E3 2008: Rage Updated Impressions

John Carmack shows his latest game at the EA press conference and we've got impressions.

Take one part Mad Max postapocalyptic dystopia. Add in a dash of dusty, dirty dune-buggy driving action. Throw in a sci-fi gadgets and weaponry. Then add tough-talking chicks and nasty-looking mutants wielding huge, metal weaponry. Mix it all together with the help of id Software cofounder John Carmack, and you've got Rage, the latest game from id. Carmack showed off the game today during the EA press conference to an enthusiastic response.

Our first thought when looking at the fairly brief trailer for the game was Road Warrior meets The Hills Have Eyes meets Death Race 2000. As Carmack himself puts it, Rage is a first-person action game that's big on action, exploration, and driving. He didn't make mention of gory, mutant-splattering fights, but you sort of have to figure that that's a big part of the fun. After all, why create fugly-looking monsters if you can't blast them back to the pit of Hades from which they came?

The trailer shown off for the game featured a number of vignettes that painted a pretty grim picture of the universe of Rage, full of blasted scenery, mountainous expanses full of jagged peaks, and small enclaves of humanity banding together in small villages. We saw a few glimpses of characters who might turn out to be major players in Rage's storyline, including an older man who didn't speak and a female character who upon the main character walking into a seedy-looking bar said, "You look like you could use a drink."

Unlike Doom 3 with its dark, claustrophobic interiors (not to mention its ever-present flashlight), the most interesting aspect of Rage's visuals was the broad daylight exteriors and the brightly lit mutant enemies. Unlike the sometimes obscured enemies in Doom 3, you could make out every hideous crevasse on these freaks' faces, and it made for some pretty unnerving character design. Hopefully, we'll learn new and exciting ways of dispatching those ugly beasties when id Software shows off more of the game at this year's QuakeCon in Dallas, which begins on July 31. We'll have more on the game from QuakeCon and beyond as we continue to follow Rage's progress.

39 Comments

  • king_loei

    Posted Nov 3, 2008 12:42 pm PT

    This could be the second coming. In video game form. Ok, ok, that's a bit excessive, but this still looks insanely epic.

  • king_bobo

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 10:41 pm PT

    This is gonna be sweet! Of that, there's no doubt. Or should be no doubt.

  • Tasnuv

    Posted Jul 25, 2008 1:20 am PT

    this game is gonna rock, isn't it?

  • lettuceman44

    Posted Jul 17, 2008 1:09 pm PT

    Interesting idea.

  • grambyte

    Posted Jul 17, 2008 5:32 am PT

    could be something interresting

  • DavidFry1

    Posted Jul 16, 2008 9:06 am PT

    I am glad that Id is getting away from the dark games. I played quake 4 it is fun, but too much darkness.

  • BontraXenderKyl

    Posted Jul 16, 2008 12:23 am PT

    That will be better than Pure I think

  • Trooperdx3117

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 11:10 am PT

    It seems that now after years of Id perfecting the corridor shooter the training walls have come off and Id are now going to perfect the free form shooter

  • zeus_gb

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 10:37 am PT

    It's a little early to call this one but I hope it's good.

  • ThumbTwitcher

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 8:27 am PT

    If Id knows how to do anything its how to make a good FPS. I have no doubt this game will be an instant hit, it will be the Doom of our generation.

  • 1005

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 8:25 am PT

    Post apocalyptic games are always entertaining

  • TwiztedMetal

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 6:55 am PT

    not to bad

  • Nlitton

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 6:55 am PT

    The graphics on this look pretty good. I am also excited to see more post-apocalyptic settings in games.

  • Cube_of_MooN

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 6:40 am PT

    Still to early to make any definitive call on this one.

  • rkolsky

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 6:20 am PT

    "As Carmack himself puts it, Rage is a first person action game that's begin on action, exploration, and driving"

    I think you meant BIG instead of BEGIN, either way, BEGIN doesn't make any sense.

  • peeweeshift

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 6:12 am PT

    id has tricks p its sleeves

  • km1498

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 2:51 am PT

    I will be keeping an eye on this one. Hope its good.

  • SylvanC94

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 1:47 am PT

    This game is looking incredible! Now the only question is, do I get it for my X360 or my computer. Decisions, decisions...

    By the way, I wish all the bandwagon EA haters would watch John Carmack's interview and open their minds a little.

  • eddy96_1

    Posted Jul 15, 2008 12:06 am PT

    the engine looks incredible

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