Enemy Territory: Quake Wars

   

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars (ET:QW) is an online team based first person shooter video game, and is the follow-up to Quake IV. It is also the first game in the series rated T by the ESRB (With the descriptors of Mild Language and Violence. Mild Blood is featured but only on the PC version). It is set in the same science fiction universe as Quake II and Quake IV, with a minimal back-story serving as a prequel to Quake II. It is the second multiplayer-focused game in the Quake series (after Quake III Arena). Quake Wars features similar gameplay to Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, but with the addition of controllable vehicles and aircraft as well as multiple AI deployables, asymmetric teams, much larger maps and the option of computer-controlled bots. Unlike the previous Enemy Territory games, Quake Wars is a commercial release rather than a free download. There is a collectors edition that was released as well.

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars was developed by Splash Damage for Windows using a modified version of id Software's id Tech 4 engine with MegaTexture rendering technology. It was released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on May 27, 2008. On March 18, 2008, Aspyr Media released the title for Mac OS X. Splash Damage and ID Software have discontinued release of the game and thus it is considered hard to find and can be purchased from online stores such as Amazon that continue to sell the game through users that wish to sell their copies.

Gameplay

The game's Main Menu screen

Quake Wars is a class-based, objective focused, team-oriented game. Teams are based on human (GDF) and alien (Strogg) technology. While the teams are asymmetrical, both sides have the same basic weapons and tools to complete objectives.

Unlike other team-based online games (such as the Battlefield series), the gameplay is much more focused on one or two main objectives at once, rather than spread all over the combat area. This allows for much more focused and intense combat situations, similar to the original Unreal Tournament assault mode.

Each player class normally has new objectives show up during game play, many times based around the specific capabilities of that class. The game also has the capability to group players into fireteams for greater coordinated strategy. These fireteams can be user created or game generated depending on the mission selected by the player.

The game has an experience points (XP) rewards system in place, which rewards every player some points depending on the mission completed. This accumulated XP later leads to unlocks which may vary from availability of new equipment/weapons to abilities like faster movement or more accurate weapons. These rewards are reset to zero after the completion of every campaign, which consists of three unique maps, all with a common locale/region.

Missions

Africa Campaign

• Refinery
• Slipgate
• Observatory

North America Campaign

• Valley
• Outskirts
• Area 22

Northern Europe Campaign

• Quarry
• Ark
• Salvage

Pacific Campaign

• Canyon
• Sewer
• Volcano

Classes

GDF

Soldier

This is the GDF's assault class. The Soldier can choose heavy weapons, such as the N93 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), Shotgun, Assault Rifle, and N72 LAW Rocket Launcher. He also carries Fragmentation Grenades and the High Explosive Charge.

Medic

The GDF medical specialist provides a support and combat role. He heals and revives team mates by dispensing health packs and using his Defibrillator pads. The Medic can air-drop supply stations in the field, and carries the N80 Assault Rifle.

Engineer

The Engineer is a support/defense class, constructing and repairing vehicles, deployables, and objectives (such as bridges and machinery). He also deploys and maintains defense turrets, such as the Anti-Personnel, Anti-Missile and Anti-Vehicle deployables. The Engineer carries the N22 Shotgun or the Assault rifle which can be later upgraded to the Grenade Launcher and multi-purpose mines.

Field Ops

The GDF's Fire Support specialist, the Field Ops can deploy Fire Support guns in the field and designate targets for them. His deployables include the Artillery Gun, Rocket Artillery, and Hammer Launcher. He can also call in Air-Strikes and dispenses ammunition to his squad mates. He carries the N80 Assault Rifle which can be upgraded to a scoped assault riffle.

Covert Ops

The GDF's Covert Operative specializes in stealthy infiltration, sniping, electronic sabotage, and reconnaissance. Rangers can use their PDAs to hack and disable enemy deployables, and deploy 3rd Eye cameras to spy on the enemy and relay their locations to his squad mates. The Covert Ops carries the N38 Sniper Rifle and smoke grenades.

Strogg

Aggressor

The Aggressor carries the Hyperblaster or Obliterator Bosonic Orb weapon, Shrapnel grenades(referred to as Shrap grenades in game) and the explosive Plasma Charge.

Technician

The Technician carries a Lacerator or Nailgun and supplies his teammates with Stroyent, gained from corpses, that serves as health and ammunition for the Stroggs. Additionally, he is able to deploy forcefield emitters and turn a GDF trooper corpse into a mobile spawn point.

Constructor

Repairs dynamic objectives and deploys anti-personnel and anti-vehicle turrets. Also has a Repair Drone, an AI-based automatic repair tool that will heal nearby damaged Strogg vehicles and deployables and return to the Constructor afterward.

Oppressor

The Opressor carries a rapid-firing Lacerator, deploys and calls in the Plasma Mortar, Rail Howitzer, Dark Matter Cannon and can call down an Orbital Strike (Strogg version of the airstrike).

Infiltrator

The Infiltrator carries a railgun for sniping, plus has Bio-Electric Pinch Bombs used to stun opponents. The Infiltrator can then possess the bodies of fallen GDF players and use them for sabotage or espionage purposes. He can also use a camera drone to spy on the enemy as well as complete objectives and remotely attacking enemies.

Weapons

The weapons in the game are very similar to the Battlefield and Unreal franchise.

Vehicles

GDF Platypus Speedboat

The Platypus Speedboat is the only water vehicle in the game, probably because Stroggos does not have any oceans. It seats two players, one driving, and one shooting. It is silent at a slow speed. The Platypus is one of two GDF water going vehicles. It is lightly armed and can be compared to an aquatic version of the Armadillo. It has room for only two, the driver and an MG gunner. It is faster and more mobile than the Trojan APC in water. The only problem is that it is limited to rivers, lakes and the sea, and the Strogg never go into the water, (accept hovering on top of it in a Desecerator) this means that the Platypus is more or less useless in combat but a good means of transport none the less. It can however be used as a floating MG turret where needed against enemy aircraft or nearby land vehicles.

Bumblebee Helicopter

The Bumblebee is the GDF's lumbering flying bus, specializing in vertical assault and combat-reinforcement missions. The Bumblebee is flown by a single pilot and carries up to four fully equipped GDF troops who can dismount or parachute from the open rear cabin. Armament is restricted to a mini-gun turret and two door mini-gun mounts, passengers can also use their own weapons as defence.

Husky Quad

The Husky Quad is fast and maneuverable. It can only carry one player and has no armor but this is countered by the fact that it can traverse even the harshest of terrain and reach areas that are out of bounds for other vehicles.

Armadillo Jeep

The GDF's ubiquitous reconnaissance and light-raider, the Armadillo 4x4 is lightly armored and armed with only a single machine gun, but it enjoys excellent speed and maneuverability. The Armadillo's cabin seats a driver and a gunner (either can operate the machine gun remotely), with space in the open rear for three more soldiers--two sitting on the tailgate and one standing, operating the machine gun manually.

Trojan Armored Personnel Carrier

The Trojan Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) is the no frills workhorse of the GDF. This APC can carry 4x players as well as a driver across land, water and up small rocky cliffs. The Trojan has a single mounted MG(PC only) as well as an AA missile launcher which can be used "lock on" to enemy aircraft or as a powerful alternative to a tank gun.

Titan Tank

The Titan Tank is the beast of the GDF's vehicles. It has a huge cannon and is heavily armored. This vehicle has 2 player positions; 1x driver and tank gunner and 1x mini-gun Gunner.

Anansi Helicopter

The Anansi is both highly maneuverable and heavily armed. The general purpose FAFF rockets and the front mounted mini-gun will make light work of enemy foot soldiers and unarmored vehicles. When it comes to armor the Anansi carries anti-armor LAW missiles which will dissuade even the heaviest vehicle.

Mobile Command Post (MCP)

The massively armored Mobile Command Post is an all-in-one command bunker, radar post, and missile launcher. Once driven into position and deployed, the MCP dominates the surrounding area, effectively claiming that territory for the GDF. The MCP acts as a mobile launcher for the strategic strike missile - a devastating, short-range bunker-buster that's capable of blasting open even the most fortified of Strogg strongpoints. Many GDF operations require securing or constructing a route down which the MCP can be escorted from a safe rear area into SSM range of a Strogg-held objective. The driver has a bow-mounted machine gun(PC only); an optional gunner can operate a roof-mounted minigun to deter infantry or aerial attack.

Strogg

Icarus Hover Pack

The Icarus transforms player mobility, by augmenting them with twin anti-gravity repulsors. It uses short-burst thrusters to gain altitude, allowing it to pass obstacles at speed.

Hog Truck

The Strogg's battlefield scout vehicle has a devastating ram charge attack. It is fast and mean and carries a driver and gunner, although a single player can both drive, point and fire the onboard fast-firing anti-personnel weapon.

Desecrator Hovertank

Long, low, heavily armed and heavily armored, the Desecrator is a floating nightmare on land and water, resembling a loathsome, segmented insect-turned-weapon. Mounting a devastating rail cannon in its turret and a heavy lacerator in its hull, the Desecrator can also hunker down in siege mode, sacrificing mobility for increased firepower. While the Desecrator can be operated by a single player, maximum effectiveness requires both a pilot and gunner.

Cyclops Heavy Walker

The massive Cyclops walker is a terrifying sight on the battlefield. Its articulated legs afford it excellent mobility over all surface types, allowing it to traverse difficult, sloping terrain and make sudden, unexpected, lethal appearances. At a distance, the Cyclops is a lethal opponent with twin plasma cannons and a heavy lacerator, although its slow rate of turn leaves it vulnerable to determined short-range attack. The Cyclops can also hunker down in siege mode to form a turret, reducing its silhouette and offering a smaller target.

Tormentor Attack Craft

A nightmarish, buzzing peril, the hovering Tormentor is a heavily armed threat to infantry with its heavy lacerator, vehicles with its "strocket" missiles, and aircraft with its light plasma cannon. The Tormentor is only lightly armored, however, and while the four vectored antigravity repulsors let it hover over a target, they also make it a conspicuous target. The Tormentor can be operated by a single player, but it's most effective with a pilot maneuvering it and a gunner operating its weapons.

Reception

As of February 9, 2008 on the review aggregator Game Rankings, the PC version of the game had an average score of 84% based on 55 reviews. On Metacritic, the game had a score of 84 out of 100 based on 52 reviews. Kevin VanOrd of Gamespot gave the game a rating of 8.5/10.. Other reviews are generally very positive, scoring Quake Wars in the 8–9 (out of 10) range. For the week ending September 29, 2007, Quake Wars was the best selling PC title in the United Kingdom according to the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association. On October 17, 2007, after its top of the charts sale in the United Kingdom, Quake Wars debuted at a familiar #1 spot yet again in the United States. According to NPD group's top 10 best selling PC game charts, it managed to take the #1 spot. Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 reviews for the game were generally much less positive, with IGN giving the 360 version 6.1 and the PlayStation 3 version 5.3, citing game issues and inferior graphics to the PC version as causes for the lower score.

External links

• Wikipedia
• TVTropes
• Mobygames
• MODDB
• Downloads from GameFront

Quake Series(in order of release) Quake – Quake II – Quake III Arena – Quake III Revolution – Quake 4 - Quake Wars - Quake Live - Quake Champions - Quake 6