MaximumPC 2007 112

W

hen we think of Quake games, we think of fast-paced deathmatches in

their purest no-nonsense form. In Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, the lat-

est iteration of the shooter franchise, that visceral run-and-gun experience still

makes up the foundation of gameplay, but the integration of deep teamplay

tactics and mission objectives makes this a whole new multiplayer animal. The

meld of cooperative squadplay and frenzied firefighting makes for compelling

matches, but both deathmatch and tactical purists may find themselves in

slightly unfamiliar territory.

We fought for possession of Earth across 12 battlegrounds as both GDF

and Strogg forces, each round structured in an assault and defend format. Up

to 32 players fill the battlefield, contributing to the fight in one of five roles:

Nothing special here—you choose between the typical assault, medic, engineer,

field ops, and covert ops classes. What’s unique is the asymmetry that Quake

Wars applies to the two sides. While the GDF rely on conventional bullets and

ammo, the Strogg use an energy source called Stroyent that doubles as ammo

and health. Strogg can also use the bodies of dead GDF soldiers as remote

spawn points. With the addition of other weapon and special-ability differences,

we had to adapt our tactics to accommodate the advantages of each side.

Helpful tooltips give each player sub-missions and goals unique to their

classes, leading Aggressors to plant explosive charges at vault doors and

Infiltrators to hack computer systems. Quake Wars’s map objectives are some

of the most diverse we’ve seen in a multiplayer game. On the Slipgate map,

the GDF team has to commandeer a forward control point, hack the epony-

mous gateway, escort a Mobile Command Post through the wormhole, and

finally demolish a Strogg Nexus tower.

Awesome objectives aside, we weren’t impressed with the graphics of

the “Megatextured” game, which suffered from overused browns and last-gen

lighting. But once we got past the superficial deficiencies, we were in for a

fresh multiplayer experience worthy of the Quake name.

—NORMAN CHAN

Enemy Territory:

Quake Wars

That tremor you feel is the revival of a franchise

N

othing flexes our imagination like alternate history scenarios, and World in

Conflict delivers one that has us on the edge of our seat. It’s the late 1980s,

and the Cold War is far from over. The commies have already made a push to

invade Western Europe, and in a desperate move, have decided to mount a

sneak attack on American shores. It’s your mission to contain the Soviet inva-

sion and retake Seattle before the invaders paint the country red.

WiC isn’t just the prettiest strategy game we’ve ever played—the effects

are stunning—it’s also one of the most tactical. In each mission, you’re charged

with capturing a series of control points with a limited number of units. The

game eschews base building and unit construction by giving you a set number

of points to call in vehicle and infantry airdrops. Points are reclaimed after your

troops perish, so the strategy becomes how you allocate the various types of

tanks to capture and hold the front lines. This Battlefield-esque reinforcement

scheme ensures there’s never a long break in the action, but also gave us

enough time to plan our next assaults.

The suburbs of Washington state and the bleak wilderness of Eastern

Europe are just a few of the amazingly detailed battlegrounds ready to be

demolished in the game. In-game cut scenes help flesh out the narrative by

giving glimpses into the lives of the soldiers fighting under your command. The

war at home feels very real; its impact resonates even more when nukes are

detonated on American soil.

Taking the fight online yields another fresh RTS experience. Players

team up to take on armor, air, support, and infantry roles, each with special

units that uniquely contribute to an overall match. We dug using helicopters

to rain down guided missiles of justice, but found the support role not as

useful as the other offensive classes. Online niggles aside, World in Conflict

is one of the most accessible

and action-packed strategy

games we’ve ever played.

—NORMAN CHAN

World in Conflict

Proof that mutually assured destruction is not a viable

nuclear deterrent

96 MAXIMUMPC december 2007

reviews Tes Ted. Reviewed. veRdic Tized

The fast-paced close-quarters combat is reminiscent of classic

Quake deathmatch.

Zoomed in, World in Conflict looks better than some first-person

shooters.

9

WORLD IN CONFLICT

$50, http://www.worldinconflict.com,

ESRB: T

8

quake WaRs

$50, http://www.quakewars.com,

ESRB: T