is there anything I should be aware of or any advice I should know before I jump in?

John Goodman voices Dan Hagar. That is the only plus this game has going for it.

[Sly Reflex]

I actually thought Goodman was dead.

Seen the pop up. Despite that the game look absolutely stunning, there's some real slight of hand with the code to push the graphics as far as they have. It's worth mentioning that the animation on the models is fantastic too, specifically the ragdolls, they're so seamless and realistic. They stagger and slump at walks, stumble down stairs and fall over furniture as you'd expect a real person to if you put hot lead through them.

I sort of like the way you revive yourself as well, that's a nice idea.

Not sure whether I'm going to stick with KBAM or pad. Combat is miles easier with KBAM but the driving is more pleasant with the pad. I might just stick with pad unless the combat gets bad. The mouse is far superior from what I've played, but the driving about is terrible with it.

Going back to thinking about Goodman being dead, the first achievement I unlocked was called Ghost Buster. Coincidence!

[AndyKurosaki]

I thought this was alright, no certainly not in the same league as Doom. The story was utterly forgettable, I can't spoil it for you as I've genuinely no memory of it.

Anyway, fuck playing it with KBAM or pad Sly, you should rock it lightgun style like Jesse Pinkman. ;-)

[Sly Reflex]

I just got up to a bit where it wants me to make those TNT cars.

As nice as this game looks there's something quite not right. Something feels off. I don't know what it is though.

The guy doing the voices for Rusty and the fat bastard that's filming the TV shows is trying his hardest to replicate the voice of Fred Tatasciore, even down to how he sounds in Gears. I've noticed Claudia Black trying to do an American accent too. Silly girl.

[Sly Reflex]

Just got the defib boost. I've not got a clue what it does, they say it doubles the effectiveness which is a bit of a wide explanation. Does it let me revive twice? Does it half the defib recharge time? Does it give me double health? Explain yourself game!

I quite liked wandering about the hospital, plenty of jumps to be had. I don't like the bosses though, they just seem to be bullet sponges, seems to be a really dated way of going about things.

[DANGERMAN]

I don't remember there being too many bosses like that, but yeah, I wasn't a fan of fighting him either. I think the dlc was the only other section I found as frustrating (the dlc is good, there's just one section I hated)

[Sly Reflex]

The kraken, the mortar muti or the big daft cunt that was asking you to rocket his weak spots for massive damage? I hate the kraken, I've done him a few times now and each time it basically boils down to run away, turn, unload magazine and reload while running away. That's just crap, man.

I should maybe make some of those turrets and see if that makes them go down any faster, if I have to face off against them again. It wouldn't surprise me if he just OHK's them, the big shithead that he is.